The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-12-19

Hsnisan n. a q = pyts q ~ - -.
sfifa 70 : Cosstitnfioual toavsatioa. b : -
fas3erss Tina that - peopIe have I'D so661a
~ teaieve 1T tAere vs. c3oee corpofasiuo ~
atseen The an1e be1lnm D6mOcfats ard he caEpee-
ms Reps6llass 4 thia 6ta,e -1snps 1f1Iss.
/ Rrf~ass Z.
=: &C. E Dyke Of the FIoRID1Ax has
NOT heretofore been considered much in
sss,cord with Ex-Governor Reed in any
ff,iig, rs the files of the Tribune will
sshcw, and ~ to his views in reference
itb "a Constitutional Convention" the
sEL4MprAN is not informed, and cares
Slsss. When the Tribune made itself
sort Of defender of the Ex-Governor the
( 'DIKrDIAN was exposing the frauds of his
administration, and on all proper occa-
ssio.ss has urged amendments to the Con-
ftithtion, which could have been made
long ago and would have been made but
for want of agreement among Democratic
sneIpbers of the Legislature, not so much
% TO the amendments themselves as to
she mode of accomplishing them.
Very many Democrats have preferred
{hat amendments, for economic reasons,
shohld be made by the Legislature, while
others have insisted on Convention, and
shuf between the two advocates of mode,
snd because of this disagreement, no
shanges have been effected. It is true
shat eleUen important amendments were
basked by the last Senate, but too late
tor action by the Assembly. One of the
amendments abolished two cabinet Off
tes; another provided for the election Of
founty officers, another did away with
She good-behavior tenure in office, and
another required the payment of poll
lax as among the qualifications for suffrage.
Thfse with the other amendments were
adopted by the requisite two-tbirds ma
lority. We doubt now, however, whether
this last change could be made by either
hOqse of the Legislature to assemble next
,nopth, and we also doubt whether any
changes short of Constitutional Con-
yeItion will be made, and this doubt
sriaes from the disagreement as to mode
(which is just as strong to-day as it was
pix years ago, and from the further fact
that for three sessions of the Legislature,
beginning with 1877, the Democrats have
had two-thirds majority in each house
anf nothing definite was done, though
the action of the Senate in 1881 showed
what could be done when there was
5wi,l to try.
. There is still a difference of opinion
among Democrats on the Convention
question. While there is an approach to
sunanimity on the main issue, there are
divisions as to whether a Convention
should be called in accordance with the re-
:quirements of the present Constitution or
whether these shall be treated as of no
binding obligation and Convention be
ordered outside of them. Up to the pres
zen; time, three Legislatures, Democratic
.in'both houses by an overwhelming ma
;joIty, have acted on this question in
'supordination to the constitutional re-
squsrements. The Legislature in 1877
adopted joint resolution looking to a
sCInvention for a revision of the Consti-
;tulian. This resolution was again adopted
Fsby the Legislaturein 1879 and the follow
sing year the question of Convention or
mo Convention was submitted to the
people for their action. All this was
ant accordance with the requirements
of the Constitution and consequently
regular and legal The vote in 1880
wqs largely against Convention. But
thb Legislature which met in 1881, the
members of which were mostly elected
at the time when the vote on the Conven-
tiqn question was taken, assuming that
thh matter was not fully understood by
the people, adopted another joint resolu-
tiGn in substance the same as the one
agreed to. in 1919, and this resolution
will come up for action at the session in
January, now close at hand, and if
adopted, as it undoubtedly will be, the
question of Convention or no Convention
will be again submitted to the people
WHO will pass upon it at the election in
tbe following year, 1884. If they ap-
prove, as we believe they now will, the
/ Legislature then chosen will be required
20, call the Convention within six months;
sd that in little over two years from
this time, a Constitutional Convention,
/, regular in form and lawful IN every re-
apect, against which no possible objection
can be raised, will have the whole matter
IF constitutional revision in hand.
s, Thus, so far, Democratic Legislatures
ssave cenformed their action on this sub
.ect to the constitutional requirements.
E1ery step taken has been in strict pur-
. Auance of the prescribed forms. But this