The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-11-02
The Views of Governor Crosby in Relation
Thereto.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, }
TERRITORY OF MONTANA, )
October 21st, 1888. J

TERRITORY OF MONTANA,
October 21st, 1888.
To the Editor Of the Helena Herald:
In reply to your request of yesterdays
date asking me to give you my views and
expression Of opinion relative to the Consti-
tutional Convention to be held at the city of
Helena, in January next, and the election of
delegates thereto, beg leave to state, that,
the formation of the organic law of a State,
In the federal Union, is a grave duty of the
highest responsibility. The convention
called to form a constitution for Montana,
under which she Is to seek admission to the
Union, is undoubtedly the most important
legislative assembly in the history of our
vast young Territory. We are to signify to
our sister States and the world, the charac-
ter of our future freedom and laws. We are
to provide, as far as may be, for q long,
eventful future, and announce the general
principles that are to govern the attitude of
Montana in the multiform relations to her
own citizens and the National Govern
ment.
The action of men as individuals, or in
mass, is directed at last by statute. A con-
vention organized to formulate principles
that will guide and limit the acts of every
future Legislature of the State, controls,
potentially and almost irremedially, the po-
litical character, the fortunes, the liberties of
generations yet unborn.
Ordinary legislative acts are easily and
quickly repealed; but to amend a constitu-
tion is long and difficult labor. There
fore, any error committed by the convention
and drafted into the State constitution, may
have pernicious immortality, even if the
error should not awaken hostile distrust in
the minds Of those who have the power to
grant or reject our prayer for admission as q
State. Our fitness to govern ourselves will
be judged by our own charter. A consti-
tutional convention, moreover, should, in
some sense, forecast the future and looking
beyond the prejudices and selfish opinions of
the hour, provide for the advancement of
liberal thought, and, as it were, clear the
track for human progress in legislation and
government. Society is an organism in con-
slant evolution.
1t has happened that a single sentence
inserted by president master-mind, think-
ing beyond his age-has made a State consti-
tuition an agis of liberty, when slavery was
the custom of the States. Not merely the
many rights of liberty and property, but
the basal right, or privilege" of voting citi-
zenship, the conditions Of suffrage, may be
wisely or unwisely settled for generations by
the convention, and legislation looking only
at present custom, be deprived of Its purest
and wisest elements, when it might be
grandly inspired by them, under the protect
ing shield of the whole federal power.
Free speech, free thought, free action, may
be fatally restricted or perniciously enlarged
by some erroneous decision of Q constitu-
tional convention, which should never forget
that true republic demands the greatest in
dioidual liberty, consistent with the highest
,celfare Of all the people. ......... %.
Whether the popular or imperial tendon
cles, Of all human societies, shall be empha-
sized In ordinary statutes, often depends on
the liberal or the narrow direction given to
the Bench and Legislatures by q single word
in the great organic law of State. The
civil war in Rhode Island was q protest Of
freedom against a constitution behind the
age. 1t offers lesson TO all trainers of the
organic law.
For these and many other reasons, deem,
as have said, convention called to frame
constitution, to be the most important and
digniied Of political assemblies. 1t holds
Law, order, property, life and liberty in trust
The delegates to such potent convention
should be chosen with wise boldness, liber-
ality and sound Judgment. Petty statutes
may be, without vast harm, hurried or "log
rolled" through BY men Of small capacities
and selfish views. But the delegates who
are to create constitution for the vast State
OF Montana should be sminently clear
headed, unselfish, patriotic, practical men,
who are untrammeled by any interest, per-
sonal or official, which might lead them to
secure the enactment Of statute which in
the future could be harmful to the interests
Of the State. The duty Of each delegate Is
sacred in Its greatness. They should be equal
to their duty.
While thoroughly believe in the neces-
sity Of political parties, =. sganceiss IN gen