Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-02-08
hestion, and
hey No man
lis, that a large
izens, strongly
6ost conservative
Is in the State, have
4ture the importance
hitting this question to
the people decide for

way We s6 xllowed to ask Of the begisiss-
ture this simple question: Are you afraid to
trust the peoplep If you are, then in the
future let your constituents take warning,
and be afraid to trust you.
The legislator, under demand like the
present, merely asking the right to allow the
people to express their will upon SO import
ant question. who assumes to take the re-
sponsibility upon himself of denying this
privilege, exercises an arbitrary power great
ly at variance from the sound doctrine that
the people are the primary source of all
power, and it is the grand inherent right of
the people to make and unmake at their
pleasure
We presume, from the discussions in the
papers, there is not a portion Of the State
where this demand for new constitution
has not its advocates. The Legislature has
no responsibility attached to it further than
TO submit the question, all that follows is
the act Of the people; whether the people
act wisely or not, is not for the Legislature
TO sayA There can be no blame imputed to
any legislator for submitting this question
to the VOTERS, for In SO doing he can ever
cover hiA action with that impregnable
shield, thst, as a representative of the peo-
pie, he'was bound by every reason, upon a
reasonable request, to submit to the people
flor their action all subjects not delegated to
himself.
\ There might be very cogent reasons to
doubt the legislator who would refuse to
tSubmlt this question to the voters He not
Ylnly virtually shows himself afraid to trust
[be people, but it might be said he has some
Eend in Office to be taken care of, he de-
les some personal benefit under the pres
4 constitution that might be destroyed,
al athousand other reasons, none Of which
WI lld justify his action. He might further
say he was satisfied it was not the wish OF
his constituents. He is not justifetqn as
Stunning this, and his constituents may form
but meagre portion of the state.
The legislator who, whethek in favor Of a
new constitution or not, declines to sui pit
this question to the popular vote, certainly
lays himself open TO the charge Of prefer
ring his own arbitrary power to the voice
of his constituents something they are not
likely to forget in the future. The right of
petition TO the Legislature by the people has
ever been conceded. The demand in the
present case can only be gratifed by per-
hitting them to pass upon the subject-matter
at the ballot-bcx. If by their votes they
declare in favor of new constitution, then
no one dare say the Legislature did wrong
in submitting the question. If the majority
declares against the necessity of change
in the organic law, no one is injured, and
the Legislature will have done its duty by
giving the people an opportunity of express
ing their will upon the subject.
The day has not yet arrived in our STATE
when either of the political parties can affort
to say that the majority shall not rule, ant
any attempt or action upon the part OF tn,
Legislature to prevent the passage Of a law
allowing a vote at least upon this question
is an attempt to deprive the people of al
opportunity to give expression to their will
------. .. -
The London Pal Mall Gazette report
a very remarkable discovery. DR.. Carte
Mofiat claims to have invented an instru
ment called an ammoniaphone, which cor
iains an absorbent material saturated wit
peroxide of hydrogen, combined with col
densed ammonia and other ingredient
through which 0 current OF air is draw
into the lungs. His voice, he claims, WI
originally very weak, harsh and destitute {
information; but by the use of the ammonia
phone 1t has now become pure ten'
Of extraordinary range The attention
managers Of Italian opera is called TO III
discovery.
On Thursday of last week J. N. Stee
and John Murray, both of Dorchester cou
~, Nd, and also members OF the first fan
lies of that county, quarreled about Il