The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-08-13
The New Constitution.

The New Constitution.
Editor PAiATkA NEWS.
After some consideration the couyen.
ton which adopted the new constitution
concluded To- submit it H. the ratiiiration
Of the people in these words; "'rhiscon
tuition shall be- submitted to the people
Of the State If Florida for ratification,
on til first Tuesday after the inst Mon
day in November. a. D.. 1856. and it
shall require a ma ority of the votes cast
upon the question to determine It's ratiti-
cation or rejection" u III. people do
not realize the responsibility placed upon
them AMI fail to avail Themselves Of the
privilege On voting upon the particular
question Of adoption or rejection Of this
fundamental law under which they agree
tn live, Il constitution not acceptable to
them may be fixed upon by n very small
vote. II one hundred votes in ~ large n
county ~ Putnam should be- given in ia,
,or Of adoption and ninety nine should
te given for REJECTION, then ~ tar ~
Putnam county is concerned the consti-
tuition would |. as ril.ctually adopted
IN il II maj orlty Of all the registered vo-
tiers III the county had voted for it,
Then, fellow voters, Il becomes you,
il worthy Of tho elective franchise. To
examine this new constitution and see II
It IL an exponent of democratic prlnci.
pies such ~ were urgently demanded by
you, and such as you had u right to cN-
IEct from convention loudly called for
To restrict tho on" man, kingly power,
and to b"stow such power upon the peo-
pie to whom it rightly h~lonps. and from
whom il should cnlanatc. lat us take Il
summary view Of the chief features OF
the instrument.
Does 1t give that permanenry and sta.
bilty To the compact for the govern.
ment Of all the people, which will secure
mnoritics from the sudden impulse Of
popular excitement; Such is the design
of every constitutional government. 4
hill Of rights liz prriixed. setting forth
what private and personal right. belong
inherently to every man. But what will
that avail il these can In ahrogatrd by
an excited and uni.ilecting majority: 1t
making amendments is sufficient tim,
given for deliberate consideration ana
the subsistence OF excited feeling:
think not.
| hold that the organization of the su
preme court is not such as will secure Il
safe, independent body to finally deter
mine what is the law Of the land. TIL,
Judges are To In elected by the people
hut they are Ia he elected for only NJ,
years. They may be- elected at twenty
Judge may h. standing candidate fo
reelection aud So shape his course rs I,
meet popular favor IL such an indie
pendent Judiciary.
The State il to lr divided into sever
judicial circuits, and the Judges are I,
br appointed by the Governor and mp
proved by the Senate. Is this democrats,
aud restricting the one man power; tn,
people ut each circuit should elect thei
Judges and states attorneys to settle An,
manage the affairs Ut those eli, ats. sub
ject to an appeal to the snpien,r court.
In selecting "A Judge Of probate tn,
convention recognized the capabilities y
the people, aud the propriety Of havln!
such judge elected bv the people of tn,
county IN which he is 10 have iurs,ic
ton. Yet when they come to the man
ner OF choosing county commissioners
who are to have charge IF the sprcia
interests of the counties, the people ar
not considered capable Of electing sucl
commissioners, hut the appointing u
them is reserved to increase the one maj
power. oh democracy What acts ma
, not lie committed in thy name: II
county court is tn br established at AN
time in any county, II is not stated, hll
onl, to he inferred, how the judge u
such court Is to be chosen.
a homestead exemption is to br Sc
cured tu the head Of u family residing
in the State. The design of such clan,
: is to secure u home to II man of family
and t. his family after him. But tn
new constitution provides that a man q
woman dying without family ma
give his or her property, once "A homt
. stead to- any person. linus drprlvIn
y, honest c.elitors of their rights, an
stretching the mrtion far beyond an
scmblanCc uf secm ng homes to fan,
lilies. There are many minor defects /
, this new constitution, which are rhtet
and radically wrong because all thcs
points could have been better met an
provided for hy legislation.
II is a common complaint that "
. American people have too much lcElsIa
tim, and certainly may it be said that I
this ease We have too much constitution
In matters of mere public policy the pc
: pie should have ready and rnsy mrtho
Of altering and providing their laws
But in matters pertaining to inhcrcn
private rights there should bc an origins
compact, u constitution, a safeguard L