Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-02-21

we reply that even such a Entl ority would |
not be sufficient for that purpose, either
under article TX Of the constitution .or
under section Of tee Act Of 1887, which
authorized the special election Of that
year
To authorize and require the present
Legislature, under either the constitution
or said act, TO call convention, the vote cast
for convention in 1887 must be at least
equal to majority of the votes cast for
representatives at the general election of
1882
Therefore, it is the number of voters
actually qualified in 1882 and then
voting-if this was greater las the re-
turns conclusively show that it was) than
the number actually qualified in 1887
and then voting-which is to be Che
guide and standard whereby the pre-.
scribed and recognized vote in favor Of
a convention is TO be measured For the
former establishes the conclusive pre-.
sumption that the latter were not "all
the citizens in the state having right to
vote for representatives, that is, the en-.
tire electoral class or body--a majority OF
whom must, according TO the meaning OF
intent Of Oui state constitution, express
their will and desire TO be to have con
vention, before it shall be called by the
Legislature
That this was the meaning and pur
pose OF John NJ. Clayton, who prepared
the constitutional provision prescribing
such a majority and also 81 the conven
tion Of 1881 which incorporated it in om
present constitution rs shown be
yond all doubt by the Debates of that
convention.
They foresaw, what experience has since
demonstrated, that fewer Of the electora
class would be qualified and vote in som,
election years than in others, owing tc
the absence Of exciting political issues. Of
from other 'oanses ane' therefore that some
standard should be adopted whereby tn,
real majority Of the entire electoral bod,
in the state might, with reasonable Ger
tainty, be ascertained so as always t.
require and secure the assent of such q
majority before any convention should
be called. The rule, as they conceived
and as all thoughtful citizens must fee
was n wise, just and necessary one. n
simply prevented & minority, but not q
real majority Of the people from call
ing a convention
Mr. Clayton and his associates in the
convention believed that complete oval
iication aud full vote Of the entire elec
toral body Of the citizens in the state
would in all probability, be secured al
some one of the three general elections
next preceding the vote for or againss a
convention and that thereby the needed
standard Of asoertainment might be OBJ.
tanned.
They accordingly Incorporated in Arti.
Gle TX of our constitution the language
4 which requires that vote equal TO q
majority Of the votes cast in 1892, should
have been given at the special slec
tion of 1887 in favor Of Z
convention, before the Legislature, Under
the express terms of the act Of that year
shall be authorized to call IT,
That the express terms Of said art d
1887 made the vote Of 1882 the standard
for ascertaining the number Of votes to b,
given IN 1887 in favor of a convention be
fore it could lawfully be called, was a6nit
ted and publicly declared by the ICON
vention men Of both partiesn mn to IN,
very day Of the special election. That
the said standard was not reached and
herequired vote.not obtained was recog
nized and believed by every intelligent
and candid citizen, after the election.
The news and its advisers and abcttor.
among the convention men Of botI
parties are now estopped from claiming
the contrary. To continue to do so win BE-
dishonest. as it will be discreditable e
them and hurtful to the convention
cause