The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-02-27
BY THE PEOPLE.
New Mode of Blecting United
States Senators.
Senator Palmer, Of Illinois, Talks Co tho
Senate on tine Proposed Change and
Urges Its Adoption by Congress.

WASHINGTON, Feb 10 Mr.. Palmer,
in calling the attention of the senate
and country to the subject of an alter
alton OF the constitution of the United
States, which shall provide for the
election of senators in congress. by
direct vote of the people of the several
states, said that the constitutional
mode of clecting senators by the leg
islators of the state was no longer
satisfactory to the American people.
1t was not q sufficient answer to the
popular dissatisfaction to say that it is
the method provided by the constitu-
tion. Tracing the history of the adop-
tion of the constitution, he pointed out
that the instrument we now so revered
was not the fragment prepared by the
patriots and statesmen who composed
the convention of which Washington
was president, but the complete instru-
ment as perfected by ten most import
ant amendments submitted to the states
for their approval by the first congress
that assem- bled under it's provisions.'
lie regarded the provision in the con-
istitution for it's own amendment one of
the happiest conceptions of profound
craftsmanship, and as showing expec
tation entertained by many that it
would thereafter be improved by essen
&ial amendments
1t is manifest that there prevailed in
the convention which framed the con-
stitution, the most profound distrust of
popular elections.
1t was conceded, indeed, that ar cleo
nf hro of n of
posed legislature by the people, was a
clear principle of free government Mr..
Gerry said: 1T was necessary that the
people should appoint one branch of
the government, in order to inspire
them with confidence" but he wished
the ''other to be so modified as to Sc
cure just preference of merit"
But it is probable that the general
purpose of the convention, in the or
,ganization of the senate and in the
mode of electing senators, was eX-
pressed by Mr. Dickinson, who said he
wished "the senate to consist of the
most distinguished haracters-distin-
,guished for their rank in life and their
weight of property, and bearing as
strong likeness to the English house
,of lords as possiblc;" and he thought
t'such characters more likely to be Sc
lected by the state legislature than by
any other mode"
Mr.. Madison, sharing the same feel
ing, said: "The use of the senate is tC
consist in it's proceedings with more
GOODNESS, with more system, and with
more wisdom than the popular branch.
Another of the objects intended to be
accomplished by confding the election
of senators to state executors was that
of protecting the commercial anc
monied interests. 1t was argued in the
convention that the commercial anC
honied interests would be more secure
in the hands of the state Legislatures
than of the people at large. The for
1mer have more sense of character, ano
will be restrained by that from injus
tice."
None of the reasons which led thu
trainers of the constitution to deprive
the people of the direct control of the
executive department and of the senate
are now existing.
Specific proof of the incapacity of th'
Legislature to exercise electoral func
tions, and of the capacity of the peopl
to do so will be found on examination
of revised and amended constitution
of the older states, and of the nev
states modelled after them. If tn,
amendment to the constitution whic
he proposed should be adopted, tn
members of the house would be chosel
by the direct vote of the free people @
the several states, and the senate woul
be what it never yet had been, the poF
yular branch of the congress of tn
United States,