Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-02-24
BY THE PEOPLE.
Now Mode OF Eiccting unitod
Statos Scnatora
senator Palmer. OF Illinois. Talks Co tho
senate on tho Proposed Change aud
Urges It's Adoption ny Congress.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 10 MIR Palmer.
In calling the attention of the scnntc
and country Ia the subject OF nm alter
alton OF the constitution of the United
states which shall provide for the
election OF senator's In congress- by
direct vote of tho people of tho several
states. said that the constitutional
mode OF clccting senators 10y the leg.
islators OF the state was no longer
satisfactory To the American people.
IL was not n sufficient answer To the
popular dissatisfaction To say that II IN
the method provided 10y tho constitu.
tiou. Tracing the history of the adop-
ton OF the constitution, he pointed out
that the instrument we now So rcvcrcd
was not the fragment prepared by the
patriots and statesmen who composed
the convention OF which Washington
was president, but the complete instru-
ment rs perfected by ten most import
ant amendments submitted To the states
for their approval by the first congress
that assembled under its provisions.
lie regarded the provision In the con
stitution for its own amendment one OF
the happicst conceptions OF profound
statcsmanship. and as showing expec-
tation entertained by many that IL
would thereafter bc improved by essen.
tial amendments
1t Is manifest that there prevailed In
the convention which framed tho con-
stitution, the most profound distrust of
popular elections
Ii was conceded. indeed. that an cleo
ton, of one branch, at least. OF the pro-
posed Legislature 10y the people. was
I nm MIA ~
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 re-
cure just preference OF merit"
But IL is probable that the general
purpose of the convention. Ia the or.
ganization OF the senate aud in the
mode of elccting senator's was ex-
pressed by MIR Dickinson. who said he
wished the senatc 10 consist OF tho
most distinguished charactcrs-dis
guishcd for their rank in life and their
weight OF property, aud bearing az
strong n likeness To the English house
of lords as possiblc;' and he thought
"such characters more likely TO bc Sc
lected by the state legislature than 10y
any othcr mode
Mr. Madison, sharing the same feel
ing, said; 1.-THE use of the senate ia TO
consist In its 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 sen itors to state executors was that
of protecting the commercial and
monicd interests. IL was argued In the
convention that the commercial aud
monied interests would be more secure
In the hands OF the state legislatures
than of the people at large. The for
mer have more sense OF character. aud
will be restrained 10y that from injus-
tice."
None OF the reasons which led the
trainers of the constitution 10 deprive
the people of the direct control Of tho
executive department aud OF the senate
are now existing
Specific proof Of the incapacity OF the
legislature TO exercise electoral func-
tions, and OF the capacity OF the people
To do so will be found on examination
OF revised and amended constitutions
OF the older states. and OF the new
states modelled after them. III the
amendment 10 the constitution which
he proposed should be adopted, tho
members Of the house would be chosen
by the direct vote OF tho free people OF
the several states, and the senate would
be what IL never yet had been. the pop
ular branch of the congress OF the
United States