Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-07-07
lcoSTINUED FROM THIRD pAaE.l

lcoSTINUED RoM THIRD PAaE.l
Ii Q was a substantial equivalency
OF requirement for local governmental
action. Now there is no such equiva-
teucy and differentiation has become an
absolutely essential government prin-
Siple-
That = city like Memphis or Nash.
vile, or those OF like Importance, should
Se subjected to an a~ntiquated contriv-
ance like our county courts is monstrous
wren we come to think Of it, and the
Ila1e mightcome when revolution would
6e q just remedy, ii there were no other
20 De rid of such a burlesque upon mu-
uicipal agencies. 1t might be better to
he a "free city" Every dollar paid by
citizen OF Memphis to county taxation
rs an oxtortion and tribute to an ex-
chcQuer controlled by other people than
a urban population, II wo should con-
tribute to the building Of adjacent roads
out into the country let the proper pro.
portion be fixed and paid by appropriate
law. The county should not contribute
&c cur criminal costs or like expenses,
cor We to theirs; we should have city
prisons, they county prisons; we city
courts, they county courts; and so on to
See end. Or at least we should have the
power at Nashville to regulate by law
Gil these details according to our condi-
cions, and there shoU1d be no so-called
constitutional hindrances in all the vast
domain OF local administration to each
Locality, according to its wants.
We want n constitutional convention
So s1sssh the shackles Of s~o-called con-
stitutional restrictions upon the SUI
preMacy OF the people in their recurring
General Assemblies more than we want
IL fer any other purpose. We want to
get away from the fads OF conceited
mea who think they can govern by
constitutional law" better than the
coming people can govern by statute
law" Our constitutions have become
mugs statutes that are i~nconvenient,
eumorous, oppressive and often little
less than ludicrous in their operation
because "the wisdom OF our fathers"
nas become demonstrated ignorance to
The wiser sons who know OF things the
tathers never knew, as well as in the
science OF government as in other
things. An irrepealable bill OF rights
is about all we actually need in the way
OF constitution and to that furnished
as by our ancestors we have added
scarcely anything OF value.
Connecticut got along for nearly fifty
years after the Declaration OF Independ-
ence without any constitution other
Eoan Its charter from King Charles H.,
and a bill of rights expressed in less
shan two hundred words.
II we reverse the idea OF devising new
taagied constitutional restrictions and
act about Topping off most that modern
cranks have imposed upon us there
might be some Improvement in our
n=.!vo activities. Responsibility
W d no" existing or then present public
spinion is all we can get last out of
government, and the best we need to
get. Mistakes can be corrected and
wise laws be ~perpetuated only by that
public opinion. Let US have a %consti-
tutional convention to rid ourselves of
too much constitution, and il we keen
the cranks and retormers who have no
confidence in popular government out OF
me convention we need not fear the re-
suit. II we start with an understanding
that we are to have as little constitution
and as much freedom OF action for the
people as possible, the fear that "the
convention will do some fool thing" will
De reduced to the minimum. As it is
now, the ship OF state" called 'Tennes-
see" cuts the most pitiable figure of the
whole fleet that floats upon the seas of
constitutional navigation. We ought
to put her into the dry docks to clean
che foul bottom, if nothing else.
E S. HAMMOND.