The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-28
CONSTITUTION IS
|N||S!|;IF:|I|i |. He [: SAYS ! J
Chief Justice ofENortll Carolina
Calls for Constitutional Con
vention Of United States.
SPEECH IN PHILADELPHIA
Advocates Election 81 Senators
and ostnasters BY Direct
Vote Of People
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PHILADELPHIA, T, April 2. De
fects in the Constitution OF the United
states and some much needed amend-
ments we're pointed out In a forcible ad-
dress BY Chief Justice Walter Clark, Of
the North Carolina Supreme Court, be-
fore the alumni Of the University Of
Pennsylvania law department at re-
ceptlon held IN Price H all this evening,
Justice Clark declared that the Constt-
tuition, being antiquated, Is a mlsflt for
modern conditions. He S ADVOCATED the
election OF senators and postmasters ~
the direct vote Of the people and changes
IN tl,o method of electng a President.
Resides distinguished members OF the
alumni there were present Judges OF
The supreme and the Superior Courts OF
iFsennsylyania and the common pleas
courts Of philadelphia and nearby
counties. ai S'
What Justice Said.
Aftor referring IT, the Immortal glory
TINT for all time will hang around the
name Of the birthplace OF government
"of the people. for the people and by
tho neople." Justice Clark said in sub
stance:
.rhere was radical difference be-
t,voan the convention that met here In
177G. and made the great Declaration.
mat was frankly democratic and re-
volutionary It could only win by
nonu,ar support. 1t declared that all
u men were free and equal. and that
al, government rested on the consent
~ 5the government and should be
changed at their will. Its declaration
was unanimous, Every member signed
it,. II * ID. . 43
"rhe convention Of 17H was re-
dictionary IT sat with closed doors
lis journal narrowly escaped a vote
that 1t should be destroyed. 1t was
only published after. q lapse OF forty
nine years. Out Of slxty-flve delegates
only thirty-nine signed the Const!tu-
ton and some of those afterwards OPP
nosed ratification. 1t was ratified by
\ the states with the greatest difficulty,
All the great guarantees Of personal
liberty, free speech, free, press, OF re-
ligious liberty, against general war
rants and the like were omitted from
tho Constitution, and were only In
serted as the first ten amendments.
because n majority of the States would
ratify only unon the assurance that
3 this would be done
= s'O[a# lIle tIlcc " SiSdt 'SI'i1 t'''e'''.o-
Executive Legislative and Judicial,
the Constitution gave to the people the
Il choice OF only onc-slxth, re, one -half
of the Legislative and that the weak
est half. Tho Senate Wis made cleo
tive at second hand by state Legsa-
lures, and the President at thirdl hand
by electors originally chosen by tho
state Legislatures. and the Judiciary
at fourth hand, being appointed by
the President and confirmed by the
Senate, and made irresponsible by be-
b Ing appointed for lifo
The Controlling Power,
,orhe people have captured the choice
Of President by forcing his election to
be made Mt the ballot-hOX and COM
nelling the electors to become figure
hends. but the controlling power In tho
government Is to-day the Senate and
the Judiciary, neither or whom Is
elected by the people,, t5
t'yYhen the constitution was framed
wa had 100000 from Massachusetts
10 Georgia, $10,tO0,0O0 of annual
revenue 70 postmasters and $4,000
nostoffice expenditures The school,
q master was not abroad In the land.
e pop,llur government was new and the
convention was afraid to trust 1t,
,lSyen il the Constitution had been &C,
ceptable (and It was noD when made. 4
Il itswould be misfit now after nearly
a century ami n quarter Of trial Of
nopular government when the people
nre euliEhtened and the danger to
.property Is not from The masses hut
q frnn,Sthe great power Of consolidated
h wealth against which there were no 4