Year: 1866

the filling of all vacancies not otherwise
provided for by this Constitution, or the
Constitution Of the United States, shall be
made in such manner as may be directed
by law" &c. r,..s.


This section relates to the manner of hold
ing elections and making appointments in
certain cases, and can have no bearing what
ever upon the question of the power to
elect or appoint. 1t gives neither the Coy
ernOr nor the General Assembly any new
grant of power, and the whole question is
yet left without any constitutional sanction.


In no case ought the Legislature to act
upon doubtful question. A doubt should
cause every right-minded man to hesitate;
and, to say the least, the power claimed Is
dOu Dtful, and can be gathered from the
Constitution by inference only. l believe
the power is prohibited, and the practical
operation of the principle strengthens
the argument. To fill every city, town
and village with officers appointed by
the Governor, responsible to no one but
himselt-having no respect for a0y but
himself, disregarding the people ovor
whom they exercise their authority, aud
breeding corruption in every part of the
State-revives the infamous tyranny OF the
worst times. To control elections, to i'm
pose rules, regulations and enforce au-
thority over an unwilling people, to per-
petrate outrages, without the hope of
change, is the worst species of tyranny;
and such, ultimately, would be the effect of
the principle of this bill. E.HL


Though the people were against it,
this thing is proposed to be established, and
to say that this is constitutional is to de-
prive the Constitution of its greatest
strength, the public respect. have been
informed that the majority of the people Of
fb nf nd tn
bill. That If it was submitted toa vote,
they would vote it down, and
l am informed further by a MEM
Der of the House, that gentleman
there who is prominently connected with
this bill is looking forward to the ascendant
cy of the Democracy in that city, and that
this bill is to put it beyond the reach of the
people to govern themselves, and fasten
city government upon them for years to
come. This bill provides that the officers
appointed by the Governor shall hold their
offices for eight years. This is well design
ed for the purpose, but let gentlemen re-
fleet that the State may change, and that
Vallandigham, Thurman, Ranney or some
other Democrat may become Governor, and
that then the ingenuity, the chicanery of
this bill will return to plague the inventor.
1t scarcely ever fails so to do. l cannot be-
lieve that many of the members here whom
have been induced to think respected the
Constitution, will vote for such aprinciple.
With the Constitution against it, with its
numerous effects of oppression, and
its total violation of the principle which
is the cornerstone of our political
edifce-popular suffrage, l prophecy
either the defeat of the bill, or such
a storm of indignation among the people
where its enforcement is attempted, as will
recall the servants of the public to a sense
of the duty they owe to the people-a re-
spect for the elective franchise.


[ have said sufficient. l regret that
did not know that this bill would be the
order for to-day, that l might haYe been
the better able to persuade and convince
the Senate of the nature of the principle
involved in it, and console myself in an
ticipation that wrong motive may work
its passage, that the operation of the prin-
ciple which l advocate-elections by the
people-will hereafter vindicate itself.