Year: 1874




are the nominees Of this or that party, |
rather than Of their intrinsic merit. There !
fore, would regard it as public calam- |
ity If all the local officers were 10 be cho-
sen at a time when party lines are as
tightly drawn as they are on the day of q
Presidential election


The amendment 10 the article on muni- |
clpAl corporations may be said to be some |
what important. II provides that no
property shall be assessed more than ten
per cent. Of its taxable value in any one
year, or more than fifty per cent. Of its
highest taxable value in ten years see
no reason why such limitation may not |
be applied by legislative enactment under
the present Constitution, and it is ques-
tonsble whether this limitation may not
be regarded as an invitation to municipal
corporations to extend the tsEation TO fifty
per cent or half the value Of the property
in ten years


Another Of the good things is that
clause which provides that public officers,
during their service, shall not be recipi-
ents of dead-head passes from railroad
companies No lawyer, or man Of ordi-
nary sense, think, can question the pow
er OF the Legislature under the present
Constitution to provide the sams thing by





It as good thing" to be put in statute,
Senate, l reported a bill and carried 4
through the Senate, making fhe same
identical provision. So may the Legis-
lature provide that the compensation of
no officer shall be increased during his
term of Office. So may the Legislature
provide, even by one of its rules, if not by
statute, that no member shall vote upon
any proposition in which he is himself per-
sonally interested.


l might 60 on in the same way with
reference to all those good things" So
called, but it might be tedious and unpro-
fitable.


ALIENS TO VOTE AND HOLD OFFICE.


These gentlemen who parade with self
satisfaction the good things" and ingenl-
ously conceal the bad things in the new
Constitution, made strong and persistent
effort to confer on aliens the power to vote
and hold Office while they might yet owe
allegiance to foreign and unfriendly DOW
ers. | was perhaps instrumental in de-
feating that good thing" The Conven-
tion had previously adopted the militia
article exempting aliens from military
duty. This was emirently proper, be-
cause by our treaty stipulatioRs with for
eign powers they were already exempted.
subsequently the Committee on the Elec-
tive Franchise reported in favor of allow
ing these aliens to vote, and therefore to
hold Office, including the paupers and fell
ons who might be transported to America.
Delegates seemed to think it would be an
other good thing" to require natiVe-boTn
and naturalized citizens TO do military
duty in time of peace, and to go to the
battle. field and lay down their lives in
time Of war, while the aliens should enjoy
the comforts and safety of their homes, do
the voting and revel in the honoEs and
enoluments of Office. Believing that no
man should have the power Of the ballot
until he could be compelled to share with
US IN the dangers of the bullet in war
times, moved to strike out the clause.
Ably supported by Judge West, and 9TH
ers, my amendment prevailed by q small
majority only. For this have been mis-
represented, and bitterly assailed in Eng
hsh and German, by brace of unscrupu-
lous, one-horse editors, who profess TO be
Democrats The Enquirer has the man
uscript of my remarks on that occasion.
1 expect them TO publish it soon in Justice
to myself. l stand by that utterance and
desire that native and naturalized citizens
may have an opportunity to read it. Ny
regret now is that this 'good thing" was
not carried. Were it in the Constitution,
its defeat would be secured beyond doubt.


THE ECONOMY OF RATIFICATION.


II has been said that the people ought
TO ratify, because the ConRe1tlon has cost
g large amount of money. Such an ar
gument is fallacious. The legislation and
adjudication of our courts for the past
twenty years are all under our present
Constitution. The whole machinery of
the State is in working order under it.
A new Constitution would involve the ex-
penditure of vast amount in reorganiZa-
tion, in remodeling the statutes Of twenty
years, In the publication of new laws,
judicial decisions, etc. On the score OF
economy alone il is better the old Consti-
tuition should stand. Although in some
respects imperfect, it is preferable to the
new one.


Better endure the ills we have,


Than hy 70 those We know not o"


was sometimes cheated in purchasing
newly-invented farm implements at high
prices. When 1 find them worthless I
don't continue TO use them because they
cost too much money. It is more econom-
ical to cast them aside and cell them for
old iron.


PRovIsIoE FOR FUTURE ooEvEETIoN.


The new Constitution contains the same
error found IN the old one in regard TO
future Convention. One hundred and i've
members Is unnecessarily large. Twenty
men could have been selected from the
late Convention who would have done up
the work much better in sixty days at
most, and at one-tenth the cost. A com
mission of, say one from each Senatorial
District, would be amply sufficient, especi-
ally as their work would be submitted to
the people for their approval. The pro-
longation of our Convention, and eonse-
quently its cost, resulted from the large
ness of the body and our mistake IN or
dering our speeches printed in volumes to
be handed down to posterity to perpetu-
ate the evidence of our superior wisdom.
Besides, g horror of the gag" induced
many, especially some who seldom spoke,
10 oppose the previous question or any
other means of checking our proclivity to
talk interminably.


THE sIDE-sHoWs.


Q. Leaving for 3 moment the further
consideration of the Constitution as a
whole, what is your opinion with regard
to the Independent propositions which
are to be voted for in the coming elec-
tions2


A. You reter, suppose, to the side
shows" if l may call them such?


The first, minority representation, as
presented, as l have already observed,
regard as decided humbug. 1t is not
necessary TO repeat. The second, the
proposition for railroad aid, consider
dangerous, oppressive and unjust. If for
no other reason, should vote against the
adoption of the proposed Constitution,
fearing that this Independent proposition
might, through railroad and other mon
eyed influences, be injected into it. How
much Of the spirit of Democracy or Re-
publieanism can be found in this propo-
sition Let us See. The right of citi-
zen to the enjoyment of private property
is one of the dearest secured TO him by
our form OF government. So sacred has
this inestimable right always been held,
that no Government, Federal, State or
local, has ever claimed the power to apply
the property of citizen to public use
without paying fall compensation there
for. Take the condition of the General
Government dunng the late rebellion, if
you please, Immediately after the battle
of Chance llorzviiiH IN IFS darkest and