Constitution Mending

It would bs impoísible for a sepsian of Cougress to begin and end without ntttmpts heinsr rcude to amcrnl tho Coiisti tution. This gession tho tilt has cominence'l e:irly, ns licpresratativo Banks introducid a joint amendntory irsuhtion on Mondin", abolishittg Presidentinl Eloctors. extendí g iho torm of tho Presl dunt six years, an 1 making that offict ï iueügiblo to rc-'lection. We have nevcr takon Riuoh stock in the one-term crusado. Thero aro eeeming good reasoi s bntli for and against it, and tho balanco of roasons, as tlie bulunce appcara to each citizen will nid in reaching his conclusión. Under the two term or re-eligibility rule u bad President, it is truo, muy uso tho immense patronago of his offico 8Ímj ly to re-olect himself ; and a (;ood President, an houest, upright officer, a statc-sman joalous of his fame, may conduct his administraron with a view to deservo tho rcward of a second tenu. And limited to a singlo term the Presi dent may abuso his patronage and position to the peeuniary beenfit of himself oud friends. It is thtn the man and not the two term principie upon whotn wo are to depend for am administraron in the interest of the peopïe. A political triokster, surrounded by politieal trickstors, can mar a single term. With one term must come certain other modifications or little or nothing will bo gained. DÍ8cussing this samo subject, the New York Worlil of Saturday last came to the couclusion that changes were áesirablo as follows : Fint, Abolishing tho machinery of Presidontial Electora, and letting the people vote directly for president and Yice-Prosiden t. Stxond. Limiting the President to a sinfín term of (say) six year?. T ir l. Givirg all the uppointed Federal oflicers a term equal to that of the President, but commencing and ending at the middlo of tho Presidential term?. This would enable the President to bocome acquaintod with the merits of eaeh officer, and to decide intelligently whether tl. e public service would be promoted by his appoin tuien t ; and, what ia more important, it would proclode appointments as the mere roward of party service in tho eleotions, -wttich is ono of tho most oorrupting things in our politics. Fbvrth. Requiring all the State elections to be held on the same day when tho people vote for Presidont, and tboreby f&cilitating an honest expressiou of tb poblie j'UdgmeQt uninfluenced by the estimation of chances nrhieh degrade our Presidential elections to the level of bettiug on a horse-race. Tho third restriction or provisión is of the utmost importance, and without it - leaving all the civil offices of the government subject to chango at the incoming of a single term President - that officer or bis politieal ba-ckess and trainers will dceai it important and necessary to "mako bay whtlo the sunshine," and a cleau sweep is inovitable to the great detriment of tho public service : that is uutil civil service reform and the politie al millennium both come. The fourth provisión or suggestion is desirablo, but would probably be kicked against by those States whoso elections come trailing along from April until November Tho fact that sneh a aniformity of elections would be an economical mcasure for those States aow holding two eloctions in the Prssidential year ought, however, to induce them to come seiidily ta its support. And aside from tle economy of tho measure, it ■would be a simple act of justico to tho majority of States and inass of eleotors, by destroying the undue influence of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, whose October elections have come to be considersd s really deciding tho Presidential eontest in advance. In perfecting tbis or a fcindr-ed ameadment provisión shonld be mado for the doath of a successful candidato after the election and before the commencement of 5is term of office. It will also be nocessary to dotermine 83 to whether an ftiolute mujority or only a plnraíify of votes polled shall be required to elect. We'-see no good reason why the plnraliiy rule should not apply as ih most of the States. To require on absolute arajorit-yand repeated elections would involve onormous inconvenience and expense, while oonfining the electors in a Becond election to a ohuioo between the two or three highest candidates wonld be entcroaching more or less upon the fraeáom of the electors. - There is another amendment of an enwroly chffuriTit naturo which we deern absolutely neanssaiy to the protection of the peoples' interest agftiüsts tho loose and slipshod and dungcrous ruathuda ot' legislation in Congress. We have mors thau. nee suggestcd the amendroent we have JD.tkind, and will venture to do so again thoufj'i we have not the slightost hope that (föagres of it own motion will submit it to the States, even if amemborcan be found.trt propone it. It is the incorporation ia the Sou6titution oi a Boction found in our &tate Sonstitution, or rather of a portion of tlirfe sections. It should be cIuuko IV., sect. Tll,oL ariiele I.,. and read : "No law shall eratrace more than one object," which i-hall be exprsed in its title. No law shall be revistd, altered or aaiendtd by its titlo only; but tho act rsvistd, and tho secticn of tbo act altered or amsaded shall bo re-enacted and published at. Ifogth. Every bill and joint sesolutioa sJtoll be read threo tiraed in each House, befoie tho passage thereoi'; no bilí isaaíl' beoam a luw without tho concurrcnco of a majyrity of all the members elected to each House; and on the final passiigo of all bilis tíie uxtn shall bo 1')' ajes and uiiysandontered oh tiiöjourn5Í.'1 With this provisión in tho Constitatión wo shall have no omnibus bilis passed on.tlio last night of a session; no such cruda lcgislation as now mars and disgrace the statute bookn ; no smuggling of corruptnnd unnecessary appropriations into necessary bilis; no enaetment of laws by a bare majority. vote ot'.a meager quorum, and, in fact, of than a quorum- for it is known to all men tbut important bilis re frequently passel in ither House with lcss than a quorum present. Hequiring a majority vote of all tíu members elect will compol members to, attend the sessioüs and, nominally a-t lcu.it-, discliiu go tho dutics for which they aro ?tiid ; and requiring the yens a-nd nays wiil utay proceediug wheui uo constitutioual quorum is present. Any oae familiar vith the proccèdingBoiCongrb3 will beai' wit&ess that this propeeod ounstitutional check, is n ncceBsity. Will not tliu World givo (la nttontion to it long enough to lay the matter beföro tlio ublio! And will not somo llichigiin Uollgrossman, with a laudable Jesiití M earn his own salury and compe! othor motnbcrs to bo in thoir sonta auc attompt horeatter to nurn thcirs, introduce au amendmettt cmbrdying tbo rofoim and rcstrictions wo havo euggeated ?