CHAPTER I
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AGITATION

The period of prosperity which succeeded the War of
1812 was marked by great industrial and economic changes
throughout the American States. During this time the
spirit of democracy diffused itself throughout the nation
and produced many great and important changes in the
political, social, and economic life of the people. It was a
period characterized by the erection of schools, the exten-
sion of the right of suffrage, the construction of various
works of internal improvement, and wild speculation. With
this growth of democracy and the idea of popular sov-
ereignty, there were many changes made in the constitu-
tions of the several states to correspond with the social
and economic conditions of the people. These changes
were, for the most part, effected by constitutional conven-
tions, elected directly by the people.

Conventions of such a character, prior to 1850, had been
held in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
South Carolina, Georgia, and Missouri. These assem-
blies were called for constitutional purposes by the respec-
tive state legislatures, under the general legislative power,
without the special authorization of their constitutions.¹
During the year of 1850 conventions for the purpose of
amending or framing new constitutions were held in the
following states, New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan,
Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky.²

With such precedents, a large portion of the people of

¹ Jameson's Constitutional Convention, p. 209.

² Ibid., p. 533 et seq.