Among them were Marcus Morton, formerly Governor and Judge of the Supreme Court; John G.
Palfrey, who had been the Free Soil candidate for Governor; Charles Francis Adams, afterward member of Congress and Minister to England, and Samuel Hoar.
I was myself, at this time, an enthusiastic Free Soiler, and was, as I have said, Chairman of the Republican County Committee, but I joined the rebels against the dominant feeling of my party.
The defeat of the Constitution was aided, however, undoubtedly by a very just and righteous proposal which was submitted to a separate vote of the people, but which had its effect on the feeling in regard to the whole scheme, to prohibit the use of any money raised by taxation for sectarian schools.
To this the Catholic clergy were opposed, and the Catholic vote, not however then very important in Massachusetts, was cast against the whole scheme.
But the Whigs did not entirely get over the feeling that something must be done to propitiate the desire for change.
Accordingly they, through the Legislature, submitted to the people propositions for the election by the people of the counties of Sheriffs and District Attorneys who before that time had been appointed by the Governor.

These proposals were ratified by the people and became part of the Constitution.
I have always thought the change a bad one.

I think the Governor likely to make quite as good if not a better choice of Sheriffs and District Attorneys than the people.

But the objection to the new system is this.

So long as the State makes the laws, the State, whether acting by a popular vote or through its executive, should have the power to enforce them and select the instrumentalities for that purpose.