The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-04-11


fubject and having been thus ad,lreiIed, it APP
pears to your committee, that'it is incumbent
on the general afembly to exprefs fome fen.i-
ment on the fnbiect.
Before the committee proceed to give an o.
pinion they offer a few preliminary remarks.
1t is the prerogaiive of the fovereign people
alone, to alter, amend, or to aboliih their co.
vernment that the power is not veited in, nor
do they conceive it is claimed by the Legislature,
to ailume the right of debating to the people on
this important iubiett that the committee, as
members ofthe legntture, have come under the
mott folemn obligation to fup port the conftitu-
tion under which the government is now organ
lied, nor do they feel dipofed to- infraet in the
imasit degree any Gifts prnvifions, while it re-
mains unaltcred by the people themfclves. Yet
we conceive that the legislature have an un-
OBJECTIONABLE right without violating any obliga-
tion, to eXprefs an opinion as TO the imperfe6t-
ons of that in!trumen. and Especially as their
attention has been called TO tte fubiect, nv the
numerous petitions and remonltrances preiented
to the legislature.
This opinion perhaps might receive fome cor
reboration BY adverting TO the judiciary a CO.
ordinate branch of the government, the officers
OF which are under like obligations with the
members of the anembly, TO iupport the con-
ftitution of this and of the United States In
DGila5's reports, Vol. III. p. 474, REspuB ger
jus CoBBETT, chief iutice ArKean thus ex-
pref1es himfelf-" There is no provilion i'm the
contribution, that in fuch cafe the iuds-
" es of the fepreme court of the United States
" ihall control and be concluGve neither can
"conereis by law confer that power. There
"appenrs to be defect in this matter, it is c9,J
omigns, Which ought in iome way To be re-
Sc medied." In numerous other inftances,
courts have expre1ed opinions upon the imper-
feCtionS of the contribution
With theic preliminary obfervations the COM
mittee proceed to obftrve, that after the mott
diipai1ionrte examination thev have been able
To give the memorials Tor and the remonfrances
aga!nt the call of a convention, they are ofopi
Mon, that although there are many excellent
provifons in the contribution which ought to
remain facred, vet fome parts of it are detective
and ought to he revifed and amended. And
that this important object might be obtained hy
the good people of this commonwealth without
ritsing their liberties, or hazarding their peace
or tranquility. They have their own expert
ence, the example of many of their fiftcr ftates.
the example of the United States, the conifitn
ton of which has Incorporated in it proviiion
| tor alteration ard amendment, and which has
been put in practice repeatedly without danger
or disadvantage to the citizens of the United
States.
On the iuheef of changing or altering conNi-
tu'ions, and the danger which by fnme is pre-
dieted, the committee cannot better exprefs
their iIeas, than by adopting the language cf
Judge Wi'fon-" a change Of government !"
| fad he, "has been viewed as Deliberate event.
as an object the moi terrific afpeGf becauft
1t has been thought that gov rnment could not
be changed without tearing M The very foun-
dations of the focal efablin,ment. II has been
| fuppofetl that in traniition from one govern
ment to another, the body making il mun be
difioved that every thing mutt he reduced 20
fate of nature and that the rights and ohli
cations ofthe fociety mutt be loft and difchar-
ged.
In many parts ofthe world, indeed, the i
dea of revolutions in government is by mourn
FIJI and indinoluble afTociation connected with
the ideas or wars, and Of all the calau,ities in
cumbent on wars. But joyful experience teach
| es us in the United States to view them in 4 We
ry different and much more agreeable light. TO
conlider them only as progreflive fleps in i'm
proving the knowledge of government, and in.
creating the Happiness of focety and man
kind"
Your committee prefume that the citizens of
this commonwealth are not lefs wife, prudent,
virtuous or patriotic, than thofe who called for
& competed the convention that framed the
prerent contribution fifteen years ago; that the
people at this time may be as fafrly trulfed with
themielves as at any previous period, which
the oppoiers of reform can politely point out
But while the committee exprefs thefe fenti-
ments, they conceive that fufficient time and
opportunity cannot be had within the prefent
FELTON, ofthe Legislature, for the majority of the
people fully TO exprefs their opinion, on this
very interefing fubjee; and that the number
of petitions already prefented are not fnfficient
TO authorize the eeiflat ure to take meafures for
the call of convention at this time-There-
fore offer the following refolutons:
Rej6iped, That although the houfe of repre-
fentatves are imprehed with the opinion that
the prefent contribution is defective, vet the
number ofretitioners are not fufficient TO iuft-
| fy, at this time, any meafures being taken by
the legislature. for calling convention but
they refer the fnhiett to the good people of
Pennsylvania themfelves, to whom OF right it
| belongs to adopt fuch meafures rs their VIII.
dom may direct, to give fair and full expreni-
on of their opinion to the fucceeding legina-
ture.
RejoiUed, That as foon as the people fha!l
fully intrut and inaruf their Representative in
general aIlembly to call convention, provilion
ihall be made to accomplish fuch inRruaions &
directions.
E&irai! falsr 10 NE eafior efiLe Hpora, drtel Lam
egfc,, Ap,H 3, 1905.
A meeting of the members of both houfes of az
ferb1y held in fanatic H.; or,.,:.