The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-03-21
MISCELLANY.
Prom the National ln,elliseucer.
Hartford OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES VI.

Hartford OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES vi
Immediately upon the meeting Of the Legsla
| ture OF Massachusetts,. joint committee was APP
pointed upon the Governors message, which il
due time made a report, the preamble of which
| commenced with recital Of what they oonceiv
ed TO be the posture Of affairs, and ended with
the following conclusion, which as il comprehen
ded the whole scope ofthe proposed Convention
Is here given verbatim:
" IL is therefore with great concern that you
committee are obliged to declare their conyic.
ton, that the constitution Of the United States
under the administration Of the persons in power,
has failed to secure to this Common ealth, and,
as they believe, to the eastern section of this I'm
ion, those equal rights and benefits which were
the great objects Of its formation, and which they
cannot reiinquish without ruin to themselves aud
posterity. These grievances justify and require
vigorous, persever'ng, aud peaceable exertions,
TO unite those who realize the suferings and FORE
see the dangers Of the country, in some system
Of measures to obtain relief, for which the ordi
nary mode Of procuring amendments to the con-
stifution affords no reasonable expectation, in
season 10 prevent the completion OF its ruin. The
people, however, possess the means Of certain
redress, and when their safety, which is the su-
preme law, is in question, these means would be
promptly applied. The trainers Of the constitu-
tion made provision TO amend defects, which
were known to be incident to every human in
stitut.on, and the provision itself was not less
likely to be found defective, upon experiment,
than any other parts Of the instrument. When
this deficiency becomes apparent, no reason can
preclude the right of the whoie people, who were
parties to II, to adopt another IL it is net pre-
sumptuous expectation, that a spirit OF equity
and justice, enlightened by experience, would
enable them TO reconcile conflicting interests, and
obviate the principal causes Of tn Sc dissentions
which unfit government for state Of peace and
Of war-and so TO amend the constitution as to
give vigor and duration to the union oftho states
But as proposition for such Contention, from a
single state, would probably te unsuccessful, and
our danger admits not OF delay, it is recommen-
ded by the committee that, in the first instance,
aconierence should be invited between those
statesSthe affinity Of whose interests is closest,
and whose habits Of intercourse, from their local
situation and other causes, are most frequent, to
the end that, by a comparison Of their sentiments
aud views, some mode Of defence suited to the
circumstances ard exigences Of those states, and
measures for accelesstins the return of publis
property, may be devised; and also enable the
delegates from those states, should they diem il
expedient, to lay the foundation for a radical
reform in the national compact, by inviting toa
future Convention deputstion from, oil the states
IA me tnion. lhey therefore report the follow
ing resolves3 which are submitted"
Here follow the receives recited in former
letter, and others which are entirely confined to
the raising and Organizing OF troops tor the de-
fence OF the Com nonweslth. Ii must seem in
credible TO many who have permitted themselves
to be transPortedsby indignation and prejudice
against the Convention, upon the faith Of the
misre representation made OF its views, that a re-
port conceived in such terms (however variant
from their own opinions Of proprety) should be
the whois platform Of its authorities, operations
aud end. Yet such was the fact. The daily
proceedings Of the members Of the Convention,
from the time oftheir meeting TO their dissolution,
may now he seen by any person, and may DO
published by whoever believes that any public
use or qualification would result from dry a
detail, and who will reprint, IN copnexion with it
the entire report. But, believing that this has
now ceased to be subject Of general interest,