Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-03-15
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
TO THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS.


The exercise of sober reflection is a.
all times important to the interest and
Ishsppiness OF rational men, and Their glory
or intanly Is uniformly found to brighten
or darken as they obey or disregard its
dictates. The proposition is equally true
when predcaled of an individual, or Of
society. A crisis never did exist, hat
called more loudly for the deliberate ex-
ercise OF that divine attribute OF our ma
iure, than the present. The people Of
| Illinois are 10 determine bv their solemn
vote, whether they viii now change the
Fundamental principles OF their govern.
inent. say, change the funaatn entail
! principles /: FOR, when once Won have de-
ternlned on convention, the convention
that you will elect in pursuance of lhet
determination, viii have full power to
change any principle they choose; aad
We all know that when changes are ire
qnent, they arc not always wise. Il IS
true, however, that change in our COZ.
dtion does sometimes become prudent +:
but il is equally ,rue, lsai the necessity
OF the change SHOULD always be the re-
sn!, of grea, experience and grave deli
beration. The condition to be altered.
| and The state 70 be assumed, must be lui-
" unders God ordisspp and run
are sure to Be The need OF or ten,epi,y
have Witnessed With sore snrprlZs
he artiuiiy speci0us reasons employed
| t;y the advocates Of a .conD4t,.,on. ~ in :.
duce the citizens of Itj,no,s ~ WI fo,
| tina, measure. An attes,i.t * made ~
alarm the fears, and arouse the iea,onsy
Of the people, bv i.nposinr on them m.
cross ahsurdi,v thai the r,inar;,y hao.
necessarily iahored i, keep the question
of convention from the peonia. when
the people wish 10 pass on the question.
because they are unwiliirr 10 ea,rost
he people with their own affairs. let
us then see how the case stands. n0re-
ference to the constitution. il viii be
| found that when two-,6irds n, ,be oena.
raj assembly sha,Y think IL aecessa',,,, N
amend the conslitufioo. ,hrv sbaa re-.
comlneud to the people a, t;,e next ee-
neral election to vote for. &c. Hence
il apneafs thai bg the cuns,i.ut,on which
we ourselves made, a litlls more than
four years ago, we have denied 10 eur.
selves to vote on he question of a ron.
vention until ,wo-th,rsis of the general
assembly shall have advised us 10 do GO
And why did thar orinciole fad its wav
INFO our constitution |, was aanb,less
20 guard US against hastv and ,il-ady,s4d
changes in our form Of government
/, vas foreseen that diversity of ON.
aion would often exist on The sob;ert.
and it was Judged ininaicious on every
occasion when a bare na,oritv in the L.
gslature should ,hlnk proper. to ref.r
The question to the people; but il wa,
supposed that when two-,hmds of the ge-
neral assembly should fafyly advise the
question, it would be reasonable owl.
dence that respectable portion Of the
people wished TO have the subject refer
red to them. The advocates of con
yention claim that two thirds of the %.
neral assembly have advised the peonls
to vote at the mex, general election on
the question whether they will or will
no, hare convention. How ,ba; ma.
,nri'v was obtaine5, hut ma;oritu ran
herhohs best teM. if hsy win Tney
! ~,