Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-03-08


OF day, or The sight Of the public eye.
Whatever DISCUSSES may be brown
around the suggestion, that II IS merely
designed by the proposed convention to
alter the constitution relative 20 the coun-
Gil OF revision, make some new arrange
ments in the judiciary, and perhaps re-
move the seated go,ernpent; we do not
hesitate to declare 10 you IN the language
OF undoubted truth, that Il is the ultimate
ann OF many OF its projectors, TO work
an entire change in our political destinies,
and TO pass from the character OF free
dom 70 thai Of slavery. Against any al
templs at such a project we raise our
Voices, and trus, lnai majority of our
ieilow citizens will echo them.
We pretend not 10 make this charge
against all those whe have advocated
convention but VIC know il 10 be true
with regard 10 many of them, and some
OF lis esrmes' supporters have openly
ayowed il. Had YOU been spectators oi
the scenes which have been acted 10 The
balls of your legislature and u ths lawn
for Some Of The last days OF ne session,
you would have been astonshed a. the
conduct of some OF your iareivers, as
well as others, and hesn ready 10 exclaim,
o judgment! thou art fed to british beasts
And men have sst their reason.
Bot We viii give you, Fellow citizens,
brlet narrative of some Of the esti,ne
measures adopted 10 ensure the success
OF 'hc contention question; and leave l.
10 you to pronounce your nIence otap-
probationor censure. Ii was openly AMI
boldly avtwed by some members that the
session shogld never close ill the qaes-
ton had succeeded that they would Sit
here the whole summer rather ,haD be-
defeated. To accomplish the o6lcct It
became necessary 10 remove some OBJ
noxious member and introduce a new
one, who you'd accommodate MS vote
TO the exieency of the occasion A pfe
tex, is sqaght for, add soon found To-
seat OF Mr., Hansen, q member 8G .hr
House oi Representatives from PIX
county, had been contested by Nj. Shaw
from thai county, II an early par, OF The
session. The subject underwent q fuii
lavesils aIion, and ii was decIded tnay
Mr.. Hansen was entitled 70 the sea, Al.
ter occupying il for ten weeks, ne is r.
moved to give place to Nj. Shaw, who
i was perfectly we'll understood would
vote for convention oaa thus me mea.
sure succeeds The course q proceed
ing adopted for bis removal vas as ex-
traotdinary as the object in done II. On
tuesday the lih instant, the question: iof
a convention was taken in the Hoe
OF Representatives, and failed by oAe
yote-a former decision Of the House,
several days previous, having nesativeo
1t by two. The advocates for conten.
ton, however, unwilling 10 BE- defeated
by this distinct and second expression Of
the will oil the Legislature, make sno,her
and more desperate effort to snstaln
desperate cause, The vote Of Nj Han
sen on Tuesday stood recorded against a
convention. On the morning OF the next
day a Reconsideration of has rieh, to his
seat eyentuates ~ bis removal, The in.
PRODUCTION OF Mr.. Shaw lnto the House
as member, and in the success of the
convention question.
Against such proceedings, fellow cili-
zens, we eDlerour protest. As guardians
OF the public veal we declare To YOU TIA,
we cannot cQnscieniously lend our aid 20
a measure attempted to be brought, about
by such means. Had the constitutional
for conrentio .oetn ubtained
by means which would bear ths ties, Of
impartial examlnatlon-by the honest
convictions of the understanding. and by
the force OF reason, VIC should acuue see
in the decision with silence. But know
ing 1t 10 be otherwise, we feel i. our dow
as honest Legislators publicly 10 proc lain
our disapprobation ofsuch' conduct.
No time can be less propiiious for al
tcrIng and amending constitution Than
iine OF great party heat and political
excitement II should be the work oil
dispasslonale reason and sober Judgment.
But We verify believe ,i,at to call a con-
sentlen under circumstances like the pre-
sent, silitbc throwing a 6rebrand among
combnsiiblc materials.
Our constitution may be susceptible
OF amendment; bun we are s,rons in the
opinioD that no Convention which nav
be assembled, will leave i, with 81 few