Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-03-16
FOR TIE sPEcTAToN.
TIE .Addre&s Of the Coa0ention Meet
ing IN RaHdoLhh county.


suits which might have happened, are
assumed as facts, and Possibilities, which
nfuer came 10 pass, are alleged as
truths Il IS positively asserted thai the
representa- ives OF about Ia 900 inhaoi-
tants made Our present constitution; that
those represent atives, elected by that
number, q minority of the inhabitants,
being malorlly Of the delegates in
convention, framed this Instrument,
which, one might be led by reading this
address only. operates very tyranuically
on majority of the people. The TACT
of our constitution being thus made as
is here set forth is IN 10 wise conceded.
II is denied that such was the case. TINS
parl Of the address pre-suPposes, and TO
make il true, the fact must be, that the
representatives. Of those $4,000 voted
uniformity, clause By clause, for the
7oa0ie Of the constitution, and that the
residue Of the delegates, being a minori-
~, but the representatives. Of larSe ma
jorHy of the people voted unifor mig
again$t il. By a reference to the Jour-
nal OF The convention, ii will be seen that
this was far from being the case. Il
will be seen by such reference that the
delegates from county which had more
than its equal share of representatives
as often voted with those from county
which bad Tess as with those from one
of the former description. So that al.
though it was possible for the delegates
of about $4,000 of the people, TO make
a constitution of government for US, vel
almost any thing is as true as that they
did do so. The journal OF our late con-
vention is accessible to every reader
who can see for himself, Whether these
things are so.
The address shows the inequality Of
the representation in the convention, and
thence attempts to draw an argumen in
favor Of a ne7V one to be called, phen it
Is equally, if not more disproportlonate
than It was then. The advocates OF a
new convention hardly need 10 We re-
minded that one ground OF opposition 10
the proposed measure, VITA the people
OF Illinois, Is the presen, unequal ap-
por'ionmeu OF representatives. We con-
tend that ii il should be thought advi ,a-
bic to cali convention, al any tine, j.
ought 10 Justice to be done, when the
voice Of all the people can be eguuHy
heard through an eguai represent alton.
But says this address, convention ought
to be called for the purpose of submit
ting our present constitution to the peo-
pie for their appreciation. Tins is in
deed soneteinp wonder,ul--So mething
constitution of government and her le-
gislalures have been organized AMI pass
ed laws, in accordance with its prnyi-
slons and BY virlue of the authority il
con!ers, yet, wonderful to relate ! the
people almost without Inurmur have
lived under, and submitted to this char
ter of their liberties Wittout their ap-
probation Thus then stands the ;r "a
meot in this case. The people have a
constitution, considered as all human
product ions, some what defective,t ito winch
they never have given their consent
Iand to which it is anxously hoped they
never wili) therefore they must have a
convention called for the purpose of SUBJ
uniting j, to themselves to get their con
sent to it
This address promises very fair, quite
as fair as the Jockey did the horse hlch
was troubled by the encroachments OF a
stag upon his pasture. The Jockey told
him if he would take the bit into his
mouth and suffer him to mount upon his
back with weapons in his hand, he would
soon dsposess the intruder and max c
all right, bat when the honest steed had
slipped his head into the halter, and ia
ken the bit into his mouth, and the crafty
cheat had mounted him, he discovered,
when it was too late, that he was no lou
ger his own master, but was IN spite OF
himself the Jockeys horse. 1t promises
to submit the new constitution (if one
should be made) to the people for their
approhatiou, and if one should not be
formed, then the old one. fear il IS
too much like the iatering assurances
which this man in the fable made to the
horse, and when the peoples heads are
once in the halter with the bit in their
mouth, some noble conventioaist mounf-
ed upon them will be apt 10 ride Ahab-
like as long as their seeds wi carry
them. Those republicans VINO are so
DESTROYS to get all power into their own
hands, it is to be presumed, would no.
al err obtaining it be any TOO willing to
surrender i to the people.
If gaining the assent of the people to
our present constitution is the object of
e Liz, The arnnnsel cnnuenIinn Liz, ex.