Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-05-25
From the illinois IntelligenIer.
o the Citizens Of Illinois.


From the illinois Intelligener.
! 10 The Citizens Of Illinois,.
The general assembly, al k last ses-
sion, passed resolution recon IN ending
to the electors at the next general cleo
ton lAnsus', 1920 to vote tqr or against
a convention, for the purposl Of collect
ing the sense of The people on the pro-
priety of calling conventtn 10 change
the constitution Of this stat. propose
TO inquire INTO the obleclsintended to be
etfec ed by this measure, nd the proprie-
" at this time Of having convention.
The discussion of this question before
the people has beeomethe more neces-
sary in consequence d its having been
| adopted by thelr representatives without
any exposition vi the defects oil our pre-
sent constitution, or explanation oil the
alterations which 1t was desirable to
make, and without having any debate or
: discussion OF any kind III either house OF
The general assembly, bywhich the peo-
pie could become acquainted with the OBJ
Jects proposed to be effected by those who
advocated the IN asuie., And here |
would ask, Is It moi a iitts rema able
that 10 country SO gwen y disputa ION
as this, where Ii Is but seldom motion
IS made to change an Ordinary law, that
we have not much sand on bSh sides, that
/ proposition 10 change hefundain entail
law, the greal charter OF ourigh,s, should
be received and passed IN silence. But
/ VIVA, still more shows the peeullarjty of
Ibis case, and the settled ddxed deter
minaiion OF the iIleaas OF convention
that the the question shouN not be dis
cussed, is that previous lolhe resolution
passing The Senate, Mr.. Kinkade, the
senator from Lawrence, tose and call
ed fer d bcussion Of the Question, and
declared 1t was due alike 10 the people
and 10 themselves, tina the objects Tor
which Convention were to be called
SHOULD then be explained. He urged il
as a duty, aud begged il as favor Of
the ticnds OF the measure, that they
would explain; but II was all to no pur-
pose, hey ia resolved not 10 discuss
the QUESTION, therefore remained fixed III
SHE &C 0 .nelr seats. Finding there was
30 hopeot obtaining explanaiion from
them, Nh K}nkade atain rose and enter
ed UPON The discuss ot the question,
and assigning the reasons why he should
ne opposed 10 thaadoptlon of the reso-
lui m He had nd, however, progress
ed lar when he nened slavery as the
princ,pa. object With he understood the
friends oi the ueas4e 10 have IN view,
and was about TO eXIAuse on its charac-
Ter, and the bad eiieds OF It's extension
am ny rs, when he WIS called to order,
and made 10 take his Iest In this un-
preteden cd and arbtEry way were the
minority gagged and pkvented from ,x
ercising me right OF DEBATE. You will
probably ask, why was there SO much
reluctance to discussion on the ques-
ton o. the propriety Of calling conven-
ton Ii behovcs dose who declined dis.
cpssins it, and prohibited others from
dung so, to explain theit motives ter
s,ch an extraordinary, and arbitrary pro-
cesding. But in the aDselce OF all open
explanation on this subled, we are leit
to our ~ conjectures, Which are not
little assisted by what has from time to
time leaked out, through the converse
tons OF some OF the indbcreet friends OF
the measure | will Of apparen, to all,
that an explicit, avowalof the defect of
the constitution. anS the impor ant
amendments which j was proposed to
make to it, would have beer the fair, pro-
per, and republican way OF bringing up
the question tor tic discussion OF the
sovereign people. TINS seems to be so
natural, SO consistsn, with propriety and
common sense, and so perfectly accor-
dant with The theory aud practice Of our
political institutions. that one has to look
to other considerations than those arising
out Of the rights ofthe people, or the duty
OF their servants, to explaln the conduct
and motives OF the advocates Of con-
ven,ion. The perfection Of representa-
tive government, and what renders ii Pc
culiarly dear to the hearts Of all true
republicans, is that the people rule
through their representatives. But in
order that they should have the full, free,
and legitimate exercise Of this great pri-
viege, it is necessary that their will
should be known; aud the best way Of