The Arkansas advocate., 1835-11-20

cenred and with whose destiny are uienu- ed all our hopes and happiness ID life, and those of our children and others who shall follow us-for that country whose peace aud prosperity will be our own, or whose { misfortunes. injuries or ingratitude' must be I shared by Us also, is indeed an event wnlcn { should induce every citizen to lay aside all private and personal interests and feelings
 -aii selfish purposes-and devote ninseH soely 10 the peace and welfare of the coun- try. The people of Arkansas are about 10 perform she most honorable yet the most re- sponsble duty, both to themselves and the world, which freemen are eser called on 10 perform. Nc party CT sectional feelings should be allowed to influence the judgment, or have place in the understanding ot any man. Injury to the public good, and to some extent to every individual, and dlsho- nor to our country, might be the fatal con sequence of different course. There lst according to the Constitution of the United States, one requisition upon us Tn forming Constitution; and this, feel assured, none of US will considers disagreeabe restraint. Ii is, that our Constitution shall be fep&6t- can. As our Constitution Is to be tested by this word, 1t may be well for us 10 consider
 what its true meaning is. IL is derived from two Latin words, res pubtied, meaning iite- rally public a6ars-not one class or set of affairs or things, but all. therefore infer, that applied to Constitution, it means such
 an one as respects and protects all affairs
 or things in which the public or people are
 in any way concerned. Custom has given
 this term an additional meaning, to wit: as
 applied to Governments, 1t means such as
 places the entire power in the representa-
 lives chosen by tke people. This word,
 then, to my mind, gives the whole outline
 and prominent principles of good Coustl-
 tuition. A Government, to secure presPeff- l ty and happiness 10 it's peoples should pro- l tect and secure all the interests, rights, or
 affairs of whatsoever nature or description, Tn which the people are concerned-should protect the weak against the strong-the
 strong against the combinations the weak the poor against the power of the rich
 and the rich against violence or wrong from the poor. The rights of each and every in- diyidual, granted in nature and recognised by he immutable principles of justice and equity, should be secured. He who by vir- tuous industry ard enterprise has grown wealthy, has earned it fairly, and should be protected in it's enjoyment. He, however, i although rich to-day, may be poor to-mor
 row. Every good and wise man, then,
 must wish the rights of all to be equal, as no man can know in what situation he may chance to fall. The other principle con- tained in thFs term IS equally consonant with the feelings of every Amencan: that the powers of the Government should be exercised by the immediate representatives of the people, and that the people should in- diyidually exercise and enjoy equal political 1 powers. The suffrage es right of voting should be equal and general among the people. The above principles must regu~ late us in the formation of a Constitution, or Congress would not approve of 1t, or admit us into tho Union. If honered with your votes and seat in the Convention as your representative, shall be governed by the ] above doctrines, and determination to se- cure, as far as shall be in my power, the peace, prosperity and tranquility of our whole country.
 The industrious circulation, in some parts of the county, of very gross falsehoods, or perhaps mistakes, in relation to my course in the Legislature, makes 1t due to you and to myself to state what my course has been, that the honest and intelligent citizens of the county may judge for themselves, and that they may not be deceived by the slan- ders of enemies. When you placed me in the Legislature, as your representative, ihe two great divisions of the Territory--the North and West on the one side of us, and the South and East on the other on joint ballot of both Houses, stood equally halan- ced, each having thirty votes. Pulaski, the centre county, with the Seat of Government located within her limits, by the consent of the people of the Territory and the laws of the land, held three votes, which gave her the casting vote between them. She could not only protect her own great interests, bat could also settle all questions between them.
 Neither section could iniure her without her consent, nor could either injure the other un- less she had ungenerously assented to it.
 This was safey powerful and honorable attitude for Pulaski to oceapy. During the late session of the Legislature, it became the duty of the representatives of the people to apportIon the number of Delegates among the different parts of the Territory, for the purpose of forming Constitution for the State of Arkansas. Each county and division of the Territory was anxious to get as many as possible. The first number proposed was forty-two. This was by d large majority of hath Housas aotaon,ad