The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-05-20

this Commonwealth.
1t is also proper TO notice the fact that,
at the time when the constitution of Penn
sylvania was devised, the wild spirit of un-
governable democracy, which insulted Hca-
ven and degraded the earth by its demoniac
licentiousness in France, had not as yet
spread its seductive allurements before the
advocates of liberal principles, on this side
of the Atlantic. The political philosophy
of France was, in its plausible inception,
well calculated to deceive those who con.
tended for equality Of privileges and rights.
But our constitution was framed and adopt
ed, before the pernicious doctrine of the
French school found active adherents in
this infant republic.
For this Providential exemption from so
great an evil, we should still cherish a live
ly sense of gratitude to heaven. For, firm
ly as our institutions were established by
the well-timed adoption of our Federal and
State constitutions, their perpetuity was
greatly endangered, by the destructive
cause to which we have adverted; and some
noble minds in this country were deeply
infected with the ih6del theory propagated
in France, from which nothing but its
practical atrocities could induce them to
revolt.
The foregoing considerations will cer-
tainly cXtort the admission, that all the cir
cumstances under which our present con-
stitution was formed and adopted, were de-
ciledly .fdU0rG6W to the prevalence of good
principles, and such principles were incor-
porated in the fundamental law of Pennsyl-
yania, by men who possessed sound under
standings and honest hearts.
From what has been said, we would not
be understood, as DISSENTING from tho pro-
priety Of constitutional reform. 1t was
however conceived to be proper, TO notice
the circumstances under which and the
venerated persons by whom our present
constitution was formed and established,
and we did so, for this, among other rea-
sons,---that the delegates who are now a.
bout to exercise the highest rights of SOW
ereignty for the benefit of the present and
succeeding generations, may be duly APP
prised of the difficulty and the delicacy of
the task we have undertaken, and the high
responsibilities under which il is to be per-
formed. To revise an instrument original
ly formed by wise and patriotic men, and
which has in some degree been sanctifed
by the lapse of time, requires an equal de-
gree of wisdom and patriotism, if IMPROVE
MBNT be the object of that revision.
The people, after repeated periodical de-
liberations, willed a constitutional reform;
and this expression of their will demands,
and receives, our acquiescence. The small
majority by whom, and the peculiar circum-
stances under which that will was expressed,
in connection with the singular dpaihy with
which this great question has been subse-
quently regarded, have notincreased our con-
hdence in the ultimate success of the
measure. The final submission of the labors
of the convention to the decision of the
people, Gift be unincumbered with exciting
topics, and eXtraneOus considerations is a
redeeming principle calculated to inspire
hope and allay apprehension.
We take no counsel from FEAR; although,
in reference to the matters before us, frequent
appeals have been made to that timid and
paralysing passion. All the Wing, and
many ofthe Anti-masonic papers, 0or in this
respect they can scarcely be distinguished
from each other,) have sounded the trumpet
of alarm, and INDUCED in the most gloomy
predictions, in relation to the "reform,"
which is nOc contemplated in pennsylvania.
We notice these appeals to fear, and these
lugubrious predictions, for the purpose Of
unfolding principle which many prolessed
republicans seem to misunderstood. We
shall pursue this disquisition in our next,
and the succeeding numbers of or paper,
in obedience TO the dictates of duty, and in
compliance with the wishes of many of our
readers, by whom the proposed constitutional
reform is properly regarded question of
unequaled importance.
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