American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-15
A ID DIR Els

TO THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND.
FeAoac Citi=ensi
The undersigned were appointed a Commit
tee by the CONVENTION which assembled in
Baltimore upon the 21th of August, 'to pro-
mote the cause of RetrenChment and Reform"
TO address you upon these important subjects.
While it is their privilege, under the sanction of
this appointment, to address the whole people
OF the State, it is their pride to remember, that
within the sacred pale of that Convention the
voice of party distinction was not heard. The
Democrat and the Wing there met under the
influence of that feeling of lofty patriotism,
which is prompt to devise means for the sue
cour of the State in its time of crigsncu; and TO
sacrifice all, but private honor, for the public
good. That time, the members of the Conven-
ton felt, had arrived in the history of Mary
land; and the question presented to them was,
whether the expensive administration Of the
government and the laws should be retrenchcd,
or the public credit Of the State be dlshonorod?
Upon this momentous question the members Of
that Convention, men Of integrity, Justice and
honor, and imbued with the spirit of these at
tributes in their constituents, lid not psHc 10 de-
cue. They felt that in such a condition Of
public affairs, the path Of honest economy was
the only one they could pursue. The maxim,
which prcscribes that we be Just, before We
be generous, is as applicable to public as to pri-
vate affairs, and should ever oxolt whole
some influence over both. To speak in the
language Of daily llo the Sat, is Giving be.
yond her rnoans:" and every member Of the
Convention seemed impressed by the duty OF
recommending to you that her expenses be re-
duced; and that every department be fashioned
anew, upon such principles OF economy as the
public necessity demands. Nor do we believe
that the people will suffer, IN eng respect, by
the changes which it is proposed to make by n
new CONSTITUTIONS. On the contrary, we shall
find economy aud efficiency going hand in hand:
compensation awarded to public officers accord
ing to their services; and the 'snecure SYSTEM
ESQ inconsistent with republican principles, } by
which one man does the work! and another gets
the money, will be entirely abolished. 1t was,
no doubt, the pressure of the public debt,
which has brought home to the conviction of
almost every man in Maryland, the necessity
of a change in the Constitution, whereby the
government would be administered at less cost
and at tho same time, the people have the ad-
vantage Of establishing anew their form of gOu-
ernment, with the aid of experience derived from
their Orn history. AS long as it be true, accord
ing to our "DECLARAToN OF RIGHTs," that
"all government Of right originates from the
people, is founded in compact only and institu-
the people of this State ought to have the sole
and exclusive right of regulating the internal
government and the police thereof so long
will it be your right to decide upon the expedl-
ency of a change, and the nature of the change
to be effectei This Right will of course be
exercised with caution. PUBLIC TRANQUILITY
is an object of such universal interest, that it is
better to tolerate defects, and it may be evils,
in form OF government rather than disturb it
tor light and transient causes; and accordingly,
it will be found that the greatest check upon
what the OPPONENTS OF REFORM are pleased
to describe as the revolutionary tendencies of Il
Convention, will ever consist IN the conSerua-
tue disposition of the PEOPLE themselves.
Indeed the experiment of popular govern
ment is failure, the moment there is any
weight yielded to the argument that there is
any danger III the convention Of the people
If our institutions be valuable, they owe that
distinction, not to the theory, but to the PRAC-
rIcE of sELF-GovERNMENT; and to use the words
of the illustrious John Marshall con this gov
eminent, thus depending on ourselves for its
existence, we will rest our safety, notwith-
standing the dangers depicted" by the tmd,
the idle, or the selfish The plan suggested
by the members of the Convention to establish
a new Constitution has the advantage, how
ever, of silencing all doubts, quoting all fears,
and of reconclling honest differences otopnon
which may exist among men of patriotism and
intelligence, as to the mode Of accomplishing Re
form. THIS plan leads to the CALL of Con-
vENTIoN BY THE LEGISLATURE; thus giving a
sanction to the wishes of their constituents, by
their deliberate action to crafty them. With
the Convention thus called, will rest the power
and the duty of moulding in the forms of high
est social improv IL SYSTEM OF GOVERN
MENr which shall, at the least cost, promote the
first object of all government, THE HAPPINESS
OF THE PEOPLE! With every individual energy
summoned into action; with every feeling of
the human heart concentrated upon the pro-
per structure of the social fabric-whch Is to
be, for the preSent-A HOME: and for the future,
MONUMENT of the wisdom OF It's makers
with such motives TO wisdom in council as eve
~ true man shall find in the desire for that
best of tame-the fame OF being useiul-a
Convention So to be called could not but sue
coed in making almost perfect the fundamental
law of the State. Upon this new charter OF
their rights the succeeding Legislature would
pass their judgment, and if approved by them,
as it would be beyond all question. the next
General Assembly would impress upon it the
solemn seal OF continuation, and give it being
as CONSTITUTION. BY the LIST of January
lS4S, all this could be accomplished. No
man, however timid, would call this result-a
Revolution. 1t would be the exercise of the
highest right of the people, under such aus
pces of deliberatlon as become the importance
of the subject; and THE SYSTEM would exist in
the solid and durable mass, while the excite