The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-28
The Great State Convention Movement In
New fork-Its Principles, Purposes, and
Obfects.

The Great state Convention Movement In
New fork-Its Principles, Purposes, and
Objects.
The great movement in favor Of the State Con-
venton, for the amendment of the Constitution, has
fairly commenced amongst the'democracy,l or Van
Buren-Wright party in this city. Meetings were
held in all the wards Monday evening, and the
proceedings and resolutions published at full
length in the journals of the party. The develop
ments at these meetings were of the most interes-
ting and amusing character, and cast flood Of light
upon the purposes and objects of the Northern de-
mocracy. In this aspect, these meetings became in
vested with no ordinary Importance Let us just
take them up, and subject them to candid and i'm
partial examination.
We have alluded on several occasions and al
some length, to the proessed objects of this State
Convention movement. 1t seeks to abridge the
power OF the executive-to simplify the administra-
ton OF Justce-and to establish on safe and per-
manent basis the financial policy of the State. Good
AL good. But with these practical and commend
able views and purposes, are mixed up much that is
extravagan foolish, revolutionary and absurd. With
the common sense part of the movement mingle, in
more than equal proportions, the vague, wandering,
and incoherent ideas and projects of the spurious
philosophy, and dsorganizing spirit of the age
Anti-rentism- socialism, bolitionism- Fourierism
all the wild notions propounded by raving theo-
rists about the present organization of socety-all
the reckless demagogueism, that insolently assais
the fundamental principles of government and law
enter into this movement give it impetus and force
and will impress upon ineffaceably their own molly
features. No doubt, the people will agree to the
call for the State Convention 1t is not the move
m ut rfv he .,ft La
unite in it. with the great mass of the Van Buren,
Wright party. Then the people are camyrous for
change sAs at Athens, in the time of ST. Paul, me
are calling out on all hands for ''some new thing"
With the prospect them thus SO clear of the success
of this Convention scheme, we really cannot help
feeling much obliged to the getters-up of these ward
meetings for the very timeous and sufficiently ex-
plicit annunciaton of the designs sought to be ac
compshed through the movementby its democratic
friends and supporters.
What then is the character of the resolutions
adopted at these meetings? First, there is terri
BILE sputter about principle" ssselfgovernment''-
Safeguards power'-''the sove-
reign people =" healthy Legislation -" ballot
box "-"r I'd faith"-"State credit"-good old
cause"-"patrotic devotion"-"New York de-
mocracy"-the "Veto"-and the sAmerican Ea-
GLE" All this is very significant. Whenever
your hack politicians talk in this strain, you
may depend upon it they are very seri-
ousy in earnest about something as remote as the
two poes from the glorious and immortal principles
about which they affect to have wrought themselves
into such delectable frenzy. All this fanfaronade
is merely the preamble to the really important piece
OF business on hand. And it is in this instance.
The defamation about principle and all that, is
merely the prelude to the matter of real and practical
interest which DEMONSTRATING to it in point of i'm
portance to these patriotic reformers hardly even the
respectable proportion of Falstaff's penny worth
OF bread to his many gallons of sack
The truth Is, thataer perusng these resolutions the
dsinterested reader loses sight altogether of the
State Convention sef-government-h healthy legis-
ation-the American eage-and all the rest of it,
and lays down the paper in the full belief that the
meetings had for the especial purpose
of denouncng Mayor Havemeyer, and threatening
President Polk This is the whole gist of the mat
ter. And certainly no one can deny that the bust
ness has been done In a very energetic and Jealous
manner In impudence and ferocity these resou-
tons have never been surpassed Their Littemess
is indeed quite amusing and well indicates the ra-
venous appetite of the ofice-beggars in this region
Hungry vermin bite deep.
The fierce and savage denunciation of Mr.. Have
meyer, which enters so largely into the burden of
these resolutions gives evidence melancholy enough
Of the selfshness and tyranny Of party feeling. Be-
cause Mr. Havemeyer dared to burst the shackles
of partizanship, and exercise his own judgment and
discretion in the selection of proper candidate for
important public office, but who happened to be
of different political faith he is at once denounced
as traitor, and on his head are poured forth all the
walls of the democratic wrath. Mr.. Havemeyer dared
to have will of his own. He dared to be some
thing more than mere log of wood. He dared to
act as free agent. Thus has he sinned, and thus
has he been punished Precisely the same attitude
is assumed towards Mr. Polk himself in these reso
lutions. He is dictated to-advised-instructed-
threatened-al in the most insulting manner. In the
face ofhis own retaining the Collector of this port
he is mpudently ordered to dismiss that public func
tionary-a functionary holding the most important
Office in the gift of the governments functionary
to whom is committed the charge of millions and
millions OF the public money. And who do these
ward committees ask to be appointed in the place of
this man Of tried integrity-of acknowledged capa-
city-of sound democratic principle? Why "any
democrat! Philosophic reader, you may laugh,
but 1t is true. They say the appointment of "any
democrat in the room Of Mr.. Van Ness, "woud
be hailed" with Joy. We don't doubt it. If the
President would appoint Butt-ender' to the Col
lectorshp, they would be perfectly satisfed-they
would be quite frantic with joy. "Any demo-
craft All the more acceptable, doubt not, if he
were of that stamp that would do exactly as the
scheming party leaders wished, and would be capa-
BILE, in full vindication of his claims to their
patronage and love, of following the example
Of his respectable predecessors in the good graces
and favor Of the "old hunker'' democracy of this
region, who plundered the public treasury of mil
hon or two hundred thousand dollars, as they had
chance. ANY democrat" And this is the modestre-
quest--this is the modest language, addressed to
the President Of the United States-by whom p
why by some eleven twelve hundred individuals.