American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-01

,rr friends of RrtOrm-that we 90 fOr retrcuch!Hg all
,ttravagant expenditures of the public money, whe'h-
or By the state or general goVernmcnt-lh' HhoIlu"h
uf all useless Offices, and the correction OF all abuses
If the elective franchise and naturalization laws"
CONVENTIONAL REPoRM. We differ from
"a Marylander,n in Saturdays American, as
10 the power of the legislature 10 call con-
vention of the people, for the purpose OF franz
ing new constitution; though we admit that
such constitution would have to be passed at
two successive sessions of the legislature, be-
fore i. would become obligatory as the organic
law Of the land. The constitution of Mary
iaud is prohibitory and whatever is not forbid
den by it can be done by the legislature. In
no clause is the call Of a convention to form a
new constitution prohibited, and consequently
The power is possessed Suppose that the c-
GislaturG were to appoint one or more individu-
ais to draft constitution to be submitted at
two successive sessions-woud such an act be
Il violation Of the constitution: UnqueStion-
ably not. The Reform Convention lately held
in this city confined itself strictly within law
ful limits and the measures recommended are
not contrary to the constitution Of the state
Nothing of Dorrism or revolution, is contained
in their proceedlngs-on the contrary, the
convention applies to the legislature for an act
to authorize the people, through the instru-
mentality of convention, to form such con-
sttution as they may consider adapted to their
Wants, and then to rely for its adoption upon
the mode pointed out by the present constitu-
ton. We are probably as little disposed to
Dorrism, violence or illegal measures of any
description, as the writer Of ga Narylander;'
But we are in favor of holding the proposed
convention. Where is the danger? Can it be
supposed that those who are to be governed
by the constitution which may be framed, de-
sire to have one which will not secure their
own rights and promote their own interests
The idea is absurd.
The writer quotes the first article of the
Declaration of Rights-'that all government
of right originates from the people, is founded
in compact only, and instituted solely forthe good
Of the whole" We heartily subscribe to this
but are at loss to discover for what purpose ii
was quoted by "A Marylander," as it makes
nothing in favor of his position. The govetn-
ment Of Maryland is a compact, and was Gin
stituted solely for the good Of the whole"-but
suppose that experience has shewn, that this
compact works either unequally or unjustly,
and that "the people" desire to have such inc
quality or injustice remoyed-have they not
the right to change the terms of the compact
in the mode pointed out in the instrument it.
self: "A Mayylander' Will hardly dispute this
point. Well, they inform their representatives
Of this desire, and ask that they may be per-
mittcd through a convention Of themselves, to
submit for consideration a new compact more
consistent with their present condition and
fcehngs-and shall they be repealed; VIII the
representative thus attempt to assume the
master? The experiment will be tried, and
yve shall see the result. In the meantime "a
Narylandcr" may rest satisfied that the re-
formers of the State are as much attached TO
law and order, and are as little disposed to pro-
ducc CONFUSION, as himself. They want the
expenses reduced, that Maryland may once
more raise her head in the pride of honesty