American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-10-30
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tIp BALTIMORE CLIPPER.
MORNING, Ger. SO, laa5.

Us Demo. -ttt" star contains an editorial aril-
Gle OF Three nolnlnns in opposition to those por-
tom Of &c Reform Address, heretofore pub
lisae5, which, recommend the abolition Of Tia.
Cma.rsY Court, and the substitution OF Mon.
niH fig annual sessions Of the legislature
Tie ,,nraanis on these subjects bear " tia
some severity m the committee vho signed
The address. numatng ia pretty plain terms,
tina. LEY ,.ercised an authority not granted to
tAsaI, lax even possessed by the convention by
whom they were appointed. The Star says:
AS tho committee was not in possession OF
the views Of the Reform party in detail, the
pariisGlG. changes referred to by .uuin must he
regarded lie ther individual opinions; and for
the success Of those opinons they surely had
10 righ,, IS they have done, TO invoke the AT
thorty Of the whole Reform party, or TO cx-
cite p'elGGi2es against any particular part OF
the constitution which some might, us they do,
prcte. 70 retain by &C par'e representation As
to !t5 c'te1.s on the people, or lis utility IN il
well ordered government.
The aoAYention itself had no such authority;
or was 40. understood to have had when they
met. Indeed it would have been iIl-advisod
for the Ecormers to bind themselves to advo-
beGt,e1 have conceived to Oo necessary to be
done IN the way Of Reform, This wonld
have oeen doing Just what the R2tormcrs, if
we understand their object, are trying to avoid.
They arc seeking TO get the action Of the peo-
pie no, the action of politicians; and whatever
IS dOna, they wish to see done 10y the people
acting, not through such nstrumentality, but
by the Gld ot their best, most prudent and wi
seS. men Of both parties, after fairly and deli
heratcly examining the whole ground. Indeed
we have always understood that Reform AS
sucations were recommended To be formed
throughout the State with a view TO accom-
pl'sh this very object
As we can understand and make due allow
sacc TO sectional interests and feelings, we are
not disposed 70 deal harshly with the comments
Q! the S.a:-bu; arc content TO leave the cues
tons Z: Issue between it and tho Reform Com
m.l.ce, 10 The calm aud disn'arestsd consldera-
ton and decision Of the peopto Of Maryland.-
We clan. for the comaIittea purity Of motive,
and the entire absence Of all desire to dictate
10 the people Of Maryland as to tho particular
objects upon which Reform could be udcious-
y exercised An important and delicate duty
was deyolved by the Reform Convention upon
that committee, which they discharged to the
best o.. :hei. ability, and with a view solely to
the prosperity Of the State. That differences
OF opinion would arise among the friends of
Reform, as 20 the best mode of cifcct;ng the
creates. good, the committee were well adVs-
eG-they therefore deemed it unnecessary to
enumeyatG more than few items to which
they thought, the hand Of retrenchment could
be properly apphed-leaving, however, the de-
cision Of .hcsc and all other matters to the pro-
posed Slate Convention, should one be held,
Had they RETAINED altogether from specific re-
commentators, and confined themselves to an
appcg. III favor OF retronchmont and reform, it
is very doubtful whether their address would
have been as acceptable or satisfactory to those :
VINO are honestly seeking to relieve the State
from lis bprthcns. The committee believed :
that a large majority of the people were !avo-
rable 70 t. :o;orm Of the constitution and re-
ductio9 q rublic expenses, and it appeared to
be expected o. the committee, that they should
pom; out some of the modes by which these
objects could be accomplished without detr-
lnen: TO ne public interests. This they did,
without the slightest idea that their opinions
should be considered obligatory upon the re-
form party of Maryland. The object believed ;
by the committee TO be Of primary Importance,
was, the legal call Of State Convention to
revise The constitution, with the view to cor
rect abuses and to curtail cXpenses-and to
this object al the reasoning and facts Of the
address were directed. If these have failed to
convince the public mind of the necessity of
holding Convention, it will be matter Of re-
gret to the committee, but cannot subject them
TO JUS: censure.
In reference TO the particular measures to
which tho Star objects, (the abolition of the
Chancory Court and biennial sessions Of the
legisll:uIe,) we have little, at present, to say
indeed, we shall leave the first to the consider
alton of professional gentlemen, who are bet
ter qualified than ourselves, to determine the
effec: which it would produce upon the admin
istration of justice. We may say, however,
that we are impressed with the idea, that equi-
ty Jurisdiction having been extended to the
several county courts, the necessity for gem
eral Chanccry Court no longer exists.
Az relates 70 the substitution of biennial for
annual sessions, we can speak with more conf
dencc. Il is notorious that we have too much
legislation, and that biennial sessions would en-
able the Legislature to tranact all business re-
quired for The good government of the State.
The Legislature should have little or nothing to
do with local matters which could be more intel
Lightly and satisfactorily acted upon by local
autborities-and, if confined strictly to subjects
of z nuhlic character. it wonlA be nnnecessaru