The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-04-21
MASS CONVENTION IN ALLIE
GHENK.

The following are the resolutions a
dopted b. the Mass Convention held in
Allegheny City, on the Sth instant:
RESOLVED. That this Convention is
assembled under an impulse of self pre-
servaiion, al crisis Of Overwhelming
interest Already, at one session of the
Legislature, baye our claims TO justice
been baflled and repulsed; and there is
reason to fear that every hour may bear
upon It's wings the shout of final triumph
over our blasted hopes and ruined for
tunes.
RESOLVED, That it would Ill compori
with the deep and solemn feelings OF this
occasion to indulge in the language of
menace. But we cannot shut our eyes
to the truth, that no association OF men
can long endure, which is felt by large
portion only through It's power to op-
press. Oar humble request has been for
permission TO open 4 road over our own
property, guarded by the necessary legis-
Ianye sanctions. Every inch OF the soil
belongs TO those who unite eagerly In this
wish. They hold il under direct grant
from the Commonwealth, with all privil-
eges end appurtenances, IN consideration
OF moneys paid into the public Treasury.
Most of the owners along the route have
heretofore known the government only as
a Collector of Texas, and as having rem
dered useless or unpToductIve, the roads
constructed by private enterprise. Yet
now IN the attempt 10 make one of the
most obvious and familiar uses of their
property. they are arrested by a malign
nlluence,-disiant three hundred miles
-usurping The name of the Common
wealth The united owners may run
plough through the whole distance, but
shall not be suffered TO open road! No
instance of tyrany so highhanded; so ex-
asperaiing; so fatal to all the motives that
impel men 10 labor, and the acquisition of
property, can be found eren in the histO-
~ Of lreland's oppression by the power
at London. That power seeks raihersto
sooihe the pang of political subjection by
muriicence and by lavish aid 10 every
project Of improvement. An attempt to
deprive Irishmen OF the free use of the
soil beneath their feet would over-rule all
political and religious dissensions, and
enable them to cast of the oppressor for
ever. And we, Freemen of PennsylEa-
MA, viii not tamely submit to be stripped
by power at Philadelphia, of the adEsn-
tsges which God and Nature have pla-
ced within our reach. Who can under
take to fix limit to these cncroachments
il not now resisted. The same influence
which has been brought to bear against
the Southwestern counties, will equally
interdict the owners of property along the
Allegheny River, from constructing a
Railroad OF Canal through their lands.
And while We are thus made to feel, at
every turn, the CALLING evils of our polit-
ical association with Philadelphia, the
minutest scrutiny cannot enable US 10 dis
cover single counteryailing benefit. 1t
has been said, with truth, that the great
purpose Of social organization Is 10 secure
a prompt and faithful Administration of
justice. How is it with u.s. Before the
Supreme Court. sitting at Pittsburgh, may
be brought from the West, the North, and
the South. all the litigation, spTinging out
the vast and mulularious Transactions of
those regions, even though it originate
before Justice OF the Peace. Yet for a
long series of years, we have seen here
only broken Bench. because all the
Judges reside east Of the Mountains, and
because, forsooih, business Is 10 be done
at Philadelphia utterly inconsruous to the
functions Of Court ol Error. An unior-
tHn2te wretch has fingered in the Pits
burg jail, for upwards Of seventeen
months, under Sentence of Death, because
the Judges viii not decide on the Writ of
Error IN his case, without a fun Court,
and no one can predict when that con-
summation shall be witnessed. These
crying evils may drive us 10 a remedy
which will leave us life, liberty, property
and the pursuit OF happiness, 10 longer
dependent upon the arbitrary caprice Of
those whose interests and whose passions
array them in an attitude Of hostility To-
wards Us.
RESOLVED, That the course Of Phila-
desphia, however il may be reconelled
with narrow seIhshness, IS one direct
lv in conflct with the Interests of every
other part of the State. Il begins and
ends within her own curb-sioae. We
wish the attention Of the Commonwealth
steadily fixed upon the policy which is
avowed by her most shrewd and able