The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-05-27

tains talent and devotion to the coun-
try, rarely seen. To this fact, to the
intelligence around him--to the strange
times into which we have fallen, he
(Mr. S.) attributed the embarrassment
he felt.
The spirit of Revolution is abroad in
the land. By the mad acts Of the ma.
jori,y in your las: Legislative Assem-
bly,, that spirit was raised and fostered,
for he (Mr. Spalding) felt, that the blow
ofrevolution was struck, when, without
right and in defiance Of the Constitution,
an attempt was last winter made to re.
organize the law.making power Of the
Government so as to take the power
from the majority and to give it to a
minority Of the people.
This Conventions has met as a Con.
vention OF safety.-to shield the State
from the effect Of those acts-to guard
the rights Of the people. The Dele.
gates are fresh from the people--they
know their wants, their feelings and
their wishes, and they are here TO rep.
resent them, and TO meet, as our fathers
met, to provide for the public safety
The Revolution was commenced last
winter, by the acts Of the whig party,
through their Senators and Represen.
tatives in Legislative Council assembled.
To guard the rights Of your absent
Constituents those who have entrust-
ed you with their delegated power, is
pur object in coming up here.
The duties Of a presiding officer, is
TO keep order. sustained by the con
|ven,ion, as he felt he would be, Mr.. s.
said this would be an easy task To
others and to older heads, was commit.
ted the duty Of discussing and judging
Of the proper measures to be pursued.
He again thanked the convention for
the honor conferred, and to the best oI
his ability, Mr.. S. said, he would per.
form the duties assigned him.
The CommitteeAon Resolutions, con.
ssting Of one from each county repre-
sented, on Thursday afternoon, made a
report, through their Chairman, Mr..
Disney, Of Hamilton, who stated thai
in Committee they had given the vari
Gus propositions which came before
them, long and serious considerations
The freedom of debate had been exer.
cised, and each proposition scrutinized
with care and attention; and, although
differences on minor points existed, yet
every proposition now submitted, had
passed the Committee by clear and de.
cided majorities.
The report Of the committee, he
would now submit. "@
Resolred, lst. That there is now in
existence in Ohio, no law, by means OF
which the State Legislature can be
formed and organized after the second
Tuesday IN October next.
Resolued, Cd. That the evils, likely
to be entailed upon the people by rea.
son of the improvident course pursued
by the whig majority in the last Gen
cral Assembly, may still be averted, il
the Executive will exercise the prerog.
ative vested in him by the Constitution
and convene the Legislature for the pur'
pose of enacting the requisite law. fol
The apportionment of Senators and Rep
rcsentatives among the several counties
of the State; and that as peace-oving
citizens of the State, we respectfully
call upon him to discharge this duty.
Resolved, Sd. That if the Legislature
be not thus called together by the
Governor, it will become necessary fol
the Democratic voters of Ohio, as {
measure Of protection and sell defence
to appear at the polls on the secont
Tuesday in October, in all their force
and cast their sutfrages for Democratic
candidates for the Senate and House
OF Representatives, under the whig ap
portionment scheme, with view t!
ulterior measures for the preservation
of their just political rights: These
measures may be defined to be, in th'
first instance, refusal on the part o
the Democratic candidates who shall
receive a majority of the votes cast ii
the several counties and districts, t.
take upon themselves the obligation
of Senators and Representatives unde
a fraudulent and nugatory enactmen
for their election.
In the second instance, and as tn
law making power provided for in tn
present Constitution will be at an enc
| for the want of constitutional Legisa
ture, it will devolve on the people j
the exercise of their inherent and so,
ereign rights, to frame a new constitl
ton wherein their own peculiar inte
ests may be more affectually protecte
than they have hitherto been. Thu
from temporary inconvenience,re ,resul