Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-11-15
NO. |.


attention was called to the amendments of tn
Constitution proposed by the late council Of cen
sors and with Il view to- bring them to the con
slderaton of the people, would ask space i
your paper for two or three brief articles. 1t i
hardly necessary to say, that scarcely anythin,
can possess higher Importance or deserve grave
consideration than propositions which go f
change, in essential particulars, the organic Law
ofthe state Some of the amendments proposed
are of this characters for they contemplate ma
terial alterations in the Constitution, and will be
likely, if adopted to lead to still further muteria
alterations 1t IS not SO much my purpose to &C
into an extended argument upon the amend.
ments, as to give plain statement of their M.
ture and extent, and present in the shortest and
pllinest way possible, such suggestions as will
be likely TO awaken in the public mind timely in
qniry ana reflection on the subject There are
some general observations, however, preliminary
to notice Of the particular topics in question,
which cannot well be omitted.
No intelligent and slgacious observer can mis-
conceive the prevailing tendencies Of the times,
or be Indifferent, if animated with patriots
heart, to the dangers and evils to be unprecedented
from the restless spirit of innovation at work
throughout the country but more busy in mis-
chief in some parts than others, undermining old
established systems and principles, and threaten
ing to tlke away by plausible changes and alter
vidod for the purity and perp tuty Of free inst
tutons. Nothing, however venerable in age,
wise and excellent In spirit and structure or BEN
efcal in operation, seems to command reverence
and respect enough to ensure it protection from
ruthless assault. The past for any purpose Of
admonition or instruction, is fast becoming a
blank page in the history Of the world Ay
tang that is old because it is old, is looked Men
as antiluoted and obsolete, the offspring, it NAV
L. L. -
and well suited perhaps to the simplicity of TO-
mer times, but unsuted to the superior wisdom OF
this enlightened age.
ave Thick our faith ~ fools. wise we grow :! T..
No dout wiser will think US So"
The mann called "proqnss," or, in the more
usual cant phrase, "friorm," is every where more
or less agihting and disturbing society. This.
with the cry of" mae HmtS,"" nrr Hge," is filing
the minds OF men with strange decisions, and be-
w1crng communities with speculations and
hopes, Wild, visionary, and iallacious. The times
as sensible writer slys, are new, since every
successive dry is new, and brings It's change But
every new day, it is pcrtnently added does not
oblteratc the memory Of those which have gone
before; nor is the 0 ginal character Of mankind
changed in the leastby the succession ofany num-
Der Of new days, years or centuries. Human
nature, with all its faculties and passions, re-
minis the same it ever was, and the true light to
gude man III the path Of life is, and ever must
be, human experience. The power of prolitinr
from the past is the great faculty which distin-
cuisines man from brute animals, and if he neg
lects to learn wisdom from experience, or disre-
CARDS its lessons, he iorgets the dignity of his M
turo and is blind to his best interests
Whltever supJrfci Il minds may think, the sci
encc Of free govornm mt was us well and thor
oughly understood IN the days of orr fathers as
1t ever was or ever will be- and the experience
had under the institutions handed down by them
to Us, affords instruction, which it would be folly
II not madness, to reject. BY the results of that
experience it is wise and sale to abide. A sys-
ten winch has been in operation many genera
tons, and has thus obtained the sanction Of long
experience, should not be changed or altered
but with great deliberation and caution-never,
without full conviction Of existing evils, and
an evident certainty Of improvement. The me-
cessity should be apparent, and the GOOD to be
obtained clear and indubitable. The change
surely should never be for the mere sake of eX
pertinent, or for the vain purpose Of making an
ambitious show of liberal principles, or Of delu-
ding the popular mind with fallacious prospects
OF Improvement.
If in mere legislative acts it is not wise to
make changes or alterations beyond what the ex-
igencles OF society really require, it certainly
cannot be wise to be continually tamperng with
the fundamental law, when thai law already en-
bodies in Itself the great principles of civil and
political liberty, and contains every provision ne
cessary to secure freedom and order, protect the
rights OF person and property, and give method
ana stability to the government. We should re-
member that we are in the full possession of free
dom and good government, and that the question
with us Is, not how to obtain these blessings but
how to preserve them. Ii the best philosophy is
that which Is taught by example, we should fol-
low its precepts, and be slow to hazard expari |
ments upon the existing system of government
1t seems to be admitted that no alteration Of the
system is needed in the constitution of the eXecu-
tive department, or in the constitution ofthe Sen
ate; and it appears 10 Inc to be quite as clear that
none is needed in the constitution of the House
OF Representatives, in the mode of amending the
constitution, or in the mode Of appointing the ex-
ecu'ive and judicial officers.
have spoken somewhat freely, but think
without eXlggeratlon, of the prevailing spirit of
Innovation and of its infituating and misleading
Influences If this spirit has been allowed to
have free course in other qulrters captivating the
popular mind with superficial and fillacious tn :
cries, with specious but delusve novelties and ex-
periments, it may be hoped that in New England
at least, lno where else, it will meet with whole
some checks and restraints Vermont is, in the
truest and best sense, New England State She
is so not only in population ndname, but in ey-
cry essential Characteristic. Her civil and reli-
gious institutions, her principles, habits, and Gus
toms, are all of pilgrim origin; and to the ins,ilu-
lions and principles thus derived, more than Ia
any thing else, she owes her becoming reverence
for Inv and obedience to constituted AUTHORITY,
her social order and prosperity, her elevated char
acter for intelligence, industry, and virtue. I'm
der her free and liberal constitution, she has hitb-
erto exhibited the true republican spirit, and
maintained the true republican character Let
her.not abandon the dignity of her character by
adopting the follies or copying the vices, political
or social, of any other people.
If radicalism has triumphed elsewhere, let us
beware of giving an impulse to its destructive
principles here. Iii spirit hostile alike to true
freedom social order, and good government
There is nothing to be hoped, but every thing to
be feared, from it. Whatever may be its preten-
sions in behalf of free principles, it has its ORR
gin, less in love of popular rights, than in
morbid ambition for power and distinction, slim
ulated to excessive action by an inordnate and
impatient craving for popularity. When a spirit
so reckless and vicious in its desires and aims is !