The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-05-18
For Me Lanrasie, 0asetle.
The Proposed COnveniiOn

or against il This isthe question. In
my opinion our best interests will be pro
Noted by voting fir the Convention. The
object of calling the convention is to at
tempt to better our Constitution. lfthis
object can be effected. it is worthy oflhe
union Of all hands and hearts. firy .
That our present Constituencies much
Of principle and detail worthy of preser-
walton in any new one that may be
made, is readily conceded--that it con-
tains many provisions that are not well
adapted To the present wants of the peo.
pie, conceive to be equally apparent
How could it be otherwise l--when il
was made near half a century ago. by an
Infant people inhabiting wilderness, fol
Their immediate use and protection--whc
lhave since increased in numbers to g.
1000 900. and in wealth and resources. ir
an increased ratio. Can it be a source
"f surprise to the reAecting mind. that
the garment made for the infant should
not be found adapted to the uses of the
grown mani Is it not rather matter o
surprise. that the people, who have beer
gradually but constantly increasing IN
numbers and wealth. should so long have
patiently endured the inconveniencies in
cident To system of organic Law, adop
ted to another age and different state
of society
The convention can and doubtless viii
preserve. all those parts of Four old Con.
slituion, which upon full consideration
and deliberation are found to be adapted
to the present wants and exigencies of so
ciety. To admit the contrary, would be
at once to accuse she l08 distinguished
citizens who would be chosen by the peo
pie as members Of the convention, Of an
abandonment of duty and of excluding
from their consideration, one ofthe mosI
obvious and best sources of information
Some good citizens who see the I'm
projections Of the existing Constitution
hesitate as To the propriety of voting 10,
a convention. for the reason that the pres
ont Constitution is old and has answered
the purposes designed by its trainers
1t has effected so much good that they re-
gard it as species sacrilege to attempt
to destroy it. by making it better.
In allour reasonings on this subject,
we are to remember that our existing
Constitution is the work of mpn! 1t is
certainly neither the better nor the worse
forthe good or evil consequences grow.
ing out Of its long continued existence
The practical question is, has this Con.
stitulion defects. aud can we by calling a
convention remOuld il so as 10 avoid those
defectsl We think we hazard nothing
in assuming that the contemplated con.
venion will consist Of men as able, as
honest and as patriotic. as those who
formed the existing Constitution. That
we have such men none will be bold o.
nough to deny -and having them, want.
ing their services in this revision Gf the
Constitution, it is bit reasonable to pre-
sumo that the people will select them.
In other States, upon similar occasions,
different districts have We'd with each o,b
er in efforts to put forward their best
men = and hence it has generally happen.
ed. that upon every revision Of an old
Constitution, that has taken place in the
Union, the convention has been we'll sup,
piled with good men-men who have
been found equal to the task they were
called to perform. sa '+
But another class of men say, il wont
do to call Convention now, for the rea.
son that our party is not sure ofa MAORI
~ it. This objection. if available at
all. will dlways exist--not it is true in ia.
vor of the same set of persons. when the
balance of political power is continually
changing, as it has been for many years
past in Ohio; but it will exist. as long as
parties exist. because one party must be
in the minority. while the other is in the
majority. .'
That parties are nearly equally bal
anced in Ohio, is favorable circum.
stance--it will justify us all in believing
that the ultra measures and views of both
parties would be excluded from the Con.
s,itulion tina, would be framed. No man
who properly considers tho subject ought
TO desire party convention or party
constitution. The manufacturing of a
Constitution is work Of princple--and
not of party. The Constitution when
framed and adopted would be not only
the magma charta of Ohio, but'the best
legacy Of the present age to poslerily,
capaCita;ed to endure until Oul popua.
tion should increase to ten millions of
people. ~ 'rtI e#t
Having thus attempted to assign gener-
al reasons. why we should vote for con-
vention, | shall in my next paper desig-
nate some ofthe specific defects ofthe ex-
listing CONSTITUTIONS. as further and add.
iional reasons tending to the same conclu-
sion. a AN ELECTOR.
HM Fairfield Commons Pleas
Aan Maria Ream. PETITION
t.H Vs. '''3' ' FOR
, Andrew Ream, DIVORCE
SAlD Andrew will take notice. that the Peti.
~ TONER has this day filed in the Court of Com.
mon Pleas Tor said County her petition for Divorce
aud dissolution OF the marriage contract existing
between suid parties, and alleging for cause, ha-
biiua drunkenness Tor more than three years, gross
neglect OF duty aud extreme cruelty, Said peii.
tion will come on Tor hearing aud decree at the
nextterm Of said Court.
,ul~ -alsAV alol gn Pm. EWING.
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