The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-06-05
To tho People Of FalrneId County.

To the People Of Fairfield County.
It is useless to deny that too little in.
lerest has been awakened among the
people of this county relative 10 the
proposed change in their form Of Gov.
eminent. Nevertheless, the voters of the
State will be called upon, next Tuesday
week, the 18th inst, to vote for or against
the adoption of the proposed new Con
stitution, and it is their duty to examine
its provisions and compare it carefully
with the present instrument. in order
that they are not deceived by false hopes
and unwise advice into the support Of a
fundamental law unworthy of themselves
and their State. Happening to be an
advocate of what we deemed might prove
Of advantage to the people of Ohio, a
Convention to "%revise and amend" our
present Constitution; and being unwil
ling to believe that in such a cause, any
body ofmen could be found who would
violate the common dictates of common
sense by framing an instrument for party
purposes without regarl to the best in
terests of the State, we have been much
disappointed in the result of the labors
of that Convention, and would gladly re-.
frain from discussing its provisions, did
we deem such a course consistent with
our duty and our position. The fact that
we were an advocrte of a change, show VS.
that we consider the old Constitution de.
fective in many particulars; but will the
new one, if adopted, better our condi-
toni
The people should look at this matter
rightly. Fur rearly half century, the
State has grown and prospered under the
provisions of the present instrument, with
but little inconvenience, even with our
present population, wealth and resourc
es. The fact can only be overcome by
the very strongest argument that the pro
posed change will better our condition.
We have no caplious objections to the
new instrument. We cannot follow its
provisions throughout and huut up an
objection here and another there, Of mi.
nor importance, for the same thing can
be done with the old one. But we look
at it as a whole-examine it in all lis
bearings and endeavor to discover what
influence it must inevitably have upon
the destiuies of our State.
We here state, after a careful eXami
nation ofthe new Constitution, that if we
believed Ohio to be finished, we would
vote for it in all its provisions. If all
our counties were ihickly populated; if
all our resource we're fully developed; il
all our territory was properly intersected
with roads, canals and railways; if thro'-
out our borders at all proper and con
venlent points, manufacturing enterprise
had expended its energies aud reached
its highest point; it all the capital that
could be, was invested in the great in
terests of our State; and we were called
upon to adopt a new Constitution, we
would, in all its main provisions, it's re-
strictions and its privileges, vote for jusJ
such an one as is now presented to the
people of Ohio for their adoption or re
lection. Or il we entertained the idea
that no further progress could be made
by the people of Ohio, in developing the
riches contained in her vast territory ,ant
we're willing to sit quietly down aud make
no further effort, we would at once vote
to put a stop to all manner of interna
improvements; we would destroy all cor
porations; and by their fundamental luv
so bind up the energies of the people q
the State, that they could make no fur
Their advance. Not TO so great an extent
but tending towards such a result ant
calculated to produce it in our sparsel,
settled territory, are many of the provls
ions of the proposed Constitution. W.
do not believe that the energies of GU
people can be destroyed; but they can b
fettered. We DO not believe that ou
progress can be stopped; hut it can be re
tarded; aud it is unwise policy, either i
adopting constitutional or statutory pro
visions, to cripple the energies OF an
people or impede their progress in tn
march of improvement.
What the party in power in that Con
vention have never dared TO do directly
they attempt in many of the provi sions {
the proposed Constitution to bring abou
indirectly. They will allow no men t
unite together for the purpose of erectin
manufacturing establishments. construcI
ing roads and canals or any other work
Improvement. unless they consent i
tho first place to render themselves liz
Bile in twice the amount Of means, whic