Worcester daily spy., 1851-10-24

upon the State unnecessary expense of MANY
thousands OF dollars and, if they were able, upon
the single question of United States Senator. so
to block the wheels of all legislation for such
great length of time, who does not see, at once the
impossbiity of accomplishing the object desired,
without complete suspension Of the necessary busi
ness oflegislation
Let us suppose, for a moment, that the subject of
revising The Constitution of this State should come
up in the next Legislature, and that proposal is
before the House to change the basis of representa-
tion so that the small tOms shall not, as under the
present system, Oe dtranehsed good portion the
time, and have no vote or voice in the acts of the
Legislature except upon certain years. Is any man
so blind that he see that the opposition to
such measure, from the Boston Brigade, and the
other representatives of large towns, would en-
barass the action of the legislature upon all subjects
of egsIation and delay the public business to such
an extent would saddle the State with an enor-
nous bill Of expense, for which there could be no
occasion.
In any ordinary case which might occur, an
amendment Of the Constitution might with proprlety
however, be left 10 the Legislature, in the manner
prescribed by the Constitution but an amendment
like the one now contemplated, involving, as it does,
the whole question of entire change in the mode
and basis of representation in the State Legislature
ought not to devolve upon body of men elected for
ohei purposes, but upon those who are elected sole
iy with regard to the specific aud wel-defned
object of revising the Constitution.
The contemplated revision of the Constitution,
involves change 10 the organic law of the Com.
monwealth. That organic law, which his te Con-
sttution, established by the PEOPLE, from
whom all power is derived in this government,
and they alone should change it. 1t is the legitimate
business of the Legislature to make laws Under it
and in conformity with it thus far they may go,
but all radical changes in that instrument should
come from the sovereign power of the people who
made it, and from none but them.
The whole trouble with the bunker Wings is this.
They are afraid ofthe people, They distrust their
own power to hoodwnk and deceive them in a Con-
vention of delegates, chosen for the express purpose
Of reforming the Constitution, and their only hope
is in keeping that instrument out of their hands
The people understand this, and no voter, who
wishes the political power of the State to be vested
in the hands Of all the people, who desires that in the
passage Of all laws and enactments, the voice of the
choe people, IN the small to,cns as well as large ones
should be heard, and heard too, in every session OF
the Legislature and in every year, as well in vau-
alton year, can hesitate for moment to vote for
Convention of the delegates of the people, chosen
for the specific purpose of organizing the reform,
| which the domination of the cities and large towns
renders matter of such great necessity, and with
out which cannot preserve the republican ideas
and principles upon which the government of the
State was originally founded.