Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-11-02

NArIcK. Oct. 25. 1858.

have voted 10 request me to comply with the many
invitations sent 10 them asking me to address the
people in favor of the proposed con iIutional amend
ments.
Since the adjournment of the Convention, have
received numerous INVITATIONS to speak in favor of
the New Constitution | have felt constrained to
decline these invitations, owing TO the position as.
signed me by the State Convention OF the Free De.
mocracy.
Iaw exceedingly DESTROYS, however, that the PEG.
pie should adopt the proposed constitutional amend.
ments. That they will do so by decisive MAORI.
ty, do not doubt. l am quite sure that the people
OF Massachusetts can not be deluded mo the rejec-
ton of the proposed Constitution embracing as il
does, 50 many marked improvements over the exist.
ing Constitution, by an opposition, which is actuaed
by no common senument-guded by no fixed prin-
cple-an opposition which exhibits neither consist
ency, sagacity, nor dignity.
have the fullest confidence that Massachusetts
WILL on the 18th of November ratify The work of
the Convention by popular verdict, that will re-
buke the aclious, partizan opposition which, with
strange inconsistency, assumes 10 be the sole guard
ian to whom ''iS nOD entrusted the sacred duty Of
guarding that generated Constitution with which
VIII are all content it is''-an opposition which
pronounces a constitutional convention ''io be an I'M
called for and hazardous project ''of doubtful
siutionay,' ''nconsstent both with the letter
and the intent Of the Constitution an opposition
which unanimously resolves in favor of the ''leading
amendments to the present Constitution by ga
new and popular convention, amid dealening ''cheers
far the old CONSTITUTION. The ac,s of the onnosi
ton to constitutional REFORM during the past lour
years, upon record, and The intelligent people of
Massachusetts know that this record is record Of
Inconsistencies without na,allel in our b;sInry
The ,,iu I've sIo,, IN ro;act tho ,,ork If ,be;r ,
chosen agents b,, Coowino the lead ~ an onnoit;on
,,hosa eye, vaiy;no pocv Wins neither the;r c,nG
danca nor regard
For some years the feeling has prevailed among
and If the Ionsa If Ranresanta,;ves was nneonal
thai The General ticket system for the choice Of Sen.
ators and of Renresenafves in the large towns and
cities combined with the narrial dislranchisemen nj
the small towns. gaye to the few. TO the leaders Of
nartes to The renresentatves oc GREAT interests an
nndue influence and control over The leoisIation If
the Commonwealth This feeling was greatly in
creased dnrng the three CLOSING Years Of the last
decanpa per;od and hv the results of the elect;on
Of l84S, when the Senators all of one political
party, although that party was in minority of near
y I3,OOO. The opponents of that party, giving
nearly Io,OOO Votes, had not single member OF the
Sen1te OF that year. The division oil the Common
wealth INTO single Senatorial dlsrlcs,and the change
OF Inc basis OF the House, were advocated by sever
presses ana referred to IN several Conventions OF
the people, in the autumn OF l049.
During the session of the Legislature of 1850, MIR
Grswold, of Greenfield, in behalf of the m norIlv of
the Committee to whom the subject mad been re-
ferred by the House, reported in favor of amending
the Consultations so AS to change the basis of repre-
sentaton in both Houses. The proposed amend
ment failed to receive the sanction of the House of
Representatives The Wing members, with hardly
an exception, sturdily opposed any change OF the
basis Of either House. The Wings had fourteen
majority in the Senate and forty six majority in the
House, aud with few inconsiderable exceptions they
opposed any amendment Of the organic law The
single district system had hen no charms for them
C,rs ;u
defeated by vote of l27 to l09-nearly every Wing
member voting against it, and among them every one
of the Boston delegation who was present Even
the Atlas. conducted by Col. Schouler one of the
most liberal and sagacous men of his party, strenu-
ously opposed the division of the State into single
senatorial districts. The voice of the Wing party,
in 1850, was pronounced against the proposed
amendments, and in favor of the slime honored'
Constitution.
AT this session Of 1850 Col SchouIer carried
through the House his bill providing for the election
OF representatives to Congress by plurality on the
second trial in opposition to large portion Of his
political friends in and out of the House The Adj
vertiser Courier and other conservative iournals
then denounced the puralitv system as destructive
IN The interest and cbaraciey ofMassacbpse,ts The
SENATE pnder the lead If Mr. Hiard who eIocron,-
l., contended tbat tho ,naiorty ,,rncino h "A on,I
he election Of aber and be,Ier men 70 Conorass
and Given Them greater Influence in the -na1innai
councils rejected the bill Now Mr. Hillard and
tho Adveriiser Courier and kindred ,,asses ,,onIJ
reject the new Constitution because il does nor an
NV NJ once The nluralitv rnle in All elections
The Wbios IN Massachusetts. in 1854 with all
derartments of The Government nnder tbeir contri
and with the prospect Of long lease of mower nro,
nouuced AGAINST Constitutional Terorm. with vo;ca
annroachi9g unanimitv
In 1850 the friends of constitutional reCorm
tbrouob heir n,eases and Conventions and in ,ber
addresses heln,e 1be ,erl ,,ressed ,,,b ,o,.a, ~,
with Great efTact the necess;1v If smendn6 The Cnn1
st,tn,i1n 80 a. tn secure beier renreserfve has.
a., The t'o Houses VVbia ,oi;,;cians .nJ l.as.a,
steadily onnosed these coos,;tu,ionaI relo,ms and
denon9ced ,be;r advoces s arr;na moo, ,ba
cred and finch onored', Const;,nton beoreatbed 70
No n, he r,ihers The neonIe rronnnnced in CO.
If Constitutional reform n, he eIec,;on IN 1e50 w.,
cboos;o r. i; ho,h b. -Y,
tbe Ien;sl,tnro -
-, ~ :,
In 1921, governor bout"eli caled the attention OF
me Legislature 10 inc question OF changing Inc basis
oil representation by dividing Inc Estate into single
senator IA DISTRICTS oy diSlrlctng Inc ciues Tor the
choce OIL representatives. aud by increasing the rep