Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-03-07
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1l)orctster Dailp 5pp.

u The Franklin County Committee of the
Free Democratic party, publish an address from
which we quote the following:
The act calling the Convention, provides that
the votes for delegates shall be received. sorted.
counted, declared, recorded, and copies thereof
delivered TO the delegates chosen, in the same
manner as is n0U provided for ia the case of re-
representatives. to the General Court The Se-
cret Ballot Law was then in full force, and de-
cared that no vote for representative should be
received, unless enclosed in an envelope. The
act calling the Convention has been referred 10 the
people, and adopted by them, by a ma ority of
seven thousand votes. 1t is now, therefore, the
act OF the people themselves, resting on the same
authority as the Constitution itself What right
or power has the Legislature 10 alter one line or
one word of that act? The same right or power
that they have 10 alter the Constitutlon-and no
other. The one rests on precisely the same au-
thority as the other, and can be altered or amend
ed only by that authority. lift would be reyolu-
ton or rebellion for the Legislature 10 attempt TO
set aside provision of the latter, it Is equally
revolution or rebellion for'ihem tc attempt 10 set
aside provision of the former
Daniel Webster, in his argument on the great
Rhode Island insurrection case, said-"Al that
is necessary here, Tin distinction from despotlc
forms of Government) is that the aciU of the peo-
pie should be GScertGined By some regular mode
Of proceeding prescribed By precious lag; but
when ascertained, that will is sovereign as that
of a despotic prince, the Gar of Muscovy, or the
Emperor of Austria himselC'' The act calling
the Convention is the will of the people, ascer-
tanned by regular mode of proceeding, pre-
scribed by previous law. 1t is therefore, saws
Mr. Webster, as absolute as the will of a despotic
prince. Who can change it but the people, whose
will tits? They have as much provided that del
egates shall be chosen by secret ballot, as that
the iConvention shall be held-and the power
which can abrogate the one provision, can abro-
gate the oher The people have declared this
Convention law to be their will, Just as much as
they have declared the Constitution to be their
will, and in precisely the same manner-by
voting directly upon it, yes or no. Who are they
who presume to set aside the formally expressed
will of the people' The peoples servants
The Supreme Court of New FORK has judicial
recognized the principle advanced by MIR Web
ster The highest legal authorities, therefore,
concur in pronouncing the act calling the Conven-
ton irrepeaable and unalterable, except by the
people.
Such an enactment will be utterly null and
void. 1t will not be law, and will be entitled to
none OF the regard or respect which we pay to
law. 1t may be disregarded by the Convention,
which, being the sole judge Of the election Of its
members, may refuse to recognize as members
any except those who are chosen in conformity
with the provisions of the organic law on which
it is based
1t becomes the friends of the Convention then
TO see that their delegates lawfully chosen
IT we disregard the organic law, we shall be par
takers in the rebellion Of the Legislature, and we
may peril the seats of the members whom we
shall elect. Every delegate not elected III con-
formty with the provisions of the law calling the
Convention, will be in danger of losing his seat.
To these excellent suggestions we merely add
this:-Look out for Wing tricks at the opening OF
the meetings. There will be an effort made in
the anti-Whig towns, to rally the Wing voters
early, and get vote to dissolve the meeting
Be sure to be on hand to block this camel