Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-04

test against its further increase aud against
its present excess. the true basis of politi-
cal organization between all parts of the
Union was. from ills beginning, the rights of
the States, aid that basis offers for the
future, as it has for the past, the most per-
feet guaranty for security and Union.
Redress must come from the people Of the
United States. They in their strength
must remedy the existing evil, BY a distinc;
expression Of their will. The moment is
traught with dangers, which the adoption o.
the Lecemp,on Constitution would only az
graVate.
A departure from the principles or which
4 Government rests, IS an violence of lis de-
cav. The violation of the principles of Pop
ular Sovereignty wasted the life blood otthe
Republic.
Again: in a popular Government, where
the rulers are out servants, anarchy steps in
when principle is forgotten and expectancy
is made the guide.
Again the concentration of power in the
hands of Convention like that of Lecomp-
ton, is not an American idea. 1t is bor-
rowed rom those republics of Europe which
were not capable of existing long, for the
very reason that power YVES so concentrated
1t Is derived from the worst examples of the
worst periods of Revolutionary France, when
minorities usurped power over a nation by
terror and reckless daring. If the rule of
the minority Convention is now foI mally
sanctioned By Congress, it will be a most
dangerous precedent; an instrument OF
wrath, treasured up for a day of wrath. We
appeal against tins system to the whole
Democracy Of the country; we appeal to all
people wh1 love order, and justice, and
freedom.
This city, for its numbers, S the weallh,-
est in the world. | call on the men o.
wealth in this great city, to take to hear,
the danger OF establishing as a principle
that a majority of a single body, elected to d
Convention perhaps in times of high excite.
ment, filled, as will sometimes happen, with
men desperately daring and corrupt ANNA
ted as men under such circumstances are
apt TO be, by personal and party passions
should assume the absolute right to change
the fundamental law of the country, without
Il reference to the people. If they are moi
alarmed on account OF their own fortunes
| ask them To Consider what disposition
under such an absolute convention, miuh'
be made OF corporate property-wEat change:
n the management OF trust funds, set a par
Tor purposes OF charity, or education, or the
support of religious worship. Especially
speaking in sober earaestness TO reiectin.
men, | remind the Catholics of what NIGH
happen. calling 10 their recollection the
grievance to which they were exposed in al
Eastern Stale, and from which they onI,
escaped by the reference OF the Constitu
ton to the people. We call on our natural
ICED cilizens to reflect on their danger iron
the principle in VOWED in accepting the de.
cision OF a Convention as final, and without
appeal. Our country is subject to periodical
eXciteme hts ON the franchise OF naturalizeC
citizens; aud it may hIppen that a Conven
tlon Possessed ut this absolute power, may
seek 10 Perpeiuate theinse Ives and then
party In Office, by one sweeping disiran,
chiselnent OF the foreign Urn. We call o.
the puUr, and on the ldbOring men, to rome
up to the rescue; for, in the division that
prevails on universe suffrage, sooner OF
later e Convention would be found ready II
limit the right to suffrage, and to maintain
The limitation by force. We claim the aid
o. every lrishman to d nan, and every Irish.
man, for Ireland, through three centuries
shows The litter fruits OF a government i'm.
posed By the completely between Il shame.
less and the central power.
We will not make an appeal to the South
as each; but if any part of the Union has
Cause ter alarm at an increase of the power
of a convention suddenly called together. We
should say ii is the South; and were Jeffer-
sun alive. we should on this occasion have 4
protest rom his pen. The guiding princi
pie OF his craftsmanship was to consult the
people and to reverse the people. But VIVA
do | say. A voice comes to u from one OF
Jetiersons successors in the chair of stale
in the Old Dominion, and in clear and dis
tinct terms he rejects the Lecompton Con.
s~titut!on as LIT the act and Iced U the peo-
pie o: Kansas, and he rightly condemns The
Lecompton schedule as not rePubIican. Nr~
York will respond to Virgins, and the grca1
North-W Vest will swell the echo.
The policy OF enforcing he Lecomptor
Constitution on an unwilling people i.
neither wise nor expedient nor possible.
Principle is the true OWNERS wand by which
the President Of free people sways the
millions, aud secure majorities for his meas,
ures in Congress. The neglect of principle
for temporizing expeiiency always 10. es the
respect OF majorities in Congress and out OF
it. The ship OF state is water-Iogged; throw
the fraudul n~tLecomp,on Constitution over.
board; lie. principle take the helm, and the
bark Will spring forward on its way as in
the best years of our republic. Ours is the
cause of peace, q! order, OF true democracy,
of union, of freedom All good omens are
with Us. For our part we are resolved to
walk in the central path of humanity, shun-
ming sectiona!ism and fanatlcism on the one
side, and subservientcy to dictation on the
other. True democracy inscribes on its
banners the rights of the States and the
sovereignty o'the people; it upholds freedom
TO the individual in the STATE, lreedum to
the State in the Union, and the indeleasibie
right OF the majority, whether in a State OF
in Il Territory, calmly, deliberately, and I'M
disturbed to form and accept, or reject a
Constitution themselves.
FROM WAStiINGTON.i
Feb. 26.-Surgeons Greene, Ru-chen-
berger, and Wollz have been appointed Il
board TO examine candidates for promotion
and admission INTO the radical corps of the