, 1862-02-21

SPRINGFIELD, February 19, 1862.
The circumstances under which the decis- |
ion Of the people i'll favor Of holding Conven-
ton to amend tho Constitution Of our State |
was reached are well known. It is needless to
recapitulate them.
Soon after the vote on holding the Conycn-
tion was taken the war broke out. Whatever
may have been the necessity, previously to the
breaking out Of the war, for holding the Con-
vention, and for amendments to the Constitu- /
tion, that necessity was entirely removed By |
the war. Let q vote be taken to-day on the |
question Of holdings Convention, and we have |
no doubt the people Of tic State would be al |
most unanimous against it. The yeas would |
be composed of broken down political old
hulks, 1ong since left rotting on tile beach by
departing political popularity the nays would
be the great mass Of the disinterested people
of the State
We have heard some Of the best men of the
Democratic party in the State declare, since
the election Of delegates to the Convention,
that the duty Of said delegates was clear. It
was simply to meet at the State Capital, Or
ganizc and adjourn for six months ut least, Or
even sine De.
Nov, why was not such course pursued?
Why VAS such Convention held, in the lace
Of the well understood feelings Of the great
majority OF the people OF the State?
The reason is exceedingly plain, and the
most simple will comprehend it at glance.
This Convention is composed, in the most
part, Of the rump Of tic Democratic party.
There may be few exceptions; but these do
not alter the general result, as they do not
control, but in fact are themselves controlled
by the majority. Why is it SO composed?
Because the best and most talented and most
patriotic men of the party are in an entirely
different sphere Of action. They are fighting
tie battles Of their country. In their absence
| H'....1s -. 49,, ...1.a a1,aa - t.1.n.,
the people nave eecn compelled TO take up'
IS dernier reaort, the second or third rate
mcn-thosc who under any other circumstan-
| cce 1von1a oorer haze s+ood n chance of c,,taio.
49, -1e,a
| Ing the positons Iney no" nold.
Now, these men, having got the control OF
| THE conxent;on and thronob IT, TIM control nj
-. ~ H. s,,n:,s - atasa ~ =: .s 49, 49,
thei parry 'ao 'ne 7eoA'' VI o1.1e ~ 11o 0''A'e
tor years to come, Is 1t reasonable TO suppose
that they will yie1d the prize which there is nc
aS.;,1o ,ha.,an ~ +ho;. a.-o, n<o;n oht.;,,;ner
poos4ei' eaauee ~ lt'.n wv "1u ousA'nus ;,
No, they nave gained power, and they WILL
hold on to it, with death grasp. And this il
also the grcat rcason for the want Of patriot
s. .,s, .,.;o.:t., ~ .,,o -,.4z =, ~ ~,
ls1n LII LIT uAjollly VI Luz pal's LII LIZ ton
yention. Every Federal victory is the elcya
| linn IF some man in the raYty. nov fehtine
49, ,,ott,as af III, oo,,rt.. .h,s, ,,,,,s,1oritT
.ne ua1elcs " uis souau5' "n''e Pola''A1 y
Is so much loEs 10 theirs.
No wonder they desire to take foreclosure
,,nop thr Gallant men Who orn nor;1;no tbc;
"PoA NV s'..s ~. oeu VIZ a4s PeitlnSs ln1n
u'es LII every oa'lie Helo anu before every lori
ified place in the South. While the eallan1
officers and soldiers are pouring ont thei
b1ood nnop tbc hott1e.f,eid 4besa n,,ns5nt
ot"oe upon 80. e.11e usu' .n'ne 1nouslus
polillclaps a'e otslalns the on1ces oct"eei
| them; are porGoning ont every honorable ant
valuable political position in the State amen:
|. themselves
] When the gallant wounded from Belmont
: Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Lexington, Spring
f field and other places which hare witnesse,
i | the immortal prowcss OF the gallant SONS O
the Prairie State, come home to receive th
r honors reserved for them. they will find ever
! avenue Of political preferment closed up tue
: will find the various offices filled with I set q
i. | men whose political and even material vel
i being are bound up in opposition to the wa
and 10 the gallant soldiers who took the pri1
= cipal part il it,
For this, if for no other reason, this Conycr
> tion and thc Constitulion to be framed by
. | shon11 he atamnc1 With the seal Of the Det
= nlc,s Condemnation.
+ With the nolificsi history of Illinois for tt
d ! mast Ten years in ynnr hand. cor1pare til