Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-10-13

privilege of going to the printer or to a
| committee. So, too, when one of the
haEdozen blind men offered resolutions
asking the pardon of jeff Davis, and u.s.
ing such terms as these "Our noble and
beloved chief magistrate Northern
fanatics" ~ ankces who have caused all
this ruin and desolation," "shrieking for
his blood" the convention expressed its
dissent in the most positive terms, and
these refolutions also went by the baard.
And, finally, Mr.. Hammond, son OF the
late senatay. introduced series of reso.
lutions. wnich haye been favorably re.
Epor,ed by one of the three leading COM
n,lttees, and probably will be passed by
the convention without any material
change, in which it is declared that IA
people who draw the sword must abide by
decisions ia good iaith, that the Union is
the first and paramount consideration OF
the American people, that an attempt to
revive slavery would be mpoltic. unwise
and dangerous, that we will cordially
support the President in MS efforts to re-
store the county to the blessings Of peace.
In another direction, but OF Significance
TO this point, was the action cf the con-
vention in the St. Helena election case.
The applicant for the seat is Il Northern
man--he and his constituents have been
resident on the island less than three
years. His election clearly expressed
the will Of the people there, but it was
wholly informal and Illegal. He was ad.
mittcd as an earnest Of the good intcn-
tions Of the State, and the good will OF
the people toward Northern immigrants.
The changes in the Cons tuition are
numerous. The up-country de egates
were determined on thorough revision,
and, carrying their point on all the pre-
lminary matters, the delegates from the
other section gave way with as good grace
as possible. Every article and more than
half the sections Of the existing Consti.
tuition will be amended in some particu-
lar. Indeed, the convention can scarcely
be said to be amending the old Constltu-
tion--it is the rather making u new one.
Some Of the more important changes have
already been indicated. Pho election OF
the Gov. is given to the people, and ais
term Of office is four years. The proper
ty qu liiication Of electors and Office
ho ders-fttecn hundred pounds sterling
for Gov and Lieut..Gov.; three hundred
pounds sterling for State senator free
hold estate of 1--WE hundred acres of land
aud ten negroes. or real estate Of one
hundred and fifty pounds sterling, for
State representative, and freehold OF
iitty acres or town lot for a voter-has
been abolished. Power is given the lcg-
isatere to pass registry law. Orders
are given it to pass the choice Of prcSi
dental electors into the hands OF the
people. In a word, the new Constitution
viii be i'll all respects much more liberal
than heretofore. The effort to incorpor-
ate in it provision that no man should
vo,e unless he could read the Constitu.
tion was. ct course, failure. at would
llstsanchiSe at least Il quarter Of the peo-
pie, said one cautious delegate. "Slore
than that" said another.
Tha leading man in the convention on
the progressive side is unquestionahIy
James l.. Orr. don't think him the
ab!est man in the body, and there are
other relormcrs who make more speeches.
but except in respect to the negro, he is
in advaDee of the convention. II am
tired oil South Carolina as she was" said
he in Il speech to-day; 81 coyet for her
the material prosperity Of New England
i would have her acres teen with life
and yigor Us do those of Massachusetts"
II e convention has beaten him on the
general principle Of giving nearly all
elections to tine people; but he has left
his mark in tue minds Of the delegates
lie went into rebellion so easily and got
cut of 1t is so readily that there is some
disposition to distruSt his leadership; but
the fact ren,ains that he stands in the
foreground Of the movement toward Il
more republican form Of government.
The temper Of the convention toward
the negro is very far from being what the
friends Of humanity desire. The eele.
gates, generally speaking, are probably
better disposed toward him thap the ma
jority of their constituents, for | suppose
they ropresont the best Intelligence OF
their re, pcctive districts, lat eyca their
views as y body are extremely narrow
and sutremcly selfish, not to add Of the
most tanciIuly fearful character.
Gov. Perry, Of whom | have hereto
fore spoken as the leading man in the
convention, began the hue and cry against
the poor African in the message delivered
in the second day Of the session. True,
he says slavery is gone--"dead forever"
is his pathological phrase; but he rails
against the negro soldiers in the style oil
a eopperhead Congressman, actually has
the face to quote the Bred Scott decision
against the ne9ro's right to citizenship,
and repeats the dreary and absurd old no,
ton that this is y white mans govern
meut intended for white men," | sub
nit that this sort of talk.-admiss bic
from sixth-rate ward politicians en-
,irclv out of character for even a Pro-
yjsional Governor, can do no possible
rood to any living man. and is productive
Of nothing but increased iIl-leelng be-
tween The two classes of people who now
occupy the State, and must continue to-
occupy it during this generation at least
There has been great deal of this
white-man's government talk. In face OF
the fact that the negroes in the State
number one third more than the Writes,
- H.. ,L,t tho pnoronS hava ~ a1n,o1t