Maryland free press., 1867-04-18

AH. we nope tnat the Convention which
will soon assemble in Annapolis will as far
as possible endeavour to avoid that mania
for legislature tiukering, which is but too
apt to prevail amongst u body of men who
have it in their power to- change the whole
system of State government and alter or
abolish the entire system of the laws under
which We are living.
1t is better sometimes to submit to small
evils and Inconvenience than in the tno
hasty and unconsilered attempt to rectify
them, to run the risk of bringing greater
oues upon US in the place of those that we
may have succeeded in getting rid of.
We would like to see some important
changes introduced in the whole iudiccry
system of the State and it this is done. we
know very little else that it will be in
oumbent upon the Convention to do except
the repeal of all political test oaths, and
the yacating, of course, of all the Offices in
the State.
The passion for making new laws is one
Of the greatest evils attendant upon all
Republican forms of government, and the
more incompetent and unskilful the lcgis-
lator, as q general thing the more anxiou
will he be found to try his "'prcntice
hand. at law making.
Zalencus tho framer Of the Locrian Re-
public ordained that any one 10 proposed
d new INV, stood forth in the assembly Of
The people with cord around his neck,
and if the law was rejected, the innovator
was instantly stranglcd.
Tho hangman's woull be a profitable
business if this law prevailed in these
modern days of progress and reform. when
the general tendency of the age seems to
be to cast aside every principle that we
have been taught to look upon with res
poet and vcneration in the past and to
plunge wildly into new and untried paths
wherein we learn by bitter experience,
that it would have been better. far better
had we been content to walk in the ways
of our fathers, and not to disturb the cid
land marks that had been established by
eur patriot sieres of yore, who to say the
least Of it possessed quite as wise heads
and quite as honest h carts as We do.
We have no fears that tho convention
when it assemblies, will hesitate to pass
those necessary measures of reform wbicl
the .people demand, our only n: prehcn
81 n Is, that the members of that body may
he seized'by the proper sty 10 which VIC have
alluded, which may cause them to frittel
away in idle and proftless debate, resul
tingin nothing. ihnoh valuable time which
should be employed in urging aud secur
Ing the earliest possible adoption of thost
changes in our organic law, which the
necessities of the people really require.
As a general thing however the dele
gates elected to the constitutional conven-
tinn:: are men of intellect. principle ant
experience, and in this respect they form
striking contrast to the mass oflhc dele.
gates to the last convention. Take our
own county for example and contrast
Alvey. Cunningham, NIotter, Murray
Pole, and Syester, with Davis, Dillinger
Mayhaugh. Negey, Nyman, and Sucary,
aud any further word of comment Oh this
subject is unnecessary.
We hope therefore that whatever they
may do. and whatever may be sthe result
of their deliberations that the delegates tc
tn" coming convei tion, will at least no.
del ~ in their good work, but that by juno
irest we inlay be enabled to vote upon tho
constitution Which they shall have framed
for the approval of the people.