St. Mary's gazette., 1867-02-28
ST. kAHTs GazElIE
THURSDAY MORNING February 2S, 1867
The Proooscd CorveEt,cn.
ND

Il
We are Of those who think. that e sers-
ous question, Ike theone in regard to cali
;,,, State Convention, should be siiteo
before i, j, rettled. II IT can be shown
aud the bur,Lcn Of proof e upon sso'e ~ao
favor Convcn,ion-that it is the only
effective way by which the defects OF our
orsauic Law can be cured. hen are We
in favor of it, provided it is called without
offensive and unjust discrimination against
az section or any portion OF the people
Of the State. Before Convention can &C
justified, it should be made pialu, We
think, that the Legislature is incompetent
hJ reason Ct constitutional restrictions
upon is powers, to initiate and perfect ei-
scieni remedies for the public grievances.
But is it fact that the Legislature is thus
powerices7 Tie onu. is upon the friends
O. Convention to show this. Sut. We
arc willing to conccde that this fact Is de-
nons,rabi. the question then occurs,
should a Convention be called With res
friction, r,ch os the Carmichael Amend
Hent proposes? Let us consider this IN
the lgh, Of policy fora moment, 1t r
admitted By many ofthc ableSt advocate
of Convention that these restrictions are
out Of place in Convention Bill-shat the
Legislature has no power to restrict thc ac-
t;on ofa Convention Bu, if This be true. what
objection can there BE to striking the Car
michael Amendment from the present Con
ren,ion Bill? Why is shis Amendment in
sisted upon in the teeth cfthe admission that
il is little better than an idle interpolation
The chief, ifnot the only, objection on the
mart of our own, and, VIC believe, the peo
plc of many of the Southern counties Of
the State, to the call of a Convention at
rresent is this same Carmichael Amend
ment. Why not unite the whole party Of
the State by removing the only serious OBJ
lection to the calling Of Convention, espe-
ei.lly when it is admitted by nearly every
BODY tha. the restrictions which MIR. Car
michael has attached to the Convention
Bill arc nullity. if not folly? Par
" comfy, if nothing else, one would
think, under this showing, should induce
the advocates Of a Convention in the Leg
i,la,urc to rovise their action upon the
House Bill and remove the only obstruc-
t;on which exists to a cord al union Of the
whole conservative party Of the State III
favor of Convention.
Of the injus,icc Of this Amendment to
the former slave owner, We have once al
ready oppressed our opinions. AT pres
ent We arc dcaliIg with It as question OF
policy, and the above view embodies our
idea Of what should be done We should
not treat our readers with candor, how
ever, were We TO suppress the fact, that 1t
is not the view of a majority of the Con-
servative party of the State nor even the
view Of several counties, both on this and
on the Eastern Shore, which are as deep
" interested. both in the question of re-
muneratiou and the welfare Of the Demo
cratic party. AS ourselves. We confess to
being in something very like quandary.
That such men as Jones and Thomas and
Phelps and Carmichael him,elf. all good
and true men, should favor this Amend
nens greatly disturbs our convictions
against it. 1t is not unlikely that these
gentlemen see further into the future and
have clearer conception of the bearing
of this Amendment thar ourselves We
SIT up no claim to infallibility, and hence
We have no disposition to bolt party action,
II party action should be determined on in
this matter. As at present advised, how
ever. we think, the Carmichael Amend
ment should bo stricken from the Conven-
ton Bill, but should tho party determine
otherwise. and elect to go before the peo-
ple with this Amendment in the Bill.
we shall feel it our duty to sustain the
movement with all the ability at our COM
nand.