Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-05-18

beast" Can anything be more forcible than
the Doctors illustration?
have not yet perceived why the possession
OF property inspires a man with more ardor
and zeal for his country than one who was
born poor. | do not accord with the senti-
ment that property is the main test of merit.
| am opposed to such an aristocratic doctrine,
feel constrained to refer to the course of
the gentleman from Hartford, (Mr. Rayner,)
upon the sabject OF Equal Suffrage. 1t is moi
my purpose ascribe to him improper motives,
Ior to accuse him with wishing to effect some
Interior object; but must be permitted to say
that he has shown his Inconsistency on this
question. In the canvass for Governor du-
ring the last summer, he strongly opposed the
doctrine of equal suffrage and employed all
the powers of his eloquence against it; but a
change has come over the spirit of his dream.
and his opposition appears to have considera-
bly, abated since the election for Governor in
last August. He now thinks that the propo.
sition 10 amend the Constitution so as to al
low all who are qualified TO vote also for SEN
ators of the State Legislature, should be i'm
mediately submitted to the people of the State.
He thinks it is proper question for the peo-
pie to decide He now processes to be will
ling to consult the people upon this subject,
although he has denounced it as a democratic
hnmbug.
cannot better illustrate nv view of him
than by relating story which occurred in the
time Of the Revolution. Just before the bat
tie of Guilford, when both armies were very
near each other, a countrvman in the vicinity
found himself overtaken by darkness as he
was returning home He was very appre-
hensive that be might be captured, and felt
the more alarm lest in such controversy the
darkness should prevent his asceraining into
whose hands he had fallen AS he aniicipa
ted, be was hailed, and in moment after sur
rounded by bayonets Who are you 2" was
the first question propounded He hesilated
in the hope of gaining time TO ascertain the
character of his captors, hut at length gave
his name slowly &c Which side are you for
Wing or Tory :" " Well, ahem if must
tell The truth, I didn't want to fight mighty
hard on neither side'
presume that the election of Governor, in
August last, had some influence on the mind
of the gentleman from Hartford. and very
much assuaged his resistance TO a measure
which he has so strenuousIy opposed 1t is
not my business TO determine whether be has
been influenced by factous designs, or by pure
and disinterested motives. leave that to his
own conscience to decide only claim the
privilege of thinking and speaking for myself
But it is Lot my design 10 stray Oh diverse
subjects, and therefore | must abridge my re-
marks.
1t does not seem to accord with pure Dem
ocratic principles, to make a distinction be-
tween free white citizens at the ballot box
and to dlsfranchise one portion whose destiny
is identified with the interest of their country
because they are more unfortunate than the
other portion 1t may be argued that the Ian
ded interest should be represented, and that
| the landholder has interests separate and dis
tinct from the non landhoder.
| The full vote Of the State, as shown in the
August election of 184S, is about eighty -four
thousand. Of this number it may safely be
assumed, that near fifty thousand are non
landholders. In North Carolina there are
about thirty-two millions of land, and proba
bly, thlrty-fiye thousand freehold voters If &
man owns fifty acress of land, he is entitled
to vote Tor Senator of the State Legislature
but 1t makes no difference how many thou
sand acres he may own, he can give but one
vote. There are many freehold voters in the
State who own but little more land than is re-
CURED by the Constitution to entitle them tc
vote tor Senator, while there are many others
who own several thousand acres. 1t appears
| from the most accurate calculation upon this
subject, that out of the thirty-two millions oil
acres OF land in the State, but about Two mil
hons OF acres are actually represented. There
is another view OF this subject which | will
here present A man may own fifty acres q
land which may not be worth one hundred
dollars, and he is entitled to vote for Senator
Thus 1t Is perceived that man may own one
hundred dollars worth OF one kind of proper
ty, and be entitled to a vote for Senator, Will,
another man may own ten thousand dollars
worth or more of another kind of property
and still he is not entitled 20 vote for Senator
The first section of the second article of oul
State Constitution, declares ssthe Governor
shall be chosen by the qualified voters for thu
members of the House of Commons, at suct
time and places as members of the General AS
sembly are elected"
This article of the Constitution gives the
power of choosing the Governor, to ''the quail
flied voters for the members of the House O
Commons" Under this provision Of thu
Constitution, every free white man in thu
Stale who is twenly-one years of age, and has
paid public taxes, has the right to vote TO
Governor But a contingency may occur BY
which an individual who has not been cleo
ted by the qualified voters for the members
of the House of Commons, may succeed Il
the executive Chair of the State. The Sena
tors are elected by the freehoIders, and wher
the Senate meets they elect one of their mum
Der Speaker, who is to be Governor in tn,
case of the death of the Governor elected BY
the people. The Constitution vests the pow
er of electing the Governor in the qualified vo
tiers for the members of the House of Com
mons; and have as yet been unable to dis
cover any satisfactory reason why man who
IS entitled TO vote for member of the House
of Representatives of the Congress of tn,
United States, for Governor of the State, ant
for President of the United States, should no
also be entitled to vote for Senator Of tht
State Legislature.
The people, sir, are the main source of 20
Iltical power. They can pull down and built
up. They do not resort to violence to alte
their form of government, but to the peaceful
method of the bollot-box This is the cove
nant of representative government, and shee
anchor of our liberties,
| "There is weapon surer yet,
| And better than the bay0net,
weapon that comes down still
| As snow fakes fall upon the sod,
And executes freemans will,
AS lightning does the will of Cod
| In spite of bars and bolts and locks,
| That weapon is the ballot-box."
/ The omnipotent ballot box is the mair
| channel through which the voice of freemer