Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-07-26
For the Journal.
Equal Suffrage.

Equal Suffrage.
Mr.. EDIToR-In a few more days and the neonle
North Carolina will have cast their verdict for our
next Governor and members of the General Assem-
bly,. If it will not be ntrudng on your good nature
you will please allow me the privilege of short
space in your columns giving my views upon the all
important subject of Equal Sufrage-or, as | would
term it, Reform in our Constitution. Two years ago,
when the subject first brought before the people
by Col REID, was totally opposed to it, and con-
tnued my opposition till last winter, when deter
mined to make myself fully acquainted with the mat
ter turned to the constitution and examined it
Thoroughly and then sought after Mr.. REDS views
and found that had been laboring under erroneous
ideas believed, before had examined the SUBJ
ec that if every voter allowed to vote for State
Senator, that it would be absolutely necessary to al
ter the basis of representation, and thereby give
section of the State preponderance the other
Such, was happy to find, not the case but, on
the contrary that we can have Equal Suffrage arith-
out altering the basis of representation we'll as by
its alteration.
Mr.. REID goes for Equal Suffrage without any a.
teraton of the present basis of representation Mr.
MANLY, everybody knows opposed Equal Suffrage
two years ago. but finding it popular measure with
large majority of the people, he has t during
the present campaign to tack ship and go the whole
hog tail and all, Equal Suffrage coupled with a
change of the basis Of representations and he
swears that he did oppose Equal Suffrage
Now Mr.. Editor common people are unable to
appreciate such conduct in any one especially in
person occupying the responsible post of Governor of
sovereign State.
am Of opinion that if the people fully understood
the true meaning of Equal Suffrage, as advocated by
Col REID there would not be thousand voters in
the whole State found opposed to it. Our constitu-
ton says that the Senate shall be composed of fifty
members, apportioned according to the amount of
TAXES paid into the Treasury, but that the eector
must fifty of land to entite him to vote for
Senator. Now let see how the matter stands
The Senate is composed of fifty members, apporton-
ed according to taxation. Well, Mr.. A owns fifty
acres of land and more it may be worth only 81
per acre, or more as the may be; he pays
taxes on it according to its valuation per
ment, say so cents per gear. Mr.. B. owns no land,
but is doing heavy mercantile business in the town
of Wilmington; he pays tares to the amount of, we
will say S25 per year. This tar all goes INTO the
State Treasury to defray the expenses of government,
We thus find that while A. pays only so cents into
the Treasury, B. pays $685. or s24 so more taxes
chises B., and permits A. who pays comparatively
nothing towards the support of government, to vote
for Senator. Now is not this unfair, unequal, un-
just, to say the least oft I think So and l be-
lieve everybody would be in favor of the reform
desired, if they would only take the trouble, as
have done and make themselves acquainted with the
matter think it is the dutv Of every to look
well into this matter before be casts his vote. 1t is
. right which all have correct abuses wherev-
er they exist and every good citizen viii always be
found ready To Cooperate with his Beighhor in a.
Chewing wholesome reform IL ar measure that
may require reform.
Mr.. Editor. ] nothing but plain hard-work-
ing man and not IN the habit Of writing for the
newspapers but not having seen the Equal Suffrage
question illustrated in any Of the papers according
to nv understanding Of it, thought would drop
you few lines giving my views Of IL don't
know whether my ideas viii be understood or not,
but have endeavored TO express them in plain
style as l an able. If you think they are worthy
of q place in your valuable Journal you at
liberty publish them. A FARMER.