North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1850-11-06


certainly the argument is tenold strong in their case,
with the additional fact that they would be making no
ne,1 law, but simply repeating unconstitutional one
trust sir the Legislature will do its duty in the
matter. Yours respectfully.
A REID VOTER.
Mecklenburg, N. c., Oct. 1850.
The Legislature of 1923, in accordance with
usage and established custom, laid off the State into
nine Congressional Districts. At that session the
Democrats had a decided majority; and IN the sum-
of 1943, at the first election under the apporon-
ment, the Democrats carried five and the Wings four
members of the House. The Legislature of 1s44-'5
Wing, but the Districts were not touched by the
dominant party. At the second election under the
bill, in the summer of 1915, the Democrats carried
all the Districts they had before, and one more-the
Ninth-through the personal popularity, in great
degree, of. Col. Biggs, of Martin. This gave them
six members and the Wings three. In 1914 Henry
Clay had been defeated the populsr vote for the
Presidency; and the only hope of Whigism on the
subject of the Presidency, in the contest of 1s49,
was to throw the election into the House of Repre-
sentaves, and the prize, they had done in
1924, by arrangement q bargain - and continuance
The vote of North Carolina wanted in this emer-
gency and it was therefore indispensable that she
should send majority of Wing members to the
House. Consequently, at the session of 1867,
with this object in view, and for the purpose, also,
of providing for two three hungry Wing aspirans,
the act of 1923 was repealed, and the Districts
arranged that the Wings elected six out of the nine
members in 1S47. 1t was political movement, sug-
gested and consummated with reference purely to
Federal affairs The people Of the State had not de-
manded it, for had not been discussed in the
previous campaign; and hence the most extraordn-
airy efforts were necessary ,coDvice the Wing mass
es even, that such measure was right and proper.
InAammatory Speeches were delivered and printed,
and widely circulated; the people were told that
they had been wearing the chains of despotism four
long years, without knowing it-that they had been
smothered'' and oppressed by Democratic conri- |
vance and fraud-and that Whigism embodied. under
the guidance of liberal principles and isinterested pa
totism, had determined strike off these chains and
make them free again, by sending six Wing members
to Congress instead of three. And Mr.. Rayner, we
believe, did not hesitate to exalt his mission almost
to sacred one by declaring that liberty the DOWN
trodden masses was his object and that the air
be purified and the State saved by the expulsion of
the &c Cloths and Vandas ''-meaning the Democrats
from the places which they held.
The Raynermander of 1946-'7 was based upon the
principle that the political complexion of the repre-
political majority in the State-that is. as the Wings
had majority of the popular vote they were entitl-
ed to majority of the members of Congress. There
were other arguments adduced, but that was the main
one. 6 It's bad rule that won't work both ways"
Who has the majority now? Who elected the Gov
ernor in August last! What party will have, at the
ensuing from fourteen sixteen majority on
Joint ballota Will some " true Whig'' tell US
We do not propose now, or hereafter, to discuss
the question of Constitutional power involved in this
subject. tits sufficient that the Legislature of 1912,
in accordance with the usage and custom Of both par
ties-long-estabshed and uniformly adhered to-laid
off the State into the required number of Congresson-
al Districts and that the Legislature of 1886 in ut
Ter disregard of this usage and CUSTOM changed this
with political views and for political pur-
poses. But there is doubt as to the Constitution
right of the ensuing Legislature to repealhis Wing
let of 1876, and re-esablish the act of 1912 Thai
s as clear sunbeam. a-
The Correspondent of the I" Hornets Nest " asks
Is what the coming Legislature will do in regard
o the constitution of the Congressional Districts
"eacannot answer the question. We do not know
what the Legislature will do on this subject. This
question TO be put that body. and be deter
mined BY that body. The ensuing Legislature will
ssem6ie fresh from the people, and charged by the
people, both in the election of majority of that body
md of a Democratic Governor, with several impor-
ant measures of justice and reform. We can have
10 doubt that the majority are duly impressed with
ense of their responsibility, and that they fully
informed to the views of the people and the public
expectations. This matter will unquestionabIy, in