Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1850-12-18
CITY Of RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, MORNING. DECI

Statutes, and to amend the act concerning Swamp
lands; referred to the committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Flemming introduced the following preamble
and resolutions, which motion of Mr.. Walton
were laid on the table and ordered to be printed
Equality Of rights is natures plan,
And so follow nature the march of Man."
WHEREAS, We, the Representatives of the people
of orth Carolina, in General Assembly convened re-
cognze and fully appreciate the necessity which drove
revolutionary fathers to resist the unjust, une-
quail, and oppressive colonial system under which
they suffered from exactions that were UNJUST impo-
sitions that were oppressive, and laws that ty
ranica in their operation and calculated TO degrade
and ensave the subjects upon whom they operated
that fully endorse their action although it led to
revolution, in opposing laws passed by parlia-
ment in which they were neither heard nor repre-
sented, and controlled by power foreign to their
interest and nimical to their prosperity: Therefore
Be it Resolred, That frequent recurrence to fun
damental principles is obviously necessary to pre-
serve the blessings of Liberty.
2. Resolved, That all political power is vested in
and derived from the people only.
3. Resolued, That we recognize in all American
citizens, certain inaenable rights, among which are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that
no men or set of men, entitled to peculiar
exclusive privileges.
4. Resolued, That it is only when placed upon
terms of equality with his fellow that begins to
feel that he is free; it is then that the soul of Inde
pendenca is enkndled at the intellectual pile, and
the heart nfame,l with conscious greatness; that
MAN, by contemplating the Immortality of his Creator
spurns the yrant's ROD, and casts the fetters that
would ensave him at the feet of his oPPREssoR.
S. Resoired, That under government like ours,
all white men are and Of right to be fee equal and
independent, and that all contravening this
principle are both unwlse and impolitic in this
lghtened age.
6. Resoired, That majority of the free white
people of this State ought have the sole and excu
sive right to regulate and control their internal gov
ernment and domestic policy.
+. Rcsoirc9. That, whereas the freemen of this
State are all equally bound to bear IN her
defence, that they should also be equally invested
with powers to provide means to sustain said arms,
when necessarily employed in such defence.
8. Resolrcd, That all systems of Government, or
laws in which the public voice is not fairly reflected.
and by which minority controls the rights. or
welds the destiny of the whole. savors ofaristocra
cy, and tends to desposm, and is alike contrary to
the spirit of our Institutions, and the genius of our
people.
9. Resolred As the result of the foregoing polit-
cal axoms that every free white man in North Car
olna is equally entitled to be heard and represented
in said State and that we, the Representatives of
such freemen, will all constitutional, lawful and
honorable means to produce so desirable result.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Mr.. Saunders of Wake, on leave, from the Joint
select committee the subject of slavery, presented
the following preamble and resolutions as report from
the majority Of said committee:
WHEREAS, The people of n orth Carolina have ever
cherished lively and cordial attachment to the Union
of the States, and entertain the most sincere desire
for its preservatIon and whilst in the opinion of this
General Assembly. the saveholding States have suf-
fered great wrong by Of the measures enacted
at the last session of Congress, called the Compro-
mise acts ; yet, these measures have become the
laws of the land it is the duty of the South to &C
quesce, SO long they shall he adhered TO and
III avI hal
abstain from the adoption of any other measure touch
ing the institution of slavery, calculated either to en-
danger its security destroy the guarantees OF the
Constitution be it therefore
l. Resolreds That the fugitive slave act passed by
Congress at its last session, is in strict conformity
with the provisions and requirements of the Const-
ton of the United States, and if carried into execu-
ton in good faith is calculated to we security to
slave property and any failure on the part of the Fed
era Executive to enforce any attempt on the part
of the judicial authorities OF the free States to OBJ
struct it's execution would not only constitute jus,
cause of complaint on the part of the South. but
would be such gross dereliction of duty could
not fail to weaken those ties which bind together the
States of the Union.
g. ResoLusd, That the abolition Of slavery in the
District of Columbia-the interdiction of the slave
trade between the States-the refusal to admit any
new State into the UnIon because of its recognition
of the Institution Of savey-the total repeal OF the
fugitive slave act or its modification so as essen
tialy to impair its force and ecency-ould, in the
opinion of this General Assembly, amount to such a
clear, deliberate and palpable breach of good faith
and fragrant abuse of power as to demand Of the free
mem of North Carolina the most determined resls-
tance, and Justify them in uniting with the other
saveholding States to uphold and maintain their just
and violated rights.
g. Resolred, That whenever all or any of the
acts mentioned in the foregoing resolutions shall have
been passed by the Congress of the United States.
the Governor of this State be and he is hereby re.
uuested to convene the General Assembly at such
time as in his wisdom shall seem fit, in order to take
into consideration the solemn duties which we owe
to ourselves freemen and OF our then existing re-
lations with the Federal Government.
And whereas, it wond be both proper and expedl-
eu1 to restrict all trading intercourse with the nom
saveholding States long as there shall exIsa well
grounded apprehension either as to the repeal OF the
fugitive slave its non-eXecutlon, and as mere
now exists Just grounds for such apprehensions be
it therefore
Resolred That it is expedent to impose an ad calo-
rem tax upon all articles of merchandise of the growth,
manufacture or product of the non-saveholdng States
which shall he brought in to and be offered Tor sale
within this State from and after the first day OF A"'
pus next: Prorided, however, the Governor shall be
authorized and required, by and with the advice OF
the Council of State suspend the execution OF such
law until the meeting of the next General Assembly,
if it shall satisfactorily appear that the fugitive slave
act hath been faithfully executed.
The foregoing resolutions, on motion OF Mr: nann'
ders were ordered to be printed. and referred to the
committee cf the whole House, and made the order
of the day for Monday next
Mr.. Saunders, from the same committee, reported
back to the House several series OF resolutions, witt
the consideration of which they had been changed
and moved that they be laid the table, to be taker
up on Monday next with the report of the committee
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Rayner wished to state that he did not c"ncn
with the report of the majority, nor with the views
,he minority He stood by himself and presented