The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-03-05

'- on me manner in which his duties have bee
it. d'Scht'ged. Many Of these offices are O
The ehe-t character and importance, and e
u. qnaI, requiring in the incumben, purity an,
"a integrity of character. No evils have rrsul
l. Ted it"tn giving the election Of these officer
u TO The people; and certainly no corruption q
e the people, nor of the officer, has been the
u consequence. And il certainly is not a cues
lion OF much difficulty whether we should be
. cursed ~l'h bad Judge during his life, If, in
d-.pIe OF all precautions, one should unfor.
!. 'una'eiy b. elec'ed. Ia no other instance j,
: snch curse mf ctcd. Can any other be
/. gres.s?
Tie present mode Of appointing Justices
of tie Peace is universally udmitted TO be
worse .hsn farce. A certsin evening is set
: "far I"' The purpose and the members from
The da"'rn, counties hand in the names of
those they desire appointed; and they are
read al he Clerks table. Nobody hears the
uam--, or cares TO hear :hem. Il is under.
slo"d i" be the season for sport, - and is one
of those customs Of our Legislature long
Know" and recognized and never departed
from. They are frequently selected by the
men nbers "i the Legislature for the influence
which each can exert al hoMe in some par.
'lcuIar ncighborhood. Aud it ie we'll known
that many OF those appointed are wholly un.
n Tor the proper performance Of the duties
entrusted 10 them. Aud some of those dn.
ties are "f the highest importance TO their
several counties. They enjoy and exercise
the power 10 tax the people they impose
'HSr- much a re heavy than those imposed
h' ne Legislature. They regulate roads
build bridges, court houses and jsils ; regu.
late tie pa,Iol; and govern the whole police
OF the" several counties; besides exercising
or'g'nHi jurisdiction in ell cases Of debt under
! Sloo, and actions on accounts under $50
besides prr-ih'ng in County Courts. where
bu'lnfss OF The highest importance TO the in
'e'es's Of all Is transacted. They have ex.
elusive jurisdiction Of the probate Of wills
/ "t 2'a'lng letters Of administration they
anp"'nt guardians, and control The settlement
q: their accounts, and the settlement of all
estates There are many other irportant
dul"s they per'ofm-they are. in fact, the
great c"hservators Of the peace Of society,
aud up"n he proper srd Efficient performance
"t then duties, depends. in great mea sure,
the social order, morality, peace and prospe
r'y OF every community. Surely, men up.
o" whose quaIlfit alIons for office, and proper
conduc', so much depends, should be selected
With great care. There is 20 sme ndmeni 70
the Constitution more imperiousIy demanded
by the pubic good than this. Ifthey tax the
people, ough, not The people to elec, them 7
This Is a question for them to decide when
IN Convention assembled.
II Is made question, too, by many, whe. !
thef the tleciIon Of Secretary of Sale, Conn. |
troIl'r and Treasurer. ought not to be given
10 the people; and all other officers now elrc.
led by The Legislature, of a general charsc.
ter, when their duties connect them with the
whole State.
1t has been proposed. too, to provide for
the el.ctltn Of Lieutenant Governor 10 pre
eide IN be Senate, and who shall assume the
nffice Of Chief Magistrate of The State upon
the death at the incumbent. We all remem.
ber lhe lore struggle to elect Presiding or.
hcet IN the Senate SIX years ago, AND again
t"" years ago, when that body was equally
divided. A Lieutenant Governor would have i
removed that difficulty.
The Rules of the Senate require tha, the
Presiding Officer of that body shall not vo'e
upon the question pending before it, except
in cas-" ol a tie, and when his vote may make
a tie. Aud he is not permitted to speak, ex
cept when The House is in Committee of the
Whole. One Senatorial District Is therefore
necessarily almost wholly dl.frauc hised. =
The ,mptoprety Of this state of things will
readily occur to sll.
Many other complaints exist against the
present Constitution. Many other improve.
men- could be pointed out, more consistent
~nh he progress Of the age. The science
oi er'-fnnen, is progressive as every other
sr''ncr. The people improve; their means
81 knonledge increase /; their circumstances
chsugr; their relations towards one another,
and onafds citizens Of their sister States are
altered Our sister States every where a ound
Us rre taking advantage Of this age OF i'm.
pr"'emen, to improve their forms Of govern.
men', adopted when the rights Of the people
were comparatively little known. Is our
cons'lul,"n alone 10 receive no improvement
from the spirit that is sbioadl Is North Ca.
roIlna alone To s,ard still! Is she alone to
continue bound in those shackles which have
kept her limbs 40 long fetlered in band, Of
slee! o. shall she arise like a strong man
IN hi might, and demand that she shall be
FREE! To YOU the appeal is made. VIVA,
viii You do?
We dsclA,m all desire to dictate to YOU or
eve" 7" suggest the allerslions which should
be mad" IN the Constitution. |, is not par,
OF our legislative duty. We have merely
directed your attention 10 those defects which
exist IN II. ltsyout province when in Con.
ven'loo assembled, to correct the defects, and
III the IN n"er which you may conceive will
bes' sub>erve the great purposes for which
gnvr nmen,s were Instituted. The position
which We assume, and which has governed
our Cn.Tsa in our acIinn unon The yarious