North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-02-08
THE ATTACK ON THE BASIS.

of renresentation in the Legislature. This attack
originated with Gov. Manly, who, in his first cam
oagn, sought by sectional appeals to rally the West
to his support by talking of the five white men" in
Rnrke being ouvoted in the Senate of the State by
4. one white man. in the County of Onslow; and
this appeal was generally concluded by the statement
that Col Reid, as free suffrage man, failed to go far
enough in refusing take ground against the Senate
basis.
In the last campaign Gov. Manly came out boldly
and uneq uivocay against tho present basis and so
Ear as he was concerned as the candidate of the Wing
nartv that party completely sectionaized this
leading and absorbing point in State affairs. The
Wing party thus raised this issue, and, party,
thew are now engaged in discussing it and keeping
it alive.
Gov. Reid on the contrary, the candidate of the
Democratic party, took ground from the first against
anv attempt to disturb the basis; and in his Inaugu-
raj Address he announced on this subject the views
and sentiments which he had expressed in both his
campaigns Convention of w estern members was
held in this City, during the late session, for the
purpose of organizing Convention party; and
though few Democrats attended the first meeting,
vet as soon as they perceived the object the movers
of the meeting and the results likely to flow FROM 1t,
thew repudated the whole concern and set their faces
against it, Another meeting of Western-not of The
Western-members was held, and held under Wing
auspices at which an Address read, signed, and
ordered to be printed. This Address has been pub
lished in two of the Convention organs in this City,
and the people of the State may that all the names
attached to it Wing names, with the exception
of that of Sam Flemming, of the County of Yancv.
These gentlemen sought to defeat Equal Suffrage, at
the late session. in ORDER that they might use it
means for inducing the people to call Cow ention
but failing to defeat this great principle, they still
pressed their Convention project, with the view of
brings bear at the session. sufficient influence
to prevent two-thirds vote for this measure. They
90 for Convention, Equal Suffrage Equal
Suffrage; and in order to obtain the one they are
willing to defeat the other. They hare thus nrrayed
themselves against both Equal Suffrage and tie present
basis and the agitation they have thus commenced,
for par,izan and sectional purposes, is to go on until
the compromises of the State Constitution des-
troyed, or they are overwhelmed and sienced by
the indignant voice OF the whole State. We predict
the latte: result. We told these gentlemen, during
the late session, that they would Sc neither get Con-
vention nor defeat Equal Suffrage" The result show
ed that we were right; and willing to stake
our judgment this second prediction.
We have thus given brief history of the rise
and progress of this attack the basis Hereafter,
as occasion may require expect to go over the |
whole ground-to touch each point separately and dis
tinctly, and reply, of course to this Address of
Western members above alluded to. /
We began this article mainly for the purpose of
calling attention to an extraordinary letter, dated
Raleigh, January 81, 1885, and signed " Wes-
tern Reserve, " and published in the Ashevle Mes
scnger of the 29th January. We copy the letter at
length, as follows:
"RALEIGH, Jan. 2lst, 1851.
"DEAR S1R:-The Convention bill, 4. e., bill to
submit it to the people to say whether they will
have a Convention passed its third reading In the
Commons last night, by 25 majority. l.!
1t is remarkable that, as sooni as. the humoug oil
granting free suffrage only by legislative enactment
was killed off in the Senate Saturday night, early
Monday morning there was race to see who should
be ahead in getting up the Convention question
Flemming's bill for that purpose being the table
for weeks in the Commons, and Gimer's in the Sc
nate in addition my bill, to call the Convention
directly. Mclean, Loco, early on Monday morn
people precisely like Trimmings. They rushed it
through two readings at once, and the third last night
each party going for it except portion of the East
ern men. Yes, our Western Locofocos who deserted
for the purpose of party, and who were willing to
sacrifice our section Of the State party success,
merely offering the hull after stealing the kernel
out, all came in through fear of the people whose
confidence they had abused and voted for it. Flem-
ming triumph was complete over lhem-ne eAHoII-
ed them return the true, the democratic faith,
and, they came in, he shouted over them as re-
penting sinners, and formally took them into his
church again probation understand that It was
the scene of the session. Flemming did it admirably,
ass by the way, he has done with them almost every
thing since he came here. No has gained as
much on the public mind deserved better than be
has. He had the lead DRIVE of his party, for
you know that part of them have to be led and part
TO be driven, besides some of both. But TO the
point: 1t mHst be kept in mind that they said we
could not get Convention bill submitted to the peo-
pie, and therefore must pass free suffrage. We in
sisted that Convention, unrestricted, the thing;
that the people, we, should say. We further in
sisted that if we passed free suffrage the Eastern
men, who wanted that and more, would not help
get Convention, but if we refused that alone,
they would help US. This is now demonstrated.-l
In two days it has passed the Commons finally: yes
in AZ hours after free suffrage was killed. This
alarmed the opposers of all amendments, and az soon
as they the effect il was producing In the Com
mons, Washington moved a reconsideration OF the
Senate vote, and he and Shepard laid the motion on
the table, thinking that it would drive off the friends
of Convention, that the revived hope Of getting
free suffrage alone would MAKE them go against the
Convention bill but so--he ball was put in mo-
ton, and we had exulied much at its passing the
two readings the day after free suffrage went sleep,
that all saw that nothing could defeat Convention,
unless it was the free suffrage hnmbug of Reid & Go.
They find now that it was awakened up too late to
defeat US, at least in the Commons. We now have
both in the Senate, and may choose between them.
we shall rally them strongly, but cannot say as to
me result Of Convention, while Red's free suffrage
alses its head, ghost-like, brighten off the tnid
nere now is the inequality of our representa-
Nh The Senate is composed of Eastern men the
proper, have say fifteen Senators, representing
:" majority of the free white men of the State. The