Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1851-01-15
REMARKS OF GEN. SAUNDERS,

REMARKS OF GEN. SAUNDERS,
OF WAKE.
Delivered in the House of Commons OF North Caro-
lima, on the proposed amendments Of the Const,u-
ton Of the State.
were clear and simpe and in submitting what he had
TO saw it was his purpose to confne himself directly
TO the matter under consideration.
Ii was competen, for the Legislature 10 advise the
amendment of tine Constitution OF the State in one
of two ways-in either case, the sanction of the peo
pie was necessary The first mode was by legisla-
tive act, proposing aspecifc amendment which was
necessary to be carried by vote of three-ffths of
each House-to be published for six MONTHS and then
to be again agreed to by vote OF tWo-flrds OF each
branch Of the General Assembly. me second mode
was by the call of Convention, which requires the
vote Of two-hrds of each branch of the Legislature
This Convention may be restricted by the act calling
it, to particular subjects therein named and, aP-
proved by the people, becomes valid. The hrstqnes-
lion ron the bill reported by the Committee, recon-
mending single change-that of abolishng the free
hold of fifty acres of land entitng the voters to vote
for Senators in other words, the recommendation
was to establish free suffrage. The second is the
proposition of the gentleman from Herttord, Mr. Ray
ner to call Convention to be limited to the single
question of amending the Constitution in regard to
free suffrage; and the third proposition is to call
general Convention, as proposed by the gentleman
from Davidson, Mr. Foster. Mr. Saunders said, as
he was for legislation rersus Convention he was the
advocate of the first plan. And here Mr.. Saunders
said he must correct statement made by all of the
gentlemen on the other side of the House-an asser-
ton which they must know to be erroneous, and
which is followed up and persisted in by the Wing
papers of the State, to what end 1t is not dlhcuto
say. These gentlemen say, and repeat over and
again, until they to have persuaded themselves
Of its TRUTH that we the Democratic party, with all
respect for the people, unwilling to trust any
thing to their discretion; whereas they, kind souls!
are willing to consult the people as to VIII ether
they wish any amendments, and what they desire.
Fortunately for us, assertion is not proof and its
petition does not go make it so but before he pro-
ceeded to discuss the question Mr. S. said he would
call the attention of the gentleman from Davidson to
matter which appears in the report OF his Speech
and which he, Mr.. S. trusted, for the gen,leman's
sake, was mistake. He was young man, and he,
Mr.. ST. would gladly give him the opportunity of SET
ting himself right. The expression alluded to was
this:
1.-THE Constitution. as it existed from i776 to 1886,
framed by monarchiss, and the people never have
had all opportunity of fully amending it, and making 1t
such as they desired. The people should have this
privileges"
Mr.. Foster here expla,ned.l
Mr. S. How far the explanation relieved the gen.
tleman it was for the House to decide. He thought
the explanation not at all satisfactory.
The Constitution of the State formed by
Congress of the freemen of the State. who met at
Halifax in December l776; and so far from being an
assembly,
men as Richard Caswell its President, James Irede
Abner Nash, Waghtstal Avery. and other distin-
guished patriots and soldiers of the Revolution. The
assertion, said Mr.. S., which he had referred, was
that the Democratic party, who advocate this change
from freehold to free suffrage, did not wish to
consult the wishes of the people. This was contra
~ to the truth. What, he asked, were the facts
Both parties of the State had held their Conventions
in this City, in May last, for the nomination Of can
didate for Governor. In these Conventions both par
ties proessed themselves as in favor OF free suffrage
the Wings saying steps ought to be taken for con-
sultng the people to this and other changes, and
the Democrats considering the wishes of the people
already fully known as to this measure, and de-
caring that the change ough to be made. The Dem
ocratic candidate had before declared himsefn favor
of this change, and this declaration he again repeated
in the most unequivocal terms-so much so that he
was charged with using it as hobby. And notwith !
standing all this, charged with introducing
into this Hall rebrand, and this change thus pro-
posed, is called humbug, and other hard names.
Mr.. s. said he again demanded to know the neces-
sity of consulting the people in relation to measure
on which they had already spoken in such decided
terms; and why gentlemen would he at the expense
of calling Convention to effect change which could
be so easily effected by simple act of Legislation.
No member of the House was more disposed than he |
to execute the will of the people, when there
sted no doubt as to what that will He had ever
held mutual confidence between the representative and
constituent to form the brightest gem in the diadem
q representative
only to be informed as to that will, and he stood
ready to obey.
Again, said Mr.. S., it has been asserted by Wes.
tern gentlemen that the people Of the State have
never had opportunity Of expressing their wishes
as to the changes they desired in the organic law.
This he denied. He himself had been member of
Peoples Convention, composed exclusively of
members from the Western Counties, about the year
1899; and pray, what did the West then ask ! The /
election of Governor by the people, the abolition of
:o1 nn2
number of Senators and Commoners. And, asked,
Mr.. S., have not all these things been granted 1t
,onnot be denied but what they have. Where, then,
was there any proof that the West demanded Con-
7ention! He had heard of no demand of this sort,
save only by few on this floor.
And now, continued Mr.. S., let Us inquire " hat
was the Constitutional compact entered into between
he East and the West in the Convention of 1885,
when the Constitution. was amended. And he, Mr.
s., ventured to say no people had ever acted with
greater degree of beraty than had the people Of the
East, in the surrender of the power which they then
held. He was neither Eastern nor Western
man, He had been born in the West, on the banks
Of the Dan, where now rePose the bones of his an
cestors; yet he claimed to be North Carolinian,
prepared to do justice every section of the State
Before the year 1885 you had County representa-
on-one Senator and two Commoners for each
County, without regard to either population taxa
ion. This was so manifestly unequal and unjust,
hat change then made. The East, having
much the greater number OF slaves, and paying OF
course the greater amount of potax agreed to COM
rromise by giving up their County representation.
provided the West would agree to adopt as the basis
If representation the same rule as had been adopted
" the Federal Government This was accordingly
lgreed to, and hence the Federal basis. H., Mr.. s.
xould ask his Western friends if it would be right
" just for Wake County. who has upwards of ten
thousand slaves, and who pays upwards of $4,000
# taxes into the Public Treasury, to give up one of
Ter members in favor Of County who scarcely pays
- IT,