The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-03-26
No. 1876.


as You mag. and yet ran ron erpeei the
e.fcaions 20 iurn upon u slonf! Ia these
times Of high'psriy excitement. can YOU
expreI 10 eleet d irgisla,ure ihal u rra-
diiy sacrifice party allegiance 10 ihe pub
lic good, In most ef Tie counties. the
eleriion of members Of The General As
sembly inrns upon party po.i,ics-in some
upon questions Of Stale improvement.
Can sou expect 4 legislature thus eleclesl,
10 Ieflecl she popular voice upon an ab-
slraei question: Of constitutional rrIormi
This method. then. OF amending The con-
siiiuiion By legislative enaclmeni, is not
only anli-nepubllcan. inasmuch as II is CAL
eulaied 10 prevent a fir expression OF The
popular wili-bui lie very influences
which usually prevail In The elections of
members. are calculated 10 prevent thar
calm. unbiased, and patriotic action, re-
qnisl,e in so important work.
do not wish 10 alude 10 The rirc.n.
stances under whirh this proposed amends
meni Of the constitution iilsi came 10 be
sgiialed, or 10 The Influences which have
thus far marked as progress--lesl | nigh,
be considered by some as violating Thar
rule which have laid down for mysell.
not 10 Introduce party in this DISCUSSION.
] indulge in no partisan elimination, when
lsay. that the history Of the agilaron Of
this subjeci Is calculated TO alarm every
conservative North Carulinian. more es-
pecially, if The project now on foot sur-
ceeds. Violent as have been our nar,y
conies,sThereioiore, yet The constitution
has escaped The conIagion. With one ac.
cord we had all agreed 10 leave TO popular
opinion and The developments Of lime The
regulation oi The organic law. The pro-
vision complained Of had existed, without
complaint, ever since the first establish
menl oi fIee government among us. The
people were satisfied with Il, no demand
for change proceeded from Them. But in
heated political can ass. one of our can.
didales for Governor in this Stale, nolnina.
ted by party convention as The organ
and exponent-of parnzan creed, iniro-
duces this new weapon Of political war
fare. The people aie told that their reyolu-
ionary fathers. in pretending 10 frame for
Them system OF free government, had
cheated and deceived them. That lea.
lousy, on account Of power. no matter Cor
what good reasons withheld, which is a
striking characteristic 0f man, is appealed
to, airi The people or all sections and al
parties are called on To rally around /. The
ponr mans friend" And because he who
was the hero OF this movement has, owing
To a peculiar train Of circumstances. been
finally elected, we are now called on in
The common parlanee Of The time, 10 cary
out The popular will. By The way, do no,
gentlemen oil the dominant party here see
The absurdiiy Of their posiiioni Ii one
breath they tell US. that the gubernat,rial
election In this Stale turned upon ,his
question, and say that is reason why We
should make the change. And then again.
we have IL said, and echoed by the party
press, iha, The election was The result of
change IN The public mind in regard TO
party po'itIcs--and hence they claim il as
party triumph. But il il moi on account
OF ihe party relations of this question, that
! look on i with such misgiving. Ii is
The precedent likely 10 be sci by il. Our
constitution is to become the mere rno,-
ball of party. Constitutions are imita-
tions upon those exercising power. In re-
publican governments. The people put re.
strainis upon themselves. Every oneknows
how easy matter il is, by appealing to
the weak and the bad passions of mans
nature, TO make one generaliondissatisiie
with The limitations preceding one may
have put on their exercise 81 power. This
has been the business Of tlemaeogues from
the days Of the Graccli lo>Ne present
time. IL we counienance This altemp, 10
make The constitution the mere stalking
horse Of party, whereis The matter 10 end!
As soon as this question shall have an
swered its ends, some other Solomon will
discover lhal the people have for IS wears,
been sleeping over other grietis,us wrongs
land just as often as the ordinary ap-
pllances Of party cannot avail Esr success,
some other provision Of the Constitution
will be held up as The relic of.feudal ly>
ranny, or some new amendment proposed
as cure FOR all social ills. Garry on, this
movement BY legislative enactment and
horde of demagogues will -6yerrnn The
land: Yes. that pestiferous brood-whose
calling evcris To deln,le the unwary, for
their own selfish ends, even new keep in
refinement many Of The best and puresi pa
triois in the land. But consnmmaie This
measure in the spirir in which i, was COM
menced, and The reign Of these harpies
will. fear, become inlerminabIe.
There is a palpable inconsistency in
the purposes protested BY those who ia
vor this amendment of tile Constitution
by legislative enactment, and The means
BY which they propose 10 accomplish
their. purpose. This extension OF The
right IN vote for Senator 10 all qualified 10
vote in The Commons 'is'a,l caled rs a grea,
principle Unpopular liberty. Iflhi> real
ly be so-if this is privilege which The
people have iipht 10 te,naud-and the