Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-02-04
THE STANDARD.
RALEIGH, n. G..
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, Is
rRE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.

1t is well known that, in 1912, the Democrats
were in power in the Legislature of this State and
that the duty of rearanging the Congressional Dis
tricts devolved upon the Legislature which assem-
BLEED during that year. This duty performed, and,
according TO usage and custom it was expected, by
all conservative and fair-minded citizens, that the
Districts, thus laid off, would stand for years.
But not So The Wing leaders became so hungry
for the spols that they overcaped both usage and
custom, and set every consideration in favor of
servati SIN and permanent Legislation defiance, by
repeating the of 1s42 and by substituting in its
place act designed and expressly framed with the
vie,U If securing tn themselves tvO.thirds Of the Dis
ticts. This they did the session of ls46-47; and
their main argument in favor of this action was, that
they had the majority in the State and were, there
fore, entitled TO majority of the members. This is
history. Claiming 10 be- of all parties, the
vaVe party, and protesting above all other men to
hold in the highest respect the tme-honored usages
OF the State, they nevertheless went forward in the
Preparation of act which had no other principle
to sustain it than the accidental majority of
beers. The result that they got most of the seats
in Congress, but public opinion stihed. Well,
the Democrats came into power again in 1850. They
We're sustained by popular majority of over tw o
ousand and they had both branches of the Legsla
ana WndI course Oiu tney IOuno the
law of 1912 repealed and the Raynernander Of 1916
in operation, and they felt, upon survey of the
tire field, that their right to repeal this Raynerma nder
and the first act, better than that Of their
opponents 10 repeal the original law but they pre-
ferred the epose of the public mind and the ascenden
cy of conservative doctrines to their interests
a party, and they permitted the Raynermander to
stand. This, too, is history. Read it. and then say
which party has most regard for law. order, and
those conservative princ which lie at the founda-
ton Of our Republican system.
But there is poi int connected with this subject
which desire to bring distinctly before the public
mind. 1t is this The Wing leaders claim, fix
ed principle, that the party which has the popular
majority is entitled to a majority of the members Of
Congress. Well, the Democrats have the popular
majority now, and they had it at the last session.
And now, it the duty of these leaders, at the
last session, according to their doctrine, to come
forward and offer 10 the Democrats change in the
Districts, to give the latter majority of the
members! Were they not bound, as consistent and
honest men, to make this tender! II will not do to
say the Democrats might not or would not have ac
cepted 1.-THE point is, not these leaders, accord
ing to their principle OF action, and from the
regard they profess to have for the popular majority
bound TO make The g6er? That is the point; and we
call upon the Raleigh Register, in the presence
Of the people, TO meet it and dispose of it.