The southerner., 1852-05-15
eOM@VMle!Aa q, I::I:ONS. !:

SIR: 1t is known to you, anu W dt
least all intelligent persons of this State,
that bill passed both branches of the
Legislature thereof, at its last session,
by the requisite majority, to amend the
Constitution, so as to allow, what is usu
ally denominated 'free suffrage, and
by some, from ignorance, or some other
cause, called E'equal suffrage"
The question is now submitted to the
people indirectly, to consider and deter
mine, the propriety of its passage, by
the next Legislature; and that deter
mination, will be inferred, from the
complexion of the members, who shall
compose it.
1t is amazing, that question of such
transcendent Importance, should have
been before the people. for nearly four
years, embracing two elections of the
members of the Legislature, without
having undergone that discussion, to
which much inferior ones, are usually
subjected! 1t is to promote this end,
that this communication is made. That
it was introduced, to effect party objects,
is fact, it is needless to attempt to dis
guise; and that both of the two great
parties, which compose, or diride the
State, have been, and are afraid to meet
it taiyly and distinctly, is equally true.
Let it be remembered, that "thc pco-
pie" did not originate it, asa grievance;
that no petition had been forwarded
to the Legislature, or public meeting
held, on the subject (of which l have
any knowlcdge.) How then uas it in
troduccd? Who was so kind, as to vol
untccr his services, in behalf of con
tented, yet tcaiyhfsdpcoplc;-so stupid.
as not to know, that they, and their an
ccstors, from the foundation of the gov
:rnmcnt, had not exercised, the right:
Of free men? The questions would vc-
ry naturally present themselves, to on.
who had been absent, for the last four
years; every well informed North Caro-
linian, must know the proper answers.
But, irrespective of the source, from
which this question sprung, it certainly
is before us, and it becomes us, not on
ly as frcemen, but as men ar0rthy to be
frce;-as we value our existing institu-
tions, and revere the memory of the
patriots and statesmen, by whom they
were fram d, and handed down to u.s.
as wc hold ourselves responsible, AMI as
we will be 50 held, by succeeding gener-
atlons, for the proper determination of
this porteRtous question;-that we re-
quirc proof Of the existence ofany gricv-
ance, and if so, whether the proposed
alteration, Will afford a remedy. No one,
certainly, will contend, that either pro-
position has been established. So far
otherwise, it has not been my fortune,
to have heard any reasons, deserving the
name, in favor Of the change. TIL this
is done, might we'll refrain from using
any arguments against it, as it is incum-
bent on those who insist on the change,
to sott:ty the people, of its expediency,
-nay,-necessity, before they can be
expected to support it.
Shall / be told that it is tsOld Forie-
ism, ~ to be tenacious of well tried, and
tlme-honorcd principles?-that "Young
America" repudiatcs every person and
thing ofthe kind? Ifso, surely refer
encc viii not be made, to so old fashion
ed document, as the Declaration of In
dependence. Yet / believe, some pro-
tess to derive the authority, for these
"leyeling' doctrines, from the passage
to be found in that instrument, "tkat
all mcn are created equal" If it is Sc
rlously maintained, that we must, to be
consistent republicans, construe these
words literally and strictly, without ref
crence to the surrounding circumstances
and the existing facts of the times, when
this ''declaration" was adopted; to what
results would it lead US? Why Sir we
would first "abolish" the property quail
lfication, in the Senatorial voters; then
We should discover that, to be only "free
suffrage" next, we must ssabolish" the
present "basis Of representation" in
both Houses, in order to introduce
''equal-suffrage," as between said voters.
Well, as we admit "equal-suffraee" to
be right in the State,-having repudiat-
ed the "federal basis" we must agree to
"abollsh" the present "basis of repre-
sentation" in Congress. Meantime, we
would be at work at home, "abolishine"
the property qualification in the s.rep-
resentatives" in both Houses of our
Leglslature;-making "free-men" of ali