The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1852-06-09
THE DgvocRATs AID 4.lEND-

HE kcn<ufutlan kfsf ps<AtA oox ne
Daly msdt by shicha eonsent.ee can Be
ralied bs the people. and ti'<a sPeskt a
6y Lszislztiss enzctinenl,
From the phsaseols<k Of he Pcrtiap re-
lafing 70 arendmenix By The L<gisiz-
tsre, the inference Is. that he constitu-
ton cenfempletes cases and those on
". where Il Is desirable 20 make enc
single vnupwtant amendment. IL
kass thst 10 part u the constitution
shall u amended. &c. and then points
oct the only process by which the
legislature can make amendments.
Where any important change is contem.
plated. or any that directly Affects any
fropsnent principle on which the con-
siitrtion Is framed. cr where more than
one aneudment is proposed. or even
sgiiated among the people. 90 as to
make II apparent that several amend.
ments are called for By the people; u
was certainly never INTENDED that the
constitution should be changed BY the
ssere sct Of the Legislature. This
must be apparent from the greater au-
fhority and dignity and prominence.
which convention called by the voice
Of the whole people has. than the mere
authority q Legislative body. This
IS evident from the very nature Of the
rave, from the more formal proceedings
In calling convention. from the great
er care in selecting its members, and
from its being ealIedrespressly for this
sole object. and 80 those who look into
the history Of CDR General and State
Governments will find II has ever beer
regarded.
Now in the first place, il ia evident
thai the Free suffrage bill does propose
en important change in our State Con.
stitution. In one point ofyiew il touch
es the basis n representation, although
not in regard to that which the East
regar.ls az Of the most vital inrpor-
lance; il will not Immediately lessen
he number Of representatives IN the
Legislature to which the Eastern coun.
HES are now cnsisled. But will effect
The check AMI safeguard which tie cor,
stitution has formed for the protection
of fhe landed interest. The constitu-
ton now requires that all who vote foI
Senators shall be possessed Of fifty
acres Of land. What was this for but
Tor the intention Of placing those only
in the Senate whsse interests would
plerest them from voting for any mea
sure that might be injurious TO landed
propertyf By Free Suffrage you de.
itroy this check and safeguard, because
Senators will NJ longer be elected b.
land holders exclusively. but BY the
whole .ody Of voters qualified to vote
for the House Of Commons.
Free Suffrage then does affect one Of
the important principles on which the
constitution Is founded, and therefore
should only be incorporated into the
constitution. il at all. by the most de-
Iiberate and solemn mode known "a
that instrument.
But again, is it not apparent 10 eve-
~ man of ordinary Intelligence. that
what is called the spirit Of reform, has
now bcea ST in motion" through the
ambition Of Gov. Reids Is il not well
known that several other amendments
10 the Constitution are not only talked
Of. bat are as prominent before a large
portion cf the people, except that they
have not'Yet been passed upon in their
pfimaty sonditioh by the taegislstafe,
Is Free SuIfages Are tkey NOT agiia-
fated as much in the West, and as
much desired: Is the incorporation
VT free suffrage into the constitution,
or its rejection by thcLegslature. going
to quiet this agitations Does this spi-
sis Of refarm. in modern times, ever
stop o. ssgp back until it has either ac-
eonplishediiea esieet or been QUOTED
by a refusal Of the people in due form
TO call consenti6ai Where is the
inssssce IN our own countryf Did not
Governor Reid know when he started
tbe ball of free suffrage, that what il
called reform. would not stop there
Had he net The experience in nearly
every State in the Union, North and
South. to prove to him that reform
when once started would go forward
and not be put OF with merely one
anendments He must have known
Elis. a.
But he processes to be opposed to
any general change in the constitution,
sssF2, leaning to Eastern interests.
What was his scheme then ? WHY to
save utter cendehnation in the East.
ern counties fer venturiBg to tam
per at all With saisi spirit cf reform,
which bad With. mucIif Difficulty been
allayed fifteen veirs before, ard had
remained quiet. he resorts toT i PRO-
position to amend the eepsdtutirn by
the Legislature. A plan obsieuslase-
signed only to meet single and epimi
portant propositions to amend. Cow,
arnor Reid then in effect, proposes to-
H;1l TIE Legislature, contrary to uni
vcrsal usage, ssd to the spirit Of the
Constitution. year afte-. year into con.
sention for amending me constitu-
ton. This isapparent from, the fact
lhahiae mus. have known, that preposi-a
slon 4. ~. amend ,Ua,iII nat sta, ,,s;sL