Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1852-06-09

THE REGIsTER-"F FOUL LIBEL"

THE REGISTER-"FOUL LIBEL.'
The Register of the I'd instant, contains an article
which at first glapce, seems to exhibit more than it
usual quantum Of ill temper and irascibility; bu
those who are we'll acquainted with the generally po
lite and courteous bearing of that print, will readily
Pereeive that ito indignation is all merely put on, fo
party purposes. Under the head Of " Foul libel on
the Wing party. it has done us the honor to notice
an article which appeared in the Standard time
ago. in which we candidly, and as we trusted sue.
eessfay, attempted to show that the agitation of the
Slavery question was necessarily revived by Whig
leaders and presses in their advocacy of general
venon, and in connection herewith the doctrine Of
the white basis in opposition to the present system
Of representation; and that such agitation could Lead
to no good-and must be productive of much harm.
This was our opinion, and is now; and the Register,
under the foregoing announcement of its being a
"foul libel" has been pleased to select the follow
ing language among other phrases of like character,
to express itself:
Misrepresentation most barefaced and foul-In-
famous attempt-Base, and fraught with mischief
STANDARD has execable fame-Foul charge (repeated)
-unqnali6edly false-Fiendsh spirit-Base and un-
just-lnfamous libel-And with the pertinacity of a
concerted and wrangling demagogue.
As to the "concerted and wrangling demagogue,' -
We suppose there must be some misprnt; but how.
ever that may be, the above extracts make up an
average sample of the staple productions of the Reg
ster's article. Our neghbor must Us, ju st at
this time, in not initiating the example he has US,
and in not retorting his back-guard epithets. Our
purpose is rather to bring his mind back to matters
of more public concernment-not losing sight of his
very reprehensible position on the Convention and
Free Suffrage questions; which subjects being dis
posed Of, we may then perhaps have more leisure to
handy personalities with him.
Let US see then how the question stands, and what
is the position of parties in regard to it! The Con-
stitution of this State provides for it's own alteration
and amendment, by Legislative enactment, and by
Convention. The people of North Carolina, by a
very large majority. undoubtedly desie to amend it
by abolishing the property qualification of voters in
the Senate. Gov. Reid and the Democratic party
have openly advocated the said amendment, and ex-
pressed their preference for the former mode of effect
ing it. The whig leaders and presses Cat least those
of the Register sripe) will not condescsnd to say
whether they advocate oppose the proposed amend
ment. or whether they would have Convention or
not; but say, if tie people desire Convention, they
have obection and that Convention is the proper
and the only proper mode of amending the Cons,tu-
ton, If it is to be amended. In the Legislatures of
l948 and $780, these questions were discussed and
it is notorious that the main object for calling gem
erai Convention, as avowed by the original movers
and warmest locates of the measure was to change
ri - hooie of in n of
is equally notorious that this question of the white
basis, as opposed to the federal basis, was thrown
into the discussion on the Free Suffrage bill, by
Wings and that it did, in these General Assemblies,
afford theme Of uncaled and unpleasant agitation.
II cannot be denied that the Legislative mode of a.
mendments is cheaper and more expeditions; and
that the ultimate aim and hope of those who orgna-
ted the proposition for general Convention, is to
subject the State Constitution to general revision and
alteration and especially to establish tho white basis
of representation in other words, to declare that
slaves shall not be counted persons Gas even they
are to the extent Of three iths, under the United
States Constitu,oD) in aPportionng representation.
Now, if this be not the agitation of the Slavery
question by. Whig leaders-what is it1 It under
these circumstances and the movements already too
plany indicated in whg quarters, this would not be
array the STAKEHOLDER against the nonslavehoder
and section against section-what else could be the
effect of it! We repeat that it's movement much
be deprecated, tending to mischievous agitation
and likely to result in evil, and nothing but evil.*
But the Register denounces the very idea of amend.
ing the Constitution by Legislative enactment, and
affects to sneer the proposed, if it should sue
ceed, as being the first instance in this any other
State of the Union. To read the laundering denuncia
tons of this sagacious solon and his advisers one
would suppose that was usurpation of authority r
the General Assembly to undertake to amend the Con
stitution even in obedience to the wishes Of the free
men of the State And yet such power is given the
Legislature by the fundamental law engrafted in the
Constitution of 1885, after much 'deberation; subse-
quen.y ratified by the people; and its wisdom never
questioned or asssaied BY any one, until within a
short time past, some Whig leaders would have the
world to understand that NATHANIEL MACON, Will
LIAM CASTOR, JOSEPH ]. DANIEL and an illustrous
host of ottes, in the Convention of 1885, were moi
so wise, nor loved they, the people well, certain
Constitutional expounders of 1852. We respectful
II ask attention to the vote by which the provision
in the Constitution referred to, was passed by the
Convention:
Those Who voted in the affirmative were
"Ms.rs. Andres, Averitt, Arlington: Bower, Son
ner Baxter, Branch, Britain, Bigss Bailey. Bunting
Brodnax, Boddie, Cathey, Cox. CansIer. Cooper
Chalmers, Calvert, Chambers, Carson 9utherford.
Collins, Daniel, Dobson, Elliott. Edwards. Fersbee
Fisher, Faiaon. franklin, Calling. Graves, Castor
.The Ashville Messenger of the 26th dltmo has thu
following. which speaks for ITSELF and which requires