Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-05-07
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
vILMIH GToN, n. c., FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1861.


VaSS with reference TO personal IeeInS. we may
have yielded to such things in times past but those
times passed. with US, at least never to return.
If. then. in the candid review which we may take of
the action of parties, something should be introduced
calculated to convey contrary impression the facts
and circumstances Of the should alone be held
responsible and not straig htforward course in
exhibiting them.
1t is true, that in a State canvass so Immediately
preceding that for the Presidency, State issues and
local questions, generally speaking are liable to be
forgotten in the absorbing interest which attaches to
national politics But the present position of affairs
in North Carolina is peculiar, and so much of the
political and social future of the State is, in
measure dependent upon the result of the August
elections that believe they will assert their pro-
per position and exert their due influence indepen-
dent of the causes which generally override them
The Wing Stale Convention, which assembled at
Raleigh on the 26th ut., nominated John Kerr, Esq,
of CasweI rs the candidate of the Wing party for
the Office of Governor Of NorhCarona and then
passed series of resolutions the It'll of which reads
as follows:
T. Resorpd That in the opinion of this Convention when
amendments be made to State Constitution,
they hould be effected by Convention of the people, elect
ed on basis of the House of Commons and in
Convention shall be called for the purpose of making
amendments to our Constitution
This quote, because it is, in fact the only
olution having any direct bearing upon State poll
tics and because, also, it is couched in nearly the
same terms with that resolution of the first New
Hanover Wing meeting, which gave so much dissat-
sfaction, to call for another and larger meeting.
by which it was emphatically repudated; that re-
pudiation, we believe being in accordance with the
real sentiments of the great aority of both parties
in the Eastern section Of the State. 1t is the pro-
vince of those gentlemen who Indignantly repudia-
ted it when promulgated from the Masonic Hall, to
say whether they will submissivey bow to its au-
thorty now that it has received the stamp of cur
rency from the Raleigh Mint. 1t is their business:
and not ours and forbcar remark upon that branch
of the subject
But let US consider the resolution upon its
merits if it really possesses any, and see what claims
it can urge upon the consideration of independent
and thinking men To understand the case proper
", it will be necessary to cast slight glance over
the previous Of the Wing party upon this sub
iect. 1t is known with what contempt their candl-
date Gov Manly, and their leading organs at Raj
eigh and elsewhere. alluded to what they were pleas
cd to designate by the fattering appellation OF
Reds Humbug" and other titles equally dlsre-
spectful. To their surprise. MIR. Reid was almost
elected and they softened their tone little and, IN
the hope of making capital at the West, began to
hint Mt the republicanism of Convention, with SLY
illusions to such change in the basis as would give
uncontrolled power to that section. The very i'm
prudent course of Gov. Manly in the last canvass
to use no harsher form of expres<ionis known, and
it also known that in his ager effort to sit between
two stools he fell to the ground, and his party with
Da;J Reid
Democrat under the new Constitution, with a Demo-
cratic majority in both branches of the Legislature
although it IS more than probable that general poll
tfcs contributed largely to produce the latter result
At any rate, Reds humbug'' as it is called pass
ed through the first stage in its progress to becom-
ing part of the Constitution. The Wing wire
pullers became conscious of the they had COM
mitted, and would gladly have retraced their steps
if had been possible but they had not the manii-
ness to come out at in favor of Equal Suf-
frage,' which would have been an acknowledgment
against themselves, and could not have forwarded
the darling project of their hearts-the re-esablish
ment of Wing power in the State; they have
therefore, taken their position upon the platform
if such it can be called indicated by the resolution
which We have quoted from amongst those passed by
the recent Convention And such y platform. Il
would puzzle the best geomerican to assign to it any
regular form or to count the number of sides which
it may be made to present. reference to the Con
stitution of 1885 will show that the only mode O
amendment directly indicated by that instrument i
Ivy legislative enactment with ultimate submittal t.
the people. Indeed the clause providing for thi
mode goes so far as expressly to prohibit all others
laying it down positively that part of the Constitu
ton of this State shall be altered unless by that mode
The right of o Convention to amend the Constitu
ton is simply inferenal, and being contrary to tn
plain words of the Constitution, is such inferenc
nothing but overrulng necessity or extreme per
to the State could justify Our friends of the oppc
rite party, we aware, regard implied powers wit
more favor than we do, but think there is NJ
thing justify any stretch of authority in the pre-
cnt case, even according to their looser habits
construction.
One thing is certain, this submitting it to the PEI
rle to say whether there shall be Convention
not for the purpose of making amendments to IL
Constitution, is what might we'll be called {: nc
kick" We go for direct appeal to the peop
as can be made but also believe that if the Cons
tuition positively vests iii two-thirds of the Legisl
turc the power of calling Conventions it also max
it responsible for the it may make of that poN
or, and there is neither authority right in Il
legislators to change the Constitutional mode, al
shrk the responsibility of decision by bringing
prior popular vote step in the process. In
4 L Tor a too own