Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-05-29
MR.. KERR AND EQUAL SUFFRAGE. ,


the Baltimore Convention.
MR.. KERR AND EQUAL SUFFRAGE.
The Register. speaking for Mr.. Kerr in late ar
tice, says: I" Mr.. Kerr thought that Free Suffrage,
Gas it is caed) although perhaps harmless of ITSELF
and perhaps advisable in framing Constitution de
rovo was nevertheless restricted in organic law
by revolutionary ancestors. from patriotic motives,
as protection the farming landed interests,
gainst mere numbers and that whilst this simple
amendment, of itself, might work evil yet it would
serve precedent for partizan tinkerng with the
Constitution. which, if countenanced would open the
door for innovations without end.''
WE'LL that will do. Equal Suffrage is getting to
be " harmless us it! Why, in 1848 it was every
thing dangerous and horrible, in the estimation of
Wing leaders; "perhaps' it will do no harm !!
We are glad to find Federalism coming somewhat to
its But if Equal Suffrage be 6 harmless
why does Mr.. Kerr oppose it! Why Goes he seek,
by his Convention hobby, to defeat it!
A great principle is making its way to a brilliant
trumph and the Assembly, if the friends of the
true to themselves and to Gov. Reid, will
witness that triumph. 1t is always so with Truth.
No human power smother keep it down it
throne in the hearts and judgments of free people.
Mr.. Kerr, it seems, is concerned for the " landed
interests he is afraid trust the Woodworking
non-landhoders, the merchants, the mechanics, the
of personal estate and those who pay poll
tax, with the right to vote for Senators. Mr. Kerr,
therefore, doubts the capacity of certain class in
North Carolina to parcip pate in the work and duties
of sefgovernment. But does not Mr.. Kerr know
that the Senators are aPportoned according to the
taxes paid Surely he does; but he is in faror Of
tarng all Interests for the support Of government and
Of preventing all Interests but from voting for
branch of The Stale Legislature More than this, by
opposing Free Suffiage he takes ground for giving
the landed interests t,Oo chances, for it is we'll known
that the landholders UOe for both the Senate and the
Commons What will you say to This view of the
matter, Mr.. Kerr! Will you declaim, denounee,
glorfcate, and hurrah for liberty and independence,
and thus evade the question Will you, Mr.. Kerr
But Mr.. Kerr afraid that the propositon-the
simple, isolated proposition make all free VIII te
men equal at the baot-box, would lead to tink-
erng with the Constitution, which, if tenanced,
would open the door for innovations without end -
Who is /" tinkering' now! Not Gov. Reid, for his
position is just what it in the outset-for Equal
Suffrage, and against any change in the basis. Who
threatened to IS tinker as Gov. Reid broach-
ed the question! Gov. Manly and Wing leaders,
Who now doing the very thing-"countenancng"
the very =" innovations without end, " which these
Wing leaders charged Gov. Reid and his friends
wonld do Mr.. Kerr and these Wing leaders; they
the who told the nonlandhoders the START that
they should not have Free Suffrage, of itself, and by
ITSELF but would have to take it with other amend
ments of most radical and dangerous character.
They the tinkerers, " who seek to saddle Gov.
Re id with their wrOng. We not, for instance,
strawberries and do any thing else,
perfectly harmless - in ITSELF and which will in
jure no one-lest some individual should swallow
arsenic, and then charge with having poisoned
him
Mr.. Kerr-observe the quotation above-is pleased
to say Free Suffrage, it is called. - That
preston is full of meaning. 1t denied, in the
last campaign. that it Free Suffrage; but while
Gov. Manly and others consented to " caN'' it SO,
because it thus generally known, they insisted
that it ought to mean something more that to make
it of importance to the people, desirable, it ought
to include the basis; and that Free Suffrage, accord
ing to their view, The ,Uhite basis. This they
called " the substance ''-poliical equality at the
balIot-box they regarded as the shadow. Hence the
above term IS as is called Let the friends of the
basis remember that.
Throughout the length and breadth of the State,
IL he Droclaimed-f5at Kor io