Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-06-19
SHALL THE PEOPLE BE HEARD1

The Free Suffrage bill, it is we'll known, passed
the last Assembly by the Constitutional majority of
three6hs of all The members 1t has been thorough
y discussed, both before the people and in the Leg
islature and the act itself is in course of pub
licatlon in all the newspapers of the State. The
people, therefore, know what the act is and its OBJ
ect. They have already, repeat. directed their
members of Assembly to give it the three.it hs vote
in accordance with the requirements of the Consti.
tuition, and they have thus far been obeyed and the
question now is, shall the bill be passed by two
thirds vote in the next Assembly, To be laid be-
fore The people for their approval ut the polls! SHALL
THE PEOPLE BE- HEARD, or is their voice to be stifed
by party and party trickery That is the
question; and how is John Kerr upon il1 lie is
wiIing-hanks to Mr.. Kerr for his kindness and
descension HE is willing aotO the nonIanholders
this great privilege. provided they will consent to
arrest this measure in progress, undo their own
work, call Convention, and then take, with this
measure, other amendments which they have not de-
manded and do not want or, he is willing to leave
it with the Commons and Senate TO say, during the
next two or Jour years, whether Convention shall
be called in obedience TO the viH of bare majority of
The people, while in the mean time Free Suffrage is to
be turned out of the Assembly, withheld from the
people for their approval the polls and left TO Ian
guish and die.
This, we repeat, is Mr.. Kerr's position; and the
question recurs, shall the people be heard, is their
voice TO be hushed by party dctation and their
lite measure to be thereby defeated Remember these
things, ye mechanics ye merchants, ye traders, ye
schoolmasters, ye laboring men of all classes and
conditions, who ortu nate to be the
ers of fifty of land, "perhaps worth mo5e,''
as Mr.. Macon said, "than twenty five cents acre. !
Rememberit, returned Mexican volunteer and battle
scared veteran, and act upon it at the polls.
70 1t is gratifying fact, that majority of
the landholGers of the State are perfectly willing
that the non-andhoders should be allowed to vote,
with them, for Senators. These landholders know
that to equaze suffrage is impair their rights
or to affect their prosperity interests and they
have been voting long enough for both branches of
the Assembly, to be able TO Judge of the feeling which
the non-landhoder has when his is refused. and
he is turned off from the Senatorial box. They are
willing do they would be done by and hence they
say to the non.landholder, I" come up higher; you
pay taxes-this Senate is based on taxes; you have
lives, property, fortunes-this Senate sits upon
these things and determines for against you; you
work the roads and perform military duty, well as
others-this Senate has control, jointly with the
Commons, the public highways and improve
ments of the State, and the landholders as we'll as
others may need your aid in the day OF battle"
But this great right of equality the ballot-box is
now in peril. John Kerr and many of the Wing
leaders resortng to conceivable device and
stratagem to defeat it and they will succeed, unless
all the friends of Free Suffrage landhoders as well
as observation-disclosures. keep their eyes fixed steadily up
on it, and work for it by working for David S. Reid
until victory crowns their efforts.