Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-04-09
ron.evvnf,re F.roc,ess-The Constitution.

pie tnan DdVlQ IrOcke6; ana certainly huLe uSeeeA
or safer be set up for the guidance of political
parties. Progress going ahead is now the order OF
the day-it is always the order of the day in every
growing country and it may fairly be set down as
axiom, that when republic ceases 10 be progress
sve, it begins to go backwards-to fail. We agree
with speaker in the House of Representatives who
remarked the other day, that nothing could he
preposterous than to suppose that the country al
ready finished. and ready to be painted vanished
and fenced in 1t not-neitber is it to be supposed
that laws and institutions to be considered
as placed under lock and key, with seal over the
key-hole which may not be broken without sacrilege.
We have perfect right to adapt them to our chang
ing circumstances and in most constitutions clause
is inserted making direct provision for such change
as may seem necessary; and so long as we move in
accordance with the spirit have right to alter
the details of the letter in such and 10 such
extent experience may have shown to be requisites
such changes to be made cautiously and in such a
manner as not to risk the fall of the whole structure
nor violation of the principle upon which it is
founded.
Such is Democratic progress. 1t seeks in a quiet
and constitutional manner to remove all unnecessary
distractions, to level all legal distinctions between
free white such-to allow of the existence of
no invidious distinctions between man and man in
the same community, simply on account of some
thing perfectly extrnsic and having reference to
their personal qualifications In pursuance of this
policy the Democratic party seeks the abrogation of
that restrictive and odious provision of the con-
stituton, which, far one branch of our legsla
rre is concerned DISTINGUISHES two-thirds of the
citizens of Wilmington and other towns, and which
actually renders it species of intermeddng for the
editors of this paper, or, suppose of any other
paper in town, to have anything to say in the
nomination election of county Senator, since
they have neither act part in voting for him
But it seeks to do this in a manner which cannot
danger any other part of the constitution-which
forces no irrelevant issues into the contest-which
brings the isolated question of the Senatorial Suf
frage before the people, to be decided upon its
own merits, and without reference to any other ques
ton. In fact, it seeks to amend where amendment
is deemed necessary but not to tear down whole
structure for the sake of innovation experiment
or from the still worse motive of demagogueical ex-
element. Contrast this conservative progress with
the standstill policy of some of the Eastern Wings
who seem equally conservative of defects and beau
ties-or of the Western Wings, who would tear
down the whole fabric for the purpose of erecting
another in its stead subject to all the distortng and
reforming influences of sectional preiudices and
certainly presenting better guarantee of perfec
ton than did the Constitution of 35, any other
untred experiment, and this too, at estimated
cost of at least $4,000.
1t should be, and it is, our desire to draw closer
the bonds which unite to brethren of the
Western part of the State, to commingle inter-
ests and feelings to bind them to by bands of iron,
and by every to facilitate that intercourse,
by which alone can be made people. All
this we hope yet to accomplished, but cannot
hide from ourselves the fact, that now we are not
people in aims designs interests or at least
feelings Of interest-nor we be for long years
to The people of the West have been used to
look 10 Virginia and South Carolina,-a their con-
templated works have sought for outlet in those
States while Eastern North Carolina has been to
them terra ncognita. They possess comparative
y small interest in institution which is essen
tial to the East-that of slavery Looking at the
whole matter it viii! strike any attentive observer
that the people of this State are capable of becoming
perfectly united community-but that from vari-
GUS causes they not at present,-that the pro-
per plan for the promotion of unity is by extended
intercourse, which can only be established through
the agency of public works. In the planning and
direction of these public works, the East must have
her full share of influence else the habits of Western
trade. with Virginia and South Carolina and the
prejudices against the East which that trade has
infused, might, and probably would, give to works
: intended to bind the State together a. direction
which would have the contrary effect of dividing it
still farther, and more permanently
The experience of the last few years in Congress
has proved conclusively the disposition of majority
section having interests, supposed to have inter-
ests, al variance with those of the minority, to en-
croach upon the rights of that minority; and with
this example staring in the face should be
tous of doing anything that could give occasion for
J. similar contest in State that might sub
d ject weaker to the unrestrained dominance of a
stronger section.
If there be thing which we want above all
!. others, it is trade ommerce-industry our COM
mercial towns are few and SMALL and have little in
fuence. In state so situated, having such wants
that policy is certainly questionable which still fur
Their weakens the commercial influence by virtually
n DISTINGUISHING the trading towns. We certainly
n have not such superabundance of labor, of manu-
# featuring industry, of commercial enterprise and
capital that should find it necessary to discour
n age them by making their followers prescribed
1t class-subect to all the burdens but excluded from
one of the privileges of citizenship There is no feal
n almost universal, and has nothing to fear from the
puny efforts of the town constituencies
l. Buenos Ayres.