The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-03-02

4 and make himself Rmpersr. and would
y nc doubt suit the latitude Of that un-
{ happy land much better than any poT.
r tion Of this happy country.
The American people are not In the
{ habit Of forming or amending their
: Constitutions in this way. Ii is too
! insidious. indirect. tedious and expens
I, siye method to be rescrted 20 by an
} enlightened people any where. Toad.
yoc4te this mode in preference 20 that
. Of a Convention, is 10 do nothing less
. than to assert that odious doctrine that
the servant is greater than his lord.
, IT the Constitution Of the State belong
ed 70 the Legislature in any sease Of
] that word. this mode might with some
propriety be adopted. But when we
! remember that the Constitution is the
embodiment Of all the powers reserved
/ by the people, its absurdity is made
clearly manifest.
contend that the Constitution is
/ that higher iasr, which is greater even
than the conscience of the Legislator
while in the employment Of his consti-
tuenis. 1t must from the very neces-
/. sity Of the case rule over and dictate
to him in all Of his legislative acts. IL
. he be an honest man, he cannot 20 be-
. yond IL. Ii is the Peoples law, in the
! strictest sense Of that term, and the
: only unrepealable one that they have,
: 10 stand up, as a mighty bulwark, be.
4 tween them and their delegated agents.
{ Hence the great propriety Of Keeping IL
D out Of Legislative hands. II it be in
!. deed true. that all political power is"
!, OF right, "yested in and derived from
d the people only"--is 1t not reasonable
e 10 inter, &c We had no guides on this
}, subject,) that no other power short of
d the people themselves, should have the
i right to touch the onstitutiunf
h But it has been argued that the peo-
" pie have given US Instructions on this
is punt; and by twice electing David 8.
D. Reid TO be Governor Of the State, have
Of authorized US to lay aside forthwith our
lie proper and legitimate duties as legis-
II Iators, and proceed at once to do as he
/. may think, proper to direct us with the
.e fundamental law Of this Commonwealth.
r. This ,leny-l deny every syllable Of
as it'll deny It all, from beginning to end.
/. II is true Governor Reid has canvas
he sed this State three several times, was
Oh defeated once, and elected twice, whilo
< advocating this measure. And here |
'e, would remark, there seems to be some
Improvement in the Democratic creed
es in their respect for the will Of a ma
in jority. And l shall not now expect
i; to hear any further opposition to the
he peoples being consulted at the polls as
to to the call OF 'onvention. But to
it proceed: The first time, Gov. Reid
ly was elected by very small majority.
IN This, l contend. was given TO him IN
consequence of some unfortunate diis
ne ferences and jealousies, local in their
10 character, that then existed in the
IN Whig ranks. In his second election
ht his majority was somewhat increased.
at This originated from other causes, that
of might be easily enumerated, did time
at permit. | do not deny, however, that
IS Gov. Reid gained hundreds, and it may
m be thousands of votes, by waging a
r. constant war, as he and thousands of his
tn partizan friends did, upon the Consti-
f. tuition, which | admit is imperfect in
lie many Of its leading provisions. This
y | shall attempt to show presently; but
to will first hint at few, very few,
m things, to show how it was that many
or members came to receive their instruc~
es tons to vote for this liberty. destroying
RS measure. And when have given YOU
ne the "modus opsrn,di." by which De-
s, mocratic partizans, more to advance
to party interests, than to better the Cone
no stitution, crosslifted" it into favor.
to and themselves into seats in this Hall,
e. YOU will agree with me. spprehend,
n that there never has been a more cons
es temptible and glaring political fraud
on practiced upon any people from the
as DAYS of Adam down to the present
ii. hour
ms tPartizan politicians in the east did
a. not scrupIe to take the stump and there
sr from declare most positively to the
IN people in that quarter, that i they did
,y not 20 for free suffrage BY legislative
ed enactment, the west would be certain
I'M to force theia-into an open convention.
o. and by this means manage to strip them
n, 1.-THE east of their strength and power,
be Whilst their coadjutors IN the west,
er less scrupulous, it possible, With int
or mitable skill, managed by deception 70
" ride into the Legislature upon the same
re hobby, by taking different direction,
To- They asserted with equal confidence
Id to their fellow citizens IN the We
", "that they never could ohtain .
nj proper weight and >iHageneeS & N y,
m. Legislative councils Of the 81
to they could secure free suffra
To would necessarily secure a q
la That it was worse thalehS
on securing conyentiqpdrs<
Of stand. The only W..
,e- with certainty was to-
RI. suffrage by legislatlys(
Ia then We could s1s