Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-05-17
SPEECH OF THE HON WIN. B. SHEPARD,

An engrosscd bill from the House OF Oolhons,
proposing to take vote of the people upon the pro-
nriety Of caIlino Convention to amend the Constl
tuition being before the Senate elf " IN. D. ohepafd
spoke as follows:
have so often, Mr. Speaker, during this session
addressed the Senate, that tits with great reluctance
again intrute upon it, feel however, that some
reply should be made to the remarks of the gentle
man from Rutherford, who has just taken his seat
as well as to those which fell from the gentleman
from Buncombe on yesterday. The bill upon your
table proposes to take the voice of majority OF the
people, upon the propricty of calling Convention
to amend the Constitution. The CONSTITUTION leseii
points out precisely the mode OF calling CONVEX
tons, and amending the instrument. Inc Sehue-
man from Rutherford has made the discovery, tnat
amendments to the Constitution, made through inc
instrumentality of Convention, were more su,ta-
bic to the genius of people, and more repuoh-
: can than when made by act of the Legislature,
which act is afterwards to be ratified 10y the people
themselves. 1t seems to me, Mr.. Speaker, II either
of the two modes of amendment, sanctioheo Dy INC
Constitution can be called particularly republican
in it's character the one by bill is undoubtedly ent-
tied to this distinguishing trait. When an amend
ment is made by an act of the Legislature Whlch IS
afterwards submitted to the people for their approx
ala vote is taken upon the proposed measure alone 1t
must stand upon its own merits, and not rely upon
extraneous circumstances for success. On the con-
trary, should a Convention be called, the whole
Constitution will be laid before that body and Such
amendments as it may think proper to make, will
be submitted in gross to the people; The conse-
quence will be, some few popular amendments Will
be incorporated with others of doubtful expectancy
and the popular amendments made to carry others
which, if left to themselves would not receive the
votes of majority of the people / am not there
fore, Sir at all surprised that both the gentleman
from Rutherford and Buncombe are so unwilling TO
see Free Suffrage, by itself and alone, submitted TO
the people. IT they could have persuaded the Sen
ate to reject the Free Suffrage BILL and retain it for
agitation, popular GLAMOUR to urge the necessl-
e for unlimited Convention, they might have
stood some chance of succeeding. As it is now,
however, when the cry for Convention is reduced to
its own merits exclusively, l think the prospect of
very small because there is not, in fact the
slightest necessity for Convention, nor any reason
why the people should be subjected to its unavoda-
bic expense and turmoil There is NJ amendment
of the Constitution desired by constitutional ma
iorty of the people, which cannot be procured more
certainly, and at less risk and trouble, by legislative
enactment than by Convention. This feature OF
our Constitution, far from deserving the denun-
Citations it has received from gentlemen, is, in
my Judgment its wiscst its most conservative tea-
ture 1t is the very feature which gives to the pco
pie themselves the sole and exclusive right of de-
Gliding what and how many amendments shall be
made to the Constitution The gentleman from Ru-
therford says, Convention called, it would be
composed of the wisdom, the gravity, and the ex-
perience of the State am afraid, Sir, should he
live to see Convention assembled in North Carroll
ma, his Utopian visions will be sadly disappointed
1t will be composed of precisely the same sort OF
people as those who compose this Senate; a little
wiser perhaps, probably not much older, or more
experienced, but they will be men, governed by like
passions and prejudices with ourselves, each one
struggling to obtain power advantage for
his section, and thinking it meritorous to do So
This natural result of a Convention perfectly
well known to the trainers of Constitution and
for that reason, they made vote of two-thirds of
the Legislature necessary to the call; and that it
should never be done upon light and frivolous rca
sons mode was pointed out by which the sense of
the people could be taken, upon all proposed amend
ments.
very large majority of the people seem to de-
sire Free Suffrage. This subject has been much
discussed in two Gubernatorial campaigns and a
bill has been passed. submitting that question to the
people; should the change be approved of by such
a majority would justify change of the organic
law, it will be made without disturbing any other
feature of the instrument. Should it hereafter be
found that decided majority of the people are in
favor of the mode of eectng the judges by the pco
pie Of altering the basis of representation
established, let each of these questions separately
and distinctly, be submitted to the people, that they
may be fairly discussed, and fully understood by
them, and then let the vote be taken upon each
by itself / do not wish Convention,
where the friends of those could combine,
and force the people to take them all, in order to
get some one measure they might desire
1t is, therefore, Mr.. Speaker, perfectly manifest
that SO far as amending the Constitution in any
that may be the wish of constitutional
majority of the people of North Carolina, is the OBJ
ject, there is not the slightest necessity for Con-
vcnton.
Gentlemen, therefore, who urging Conven-
ton SO vehement.y, and who will be satisfied with
nothing but Convention, must have some Interior (,
object in view. They have even spurned Free Suf-
frage, the object of their first love, which, if mis-
take not, was, two years ago, fondly cherished |
and pettcd upon this floor, by all those valiant gen.
tlemen who so CALAMITY defended the rights of the
down-trodden and oppressed West. Why is this
80, Sir? We might, for some time look for a solu-
ton of this mystery, if the gentleman from Bun
combe had not, in his speech yesterday, kindly fur
nshed US with solution. | requested the report
to note that speech carefully and to publish it
verbatim, that the whole people Of North Carolina
might know the real cause of all this uproar about
. Convention. 1T seems, then, that Convention is
desired by the gentleman from Buncombe and those
who act with him, not because the West is oppres-
sed by present Constitution but soely to cunqe
the basis o9epreseutation that the Vest achich has
aoao the commend Of the House of Commons, man
'tcaoise get the control ct the Senate and en SAYS
ne gentleman, ertend our Railroad to Ten
qessee and redeem the character of North Carolina
Before the gentleman from Buncombe unfurls the
banner of a Convention and inscribes upon it what
confesses to be its real object viz to give to the
nontax paying counties the unlimited power of tax
atlon without any control whatever, would advise
him to look closely into this matter, and see what
rank ana cruel injustice it would work
Letus examine the district represented by the gen.
Ieman from Buncombe, and sec where, and in what
ais constituents are oppressed by the provisions of
Inc present Constitution, and compare them with =
me burdens thrown upon my constituents that we
may exactly understand which party has the greater
right to adopt his avore notion of rebellion or rev.
olution; OF, IN any more convenient manner to des-
troy the constitution under which they live / Sc
eet Sir, these two districts at hazard because thew
afford the best defence of the present CONSERVATION
and because they more Immediately concorn tbo
gentleman and myself