Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-05-03
THE NoRTHoA RoIIN sTANDA s2YElN ESD - g

all is transacted They have xclusve jurisdiction
Of the probate of wills of granting letters OF al;
ministration they appoint guardians and control
the settlement of their accounts and of the settle
nentSof all estates. There are many other impore
tant duties they perfornthey in fact the great
conservators of the peace of society and upon the
proper and efficient performance OF their duties ae
ponds in great measure the social order morality,
| peace and prosperity Of every community. Surely,
men upon whose qualifications for Office, and proper
conduct. so much depends, should be selected with
preat care There is no amendment to the Constr
tuition more imperiousy demanded BY the public
good than this. If they tax the people, ought not
the people to elect themg This is question for
them to. decide when in Convention assembled. 80
& Tt is made q question, too, by many, whether the
election of Secretary of State, Comptroller and
Treasurer ought not to be given to the people; ana
all other officers now elected by the Legislature, OF
general character when other duties connect them
/ with the whole State.
1t has been proposed, too, to provide for the cleo
ton of Lieutenant Governor to preside in the Sem
ate and who shall assume the Office OF Chief Ma
gistrate of the State upon the death OF the lncun
bent We all remember the long struggle to elect
Presiding Officer in the Senate, six years ago, and
again two years ago, when that body was equally
divided A Lieutenant Governor would have re-
moved that difficulty.
The rnles of the Senate REQUIRE that the Preside
ing Officer of that body shall not vote upon ques-
tons pending before it, except in case OF tie, and
when his vote may make e tle And ne is not per
mtted to speak, except when the House is IN Com
mttee of the Whole. One Senatorial District is
therefore necessarily almost wholly DISTINGUISHED.
The improperly of this State OF things will readily
occur to all.
MANY other complaints exist against the present
Constitution. Many other improvements could be
pointed out consistent with the progress OF the
age The science of government is progressive as
every other science. The people improve; their
means of knowledge increase; their circumstances
change; their relations towards one another and to-
wards citizens of their sister States alter Our sister
States everywhere around us are taking advantage
Al. g anf ir11pr
of government, adopted when the tights OF the peo-
pie comparatively little known. Is our constr
tuition alone receive no improvementfrom the splr-
it that is abroad? Is North Carolina alone to stand
still? Is she alone to continue bound in those shack
les which have kept her limbs so long fttered In the
bands of steel? Or shall she arise, like strong man
in his might, apd demand that she shall be free?
To you the appeal is made. What will you do
We disclaim all desire to dictate to you, OF even
to suggest the alterations which should be made in
the Constitution. 1t is not part OF our Legislative
duty We have merely directed our attention to
those defects which exist in it. 1t is your province
when in Convention assembled, to correct these de-
fects, and in the manner which you may conceive
will best subserve the great purposes for which Gov
ernments were instituted. The position which we
assume and which has governed our course in our
action upon the various propositions to amend the
Constitution, which have been before the Leglsla-
ture, is
THAT THE ONLY PROPER REPUBLICAN, MODE OF
AMENDING OR ALTERING THE CONSTITUTION is by THE
PEOPLE THEMSELVES IN CONVENTION ASSEMBLED.
Upon that PLATFORM will stand; and, if we
fall, it will be in advocating THE RIGHTS OF THE
PEOPLE.
If YOU sanction the principle that the Legislature
is to amend the Constitution-that it is to be the
Football of every demagogue who desires to win
popular favor-if it is to be mingled with the cor
rupting influences of party-if it is to be mixed up
with the business of legislation and to be influenced
by the barterng process freely resorted to nova
days, determining the fate of measure here or a
there-its fate is sealed 1t is PROSTATE in
the Dust to be trampled upon by those who under
stand not its provisions and not for its protec
ton. 1t becomes the toy, the sport-the prey of
those wholly incapable of the task assumed to them
selves. This has been fully proved by the progress
of Free Suffrage" through the present General
Assembly.
Early in the session, Bill was introduced into
the House of Commons to amend the Constitution
so to allow non-freeholders to vote for members
of the Senate. 1t discussed at great length in
that body, and vote taken, and it rejected
-three- ifths of the members of the House not vot
ing for it.
Its friends set to work to revive it. 1t
sidered, according to a rule of the House; and by
the use of those means readily presented in Leg
islative body, having power to bestow office and
wards. When the House again called upon to
vote, everything arranged, and it passed and
sent to the Senate And when that body came to
examine into this deliberate, acelconsdered at of
the House of Commons, to change the fundamental
law of the State, it turned out that it Free Su
frage indeed for it gave to all reemen 81 years
of age the right vote for Senator'S, whether they
were black or white and whether they had paid tax
or not 1t allowed, in the opinion of many, ans0t
rent negroes to vote for members of the Senate!
The same enacted over again in that
body. The bill rejected Again its friends taxed
their wits to revive it; and the intrigue cunning
y contrivcd by which it finally forced through
that body. Its friends in the House of Commons af
fected to regard it at end and to become indg
nant and bill was introduced, and pressed through
with hot haste providing that the people should hold
election and declare through the ballobox wheth-
er they desired Convention This was done to in
tmidate Eastern Senators who opposed to let
ting the people say whether they desired Conven-
ton not. 1t had its effect. Some Senators were
frightened at the prospect that the people might |
meet in Convention and obtain their rights. They |
changed their votes and Free Suffrage passed. Upon
he floor of the Senate, some Senators avowed that |
hey were opposed to it-that they thought it in
raction of the compromises of the Consttution-but /
hat they would vote for it solely to keep down Con-
7ention. Other Senators avowed their determination
% vote for Convention, unless Free Suffrage pass
ID Free Suffrage did pass, and all its friends unit
ID to vote against a. bill which only asked the poor
boon for the people that they might tell the egsla
ure, through the ballotbox, that they desreda Con-
yention to be called to take into consideration all
he grievances under which they labor, and redress
hem in the manner which they alone have the right
o determine
The issue then, has been fairly presented Free
1uIrdge or Free Convention, un1estricted by arg
hing 6utthe Hilt of the People. w
I'VE have chosen to support al FREE CoEyENTIoN
y opposed Free Suffrage, not because we thought
he people ought not to have but because we did not
ike the manner of getting it We can never sanc-
ion the propriety of amendments to the Constitu-
ion by Legislative enactments. tits true the con-
titution points out thai as of the modes of a.
nending the constitution; butitis wrong and never
IL IL