Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-06-07

safest that BY it. this could not be done without the
constitutional majority in two consecutive Legsla
3ures whereas, If you adopt the mode OF amending
by a Convention, they had the power OF making any
amendment they pleased at once, and possibly with
out due consideration; that the Convention OF vlr-
gina had been in session for eight months ana nao
adopted Constitution with which every body was
dissatisfied.
But allow me to contrast the course of the two
parties on this great question of popular rights Tor
the last few years. When the question was first
started by Governor Reid Mr.. Manly and every
Wing newspaper in North Carolina unhesitatingly
took ground against it. They ridculed it from the
mountains to the seaboard the patent Oenocrotac
bZauderbuss We were beaten in that contestl to be
sure but the leaders of the Wing party acquired
respect for this Democratic artillery Their Conven-
ton passed resolutions on the subject in $780, in
1852 and in 1854, and again in 1851-twenty-slx
leading Wing politicians, members of the Legsla-
to the people on this subject Now, said Mr.. Bragg
l defy any one to show in which of these resolutions
the Wing politicians come out and committed them
selves in favor of free suffrage? They do not oppose
it to be sure thoy are afraid of being "blown to
atoms" But in which of their resolutions do they
come out fairly and squarey and plant themselves on
this platform? "Whereas," say they, I'VE arc OF
opinion that majority of the people of the State
desire free suffrage &c, &C. Again, what has been
the course of their leading journals on this subject
of the Raleigh Register, the organ of their party
defy any to point to single article in that pa
per heretofore in advocacy Of this doctrine. The
of their candidates-from the resolutions of their
Conventions-from the addresses of their leading
politicans-from the of their newspapers, is
that they at heart opposed to free suffrage and
that they will yield at last to what they longer
prevent or retard.
But it seems that they cannot even agree on the
character of their proposed Convention. Their adj
dress in 1851, signed by their twenty-six leading
politicians in the West, took open ground in favor of
free and unrestricted Convention and the white
basis. Now however, their party processes to be in
favor of the basis is and restricted Conven-
ton. The gentleman had alluded to the fact that
the bill efccng the amendment was lost at the last
session by the casting vote of Democratic Speaker
But he had forgot to tell the vote the bill. 1t
was true that there Democratic Senator oppos-
ed to it bat every Wing Senator voted against free
suffrage and every Democratic Senator but one yot-
ed for it. On Mr.. Bragg concluding, Gen. Dockery
briefly replied, to which he reoined closing the dis
cuSsion.
have, Mr.. Editor, extended this sketch to great
err length than had designed l trust that no friend
of Gen D. complain that his views and opinions
not fully and frankly given, and in way to do
him full justice. 1t is hardly necessary to say any
thing to which of the two candidates in the opin-
ion of people had the vantage ground in the dis
cussion An impartial public will read it and DECIDE
for themselves A VOTER.