The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-01-17

be laid of according 10 taxation; ad
The reduction OF the House Of Com,
mons to not less than ninety nor more
than one hundred and twenty members
to be elected by counties according t.
federal population; and the Sd was
what? TO provide " that persons pot
ing for d Senator, and eligible to the
Senate, should possess the same resi-,
dcnce and freehold qualification in the
senatorial district as is now required
in the county," There were Other
subjects over which the convention had
discretion, and on which they might
devise amendments according to their
pleasure; but in these three there was
no discretion. The commands of the
people who called that convention into
being were imperative. Look to the
convention act Of 1855, and you will
see the duty prescribed of retaining
the freehold qualification as cardinal
principle. Look to the constitution OF
1885, and you will see the duty per-
formed aud sanctioned by the people.
And dues it not appear to you, Mr..
Speaker, little strange, that proyi,
sion Of the constitution, which the pco-
pie themselves so recently reviewed,
and required every member Of the con.
yention to swear on oath, before lax.
ing his seat, that he would prescribe
anew to suit the new arrangement by
districts, should so soon be voted by
majorities of two successive Legisla.
lures to be contrary to the fundamen-
tai principles of liberty, and be denoun-
ced in the message Of the Executive,
as founded in the supposltion that the
people are politically corrupt" and
the absurdity that the possession of
land gives wisdom and yirtues This
is accusing the people themselves, as
late as 1855, Of being ignorant Of the
e" fundamental principles Of liberty"
and OF holding themselves to be " DO.
litically corrupt" and guilty Of the alb
surdity just mentioned Such is the
extravaganza and folly to which the
public mind and the mind of the Lee
glslature has been treated on the grave
topic Of amending the constitution.
Sir, to the most casual reader of the
Act Of 1855, it is perfectly manifest
that the retention Of the freehold qua
LITIGATION in electors Of the Senate was
as well defined and secured an object
Of the adjustment then made, as taxa
ton for the basis Of representation in
the Senate, and federal population of
representation in the House and a
much better secured object than any
other provision of the amended consti-
tuition, save these two. And, as that
adjustment was compromise Of con.
tention Of thirty years. literally trea. !
ty OF peace, the parties to it. and all |
others, will be exonerated from its fur
Their observance so soon as this one Of |
It's fundamental articles has been aban. |
,lOned and annulled. wish this 10 be |
known and remembered by those who
have such dreadful approximations from
the call of Convention and what
ever changes The Constitution NAV be
destined TO undergo, that we NAV hear
no complaint Of breach Of pliyhted /
faith and departure from the terms
OF compromise. This original bill sets
the compromise at naughi, and leaves
every man to take part, in regard TO
amendments Of the constitution, as
may seem right in his own ewes. Sir. I
there Is no escape from this conclu.
SION. You propose, by this bill, a
PLAIN and palpable violation Of the com I
promise Of 1855, and yet YOU evince i Z
very salutary lear Of losing the bene- 4
ITS OF that compromise in other parti- q
,ulars. IL there be, as YOU, think =
,ainly apprehend. serious or general b
disposition to disturb the basis Of rem. :
esentation, you viii have lost more Il
han bali your power Of resistance 10
t, when you have broken the faith b
which binds the mural elements Of e
he world together" h
But, The change in the Constitution "a
10 losed by this original bill. is MI only i
ollilon of the compromise, bul, II il he Y
Iade and no hing more be done, il will y
esIroy the balance between conflicting 10
ieiesIs then established, and will Be m III
Z Of gross injustice 10 the owners If NJ
nded property, as cpntta-dlslinguished Iii
om the owners Of properly 10 slaves. &C
his may not be obvious al first sight. ~
q think i ran be made perferlly 40, er
aren't. We have already seen iLat 4 III
e government is like The human sys. Ia
m, compounded OF various paris. bar. On
onlzetl 10 one whole and that such is lal
e union Of these parts with each Other. ~
Al one cannot be disturbed without az. de
ting others. II might be supposed b. Of
superficial observer. that The human ex
nd would be improved BY cutting on Iii
e fingers Of equal length, and the ope. liz
lion would be so simple Thai any child re-
10 could handle an axe could nerforn Of
And ye, we know that tile cur,al. of
'ntoi the extremity would wuunI nerves "a,
blood vessels connecting with lhe III
in and the heart the Ve,y y,.at. ~ a. .n