Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1856-11-26
Free Suffrage.

Free Suffrage.
We publish below the bill introduced by Mr..
Boyd, of Rockingham, on Tuesday lasts ITO carry out
and perfect this important measure. We sincerely
trust that this measure may receive the requisite
vote at this General Assembly, and be submitted to
the people of the State for their approval at the bal
lot.box:
WHEREAS, at the last Session of the General AS
sembly, A. d., 1S54-55, preamble and bill. pro-
posing to amend the Constitution of the State of
North.Caroina, was read three times in each House.
and agreed to by three-6fths of the whole number
OF members of each House respectively, and has
been duly published for six months previous to the
election of the members to the present General As
semoly; And whereas, it is the purpose of this bill
to reenact and agree to the alterations proposed in
and by the preamble and the first section of the bill
aforesaid in the precise words and figures thereof
by the concurrlng votes of twothirds OF the whole
representation in each House of this General As
semby, after the same shall have been read three
times, on three several days. in each House, Where
as large number Of the people are disfranchised
by the freehold qualification required of voters
Tor members OF the Senate; Therefore,
SECTION. l. BE 1T enacted by the General Assem-
bly, Of the State Of North Carolina, and it is hereby
enacted by the authority Of the same (two thirds of
the whole representation each House concurring)
That the second clause of the third section of the
hrst article Of the amended Constitution, ratified by
the people of North Carolina the second Monday
OF November, in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and thirty-five, shall be amended to read
as follows EVERY free white man, of the age of
twenty-one years. being native naturalized citi
zen OF the United States and who has been an in
habant Of the State for twelve months Immediately
preceding the day of any election, and shall have
paid public taxes shall be entitled to vote for men,
Der of the Senate for the district in which he resides
Sec. 2. BE it further enacted, That the foregoing
amendment to the Constitution Of this State,
embodied in the preceding section, be submitted by
the Governor to the people, the first Thursday in
August, A. d. 1857, thirty days notice having been
given, and that the polls be opened by the respective
Sheritis, and kept open for day, from the hour
OF ten o'clock in the morning to the hour of six
o'clock in the afternoon, at the several election pre-
Sincts in each and every county in the State under
the same rules and regulations now exist for the
election of members Of the General Assembly; that
the said Sheriffs be required to compare and certify
the results OF the elections, before the Satur
day following and to transmit the same in twenty
days thereafter to the Governor of the State That
all persons qualified to vote for members of the House
OF Commons Shall vote for against a ratification
| Of said amendment; Those who wish a ratification
Of said amendment, voting with printed or written
| ticket, "Approved," those of contrary opinion
Not Approved" Further, that it shall be the duty
OF the Sherifs to make duplicate statements Of the
polls IN their respective counties, sworn to before
the Clerk of the County Court, one copy of which
shall be deposited in said Clerks Office, and the
other copy transmitted to the Governor of the State
at Raleigh.
Sec 3. Be it further enacted, That when the re-
turns aforesaid shall have been received the same
shall be opened by the Governor in the presence Of the
Secretary of State and Treasurer, and in case ma
ority Of the votes poed shall be in favor of rati.
icaton Of said amendment, the same shall be forth.
with made known by proclamation of the Cover.
nor to the people Of the State. And thereupon the
Governor shall cause to be endorsed on the said
| amendment as enro led by the two Houses of this
General Assembly, shall thereuntoa certifi-
cate under his signature, declaring that said amend
ment had been ratified by the people Of North. Caro-
lima; And the Secretary Of State shall counersign
the said certificate, and annex thereto the great Seal
Of the State, and the said amendment so enrolled
with the certificate aforesaid shall be for ever kept
among the archives of the State in the Office of the
Secretary aforesaid.