Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-07-24
Free Suffrage.

passed both houses of the General Assembly OF North
Carolina at two successive sessions first by MAORI
v of three fths of all the members of both houses
and again by majority of twothrds of all the men,
bers The object of that bill is to place all tax pay
ers throughout the State upon terms OF equality IN
the matter of representation-o enable all free white
citizens of North Carolina TO vote for members OF the
Senate as well as of the House of Commons.
This is what is known as Free Suffrage. 1t is in
the nature of an amendment to the Constitution OF
North Carolina. 1t has passed through the several
stages of legislation necessary to give 1t effect
Two successive General Assemblies, chosen with this
question before the people, have carried out the
wishes Of their constituencies by giving IT, hrst the
three ffths majority, and again the two thirds ma
ority after the bill had been published in the papers
of the State, and elections had been held, with that
issue distinctly presented About the real wish and
desire of vast majority of the voters of North Car
DINA there can now remain no sort of doubt About
the EXPRESSION of that wish, there may, however, be
some careessness or apathy.
On the 9th day of next month, at the time for the
regular elections, the law requires that poll shall
be opened at each election precinct in every county
in the State, for the purpose OF taking the popular
vote upon The ratification rel eclion by the people,
of the amendment already approved of by their rep
resentatives, by vote of two to one and some to
spare.
All those who believe that every free white citizen
of North Carolina who pays taxes into the Treasury
of the lie, should be fully represented in the co.
ordinate bodies which impose these taxes, and dis
pose of their proceeds will deposit in the box provid
ed for such purpose, at the polls, acket with the word
" Approved" written or printed thereon. Those
who hold different opinion will vote ticket with
the words " not approyed in similar manner writ.
ten printed thereon.
This appears to US 20 be a question which resolves
itself into very simple elements. No axiom of poll
teal science is more fully recognised than that which
declares that taxation without representation is ty-
ranny. 1t was violation of the principle thus as
serted, that gave the immediate impulse to the Amer
lean Revolution. 1t the levying of imposts I'M
sanctioned by Parliament that brought the head of
Charles |. of Eng land TO the block. Unamended the
Constitution of North Carolina necessiates taxation
without adequate representation In towns and cut
of towns, hundreds and thousands of the free white
tax payers of the State are only half represented ia
the Legislature by which they are taxed and which
disposes of the money paid by them. This is not
right The people of the State do not think it ght
Their representatives have proceeded, in the manner
prescribed by the Constitution, to do away with the
inequality complained of. hill amendatory of the
Constitution has been passed. On the 9th of next
month"; the people at the polls will be called upon to
say by their voes whether this action of their re-
representatives. is approved" or " not spproved."-
So far as the argument is concerned so far as cleo
tions have shown the views of the people, we can
entertain no doubt of their action, if they suf
GENTLY stirred up to poll anything like full vote.
The thing is demanded by the people, and arW be
done-better do it at once and be done with it.
We think that we know the spirit of our farming
and land holding fellow citizens too we'll TO suppose
for moment that they will be governed by any
row or exclusive feelings in this mater-any desire
TO retain exclusive privileges 10 the exclusion of the
fellow citizens engaged in other pursuits. This mat
ter has passed beyond the domain of mere politics.
1t has, from the first, exhibited strength beyond and
apart from the popularity of individuals, yet it
has opponents, many of them no doubt conscientious,
who will honestly deposit their vote aganst
who may try to avail themselves Of the public list
lessness TO obtain snap judgment, opposed TO the
real wishes of the people. 1t is time for the friends
of Free Suffrage TO bestr themselves.