Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-07-22

THE FREE SUFFRAGE Acr-Tn another column we
publish the Act passed at the last session OF ttie
Legislature to amend the Constitution OF NORM
Carolina, and also the supplementary Act to take
tho sense OF the people of the State on the first
| Thursday in August next relative to the proposed
amendment. All persons qualified to vote for mem
bers of the House of Commons can vote on tins
question.
was the duty of the County Courts, at their first
term after the first day Of April to appoint Inspect
ors for the Free Suffrage box. Certain duties are
also cnoined on the Sheriffs failure to perform
which, subjects the officer neglecting to forfeit
ure of one thousand dollars But We suppose all
the requirements of the law have been and will be
complied with by the Courts and Sheriifs.
Those desiring to endorse this just and equitable
measure will vote ticket with the word Approx
ed" written printed upon it, and those opposed,
a ticket with the words g Not approved"
1t is unnecessary for us at this late day, to enter
into discussion of the merits of the question: or to
show the propriety of ralifying the Free Suffrage
Act by recurring to the many ncontrovertlble ar
cumcnts that have been heretofore brought forward
5y the friends Of the measure. The proposition is
a plain and simple one, easily understood, and in
capable of msconstrucon except by designing pol
iticans who desire to defeat the measure because it
was originated and mainly supported by democrats.
The fact is patent and has been demonstrated
time after time that the free people Of this country
are capable of self government, and can exercise
the rights OF suffrage without endangerng the Oouy
polite. The Free Suffrage Act proposes to extend
rights to a large, worthy and respectable class of
citizens who were heretofore denied them-it pro-
poses to allow qualified persons who now only
JOY the privilege of voting for members of one
branch of the Legislature, the House of Commons,
the right to vote also for members of the other
branch, the Senate-it proposes to do away with
the freehold qualification of fifty acres of land
Now, to say that extending the right of suffrage
in this particular will subject the landed interest
oncrous taxation is nothing more than raising an
objection without the least possibility Of sustaining
il. For the members themselves required to be
fcccholders they have been ani they will be
recunary interested; so they " i'll no; be more
liable to burden the land with taxes because they
are voted for by treeioldcrs than they
when elected bv frechol;lerS alone. We
force in the objection that the landed interest will
be injured by adopting the measure proposed.
Four times have the people OF North Carolina
demanded that their Constitution be amended in
the proposed by the democratic party,
Through the facous opposition of our opponents in
the Legislature their will has been defeated until
recently and now that they have opportunity of
confirming and approving the measure at the polls
We hope they will do so by an overwhelming ma
ority Let not its friends be Observation-Disclosures
are those still opposed to the amendment, not from
any valid reason, but from instructive hatred to
anything originated by the democratic party. Let
friends to it that while members of Congress
and Clerks of the Courts are being voted for the
first Thursday in August, that Equal Suffrage also
receives the attention its Importance demands, and
that a majority of twenty thousand crowns the Act
with success. Char. Dem.