Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1859-04-01

will not the people in tire exercise Of their
sovereign power, make the alteration
themselves in their own way They
onghtto do If, and they will dai it,
But when insist upon an alteration of
the constitutions, that is in perfect harmo-
ny with the cardinal principles Of our GOV
ernmentSthe interest Of the people, and
necessary to the preservation Of the faith
and honor of the State, / am met with the
cry Of the East! the East the East which
reminds me of the response male to Paul,
sRiaen BE preached ei1ess ge,sf5sF sst eferfsssl
truth to the Ephesians, who in like man
ner cried out, great is Diana of the Ephe-
slans great is Diana Of the Eplesians
great is Diana Of the Ephesians!'
But, Mr. Speaker, admonish those who
urge this objection, to consider we'll tire
ground they occupy, before they press it
too far. They seem to have lost sight Of
the fact that the slave-oWners of the East
do not constitute the East; that although
there Is q majority of slaves East, there is
majority Of slave holders West of the
Capital; and that, if all the save-oWncrs
III the State were residents Of one county,
1t would have population but little lar
ger than that Of Wake. [ make this state
mcnt, Mr.. Speaker, NOT to alarm them by
an exhibition ottheir weakness, but to IN
duce them to pursue the line of policy SO
clear ly indicated by interest, prudence and
patriotism.
But, Sirlhe last, tlle least urged, but
the greatest real objection is, q dlsttttst Of
tie people. Notwithstanding the govern
| ment OF North Carolina is the creation OF
the people,--that the constitution was
framed by the people, and declares sSthat
Il Il
from the people only and stands tow
erlng and glorious monument Of the intel
ligence and patriotism Of our fathers and
| the wisdom Of their posterity, there are
still those who distrust their honesty and
doubt their capacity for ifgovernment.
There are still those who cling to the old
federal idea that the people are their own
worst enemies, and ought 70 be governed
| rather than govern themselves. If they
are correct, the constitution which declares
''that the people OF this State ought to have
| the sole and exclusive right of regulating
| Of, and ssf1lat no man or set Of men are
entitled to exclusive or seperate emol-
| uments or privileges from the community,
/ but III consideration Of public services, .
! instead OF being d monument to the intel
| ligence and patriotism Of the people, is a
| living SANDER upon the truth of history.
But, Mr.. Speaker, the Intelligence, hon
esty and patriotism of the people, and their
capacity TO govern themselves, are triumph
andy vindicated by the moral grandeur
and political power Of the best and snblim-
est example OF free government ever pre-
sented to the eye Of man.
It, in conclusion, Mr.. Speaker, the peo-
pie had the right in 1776 to frame CON
| = ~
themselves, and did frame "a constitution
most conclusive to their happiness and
prosperity" and that constitution afforded
| equal protection to all the citizens and
property Of the State, and imposed equal
burthens upon all and if the convention
Of 1885, in violation of the great principle
Of democratic republican equality upon
| which the government was established, in
| coIpOrated into it restriction upon the
| General Assembly in reference to taxation
| discriminating against nineteen tWentieths
Of the people OF the State; and If the finan-
cial condition of the State as well as q nst
appreciation OF the principles OF our gov
| ernment requires the alteration proposed; if
the injustice and inequality Of our revenue
| laws are the result OF this restriction; if
the constitution was ratified without the
restriction being detected by the people ::
| if the people have been satisfied with the
constitution because, until recently. the
discrimination was oppressive il the re
striction was not one OF the compromises
of 1885; if the public debt was incurred
under the present revenue system; it the
! constitution should be altered ard negroes
taxed as other property a0 ataloreza; if
young negroes ought to be taxed as prop
erty because they are property; if it will
not inlure the institution OF slavery to tax
slaves al galo1'eao-; if the east will not pay
more than its Just and fair proportion Of
| the taxes if it will not drive slaves out OF
the State ). if the minority Of the people
! being slave-owners will be as we'll protect
ed as the majority if there is no danger
in altering the constitution; if the people
are not distrusted; If call political power
is vested in and derived from the people
only.;;" if the people are capable OF self
government;, if they Sought to- have the
sole and exclusive right OF regulating the
/ internal government and police OF the
State if the principles, OF the government
the interest of,the people,and the faith and
honor Of the State demand the passage Of
| the bill, the alteration of the constitution,
the abandonment of the present system of
revenue, and the adoption of a system OF
taxation tsd dq'alo1eaa, can, Mr.. Speaker, the
/ ingenuity Of man suggest q valid objection
TO. the passage of this bill by the co,.stitu-
tional n4ajorIfy2 .But am aware of the
opposition with which the BILLS to meet.
/ am not Ignorant OF the preiudices exist
j ing against 1t III the minds of Senator'S
But | chal1enee characterization and dis