Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-10-19
Original Qaprrs,
For the Spirit of the Age.
To the Working Men Of Raleigh.

To the Working Men of Raleigh.
MR. EDToR Il hope you will permit
me, through the columns Of your excellent
paper, to make few suggestions to my
brothers, the Working Men Of Raleigh,
and through them, to the Working Men of
North Carolina.
/ think the present favorable time
for US TO unite and make demonstration
which will relieve US from the unequal, un-
just and oppressive taxation to which we
have been subjected by the legislation Of
the last several years. If we have the
spirit and pride Of freemen; if the spirit
and pride Of our fathers have not forsaken
us; if we have any self-respect or any claim
to the respect of others, we aOU unite,
without regard to party ties, in demanding
of all political parties, in language which
cannot be misunderstood, that political
equality which is the birth-right of every
North Carolinian. We have been silent
too long already. Forbearance has ceased
to be virtue ; our silence and forbear-
ance have been construed into an abject
submission Let us learn what are Our
rights, demand nothing more, submit to
nothing less.
The first section of the Declaration of
Rights, and a part of the Constitution
which enunciates the fundamental princi-
piles of the government of North Carolina,
declares, that
"All political power is vested in and derived
from the people only"
SEC. 2. "That the people of this State ought
10 have the sole and exclusive right of regulating
tho internal goYGrnIasRka aRAu AuneaiastAaraofs f.
privileges from the community, but in considera-
ton of public services"
Syc. i6 "That tho people of this State ought
not 10 be taxed or made subject to the payment of
anv imposts or duty, without tho consent Of them
selves or their representatives. in General Assembly,
freely given
sEc' rs. That tho people have a right to as
ssmblo together, to consult for the common good
20 instruct their representatives and to apply to
the legislature for redress of grievances"
Now, If the Constitution is the source
from which we arc to derive a knowledge
of our rights, and the five sections which
| have quoted mean any thing at all
Sec. / means that "dH political poacer j
vested in and derived from the people only
and that no political po10er is vested in o
derived from the property in this State.
SEC. means, that the people of thi
State ought to have the sole and exclusiv
right Of regulating the internal governmen
and police thereof, and not that the o1rReJ
Of certain kind OF property ought to hav
the sole and exclusive po,cer of regulatin
the internal government and police of tn
State, as they had from 1885 to 1857.
SEC. means, that "no man or set (
men arc entitled to exclusive or separat
emolumcnts or privileges from the con
muuity, but in consideration of public Sc
vices" and not that "an aristocracy is
social necessity" and that certain set
men arc entitled to separate privileges froI
the community in consideration of ownin
particular species of property and pc
miting seryile sycophants to fawn at the
feet.
SEC. 1G means, that the people of IL
State ought not TO be taxed or made sui
ject to the payment of any imposts or dut
without the consent of themselves or the
representatives in General Assembly free,
gipcR," and not that revenue laws shou
= be framed, with such garing partiality, il
equality and injustice, that the consent
the people themselves or their represent
tivcs in General Assembly cannot be free
given.
SEC. 1s means, that the people have
n right "to assemble together to consu
for the common good, to instruct their re
resentativcs, and to apply to the Lcgisl
ture for redress of grievances" and til
assembling together, consulting for Il
common good, discharging their duties
citizens, aud demanding their rights
freemen, is no violation of the legitima
rights OF those who may have more priC
and moro property, but no more patric
ism, virtue or merit than the WOrkinqn
Of North Carolina 1t means, that Il
people have right to consult and dete
mine what is best for the common goo,
and having determined what is best, to i
struct their representatives to do what tht
have detcrmined; and that it is the impC
atire duty Of their representatives to OBJ
their instructions, whether they concur
opinion with their constituents or n,
IL means, that the people have a right
apply TO the Legislature for redress
grievances, Individually or collectiyel
either in person or through their represe
atives; and that it is tue duty of the
gsiature to redress the grievances of t
people 10y whose authority they have asse
blcd and for whose mutual and equal bcn'
thcy ought 10 lcgislate.
Now, that the revenue laws of No
Carolina, by their odious and oppress
DETERMINATIONS against the industry, cn
~ aud property Of "a large majority Of