Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-04-25

at were good therefore that in their innovations
would fellow the sxaple Of time ITSELF which naeea ~
poyatefh greatly bht quietly and by LPgrees scarce 10 oe
perceived. 1t is good, also not TO try experiments ~
States except the necessity be urgent or ,he n'y es
dent and wello beware that be the re4ra"n , tna
draweth the seange, and not desire ot chase "
lprttehdeth The fenrmation '-B9con.
CONTINUED FROM FOURTH PAGE
This meeting Of an open and unlimited convention
would be something new in our State policy Inc
convention which assembled at Hllsooro IN 100,
to.tske into consideration the adoption by this State
6f the federal constitution, was limited in its pow
srs the limitations were regarded our seat OF gov
eminent was fixed at Raleigh, and the convention
adjourned The convention which assembled at
Tarboro' in the following year for the same purpose
was limited in its power our State CONSTITUTIONS
its members regarded the limitation; took into con-
sideration the one change with which 1t was chars
ed, gave the town of Fayetteville a member in the
House of Commons and adjourned. The cnnVeh-
ton which assembled in 1885 was also limited IN us
powers; by the act of the people in ratfying the
convention BILL passed at the session of the General
Assembly of 1884 and in that convention the mode
was fixed for altering the constitution in the iuture
the fixing this mode of altering the constitution IN
future was one of the duties imposed by the act OF
1884 upon the members of the convention, which
they were not at liberty to disregard; which they
were compelled by oath, to perform; and under the
mode prescribed in the constitution, which went IN
to operation January 1st 1886, which is the COM
bined action of the Legislature and the people, the
constitution was altered in 1857 SO as to do away
with the landed qualification required of electors
for members of the State Senate. But the late con-
vention of the opposition party has found new,
and in their opinion, better method for altering
our fundamental law-contrary to the Evolutionary
policy of our fathers, in the face OF the method
heretofore advocated by the Democratic party and
we may safely say in opposition to the spirit II not
the letter of our present constitution.
II is true that clause LIST Of art. w., Sec OF the
amended constitution does prescribe the manner in
which contention of the people may be called by
the General Assembly, but the second clause OF the
same art and sec. prcscribes that no part Of the
constitution of the State shall be altered, unless
bill to alter the same shall have been agreed to by
three.ifths of the whole number of the members OF
each branch of the General Assembly unless such
bill shall have been published six months previous
to new election of members to the General As
sembly unless at the next session Of the General
Assembly thereafter two-thirds of the whole num-
Der of members of each branch of the Legislature
shall agree to the alteration proposed and finally,
unless the amendment or amendments so suggested
to them shall be ratified by majority of the quail.
fed voters of the House of Commons throughout
the State Any one who will read these two clauses
in conjunction is forced to the conclusion that the
trainers OF our 1unOatncntdl law never
convention of the people should be called. for the
purpose of merely amending our organic law, Ger
tainly not for the purpose of making single amend
ment; and but one alteration is alleged to be need
full by the Oppositionists. If doubt can exist upon
this subject we can refer to the debates in conven-
ton in 1885, when upon an examination by any I'M
prejudiced man, the construction of this clause of
our constitution heretofore adopted by the Demo-
cratic party and now urged by them, must be pro-
~ ~, Let olo ,rhi oh
scribes the majority of the General Assembly which
is necessary to lcgalize convention of the people,
was inserted from abundant caution for fear it might
be necessary at some time to tear. down the whole
of our political fabric or make great alterations in
its foundation; or least for some other cause not
connected with the mere slight alteration of that
structure, it might become necessary for the sover
ereign people to meet in convention. We will not
pause here to argue the right of the convention to
impose limitations upon the action of majority Of
the people, merely expressing the opinion-from
which few save the most radical can dissent-that
whatever the power of the convention may have
been, yet the people themselves may prescribe to
themselves a rule of action and put limits upon
their own power, which they have done by confirm
ing the action of the convention when they voted
for and accepted the amendments Of 1885 but
however right wrong the clauses on this subject
of conventions and amendments may be, each men,
Der of the legislature is to observe them, and
cannot if construction be correct ono, either
directly or indirectly advocate an open and unre-
strcted convention of the people, for the purpose of
efecting at this time an adj raorem system of taxa
ton on slaves and all other property in this State.
But suppose this open ard unrestricted conven-
ton to be called, do we not know that if the clause
in the constitution which it is proposed to strike
out is stricken out other changes necessarily must
and will follow it. Our present basis of representa-
ton in the Senate is based upon the taxation paid
by the several districts to the State if the rate of
taxation slaves is altered Gas it must be un,
der an aid ralorem system of taxation to increase
the amount of taxes paid by the eastern counties
into the treasury, an increase of representation in
the Senate ought to follow it, and must follow it. is
the west willing to yield its present weight in that
legislative body and to give to the east an opportu
nifty to check all works of internal improvement BY
refusing to pass any railroad or appropriation bill
through that body; an opportunity accompanied
scith the inclination on the part of the east to
check all expenditures which must result from ar
impression whether real or unGoundcd its result
is the same) in that section that they are sub],c
to unjust and unequal taxation? An open and un
restricted convention cannot meet without promo
sition being made, and VIC must presume success
fully made, if the convention is called upon the ba
sis Of federal numbers, to alter the present basis
representation in the Senate and House of Commons
Inc calling OF this convention cannot now-caI
never-be effected without long and arduou
struggle, again must we see in our State the devas
tating and rninous effects of long and bitterly
contested sectional struggle. Who amongst you i
willing to renew the history Of the fifteen or twent,
years which Immediately preceded the conventio:
of 1885? all wholesome legislation checked to car
~ on what has been we'll called, "a wicked AM
foolish contest, in which victory was without glor
and defeat without consolation;" our internal i'm
provements checked, our resources left undeveloped
our institutions Of learning langushing, and con
slant and full tide Of emigration flowing from GU
borders to seek more tender and genial mothe
than their native North Carolina, until at last on
section or the other shall become so exasperated
the denial Of their demands as to threaten like III
strong man of Zorah, in the unshorn strength {
his blindness to tear down the pillars of our polt
cal edifice ITSELF careless whether friends or foes az
crushed in its magnificent ruins Yet these thing
are the probable nay, the necessary results of cal
rying out the views of the Opposition party unle,
human nature the work Of the Deity Himself an
which God alone can alter, is changed from VIII,
M lnn., &C., l..