Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-01-15
For the standard.

For The Standard
Mr.. HOLDEN: \ word or two in reference to the
substitute introduced by Mr. Avery for the Conven-
ton bill, reported 3y the committee on federal rea
tons. | am glad to see such a complete backing
dozen from the position originally assumed by many
of the members OF the Legislature, that bare ma
j0rity could call Convention of the people, in the
very face of the express provision of the COnStitu
ton to the contrary. l approved the position you
took this question from the first, and it must be
source of qualification to you to those who have
denounced and would oStracise you for the bold
manly and patriotic stand you have assumed in main
Of the rights of the people and the peace of
the country yielding to the force of reason you have
brought to bear on the question. Better late than
never
But there is one purpose or object of Mr.. Avery's
substitute to which | am invEcibly opposed. 1t is
that which seeks to make the action Of the proposed
Convention on the question of notwithstanding
the connection of this State with the General Gov
eminent and her sister States fnaL without giving
the people-the source of all political power-the
right to say yea or nay TO the dread alternative to
which they thus to be driven by the act of their
servants trust that such proposition will never
meet the approval Of the Legislature. One thing is
certain It's approval will Sanctify the act
in the judgment Of the people. 1t will meet their
unqualified condemnation. Does not every man see
that if the Convention is given the power to decide
finally this question, the State of North Car
olina may be preciptated out of the Union against
inc Wishes OF Il Ol people! IL
this were done, and it insisted on by The part
of the seceSSonistS that the act of the Convention
is binding on aLl and that the people of the State
would have to submit tamey to its mandates, is it
not evident that civil amongst ourselves would
be the inevitable consequence? To illustrate my
idea: Take the three counties of Wake, Granville
and franklin The first named county may send
three delegates to the Convention opposed to seces
sion for existing causes by majority of 1900 The
second named may send three immediate secession
lists, Ia most improbable supposition however, or old
Granville TenabLe to the contrary notwithStand-
ng,) and Franklin do the same-each by majority
of only one hundred. Here then would be MAORI
ty of one in the delegation from these three counties
in favor of immediate secession, when there is ma
ory of thirteen hundred Of the popular vote against
such step! This might be the result in the State
at large. If so, and the Convention were to pass
secession ordinance and that act is to be nGl what
becomes of the popular aOI-the cor Del of our po-
ltical system?
was gratitied to hear that true patriot and ex-
perienced statesman, the Hon. Bedford Brown, de-
nounce in such strong terms and assal with such
power of argument this principle of the substitute,
by which the Convention may drag the State out OF
the Union and precipitate her into revolution and
civil war against the VOtce Of her people, Let those
who hope that by conservative and patriotic action,
this quarrel between the sections may yet be settled