Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-09-04
SPEECH OF MIR. HENRY,

OF BERTIE, ~ t.--s.
On tho bill to submit the question to the coters Of
VIC, schsthsr, or not they desire the late Con-
pentionOO re.assena6le on tho third Monday in
Norember, 1861.
The bill being put on its second reading, Mr..
Henry said:
Nix. SpEAkER:-I did not expect at so early
period after reaching my seat in this body to
trouble the House with any remarks but passing
events will not permit me- to be passive observer
on this occasion. Justice to myself to the people
have the honor to represent on this floor and
truthful history for posterity to read is the only
apology have to offer iof the remarks propose
y make
To-day, Mr.. Speaker, is the happiest hour of my
political life-to-day THRILL of patriotic pride ami
mates my heart and strengthens my faith IN the
belief that all wrong will work out its own con-
demnation and that the eternal principles Of ius.
tice will stand when the Vaccinations of injustice
shall have passed away. 1t has been my lot to be
kept.by sickness from my seat, while the major
part of the discussion on this bill has been progress
slng-but the short time in which have had to
examine It's merits enables me to satisfy myself that
it strikes at the existence of one of the most arb
trary powers ever known to exist on the Continent
OF North America. 1t strikes at body more DOW
ertul IN its operations than even the government
which upholds and supports the Throne of Queen
Victoria and Prince Alberta power omnipotent
over the free people of. N G.. Sir, must be per-
mtted to revert back to the first day of Nav, 1861
the day on which this body passed the bill to call
Convention-the day on which 1l9 members of
TINS House stood in one round solid phalanx of op-
position to my views and left me to meet the exut-
ing smiles of old friends over my defeat and to bear
the taunts OF open and avowed political enemies at
my lonely situation. When ] compare the past
with the present, and witness the great change
which has taken place in the views Of gentlemen in
this House, since the first day of May last, repeat
again, that this is the happiest day of my political
life and enables ME to extend the hand of friend
ship to those, who, but short time. SINCE saw fit
to ignore my position, and left me TO meet the
peltings of the pitess storm then and now raging
over this land-oncc the home of the free and the
brave. have to day in this House, 95 members
of this body to testify that was correct in nv
both branches Of this Legislature, the blessings of
God and speedy termination of the present war,
to have more than 10000 living witnesses at the
baot-box in my favor. Who doubts it? Candid
men cannot. Well do remember the day when
stood upon this oor and claimed for the people the
right to judge and pass upon the acts of their law
makers and rulers. that was to be the day, in the
opinion Of many. which my political death-war-
rant was to be dated
But, sir, desire to consume as little of the time
Of the House may render me intelligible-and
thel eore invite the attention of members to some of
the reasons why approve of the bill on your table,
and why shall give my vote in favor of its pas
sage The GOODNESS of old friends-the threats and
ordinations of enemies have no terrors for me- and
| speak as becomes true Representatives
1t will lie remembered by the people of N. G. that
an extra session Of the Legislature was called by
the Governor of the State, to assemble the first
day of May, 1861, and that bill to call Conven-
ton was introduced and passed with unparalleled
haste in the history of legislation That bill passed
this body with a unanimity hitherto unknown to
passage of that bill as you we'll know for reasons
which were not permitted to reach the public eye,
only in a circumscribed manner. l opposed the
passage Of the bill calling the Convention, because
in my opinion, it did not give the people sufficient
time to examine the merits of the question upon
which they were soon to ballot. gave the people
only - days to decide upon one of the gravest
questions ever presented to them, any other free
people. The time Was too Short as is fully per-
ceved by reference to the number of votes polled
for members to the Convention. The number of
legal voters in North Carolina has been set down at
1lb 900, and the number of votes cast for members
to the Convention was but fraction over $4,000,
leaving over $4,000 voters in the State, unheard
and silent upon the Convention question. Sir, how
do you account for the silence Of this so, 900 free
men at the ballot.box? Were they in the camp,
and on the tented field or were they in the distant
sections of the State far removed from the Capitol
and too remote to learn in short time the action
of this Legislature? The want of time is the great
and substantial reason why more than So 900 voters
were not heard upon the Convention question.
Again: opposed the bill because it did not
limit and specify what the Convention when assem-
! bled, was to do-a restraint in my opinion, which
justice, safety and the principles of Republican
government required at the hands of every member
in this body at that time A safe guard, as the
eIapse of only three months proves, SHOULD have
been placed around and the actions Of the Con-
vention. l was told by learned legal gentlemen in
this hail. that the legislature had no Constitutional
right to restrict define the duties of the Conven-
ton, and therefore the Convention, when assem-
bled was to be omni potent-over and above the
people, and their representatives in the General
Assembly, power which l thought, at the time
would be dangerous to the rights and freedom of O
fee people. Prophecy then is history now.
But sir, with all due Difference and respect fol-
the opinions of legal gentlemen then, l could moi
see the reason why it was that the creator should
have less power than the creature created-why il
was that the Convention should be supreme ovel
the people and the Legislature when in fact it was
but the offspring of the two, the people and thu
Legislature combined. Such reasoning may do ir
human and governmental AFFAIRS but you will pardon
me when say it is not III the of the creative
powers of Deity. The representatives direct from
the people, in legislative capacity, seems to com
mon reasoner, like myself, should as fully compre
bend the wants. the rights, and the liberties Of tn,
people as the body created by the workmanship o
the Legislature. Being not templar, was forces
to yield the point that she Legislature had no powe
to restrict the Convention; and therefore, it hat
power to do all manner of things when it pleased
and as it pleased-to change the form of govern
ment break up the Constitution, repeal and annu
laws, neutralize the Legislature, consolidate the
rious departments of the State government, an
make the people Of North. Carolina set Of serf
Let me not be misunderstood as impuning the col
rect motives of any gentleman who was or may b
a member Of that body. have no personal re
venge to crafty against any member. l have live
to the age to know something of the weakness an
falbility Of human nature; and though man ma
be learned and deeply skilled in all the branches
human knowledge, yet he needs props and stays t
guide him successfully on in the discharge Of hi
duties to his fellow-man. No man or set of men i