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

For the Standard.
Mr.. HOLDEN: very important question has
arisen, IN connection with the proposition TO call
State Convention, to consider Of and act upon the
present distracted and alarming condition of our ma
tonal affairs. There are those, learn, who think
that such Convention may be rightfulIy called by
bare majority vote of each house of the General
Assembly, IN the same way that any ordinary pri-
vate or public law may be enacted But it is really
past my comprehension, how any man, upon calling
TO MIND the express words of our State Constitution
can seriously entertain such opinion. trust no
man IN the State Legislature is willing to naugurate
national revolution, by riding rough shod over
the fundamental law of our own State. Such an act
would be, IN ITSELF REVOLUTION of the most daring
and disastrous character. hold that no Conven-
ton OF the People can be called by the Legislature
FOR any purpose @Adterer, without the vote of two
thirds OF all the members whether present and
voting, or not) of each branch of that body. The
first clause OF the first section of the fourth article OF
our State Constitution, is as follows:
No Convention of the People shall be called by
the General Assembly, unless by the concurrence of
twothTls of all the members Of each house of the
General Assembly"
Now, language could not be clearer, more une-
quivOcal and express. plain man-of practical
sense, who believes that the trainers of the COnstitu-
ton medat what they said will be at q loss to know
by what kind ofegerdeman quibbling, consistent
with the dignity of just reasoning, an express in
the PeOplc shall be called by the General Assembly
unless by me concurrence Of ttoO thirds, &C." is
made to mean, 'tsOme Conventions mdy be called by
q bare ma 5rjty, dc" 1t would indeed be amusing
to hear Of the political school-men of the day.
who think that the darling object of his soul, the
deStrUc tiO' ~ this great gOrernment sancties the
means, go through the process Of logic, by which
he would essay to prove that ''nO Convention means
'sOme Convention" and "two thirds" is equal to
and no morethan, "a bare majority" Now, it does
appear to me 1.-THE profound Constitutional learning
of the seceSspnists to the contrary, nOtwithstand
ng,) that the trainers of our State Constitution
the verleSt nEcompoops that ever sat IN council, it
by using the troad, comprehensive terms contained
in the clause referred to- to place restrictions on the
action OF the legislature they, nevertheless, intend
ed that this legislature could make any exception
II chose to the restriction, and shingle it over
with ProriSos, and cases coming under the head of
"mcntal reservations, by which the restriction it.
self would be rendered entirely nugatory, and con-
verted into NEST contemplate farce!
What bright idea What MISCONCEPTIONS
farSeeing comprehensive intellectS must those men
have possessed who incorporated this clause in the
Constitution, II tie meaning given it by those who
wish ito precIptte" this State into all the horrors
! of revolution, be correct! Why, Convention, to
make the most insi ;nfcant and unmportant amend
ment to the Constitution, cannot be called, without
a vote of ttrO third; yet a Convention may be called
by bare Majority to which the power is given to
reVOlutl0nlZe the SCte gOYernment-tO disrupt the
Constitutional bonds which unite her to the Nation
! al Government,-to drt her into the raging surge
of civil strife and so to change her relations towards
her sister States and the nations of the world to
render necessary the exercise of deSpoc and dicta
| toria powers by that same Convention Surely, we
have fallen evil days,-'madness does indeed rule
the hour, IF we cannot protect our rights, except
by breaking down and rampling in the dust all
those Constitutional barriers by which those rights
were intended to be secured That the People will
tamey submit to such a suicidal doc
trine have no fears
But its advocates say, they have high authority
for their opinion that ExChief Justice RUEFIN has
expressed his approval of it Now, far from this
being correct, have it from good authority, that
so soon as Judge Ruffins ,ttention was called to
the exact words of the Con- tuition, he expressed
an opinion directly the rever of that attributed to
him. And how he could haze come to any other
conclusion, in view of the pl My written language
of the Constitution, and the aDntemporaneous his
tory of the clause ITSELF it is deed difficult to d
vine.
And now, would ask, in inclusion, where is
the necessity for calling such ronventionY What
are the purDoses-what the o,jects-its advocates
have in view? The Bill reportn,l by the majority
of the committee on Federal grations does not
define It's objects, except in very looSe-vague-
General terms 1t is evident thu; the Legislature
can do every thing that the Convention may do
under this Bill except to take til State out Of the
UHiOH-tO put IN pTaclce the uO. iTne OF SECESSION
And is this the object of its supporters If it is,
why do they not say so in EXPIRE terms? Why
conceaI-coyer up this Interior purpose, under a
vague eouvocal grant of power? The people do
not wish TO be deceived about this matter. 1t is
roo ,mnortant.-too Intimately conn, ted with their
neace and happiness to be left to doubt conjecture
and eouiyocation. Let the people Ie,oare! Let
them calculate the cost of disruption of their
government, before they follow the mad example of
South Carolina. Already their taxes burthen-
some To the million of dollars nearly they
already have to pay there will have to be added
the $500 900 for the purchase OF arms,-the two or
three millions, per annum, for the support of the
new and untried Southern Confederacy with
demand of payment of their State bonds as they
become due with no prospect in all probability, oil
their reneval-with every species of property de-
nreciated greatly in vaue,-and all this to be rails
ed bv direct taxation to protect US against apPre-
Sen6ed danpersI Is not this submission in its worst
form Instead of standing by, and raiyin4 around
tbe Constitution Of our country, and defending it
AGAINST the 'Goths and Vandals who are assail-
inc IL we are most graciously invoked, co@rrfiy to
abandon it. and surrender into the bands Of our
enemies our nationality, the flag oil our common
country-ts national capitol, Its navy,-itS pub
lie domap-its archives and records,-and Submit
onrselyes-our wives and children-our property
-onr peace and security, every thing we have, and
all We expect to have, to the reckless policy and
mad crusade of South Carolina Again / ask
r. SECESSION the object Of the proposed Contention?
,Sneok ont oentLenen! The people who are to pay
a.. nd Snffar nv all this desire to know