The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-02-06

Y For the Hillsborough Recorder.
TO THE VOTERS OF ORANGE.

W iuiOrth YOU tndJ Dill mas just Paoocu eiis
General Assembly calling out the people o
North Carolina to vote upon the subject o
Convention, and also to elect delegates, pro
vided the people shall by their votes declare
for Convention. must give you the Leg
islative history Of the Bill, which Of itseli
will convince you that conspiracy is on
foot 10 destroy your government, and per.
haps involve the whole country in civil war
The Bill, as first reported from the Commit.
tee, proposed, without consulting the people
to call a.Convention by majority vote Of
the General Assembly. The Constitution
plainly lorbids the Legislature calling Con
.vention except by vote Of two-t thirds Of
each house. The Bill fet out with violating
the Constitution, andsended ina manner
calculated to deceive and take advantage Of
the people, by giving insufficient notice. as
to the day Of election. Our law requires
tendays' notice for the election of Constable.
A Sherifi's election is not valid without
twenty days notice. The Bill passed the
night Of the s0th.. of January; it will take ten
days to reach the Sheriiis of the several
counties. The election is TO take place on
the 2Sth Of February, thus you see giving to
portion Of the people less than twenty days
notice Of the election, while many may new
er hear Of the election until it is over.
Have you forgotten what this government
cost your fathers in bloodf have you forgot
ten what il cost your mothers in tears and
signs and heartachesf that You should be
willing, with less notice and less considera-
ton than is required to elect Sheriff, to e.
lect delegates 20 Convention to break ii up!
The original Bill was amended; the a.
amendment did not provide for submitting
the action Of the Convention to the people.
You are more indebted 10 the Hon. Bedford
Brown than to any other Senator, for tina,
provision now in the Bill which requires the
Convention to submit its labors to the peo-
pie for their ratification and approval.
Governor Moreheaa offered an amend
ment, for an open Convention as we call ii.
His Bill would have authorised the Conyen-
tion to tax slaves, as land and other proper
~ is taxed. For this voted, being Of opin.
ion that il we had Convention, it should
be such one as could redress all grieyan-
ces, whether Of national or State character
Governor Morehead's Bill, offered as an a.
mendment, was voted down.
II was proposed that the election should
come of in April, then in March, that The
people might have time to think upon the
matter, and consider what was bestSto be
done. All such propositions we're voted
down.
Iohered an amendment that each ticket
should have written upon il "Union OF
/" Disunion;p this would have aseertained
the sentiment Of the people upon that impor.
tant question; the Convention could then
be in no doubt as TO whether the people
wished new government or desired TO re.
main in the old one. This amendment wal
voted down, the Union Senators voting FOL
il.
There is one thing you should not forget
the real issue is, Union or disunion, disguise
il as you will. The disunion Senator's spok,
and voted for Convention. with the ayowed
purpose Of destroying the government b,
making North Carolina dissolve her eonnec,
tion with the general Government BY thai
cowardly remedy secession.
The Senator from Buncombe and the Sen
ator from Cleaveland. in discussing the Bill
declared IL we did not hold a convention and
withdraw North Carolina from the Union
they would 20 home and advise their people
20 withdraw themselves from the government
Of North Carolina, and thus cut the West
loose from the East. reminded them thai
they would be guilty Of treason, and hoped
TO see them tried and convicted, when the,
should attempt thus TO undermine the founda
ton Of our social safety and call down ruin
disunion and anarchy upon the peace loving
people Of North Carolina.
Refreshed their memories with the histo.
~ Of John Severe, who was a good soldier
Of the Revelation. and fought like lion Al
Kings Mountain and other blood stained
fields Of the Revolution. John Severe IN.
dertook TO divide Western from Eastern
North Carolina; he was arrested, handcuif.
ed, and held.as prisoner By the very men
who fought by his side for the independence
Of America. lie was pardoncd for his trea
son because he was the friend Of Washing
ton aud the companion Of Marion.
Yours, my fellow-citizens, i sad condi
tion. II you call Convention you are
threatened with destruction to your genera
government. II you fail 10 call il you ar.
threatened with destruction TO your STATE
government. Your general government Ii
necessary for your peace, prosperity and in
dependence among the nations Of the earth
Your State government is necessary for your
domestic peace aud tranquility. Suffer mel
ther. to be destroyed. II you do, you ma,
live 10 see how moarnfully true is the oil
latin adage Homo hOmini iupus'-[ Man i
awolf to man..
Nations are said to be strong only In IN
ion, and happy only IN peace. This Is en-
phatically true Of the American nation. I'm
ion and peace are what We want; every 9th
or blessing will follow these; aud he VII,
would wantonly destroy the one, or disturb
The other, should be regarded as an enemy
These disunion members who we're mos
active In calling the convention, justine,
the seizure of Fort Caswell. Fort Caswell
al The mouth of the Cape Fear river, belong
20 the United States. North Carolina, year
ago. gave the general government deed 70
The land. Some twenty or twenty 1--WE indi
viduals took armed possession OF IL. Thi