Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-01-30
Samuel J. Person, Esq.

Samuel J. Person, Esq. |
week or two since We noticed an extraordinary
speech delivered by Mr.. Person in the House Of
Commons It was not our purpose to misrepresent
the gentleman. Soon after our article appeared Mr..
Person rose to . personal explanation and in the
course of his remarks he reflected on our motives.
We replied, and in the course Of our reply, while
we treated him respectfully and even kindly, we
distinctly stated that it was not our purpose to mis-
state his positions, and we then and there set him
right as far as we could. What then did Mr. Person
do? Did he have the candor to rise in his place |
and do us justice? No such thing. But soon after
the Register assailed him with some severity; and
behold he rises to personal explanation in relation
to that paper, stating in the outset of his remarks
that he had idea the Rgister intended to misrep
resent him thus showing that Mr.. P. has more.
regard for an Opposition than for Democratic
journal, which has refused to 90 with him for dis
union. Well now, Mr. Person, let us see how the
account stands You refuse US justice-we will
proceed to deal out that article to you in just such
quantities and in just such way as may be agree
nations and you may avail yourself of your position
in the House to misrepresent us and to reflect on
our motives; but you must recollect that by your
assumed leadership in the Commons, and by your
unjust course towards one who has never wronged
you, you have provoked the statement of facts con-
tanned in this article.
Early IN the session bill was reported by the
M, cor1orol rolot;on,
That bill provided for calling convention by bare
majority, not by twothirds. Mr.. Person, as chair
man of the committee, reported the bill. He de-
clared in the Commons recently that the omission
to insert the twothirds provision in the bill was
unintentional ouersight on part of the
mttee. At the lime he introduced the bill referred
to he submitted majority report-and Messrs. Me-
bane, Outlaw and Newly submitted minority re-
port From the latter report signed by these gen.
tlemen, we make the following extract
at is further objected to the bill, as reported,
that it is not in accordance with the provisions of
the Constitution Of the State and the usages of the
Legislature. The first section Of the fourth article
Of the State Constitution provides that conven-
ton of the people Of the State shall be called by
the General Assembly unless by the concurrence Of
twothirds of all the members Of each House Of the
General Assembly, and the latter part of said Sec
tion provides for amendments by the General As
sem5ly. The act of 1856-'57 of the Legislature,
amending the Constitution, Immediately following
the enacting clause has the words, (two-thirds of
the whole number of each House concurring) and
the minority Of your committee, entertaining no
doubt but that concurrence of two-thrds of all
the members of each House is demanded to call
Convention of the people, recommend that these
words be inserted Immediately after the enacting
clause of the first section of the reported bill"
Will it be believed that these gentlemen made no
objection in committee to the majority provision?
They objected in decided terms to the bill as report.
ported by Mr. Person, because it did not contain
the tsoo-thirds prooision; and ye: Mr.. Person de-
clares in the Commons THAT THE OMISSION TO INSERT
THAT PROVISION WAS UNINrENTIoNAI, OR AN OVER
SIGHT ON THE PART OF THE COMMITTEE!
Comment is unnecessary. Every man who can
read, and has two grains Of sense, draw his own
conclusion.
The truth is, about the time Mr.. Person submit
ted his report the secessionists exulting over
the fact that Judge Ruiin had said that bare ma
jority could call Convention The Judge subse.
quently reconsidered and changed that opinion; but
it is well known that the leading secessionsts eager.
ly caught it up it was first announced and sought
to shelter themselves in their assault upon the Con.
sttution behind the opinion of that eminent urist
another opinion advanced by Judge Ruffin at the
same time, discarded to-wit that the people oi
the State ought to cling to the Union as long as
they could do so with safety and honor. They had
no use for that. 1t contained too much of the
Watch and Wait policy-too much wisdom and pa
triotsm to be acceptable to their heated judgments
And now what are the facts?
1st Mr.. Person, as chairman of the committee
reported bill calling Convention.
I'd. That bill contained the majority provision.
Sd. He declared in his place in the Commons
that the omission to insert the two-thirds provision
was unintentona or an oversight on the part of the
committee.
4th Three of the committee submitted minori
ty report in which they objected to Mr.. Person.
bill because tho tDo-tsirds prouision had been omit
| ted.
Again, we charge that Mr. Person gave the cast.
ing vote in committee against the proposition to sub
nit the action of the proposed Convention to the
people. And yet Mr.. Person processes to be Dem
ocrat He may Gull himself Democrat but thai
is ALL The man who is afraid to trust the people
at the polls with their rights, liberties, and des
tinies-or who for any cause, IS opposed to thus
trusting them-may be an oligarch or an aristocrat
or a monarchst, but he is no Democrat That il
our opinion. We give it to Mr.. Person and to th'
public for what it is worth
| W Mr.. Person concluded bis remarks on Tues
day night in the Commons, in favor Of secession an.
in reply to Mr. DonnelL Mr.. Donne followe,
briefly, and in the course Of his reply bore dow;
heavily on the gentleman from New Hanover Mr
Merrimon also replied briefly to Mr. Person, repeat
ing and summing up, somewhat by way Of explana
ton, his speech on q former OCCASION His remark
| IL. Al. L..