The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-06-21
THE coNsTIrurIoN,


cies in n,onarchicai governments were to con-
seryatism, because it supported the landed
aristocracy, but in republican governments
its tendencies were to radiealism. He said
the late rebellion owed its origin to the prom
erty-holders, the poor people being opposed
to it almost to u man. IA man may have
800. 900 in bonds and yet not be entitled to
a seat in the Commons. Another man NAV
own $40 wortho of rocks or sand and hold
seat in theisane House. Where is the check
or balance said to be found here But land
must be screened and protected, and land
alone. This looks like The DAYS of the feudaI
system and the institution of the laws of
primogenature, when; land was the chief aim
of life, does it not? There are other indus
tries and interests equally as conservative as
| land and as deserving of protection. man
may be President of the United States with
out such qualification, but he cannot be a
| Commoner in this State without it. What
use of such a qualification therefore, He
could not see it.
Mr.. Smith, of Wilkes, desired it to be
known that he also opposed such property
| qualification.
Mr.. Eaton favored the qualification. He
| denied that property-holders inaugurated
the recent war, but held that insolyents did if
Mr.. Grissom said in his opinion, there was
| likely to arise before this Convention no
question, involving more important prin-
| ciple or requiring more calm and deliberate
| Judgment than the one under consideration.
1t had been discussed with zeal and ability
as appertaining to other official positions
under the government, but its present pro-
| posed application was characterized by 7.ec,t-
liar merit. 1t was theory which had been
most fully endorsed by the action of this
Convention, that our government was svs-
| tenn of checks and balances, every interest
equally entitled to representation and pro-
lection, and every class guarded in the en-
joyment of political rights under the Con-
stitution. In this way the acedker interests
were protected against expressions by the
stronger, and the many were restrained from
aggressions upon the feso-the rights of
property and the rights of persons, each
guarded with Jealous care, were harmonized
in an equitable compromise. The strong
arm of the one should not he lifted in con-
f1ict against the overwhelming numbers of
the other. He hoped that the spirit of this.
great compromise, which was the harbinger
of our domestic happiness, and the palla-
dunn of our liberty, would not be ignored
in the most sacred instrument within our.
power to shape, the Constitution of the
State
We were perhaps legislating not for day
or for ourselves. only, but for future ages and
for posterity A wrong thus hallowed and
perpetuated is of extraordinary consequence
By the action of this Convention, the Con-
stitution has surrounded the Executive De-
partment and the Senate with property quail
ifications, and now in the name of Justice
and in accordance with the theory of our
government is the popular branch of our
General Assembly, to be the representative
of the voice Of the people in truth and real
ity, or in name and sha6loao, only? Reject
this property qualification in the House of
Commons and you place the white citizens
Of North Carolina upon equal footing, with
equal privileges in the government, Adopt
it and You disfranchise more than foar-tfths
OF the tax paying white men of the State
Our friends in this hall, with commenda-
BILE zeal, have struggled successfully for u
basis OF representation in the superintendent
! of members of the General Assembly, upon
what they recognized as the true theory of
free government. But let me tell them with
due Difference, that without striking this
odious and oppressive restriction from our
Constitution. they have caught the shadOzo
and missed the subsistence
You invest the Counties of a larger white
population with the right of increased repre-
sentation and at the same time disfranciise
more than tourJJths of the citizens of these
very Counties from participation in this RIGHT
which you hold SO sacred and SO dear. To
use an Gryunentuns adj honinunq, of what
avail to four .ttths of your people is n right.
|
good reason has been or can be given for this
exclusion and Acknowledgement. Why should
foS' .fJfhs OF the citizens of North Carolina
possessing like proportion of the intel
| ligence and the patriotism of the State sur
render to the remaining oneJffth the adj
ministration of the laws and the government,
with only the poor privileges reserved of
| themselves cannot aspire
| It's folly only The
example of venality in holy evils of $ selling
| a blrthrlght for q mess of pottagen
What is free suffrage in elections to office.
with wholesale restrictions in the exercise of
its functions and the enjoyment of its priv
leges. 1t is the beaded bubble that floats
| upon the rim OF the cup, and not the cool and
| refreshing draught beneath the foam
Upon our action in this regard. depends
the solution of the question whether the
popular voice shah be represented ut All in
the administration of the government, or
whether 1t shall be hushed in our counsels as
| heretofore.
| The experience of the past should afford
wisdom to guard against the evils of the fu-
| ture. The powerful influence of exclusive
| Interests without sufficient power to counter
| act and control them may be traced in the
pages of history through many long CEN
turies of madness and folly. Their advocates
| and defenders have erected monuments of
| their mistaken policy SO numerous and so
glaring, that thousand in repulsive form
greet every look and every thought as the
eye and the imagination survey the deyasta-
ted fields of our once happy country
North Carolinas status to day, stripped Of
her wealth, her children and her political
power, writhing in humiliation and weIter-
ing in blood, towers in this category as a
melancholy example
Gentlemen seem reluctant to make this
| alteration because the old constitution con-
tains it, In the proposed change we need
| not be ashamed of the illustrious example of
the great and wise men who framed the
Federal constitution. They required no
property qualification of a President, members
of Congress or any other officer.
An amendment was offered by Mr.. Baker
requiring residence of eve years and taxa
BILE property OF $780, Lost
On Mr. Kings amendment the yeas and
nays were demanded, and resulted as fol-
lows:
. YEAs-Messrs. Alexander, Bagley, Baines,
Berry. Boyden, Brickell, Buxton, Caldwell
/ <,fT l,,-1 Cf-I- = % III