The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-07-18
SPEECH OF EDWARD cosIGLAsD, ESQ,

num, of Lincoln, on the proposition to MAKE
the white population Of the State, the sole
basis Of representation.
MR.. PRESIDENT 1T was not until the
amendment of the gentleman from Ruther-
ford proposing to base representation, IN the
Senate, and Commons, on white population /
alone was submitted to the Convention, on
Monday last, that abandoned the hope OF
avoiding the discussion of this subject. he
lieve that it ought to be allowed to sleep, and
| desire that it should. This Convention was
called together for certain specified pur-
pose, which purpose it has already fulfilled.
1t never occurred to the people OF the State,
that we would arrogate to ourselves the pow
er of entirely remodelling the Constitution.
But, notwithstanding thiSIgeneral power was
never delegated to us, we are forced into con-
sideration of proposition, radically to
change one of the most conservative features
in our system of Government. We are not
permitted to avoid the discussion Of the
question, if we would, and, trust, as 1t has
been forced upon us, that we will meet it in
a spirit of firmness as well rs calmness and
moderation, with the purpose solely OF en-
Tightening our minds, that we may be better
enabled to form correct judgment.
l beg, in the outset, to acknowledge the
courtesy of the delegate from Lincoln in
submitting his statistics to my examination.
have so thoroughly considered them, since
the adjournment of the question, have been
tempted to wish that figures were banished
from the world. / became, however, sensible
of my error, on rejecting that figures are my
main defence against the delegate marching
down upon us at the head of his white le-
gions" The realization of the expression Of
my impatience would place me somewhat in
the situation of the young lady, who, over
wearied by the pertincity of a suitor, wished
that there was not a man on earth, but whose
nervous system became exceedingly shocked
by the consideration. that if taken at her
word her matrimonial prospects must be for
ever blasted. Let the delegate from Lincoln
marshal his hosts am prepared to meet
him-not indeed at the head of an army
with banners. but at the head Of an army of
figures, in solid array-so powerful-so over
whelming, and of such formidable aspect to
the gentleman on the other side, that the
delegate from Rutherford himself-notwith-
standing the easy placidity with which he
discharged this bomb shell among us. stand
ing aghast, will, in his terror, exclaim
angels and ministers of grace defend us !"
But before proceedto consider the statis
tics of the delegate from Lincoln, beg to
be allowed to examine some of the princi-
Piles enunciated by him. 1 gather, from his
speech, that his chief ground of complaint
is the apparent inequality, in political pow
er, between the white population of the
East, and the white population of the West.
He desires that each white person in the East
and each white person in the West shall have
the like political power in the Legislature of
the State and he proposes to effect this poll
ticat equality by trampling upon the repre-
sentation of property, by placing the weight
of political power in the hands of numeri-
cal majority, and that the majority of one
class of the population only, and that, the
class which predominates in his own sec
ton. The bare statement of the question is,
of itself, sufficient to prove that if carried
out, it would be unfair, oppressive and un-
just.
When the delegate from Lincoln speaks of
population, he must always be understood as
meaning white population. When represen-
tation is to be considered, the negro is with
him of nature so impalpable, that lie can
not be counted, or even seen: but when taxes
are toSbe levied, he is always found to pos
sess the form and substance of man. But
it is alleged, that representation cannot be
accorded to the negro, without admitting
him to the right of suffrage; why then did
he have representation among us as slave 7
In state of slavery he was represented as a
person and not as property. And why, let
me ask, if this be the reason of his exclusion,
that, by the delegates system of apportion-
ment, white females are not represented, and
the right of suffrage is denied to them If
this right necessarily follows the right of
representation, how can the delegate answer
the question: Besides, if the numerical ma
iority of whites must also have the political
majority, why does the gentleman deny to
white females all expression and exercise of
political power? The white females in
North Carolina outnumber the white males
by majority of 2576. And they are ex
cluded from the polls, and denied all voice
in political matters. am not the first to
submit these questions and considerations
but often as they have been submitted, they
have never yet been successfully answered
and can not consistently with the delegates
| position. The truth is that in no state of
society is suffrage accorded to majority of
| the represented class.
l am, I confess, somewhat surprised to
hear the doctrine of equality so earnestly
urged in this Assembly Whence did this
! doctrine take its rise, or rather when was it
fully developed2 answer, in those dark
and terrible days, when the cry of equality"
| in the mouths of an infuriated populace,
caused to be torn down all the barriers erect
ed to protect property and civil rights, and
caused to be enacted those scenes of blood,
| at which, even now, the world stand aghast |!
| From the philosophers" whose writings
brought about the French revolution. most
of the arguments enforcing the equality of
man have been drawn, and wherever they
| have been reduced to practice, in the govern
ment of a State, by comforting the whole
| political power on mere numerical ma
! jority, without regard to interest, the State
has engrafted in its system principles which,
sooner or later, will carry it down to de-
| struc.ion. .sisi.- 4 ss.t.. s.sss,s ~ r.
We, Mr.. President have no popular excite
ment on this suhject-the people scarcely
seem to be aware that we are considering it,
so little do they seem to be interested there
in. But even if popular clamor did prevail,
l stand not here to bow to it. l will not be-
come an idolater even at the shrine of the
idol which the populace may erect and COM
mand me to worship. l hesitate not to say,
that scorn and repudiate, as dangerous and
unjust, the doctrine, that mere numerical
majority, which does not embrace, but is
antgonistic to a majority of interest, shall
be the sole governing poy- -er And even
| when a majority of numbers is the sole gov
erning power. it is upon the principle, that
such a majority is supposed to represent a