The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-06-28
Proceedings ii Che Convention.


| A resolution from the finance COMMITTEES
! to pay T. N. Ramsay $75 for the services as
clerk to the Secretary of State, was passed.
| Aa ordinance to authorize an exchange of
State bonds for certain causes. was taken up.
Mr.. McGehee moved an amendment, when
MIR. Bynum moved to lay the whole matter
on the table. He said that the motion pro-
ceeeled from no spiritiof hostility on his part
towards the measure, but in these last hours
of the session, a proposition involving mill
ions of dollars ought not to be discussed.
He, therefore, deemed his motion an act of
justice towards the people of the State The
measure could more properly be considered
by the next Legislature. .,.s
The motion to lay on the table was
adopted. H. ,.,.s,ts.. ~
Mr. Caldwell of Burke moved to take up
an ordinance authorizing the President of
the Western N. G. Railroad to borrow mon
ey on the credit of the State. Not concur
red in.
THE CONSTITUTION. r 1~'t.'
The question being on the amendment of
fered by Mr.. Howard to Sec. 10 OF Art. ~
in relation to magistrates.
Mr.. McIvor offered a substitute tor the
whole section, which was read and ruled out
of order. - 81. @fe.f ~.
Messrs. Smith of Johnston, Mckay of Har-
nett and King offered substitutes, which
were read for information.
Mr.. Howard accepted the amendment of
Mr.. Mckay as a substitute for his own, with
notifications which were agreed to.
Mr. Bynum moved to strike out the pro-
vision for election of magistrates for term
of years, and inserting q provision for cleo
ton during good behavior. Not adopted.
Mr. Logan preferred the 10th section as
read and amended in the revised Constitu-
tien, and opposed the amendment offered
by MIR. Mckay.
Mr. Baker also opposed many of the pro-
visions of the proposition of MIR. Mckay.
Mr.. King arose to enter his protest to the
proposition to limiting the number of mag
istrates to ten in a thousand.
The yeas and nays were demanded on the
motion to strike out the 10th section, which
resulted in its being stricken out-yeas SO,
nays Is.
The question then required on the inser-
ton of Mr.. McKay's amendment.
The substitute of Mr.. Mckay was adop-
ted, as follows: t...s
justices of the Peace shall be elected by
the qualified voters for the members OF the
General Assembly, and shall hold their Off
ces for six years. The number shall MT ex-
coed two for every thousand of the popula-
ton, according to the census next preceding
the election, but the General Assembly may
allow three additional Justices for each
County seat and incorporated town: Proof
than that in which the County seat is loca-
ted, shall contain three hundred Inhabitants.
The General Assembly shall provide for dis
tricting the several Counties, and the JUS
tees shall reside in their respective districts
and there shall be separate election for
each district. The next General Assembly
shall enact the necessary laws to carry into
effect the provisions of this clause, and at
the first County Court after the election,
flnof oPrFr of off of ftn TtrotIn
shall expire The General Assembly may
provide for the election of Justices to fill va
cancies."
Mr.. Moore of Wake, an amendment to sec.
z, art. III, that the Lieutenant Governor
shall have same qualification for Office as the
Governor and hold Office for same term
Adopted.
In art. V. for section g. Mr.. Caldwell, of
Burke, offered the following:
No member of the Senate or House of
Commons shall be eligible to any Office in
the gift of the General Assembly during his
term of office"
Mr. Caldwell called for the yeas and nays.
Mr.. Buxton opposed the section. He
thought it unwise for North Carolina to re-
strict herself in this manner in the choice of
efficient officers.
MIR. McCorkle said he hoped the amend
ment would be adopted, its object was to eff
feet wholesome legislation-and to keep out
of the General Assembly professional office
hunters, whose sole motive in becoming
members of the legislature was to advance
their own personal interests, often times
to the detriment of the State. The evil
had arisen to such a magnitude, that
whenever candidate for an Office, conferred
by the General Assembly, desired to accom-
plish his object, his first step was to procure
his election to the Legislature, and when
elected::w hat. followed To procure his own
election, the candidate would support not
only other members of the General Assembly
who were also applicants for legislative ia
vors, but he would support any measures OF
other members, where it would procure him
vote, regardless of what effect such meas
ure might have upon the interests of the
State.
All such inducements to barter away the
interests of the State for a =" mess of potage
ought to be withdrawn, and to accomplish
| this, it was proper to pass the amendment
| offered by the delegate from Burke.
Mr.. M said that the law had wisely provi-
| ded that all jurors who were civil suitors
should be stricken from the panel and not
permitted to serve as jurors. Why was this
| done2 Solely to prevent such suitors from
helping each other along in their verdicts.-
| 1t was done to prevent log-rolling. and not
to place juror in a situation where his own
/ interests might prompt him to do wrong
The same principle ought to be applied to
| the members of the General Assembly-here-
after let no inducements be held out to MEM
bers, that seat in the Legislature, is the
] surest road to further promotion. Hold out
! no temptations to men to seek the Legislature
to ccomplish'personal promotion. Adopt the
amendment, and members would hereafter
be elected whose sole motive would be to adj
vance the best interests of the State.
! It was adopted as follows:
AYEs-Messrs. Alexander, Allen, Baines,
Baker, Barrow, Bingham, Boyden, Bradley,
Brickell, Bryan, Burgin, Caldwell of Burke,
Caldwell of GuiIford, Conigland, Dick, Dick
ey, Faulkner, Ferebee, Gahagan, Garland,
Garrett, Goodwin, Harris of Rutherford, Har-
rison, Haynes, Hodge, Jackson, Johnston,
Jones of Henderson, Jones of Rowan, Joyce,
King, Lash, Logan. McCorkle, McKoy OF
4 Sampson. Mcdonald of Chatham, McIvor,
N. A Mclean, Nat. Mclean, Mclaughlin,
Z McRac, Moore of Chatham, Murphy, Nor
fleet, Patterson, Pearsau, Perkins, Person,
Phillips, Rush, Sloan, Smith of Anson
| Smith of Johnston, Smith of Wilkes Spencer
of Montgomery, Starbuck, Stephenson, Stew