The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-06-07

| Massachusetts, from whence similar evils had
! flowed.
! Such qualifications were against the genius
and spirit of republican, institutions. These
qualifications exclude much of the merit and
worth of the State from our Legislative
| halls.
Mr.. Mckay, of Harnett, said that the peo-
| pie were not demanding these innovations.
He was opposed to making them. The
reason why such qualifications were not re-
| quired in Congress. WAS that different States
had different qualifications. and the difficult
! ty of framing Il general statute upon that
subject was apparent.
| Is twenty-fi five hundred dollars too great IL
qualification for the Governor OF the State I!
| Is that too great an interest in the soil of
your State to be possessed by Governor?
| The servants of the people should have an
interest i'll common with them. The people,
who owned the property OF the State, de
sired this Safeguard. 1t was Il barrier against
adventurous deInagogurs, who might come
among us. and i'll an hour of brief authority,
impose oncrous burdens upon the people
IT we desire dignity and responsibility, let
us retain these qualifications.
Mr.. Winston moved to amend the section
by striking ont $4,000 and inserting $4,000,
as proper qualification. Adopted.
AIr. Furchts favored the proposition Of
NJ. Grissom.
Mr.. Logan argued that property qualiiica-
lions had become IL farce and were so regar-
tled. One of the limbs of property qualiii-
cation had been Topped off Ivy free suffrage,
so that it had actually come to be Of no pr:ic-
tical benefit. One of the hest representatives
from lis county he ever knew owned only
the top of !, mountain, Eai:ictl at about $50,
and rtnlinc.i Il qualified member for Years,
and good member too.
Property qualification does not make an
identity OF interest with the people. Resi-
d~ncc docs 4 man may own IL 81 900 dol
lars worth of land in North Carolina and yet
reside in New York His interests are not
with Us. Did he make his residence here
for life his interests would become our in
forests. Therefore he gave notice that he
intended to move an amendment making the
qualification Of residence for Governor as
long possible.
Mr. Caldwell of Gr1ilf,r,l said he was in
favor of keeping there checks IN the Con
stit,tion. He would favor ii necessary Il
property qualification for the lowest as we'll
as the highest officers. They did not de'ar
merit Or worth from tlle Legislative Halls,
they stimulated! Industry AMI honesty and
offered them i reward Besides those quail
iciltionS would guarantee to the people of
the State. that their Governor was interested
in the soil %. the State.
Tic experience of other States. that had
retained tEn>,. qualifications tn the pro:cc-
tio;i OF t!i,ir best Interests in times of trouble
admoni>ll,"l It's 70 retain them row.
Mr. Moore of Wake. said that reference
had been made to the fact that no property
t; qualification was required OF tn: Pi..sil lent
of the INT Il States. Tine Presidents haze
come from tn" people. and are elevated to
TIA: high Office for I:rir eminent and con
spicion' qualifications. They always pass
through intermediate. ::ratlcs os Office, and fer
. Il,
ut all for s!ca qualification. Judges had
been referred to in the same connection. he
said. He lad never heard that any such
qualification was any where required of
judges. Bat he hal heard nf nations, pros
porous and happy. that, after al:oiiSiing pro
perry qualifications Unfortunately, were
hurried to ruin.
In relation to the qualification of Con-
er,.Ssmen. at the time OF the adoption OF the
CONSTITUTION he said. al! the electors for Con
crcSSmcn voted under property qualifications.
riCSc electors We're the same Tor the lower
House OF the Legislature in every State an'i
for Congressman. and freehold qualification
NH, then universal thing. We can see
therefore that there no necessity for
Congressman, to lie so qualified, because
the voters would have been qualified iii
The first instance. Therefore, if you desire
A property qualification for members of Con-
rres- in the spirit OF the Constitution. quail
fy the electors. They were so qualified at
one time. hut Time. which sweeps away the
nunimcnts OF civil liberty. had been busy
with those helucatfrti to us. One by one,
they had been failing away,
Was his qualification al o,iious thing.
that ii should be cs,ntc!nptuously wiped ouG
Vi our organic law /: lie vcnvrated the Con
stit.itioa. Whenever 1t became necessary to
touch that instrument. lie would do SO, but
only for tue very best oi reasons.
He held that the Governor WAS the repre-
sentative OF the peop!e-she State; that in
order to he Il true representative he must
combine the will OF Tie people and the lam
led interests nrust !re himself Il composition
ri those principles blended in the formation
Of the Senate and House OF Commons
In regard to the qualification OF magis-
tratc>i. he apprahenClcl that had our foretath-
rrS ioresceu the abuse Of the present system
they would Lave required qualifications for
them also.
After some further remarks by Mr. Moore,
McSSrs Grissom, McCorklu and Furchcs adj
dressed the Convention.
Tie question being called on the motion
to strike out, the yeas and nays were deman-
20, nays 10. The Convention re-
fused to strike out. Adjourned.
WEDNESDAY,, June 9th. 1866.