Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-07-05

Southern voice should be raised for the sacredness
of constitutions, to abrogate and annu it and for
what
Mr.. President, let us examine the proposition of
the delegate from Lincoln. Analyse and view it,
lt is mOnstrOus. Insert it in the Constitution and
1t amounts to this-the negroes shall have no pow
er, either primary or delegated-the whites shall
constitute Democracy and the will of the numer-
1cal majority shall be the law of the land. Not
check with which to defend the rights of minor
lty or the rights of property-an absolute mega
tlon of the essential purpose of constitutions Well
might the delegate from Halifax say, they dare
not adopt it if they could
Constitutions are not except in O delegated gov
ernment to confer power but to restrain it
Without Constitutions the majority rule. Such
are the purely Democratic governments of histo-
~. L hoped that such governments at this day
found no advocates save among the reckless, the
bankrupt the revolutionary. The delegate
from Lincoln is far from either and yet he utters
such sentiments as these Why should property
be less secure justice worse administered when
confided to the majority of the people of the whole
State ?" g Our government is based upon faith in
maiorities" The context shows that he speaks of
""meTicm maj jOrities He can find no such SEN
tenceS among the writings of the recognized states
mon of modern times and [ am sure they accord
not with the settled convictions OF the delegate
himself. The able manner in which he has dis
cussed this question shows too clearly that he is
too wise and know he is too conservative to de-
sire the adoption of such principles. What is it
but the rejection of all Constitutions Yet the
pride and boast of our land have been that those
embOdiments of checks and balances in the exer-
else of power have welded an influence more con-
servative of the rights of mnOrities and property,
more powerful, to prevent the wrongs which pas
sion, prejudice, or mistaught philanthropy or
unchecked fanaticism could infiict than all the
"pOmp and circumstance" and authority of roy
atty. And to-day we stand powerless, unprotect-
ed, beneath the impending wrath of a numerical
majority, if this shield held 10y powerful hand
nerved by indomitable WILL is stricken from above
us. Our only help now is in God and the broad,
fundamental, constitutional principles of justice
and right established by fathers.
But, Mr. President, did not a rise to reply to
the delegate from Lincoln. This has been most
happily done by my friend from Halifax, with the
marked ability which he always displays and with
that thorough hness and close adherence to prlncl-
pie which dispense with the necessity of an ally.
| Will consider this compromise but be-
fore doing SO, l would call the attention of the
Convention to one fact which has been overlooked,
tho effects of the abolition of slavery. Gentle
men say the West is dissatisfied. With full
control of one branch of the Assembly, she could
only be dissatisfied about the Senate. If So has
not the abolition Of slavery already effected most
happy compromise. The East will loose much
of her prepOnderance 1t is true she will weaken
somewhat the preponderence of the West in the
Commons but will not this tend to equalize pow
er? Will it not also have the effect of giving to
the middle counties controlling influence Will
1t not create three powers, as 1t were adding thus
to the conservatism and increasing the chances of
a sound and stable government? If this is a mere
distribution of power, the march of events has al
ready effected Just compromise. And with what
show Of justice can you disturb it /? If the East
has lost her power in the Senate, secured in 1885
as final adjustment, by accident, how can you
fairly deprive her of that which she gains by the
same event How without shame you take
from her not only what she has gained but also
deprive her of much of the little she formerly had
A compromise indeed The East loses much by
abolition in the Senate,-in her weakened
condition she is required to give all
she gains in the Commons by that event
and onethird of what she had before. The
West gains much in the Senate,-in her new posi-
ton Of strength, in the mere accidental exercise
of power, regardless of former Constitutional COM
promise, she takes from the East what she gains
in the Commons and much of what power she had
before. One gives al, the other takes all
Strange compromise ! ! But it is said the West
has the power here and can take ALL and therefore
she is magnanimous in this arrangement We're
this SO, would it release her from herfplighted
faith of 1885? But it is not. Facts stubborn
things. The West demanded the white basis en-
tire the proposition so ably argued by the dele
gate from Lincoln and fought for so long as there
was hope. She demanded the proposition of the
delegate from Jackson, white basis in the Com
mons, and mixed basis in the Senate, and fought
it, until defeated by decisive vote. This is all
that was left. She proposed to .call it a compro-
mise ! !! and took it without struggle,-it was
tossed in her lap by Eastern members blame
not the Western delegates, viewing it as a mere
matter of State policy. He who stands firmly by
his people always commands my respect.
But Mr.. President, this is not question OF
mere State policy. It is not even mere question
of policy 1t is matter of principle In one
particular cOncede to it tcorrectprinciple 1t gives
to property proper representation. But sir, 1t
contains two fatal errors uni Just in principle and
perfectly suicidal to The representation is de-
pendent suffrage, and that taxation is not de-
pendent on representation. Is not this so?-l
The delegate from Lincoln says ''the right of suf-
frage being denied the negro, he cannot justly be
Here the first principle is an
nOmced and with conclusion that once admit
ted shuts the mouth of every Southern man. No
one would exempt the negro from taxation. Is
he represented? 1t may be said he is i'll the Sen
ate but this not true. poll tax paid for the
protection of personal rights and always exercl-
ses its power and claims its representation in the
body representing persons. 1t must be IN proper
tion to population and therefore diminishes rath-
er than increases the power of the body represent
ing taxation as contradistinguished from persons.
The true principles Of good government are ex-
actly the reverse of these two principles, thus
embodied in this settlement Representation Is
not dependent OF suffrage. The rights and the
interests of a community are so blended, so de-
pendent each on the other for mutual prosperity,
that the interests of each may we'll be represented
without universal suffrage, and the fair adjustment
of the right of suffrage is matter of convention
and IN an agricultural community like ours, where
land Is so plentiful and labor scarce the inter
ests Of the employer and employee, of capital and
labor, are harmonious and the rights of the one
class will be faithfully maintained the rights
of the other. l cannot foresee what time may
develop, but doubt not that interest will accede
to, aye, that interest will demand, Whatever is
lust whatever is right, according to the funda
mental principles of sound, republican represen-
tativc government.
And of these fundamental principles there is
Iv to