The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-21
For the Standard.

, MESSRS. EDITORS ;--AlloW me tnroug
your valuable journaIto present TO the votei
of North Carolina the following article
which should be made q part of the Stat
Constitution. and which in substance wi
be, if the people will consult their own fl
ture best interests, and desire freedom wit
its legitimate fruits.
Observation-Disclosures.
SEc.-Anv voter of the aye Of twerty-on
years and upwards, shall be eligible to a sea
in the Commons branch of the General AS
sembly, and any voter of the age of twenty
:. five years and upwards, shall be eligible t.
q seat in the Senate branch of the Genera
Assembly, provided that in either case, h
has been citizen of the United States fiv
years, and of the State two years, and of tn
County in which he reside, one year imme
diately preceding his election, and having
paid q State and County tax. lI' ~.
- SEc.-The present system of County Court
10 shall be superseded by Courts of reconcilia
ton, (which shall be created and established
by law with such powers and duties as shall
be provided
SEc-The General Assembly, at its first
ID session after the adoption of this Constitu
{ ton, shall provide for the appointment OF
three Commissioners, whose duty it shall be
to revise, simplify and abridge the rules
practice, pleadings and forms OF the Courts
of justice, and they shall provide for abol
ishing the distinct forms of action at law
now in use, and that justice shall I've admin
istered in uniform mode of pleading, with
out distinction between law and equity, and
the General Assembly may also make it the
duty of said Commissioners to reduce into a
systematic code the general statute law of
the State 4; and said Commissioners shall re-
port the result of their labors tn the Legisla-
ture with such recommendations sugges-
tive as to abridgment and amendment as to
said Commissioners may seem necessary or
proper. Provision shall be made by law for
filling vacancies regulating the tenure of of
fee and compensation of said Commits
siouers.
Sea judge and a jury of twelve men
shall constitute a court of reconciliation in
each court district; the judge shall be
man learned in the law and shall be elected
by the people.
SEo.-Every person of good moral stand
ing being a voter, shall be entitled to admis-
sion to practice law in all courts of justice.
| The objector to these articles may in the
I first place, ask as to the necessity and even
propriety of making every voter eligible to
| office; that it will most assuredly tend to
array the poor and landless or non-property
holders against the large property holders of
the State, and result in abolishing the right
to impose or levy tax upon the head or
upon labor in any shape and force the bur-
den of revenue from that class only who own
the larger proportion of the real and personal
property OF the country. Now beg to diff
fer with him, and would remark in the first
place, that his reasoning is simply saying
that because one class of citizens own larg-
er proportion of the property in the coun-
try, that the class owning the lessor amount
is, therefore, disposed to legislate for divis
ion OF the property or compel the property
holders to pay the taxes of the country
This theory is just, if property is the only
subject of protection. But the idea advanc-
ed is borrowed from the uncivilized of prim-
tive time when it is likely they lived by
war and plundering other uncivllized tribes !
But the people of the United States, and |
especially those of this State, have, think, |
arrived to higher state of civilization, and |
have certainly, as general rule, been educa- |
ted to seek and obtain the means of COM
forts and property in more honest and hon.
Orable way. and to view the interest of them
selves and country from different stund |
point. Again, would remark, that no such
result as is contemplated by the objector has
ever taken place in any civilized country,
but on the contrary, the reverse has, and the
property holders have become the oppressors
of the non-property holders. Now let me
say, that the very moment you invest the
citizen with the right to vote and hold of.
flee, that very moment you secure protection
to the very interest you complain is exposed
to danger. Do you ask howe I answer by
creating an identity of interest, and remov-
ing the jealousy which is ever clamorous
about inequality of rights. But you will
say, the voter ought to be able to read the
Bible and Constitution This is another mon
archical idea borrowed from England, but
her statesmen, even those of the tory side:
are beginning to see the folly of longer igno-
ring with obstinacy the claims of freedom
and manhood rights But suppose that is
made the test of voting in the State, what
will be the effect upon that large, respecta-
bic and worthy class of old and middle
aged men who have all their lives exercised
all the rights of manhood. but who though
property holders, can not read nor write q
A gain, how will you, under such policy,
meet the case of foreign immigrants Many
IF the classes that seek homes in this coun-
try are uneducated, and yet these men must
make up the majority of voters and laborers
n this State in few years, unless the pres I
mt exodus of natives, which is on the in
crease, shall be checked. Do you believe S
uch clogs to freedom render property more {
On the contrary, it is the cause l
If depopu!ation at present. and so long as S
uch disparity to the claims of freedom is a
exercised in the name of dollars and cents, G
ust so long will freedom languish and the
ever power to development, brains and
muscle, will seek other and more congenial J
ields of operations. ) But if the objectOr in
ends to cling to the idea of the tenth cen
ury, and believes in the corrective policy of
posts, pillories, stocks, imprison-
nent for debt, hanging for horse-stealing,
making the animal the equal of mans life, u
nd qualified suffrage, and for office, proper fl
y do so. But in the name of justice re-
move the burthen of capitation tax, road v
nd street tax, road and street labor and
Military duty. And when roads, canals, F
ridges, ships and cities are constructed, pay 7
hose that build them good wages and do v
OF tax those that navigate the seas, and let G.
hose who vote, hold Office and pay tax when 7
rim visaged war comes, fight its battles Do 8,
OF call in the name of freedom, justice nor L
atriotism ON the men you refuse and deny cl
quail rights, to breast the storm of grape tt
nd canister 1t would cause the goddess of tt
berty to veil her face in shame = Court Re- al
NJ = IN | =,