The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-10-23
HILLsBoRoUGH, Co. yEDN EsDAy OCTOBER 8, 1857,

qualifications for electors in the present
election = that is, all the male, citizens nf
the state, twenty.one years old and up
wards, Of whatever race, color OF previous
condition, who have been resident NJ the
state tor one year previous to the, day OF
any election, except such as may be dis
iranrlised tor participation Ia. the rebel lien,
or Tor felony al common law" Imakei this
quotation with care. for the purpose ofcol-
latlng y IN my subsequent remarks, with
the qualifications, Of Voters 10 seme Of the
leading staltsnow represented IN congress,
whose members have shown extraordinary
zeal 10 prescribing its terms 10 us.s., sN Il
Never. heretofore, in IAmerica, has the
elective franchise been extended 10 new
classes OF voters. except through the agen.
cy ut conventions chosen by those whu had
enjoyed IL exclusively before. Congress,
by The acts under consideration. has ex.
tended il 70 all males of the black race
twenty-one years OF age, aud upwards, with
40 other qualifications than thnse above re.
cited /; but only so fac, howeyer, as regards 5
the present election. Ana, according TO
my recollection, il was stated in the debate
on these acts by Mr.. Fessenden, Of Maine.
certaIniy one nf the ablesl and most expe.
rlenced members OF the senate, tha. no
permanent regulation OF this nata.e could
be constliutlonaIly established in a state
@ithnut the sanction oi its people; and 1
think tie correctness OF the remark was ac-
quiesced 10 by lbe subsequent action of
congress. Congress, then. has provided
that In the present election the black race,
with 90 oIher than the qualifications alrea-
dy stated. shall vote. That was their act.
II u snail be provided that they shall SO
vote in all lnture time. The act will be ours.
II Is not sought 10 be disguised. that con-
gress desires that We shall 50 provide, and
Il i strongly iuiimated. that representa-
tion IN congress will MOI b. allowed Us un-
I'll II Is done but il is still lef, TO the peo.
pie ol the state, rs represented in c0nsen-
ton, 10 be drliDersted upon and decided,
and no more .momentous question was
ever presented Tor the determination VI a
Tree people.
Tue inquiry cannot be excluded from our
Consideration. IL We woulsl. whether, under
the constitution oi the United States or any
republican organization, a constitution of
government Tor the regulstion of the inter.
nal afairs OF state Can be forced upon .
people against the wishes Oi majority OF
iIs qualified voters. by dislraini or duress !:
A constitution OF government, SAYS Macau-
ley, which will d. one state or people may
not Il, another, any more tha coat BY the
measure even Of the Apollo Belyidere may
be expected 10 iit all the human race. And
the very idea Of republican government
prcsppposes that the people themselves can
best judge as to the fundamental law under
which lhey shall 1--we, As oi the snactments
passed from time 10 time By their leglsla-
lures. The proposition is most clearly
stated by Washington 10 HE farewell adj
dress, when he declares that " the basis OF
oar political system is the right Of the peo-
pie to make and to alter their constitutions
ol go,eraments." Norih Carollna does no.,
seek 10 have a voice in The question wheth-
er Japanese. Chinese or any Asiatic race
shall exercise the elective franchise 10 Ca
liiornia; nor does she claim the right 10 in.
irrlere 10 the domestic regulations Of any
sister state Of the Union. DO the other
hand. she makes hec appeal to the people
Of all The other states TO concede TO her,
within the limi.s ef their common constl-
tuuon, the powers TO control, aud those
only, which those states ussert for them
sclses.
Dat throwing nut Of consideration. the
question of the right Of the people of a
state 10 frame their state constitution &C,
cording 10 their own eonceptionsof the pub
lie good, is the measure proposed expe-
dientf Will II. promote the general vel
fare 10 confer the right 10 vote In all pcpu-
lar elections on the negro race. with no
other qualifications than those ia contein;s
platicni Is II not perfectly manifest that