The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-01-02
Gov. Worth's Inaugural Address,

~
Delivered in the Commons Hail. in The Presence oi
both Houses Of the General Assembly, on the 2sd
of December 1866.
Geniismen ef he Senate and
l,.f. ~ the House Of Representatives.
It's known toyou that the pressure OF
important officiaIduties, Tor some ,da, pas /.
has left me no time Tor the preparation Of a
formal inaugural address.
The orders Of Gen. Sickles forbiding our
Courts 10 execute laws which have existed
with US and our ancestors for mary hund
red years, in the face Of the previous proc
lamation Of ,he President, declaring that
civil law existed in all the States winch had
engaged in the late rebellion, astounded
the State. 1aa ae #
My mission 10 Washingt ton touching this
encroachment on the right Of the State TO
administer her laws, not preten,led 10 be
inconsistent with the Constitution Of the
United States, and other imperative AL :
ministratiye duties since my return, have
engrossed my attention and left me no time
to prepare an address suitable tor the oc-
CasiOn. ~...
This order of military officer, asserting,
IN effect, his right TO amend such of our laws
as he may deem unwise, is suspended By
order Of the President. This arbitrary step
IS scarcely arrested, when measure Is pro.
posed in Congress, looking To the sanction
oil this military supremacy over our laws.
In the midst Of the progress Of these
events We are astounded by a PROPOSE
tion, originated BY North CaroliHians. and
brought before Congress under auspices
calculated 10 alarm us. that North Carolina,
one Of the original thirteen, is no longer
State, but territory Ot the Caited States.
The scheme proposes that new Conyen-
iioD be called. The members OF which are 10
be elected by voters with qualifications pre-
scribed by Congress, including negtoes. ex-
cluded from voting by our Constitution.
Thi, Convention, thus elected. is % frame a
new Constitution tur the Territory formally
known as the State vi North Carolina. The
Constitution When formed TO BE- approved,
not BY theIpe0ple, who are 10 live under IL,
bat by the Congress of the. United States,
with power in the Congress. 10 approve,
modify, or reject The same aud with q test.
oath framed with apparent intent to reverse
the principle, that The majority Of the peo-
pie ought 10 rule. -t
II Is remarkable that the ayowed and
prominent projectors Of this scheme were
distinguished actors 10 the organization oi
the present State government, and have
sought. or held Office under II.
Under these circumstances, assume By
the choice ol my countrymen. the painfully
responsible duties oi Governor oi the State.
without time, in carefully considered com.
mertary, TO review these revolutionary
movements.
esn only add 10 the solemn oa.h which;
! have just taken. that feeling profoundly \
The responsibility Of the posilion in which
| am placed by The confidence Of my coun.
trymen. shall constantly and fersently pray
that the Ruler of the universe will enduw
me with a,sdom equal 10 the importing
emergencies.
| ardently desire, independent or my Of.
fetal oath. 70 maintain anl defend the Con.
siitptiDn of the United states aud the Con.
stltuilpn 0f North Carolina, and cannot,
therefore, assent TO any scheme oi com-
promise based on the iIea that Nurth Ca
rulina il not a Statepi the American Union
nor to any scheme Of amending the original
compact, which The State shall have no hand
~ proposing. feel as profoundly as any
body can leel. the necessity of composing,
~ permanent basis. our national dissen.
lions, aud have been unable 70 conceive ol
any other means 80 we'll adapted 10 effect
this end. ss that prescribed by The wisdom
1T our rfdthers in The iifth article VI The Con.
stitutlOn Of the United States.
Ny intercourse with the people Of ths
Sprth leads me to believe, that the great
body ofihem dono entertain towards Us The
destroying maleyoence. which we would
lnier from the speeches Of many Of theiI
lutemperate part,zap leaders and portion
ot the press. The great mass Of the nation