Wilmington journal., 1868-04-03

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treason to the Democratic party.
I stood and listened to you that day, my
face burning with shame to think that such
words could be uttered in such place, and
no man dare make a reply Yet so it was.
That speech acW nerer be forgotten. The
people of North Carolina do mol loce traitors.
Twice have I heard you recant. After
your second recantation you were elected
Speaker of the Senate and also Solicitor
for your District. Time rolled on. You
became Republican. In the fall of 1867
a Convention of your new brethren was
held in fuckers Hall and adopted such
radical views that a division was made
For short time there was some hope that
few would return to their senses You
were reported to be opposed to Radical
ism I verify thought I might hear your
third recantation.
With the year 1868 came the necessity of
selecting men to fill the places of honor
and profit in the State. The division of
last fall proved a failure. The Radicals are
now dominant, and you are again iubilant,
and candidate for Judge of the Supreme
Court of North Carolina. Verify, you have
fulfilled the promise of your youth-not
yetforty years old, and running for Judge
of the Supreme Court I do not mean to
reflect upon your capacity for the place
No man can dispute your judgment and
foresight in political matters Why may
it not be that you will rs readily see the
winning side of case at law, as you
can foresee the winning side in a
political campaign. And then, too,
Mr.. Tourgee induced the late so-called
Convention to do away with all that un-
necessary legal lumber about pleading, and
law and equity, Of which the heads of GAS
Ton, and HENDERSON, and BADGER used to
be SO full The Supreme Court is now a po-
litical, and not judicial, tribunal. In proof
of which cite the speeches you are now
making all over the State in company with
Gov. Holden. These are the evidences you
offer Of your fitness to be a Judge. You have
been at the bar in the Old School too long
not to know what is the best evidence. ,
You are no doubt qualified, under the new
regime Our brother officer, Col. Rodman,
@. S. A., is qualified also Tourgee, and
possibly Daniel l.. Russell, Jr. You will,
if elected to the Supreme Court, occupy
lofty position. | think your past history
proves that you are entitled to it. Heed
not the intimations of those envious per-
sons who may tell you aud our brother Rod
man that "eatber-cochs generally occupy er-
aIted places. They say so from pure envy.
say to you, my old .feUoD- soldiers, go in
and win. II is yos0' good judgment!
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
Who Can Vote for Members of the LegEs!a-
ture:
We cannot urge too earnestly upon our
people the necessity of examining for them
selves this new Constitution proposed for
their adoption. We cannot caution them
too frequently to believe no assertion made
about its contents unsustained by th 9 proof
of the instrument itself. We are perfectly
willing to abide this test ourselves, and we
sincerely trust the people viii! at least hold
same rule. We regard this Constitution
as containing in itself the very strong
est>argument in favor Of its own defeat
It contains in itself so many seeds of cor
ruption and decay, that every one who
reads it must see how unfit it is to be made
the organic law of any country. All we
ask is Shat the people will read and see for
themselves.
We have been led to these remarks by
the general acquiescence in the seemingly
conceded opinion that at the coming cleo
tions no one can vote for members of the
save those who at that time
may be registered voters under the Recon
struction Acts We do not concur in this
construction of the Constitution, and are
decidedly and clearly of opinion that every
male person born in the United States, or
who has been naturalized and is otherwise
qualified by age and residence, is, under
the new Constitution, entitled to vote for
members of the Legislature, no matter
whether disfranchised by the Reconstruc-
tion Acts or not. In proof of the correct |
ness of this position, we cite the following
sections of the Constitution in support of,
and in addition to, the grounds assumed |
by us in previous article upon the
subject
ARTICLE VI
SUFFRAGE AND ELIGIBILITY TO OFFICE.
Section l. Every male person born in the Uni
ted States and every male person who has been |
twenty-one years old or upward, who |
shall have resided in this State twelve months |
next preceding the election, and thirty days in
the county in which he offers to vote, shall be |
deemed an elector.
ARTICLE II.
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
Sec. 27 The terms of office for Senators and |
members of the House OF Representatives shall |
at the time of their election and the
term of Office of those elected at the first election
held under this constitution shall terminate at
the same time as if they had been elected at the !
first ensuing regular election.
Sec. 20. The election for members of the GEN
eral Assembly shall be held for the respective dis
tricts, and counties, at the places where they are
now helo Or may be directed hereafter to be held,
IN such manner as may be prescribed by law On
the first Thursday id August, in the year one
thousand eight hundred and seventy, and every
two years thereafter. But the General Assembly
may change the time of holding the elections