Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-02-21
,onstitut;on of the State of North

August.
Mr.. Rodman moved, as an amendment,
the following addition, which was carried
ssBut the General Assembly may change
the time of holding the elections. Inc
first election shall be held when the vote
shou he taken on the adoption OF this Con
.t;t,,tion bv the voters of the State, and the
SnnoraI Assembly. then elected, shall meet
On the 3Oth day after the approval thereof
nv the Congress of the United States, If 1t
fail not GA d Sunday ; but II 1T should so
ell thon IN the day after. And the mem
i'-.I' tIo,, elected shall hold their seats until
.T0d;,, s,rcessors are elected at n regular
IN motion, the House then adjourned.
FRIDAY Feb. Il, 1868
The Convention was called to order at 10
o'clock.
yention.
\ communication from the Froedmen's
p,7roa1, s.Hfad Centre was received, in re-
NV IN q resolution of thanks rendered to
him by this body, for the efficient manner,
Also General Order from District Head
ouarters, enforcing the tax ordinance Of the
Convention.
Mr.. Jones, OF Washington, presented
,etiti0n for divorce from Charles Overton.
Referred.
Mr. Mcdonald, Of Chatham, an ordi-
nance relieving the fine of 81, ZOO imposed
upon H. Is. Guthrie, for failure to collect
taxes III Orange. Referred.
Mr. Abbott an ordinance designating
the Raleigh National Bank as the deposi-
tory for the State Funds. Referred.
Mr. Congleton, resolution abolishing
the State Senate. Referred.
Mr.. MeDonald OF Chatham, an ordinance
L Ol,L IL
TO May 1865 null and void. Referred.
Mr.. Rose, a resolution affecting debts and
contracts made prior to May, 1865. Re-
ferred.
CALENDAR.
Mr.. Welker called up his ordinance pro-
hibiting the distillation of grain, and
moved that the ordinance be SO amended
Is TO provide that it go into effect imme-
diately after passage. Adopted
Mr.. NcCubbins moved to strike out
sJuno' and insert January list, 1869, in
the third line.
Mr. Mcdonald, of Chatham, moved the
indefinite postponement Of the SUBJECT. =.
This motion created good deal of dis
cussion. Some thought such a prohibition
would iniure the chances of the Constitu-
ton before the people. Others thought
differently, and, pending the discussion, the
Chair announced the
SPECIAL ORDER,
viz : The report of the committee on Pre-
amble and Bill of Rights.
The question being upon the second sec
ton. MI Heaton moved its adoption. Car
ried.
S elton third was adopted without de-
bate.
Mr. Heaton asked the Secretary to read
sections four and five in con- JUNCTION, as he
wished to make some remarks upon the
doctrines contained in them.
The sections were read, when
Mr.. I'll. said that the important and vital
questions involved should receive most
careful consideration at the hands of this |
Convention. They involved the greatest |
issues that have ever agitated the minds OF
the American people. Let Us, in the Con-
stituti0n which we are now about to frame |
settle forever, so far as the people of this
State are concerned, that the Odious doc
trine of State sovereignty was lncompatl-
BILE with the true meaning and intent OF
the Constitution framed by the fathers of
. the country, ratified by the voice OF the
people and venerated and beloved on &C
count of the principles of liberty which it
incuIcates. Let rs now proclaim the in
disputable fact that the Constitution of the
United States is the paramount law OF the
land and, next to our God we should re-
c0gnize it as the true head to which our
allegiance is due. The trainers of our Con
stitution never contemplated for an instant
that the standard of State sovereignty,
which is, in fact the essence of secession,
you'd be set up. We owe debt of graft
tude to such good and glorious men as
Webster, Clay and Jackson, who, in their
day and generation, labored to impress up
On the minds of the American people, that
a reverence for the Constitution, and an
immutable love for the Union, were the
safeguards of liberty and prosperity. 1t
was on account of such teachings that the
General Government was enabled to put
down the most gigantic rebellion that ever
raised it's bloody head.
Mr. H. alluded to the debate in Congress
between Mr. Hayne and Mr.. Webster in
regard TO that doctrine, and he (Mr. H
only reiterated the opinion of the whole
country at that time, when he said that
Mr.. Webster had c0nclusively shown the
falllcy of that doctrine. Mr. Calhoun, the
political luminary Of the South in refer
ence to that debate, intimated that had he
stood in Mr.. Haynes place, the case would
have been different, but sometime after
wards, Mr.. Webster and himself came In
conflict upon the question, and the whole
country universally accorded to Mr.. Web
stpr the victory. Mr.. II. reverted to the
election of Abraham Lincoln-his speech
at his Inauguration, wherein he portrayed
the dreadful effects of commencing civil
war to dissolve this Union.
Mr. II. also quoted some extracts from
the speech Of Hon. A Ell. Stephens, to the
Secession Convention of Georgia, warning
them to pause before taking such step
Mr. Fl. said that he had no wish to assail
the memories of men who had been whirl-
ed into this rebellion the young mems
minds of the section had been thoroughly
inpregnated with this doctrine of seces-
sion by teachings handed down from the
political schools of Calhoun and Yancey.-
They had fought bravely and manfully;
but, thank God, the Government had
enough disciples of the Clay, Webster and
jackson school to rush to its rescue and
strike down the rebelious head and restore
the government of our fathers.
In regard to the 9th section, which de-
clares against reputation, Mr.. II. said he
mt of c11ob q