The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-03-11
Proceedings of the Convention.
EVENING SESSION.

WEDNESDAY, March 4th, 1868.
The Convention was called to order at u
o'clock, President Cowies in the chair
The rnll was called and rs members an
swered to their names.
Mr. Rich, chairman of the committee on
immigration, called up the ordinance.
He said the subject had been lingering
long enough before the Convention. Person
aIly, he had no interest IN 1t. He wished
the Convention to take action. He called
the previous question Sustained.
The question required on Mr.. Gamblers
substitute Lost, yeas 81, nays 81.
The ordinance was then pnt, the yeas and
nays called, and it was lost-yeas, 80;
nays, Gg..a.s Ez-- - 31cI3 Il -
Mr. Tourgee moved the reconsideration of
the relief ordinance passed last evening
He said it had been hurried through with
out due consideration. Its provisions were
long and intricate He was surprised last
evening to hear the admission that this or
dinance projected the landed class. He
could conceive 10 one measure so injurious.
Nr. Legg-what Class calls to us for re-
lief7 81
Mr. Tourgee-that depends on what you
call'relief.
Mr. Legg-it is the middle classes that
calls TO US for relief.
III Tourgee-FeS, sir but this ordinance
protects the upper crust-the fifteen hun
tret, men who OWE two-thirds of the soil of
this State. they ARE i'll debt and the effect
OF this ordiHanc, is to prevent these lands
coming INTO market.
Air. Hand-wii not this ordinance pre-
vcr the Poor people from ever getting laud2
Mr.. T"GTgee Yes. sir, for ten years, and
that had I've as well as forever. So long
az man has the power to pay lie does not
neeCj relief. He did claim that every man
had right to enough property to give his
fanHya frugal support. Then the balance
must go to pay. To his mind that was re-
lief. But this ordinance allows the lands to
beheld1in speculation by the rich. Who
are the creditors of these men2 The middle
ciasscs who have placed their few dollars in
trust with the rich. For one man protected
by this ordinance. FIVE will be impoverished.
Mr Ragiand-are you not willing to trust
this ordinance, to the peoples
Mr.. Tourgee-yes, sir. But in New-Yor
law had been submitted 10 the people and
ratified, which the Supreme Court declared
invalid
Mr. Raglantl-I am willing to trust the
people
Mr. Tonrsee-tilis ordinance is trap and
snare Il Is Tor the relief of the aristocra-
cy and not II the people of North-Carolina.
Now. VIC are commanded 70 send this con-
stjiutien /" the people; but ii We send
This ordinance hack to the people. We will
invai,!ate IL N0x We have powers which
We Cannot delegate 10 any one. If We at
- i
lie held that this ordinance was repudi-
atory. He had never advocated that. This
act makes no provision for the collection
of interest sitter January 1868. Now if
debt is valid. the interest is equally sacred
and holy. Nov if the Convention DESTROYS
the interest, the principle of the repudia-
tion od the principal is established. He
took this opportunity TO mark those who
voted tor the ordinance. as regulators.
He held that this ordinance was a legal
labarvnth, without a clue to escape-the
greatest nest-egg of lawsuits ever laid.
he hoped relief would he given to those
who really deserved it. This act protected
the iaHaed ar;stocracg. That was not the
character Of relief prayed for. 1t was hack
ing the throat OF the Republic with little
cleayer. He held that after frugal living
was given to mari We must make him
part with the balalc OF his property to pay
his debts, or We are thieYes and robbers.
Tie held that the fingers which had fixed
Itself on the vitals of the country, should
be forever removed. He remembered when
be had seen the gray he'd of his friend (Mr.
Dickey) over the way, in one of the prison
pens OF the defunct Contederacy The pow
er that cent him there, for many weary
miles and days, was the aristocracy of the
South. We must kill that serpent or it will
Kill US. For one he would never yield or
compromise with it. [Applause.
mr. King Of Lenoir expressed his utter
detestati0D Of this ordinance 1t oppressed
the poor. 1t was &c post ,fiactal. 1t cannot
be for the poor, for those who retain it now
wall not part with it. He had lands LET out
to the poor, but few Others did it. If this
b!!! WAS meant to do Justice, why not say
that the creditor should have executed an
instrument, yearly, certain of giving him
portion of his duel Step by step the repu-
diatorS are advancing. He held that if this
were put to the people, those who were in
terested should not be allowed to vote
Why submit this to- the people2 Not one
man IN five was interested in this ordinance.
yet gentlemen hoped that that those who
were. would be able to influence the Others.
de said let justice be done. Why this cry
OF put 1t to the peoplel Not halt the peo-
pie had what was SLOWED them by law.
now.
Mi. Hood said he could not understand
why any man really in favor of relieving the
tniling masses, had voted for this ordinance.
this was all ordinance for the enrichment
OF lawyers, and those who now hold lands,
and for the enslavement Of the poor The
effect OF this ordinance will be to give the
rich power TO say vote with me- or leave
tins state" Formerly the laws had been
made for the few. Even now poor men beg
at the doors OF those who owe them In
stead OF being an ordinance for the relief of
the poor, it was tor the benefit of the rich
people.
lfr. Rich said he vas willing to see the
ordinance recoasiderea, hut hoped the house
would not press the ordinance to a vote in
Difference to the introducer Mr. Rodmap.
Mr.. Graham, of Orange, said that when
the ordinance wac up, he had offered sub.
stitute. With due Difference to the house
he thought the suhstitite would Ire raore
just. Now he could not understand how it
was just that banks could be sued on their
notes. when they were not allowed to collect
anything due them. In another section
there Was much verbiage. If this ordinance
vas recons!dered, he would move his subst; .
tute. He did not favor retrospective home.
steads, and thought them snare. He was
in favor of practical relief, but was of opin-
ion that it could be reached by changing the
remedy. In his opinion, this ordinance
would not stand the test The ordinance of
~,