The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-12-28

of the financial evils mentioned.
On motion of Mr.. Sparrow, the House
agreed to hold night session, beginning at
u o'clock. .... f.-.. 4. ,-.s.-e .rf4 r,a..
The House then adjourned. -..,... 50.
.... HOUSE.
NIGHT SESSION. a q
Wednesday, Dec. 81, 1870.
The House me. at II o'clock.
Mr. Robinson IN the chair.
The unfinished business of the morning;
was resumed; viz: consideration of the
convention bill. iCe sI1 5f4Et 4.fjl (
The question being on the adoption Of the
amendment offered by Mr.. Anderson, the
same was was rejected. SrsJG{:0
Mr.. Houston moved to amend the 18th
section of the bill 10y adding the following
words: THAT said convention shall ordaln as
the constitution of this State the constitution
of North Carolina as it was on the 10Th May,
1861, with such additions thereto of the ex
sting constitution of N c. as are forbidden
to- be interfered with by the foregoing re-
strictions; that said convention shall make
said constitution of 1861, so revised, con-
form to each, every and all the restrictions
| in this bill, and shall make said consti-
| tuition of 1861, so further revised, conform
| in all its parts to the constitution OF the
| United States as now amended, but no such
revised constitution shall, have any force or
validity untilthe same shall have been sat
isied by majority OF qualified voters of the
State, to whom the same shall be submitted
according to the mode to be prescribed by
ordinance of said convention. Verbatim.]
i MIR. Houston thought that there were no
provisions in the bill, as proposed, project
ing the rights of white people 1t wassal-
together in favor of the white men. We
have guarantee that the present township
system shall be aboshed-that the old
county courts will lie restored-that the
number of Judges of the Supreme court
will be lessened That is all.
Mr.. Fletcher spoke of Convention of 1885,
which deprived the so-claled J. freeman
of his rights. That convention deprived the
colored man of the privilege to vote. He
would like to vote for general amnesty to-
, day, because he had been a slave, and knew
the sweetness of freedom; but he was very
| much afraid that the spirit of magDanamity
| &C., would be ill-spent if lavished on the
men who now propose to call Convention
r Mr. Tucker thought that the bill to cal
: a Convention ought to be read as pre-
e sented, but should be read ".backwards.
f For instance the bill declares that the Home
. stead provision shall not be interfered with
Y and that the loss to slave-owners by enamel
r patton shall not be paid. Read the bill
O '6acbloards." and you will see that these pro
It visions mean just exactly what they do no
/; say.
n The amendment offered by Mr.. Houston
: was then rejected.
J. The bill being on its second reading, q
Il Mr.. Phillips spoke at length. He had ia
v ken no part in amending the bill, and d.
l. not propose to offer any amendment. 81
O wanted the friends of the bill to arrange
IS to suit themselves; they could not make
n palatable to him, no matter how they ffxe
= it. He objected to the form of the bill an
to The general scope OF the objects in view
l. The Legislature has clearly no right to ca
,e convention or to submit the question t
,r the people unless by tpo-thirds cote of a
the members of the General Assembly. ]
" 1884 atwo-thrds vote was required Of an
re observed by the Legislature in calling tt
lie convention for 1885. At that time nnetee
l. old Wings split from their party and vote
d Tor the amendment to the convention bi
a then pending; which required two-thirt
vote. The question of calling csnventic
10 is no longer originate is question
II precedence. a.,
Q. Mr.. Johnston, of Buncombe-Was not Il
lie convention question in 1855 section
Id affair? o.,
of MR.. PH1LL1ps. that time the Dem
s. Gratis all voted together, and the Viii
split How could that be sectional que
O. ton ? Judge Mitchell. of the West, at tb
| $50
Is revolutionary. Mr.. Mitchell and MIR. As
o. agreed in their views then. | tell yo
e. gentlemen, the good people of North CaI
he lima have reason to be apprehensive
W trouble when you propose to call Conve
ton as you do now. As to the Il" restri
c tons" you speak of, they will amount
at nothing. The Convention of 1885 went
in beyond its charter, and that was restrict
~. Convention AS to the OATH embodied
the bill under consideration, which me-
"a bers OF the Convention would be required
X. take, Iwould not give the snap of my Fl
gers for tit isn't worth that much. wi
nd to be understood on this point. ha
on reverence for an oath properly understo
of and honestly taken.
Mr.. Sparrow Couldn't the gentlcm
ed trust the honesty of the members of |
'at Convention, when they shall have taken
ed oath mentioned2 -la' t'te
Ier Mr.. PHILLIPS: Gentlemen, I tell you
nd can't trust any body of men whose mil
he are strongly biased. will not put cor
he dence in any body oflmen who leap into
ON political arena heated by passion and b
he tired. The whole history of human lihe
! is full of proofs of the danger of relying
No. "oaths." Your reasons Tor wanting Ct
re ysntion are not as plainly told the people
m. they might be. If your plans are carried
ale you will remove the Judges now on the
preme Court bench, and soon after that til
re- will be no homestead laU lett for the peol