Wilmington journal., 1871-01-13
BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT CON
! CERHING A CONvENTION OF THE

BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT CON
CERNING A CONvENTION OF THE
PEOPLE. -s-.
WHEREAS. The present Constitution of
North Carolina Is, in many respects, bur
deas0nae and oppressive to the people of
the State, and some of the provisions ILL
adapted to the aUdnts and condition of the
people. ---.f.
And Whereas, the tq9eS required by said
Constitution to be levied upon the citizens
of the State by this General Assembly,
are. In the judgment of this General AS
sembly, too burdensom,e to be borne by the
sax payers of the State, and cnnuot be COL
Iected without effecting the ruin of the
best Interests OF al our people.
And Whereas. For the reasons here set
forth. and many others in the Judgment
OF this General Assembly, said Consttu-
ton requires such amendments and alter
atlons as will 9ire TO our people the relief
demanded by them from their present HedUu
burdens. which can only be Immediately and
!udicially effected by Convention Of the
people.
And Whereas, This General Assembly.
in matters of such grave import. is reluct-
ant to undertake any change in the fuuda-
mental law of the State without the sense
ernment, ali sovereignty Tesidea, being
6lst ascertained; therefore,
Section l. The General Assemblv of
North Carolina do enact, That upon the
passage of this act the Governor of the
State be, and he is hereby, required to is
sue proclamation commanding the Sher.
ifs of the respective counties in
the State TO open polls at the
several places of holding cleo.
tons in said counties on first Thursday in
March, A. d. 1871, where and when all
persons qualified to vote for members of
the General Assembly may vote for or
against a State Convention, under the
restrictions hereinafter provided for those
who wish Convention voting with print
ed or written ticket, " C0nuentiOn," and
those who do not wish such Convention
voting in the same way, "No Conuention -
also to open separate polls at the said time
and places. for the election of delegates to
the Convention to be assembled in the
city OF Raleigh at such time as is herein
after provided for, said polls to be super
intended by two judges. or inspectors, at
each Of said places OF holding the election, !,
to be appointed by the Commissioners of
said counties respectively, and an officer
appointed by the Sheriff of the county,
each of whom shall be sworn faithfully
and imp partially to conduct said election
according to law.
Sec. ,. That it shall be the duty of said
judges or inspectors, Immediately after
the closing OF the polls, TO count
of such electors as may desire to be
pres ent, and make out a correct statement
under their hands of the polls at their re-
spective places Of holding said election,
which shall be sealed up and returned to
the commissioners of their respective
ounties by II o'clock on Saturday after
aid day of election; Procided, the couu-
ties of Carteret, Dle and Hyde shall be
allowed until Tuesday after the election to
make their returns; and said commission
els Tor any two of them, in the presence
of five or more Of the citizens of said
county, shall compare said returns at the
Court House. or other place of holding
court in their respective counties, and
make duplicate statements of said returns,
sworn to before some person authorized
to administer Oaths, one copy of which
shall be deposited i'll the Office of the
Register of Deeds of the county, and the
other copy transmitted to the Governor of
the State, at Raleigh, under the same rules
and regulations, and under the same penal
ties, as are prescribed in tho case of the
returns of the vote for electors of Presi-
dent and Vice President, as now provided
4
Sec. 3. That it shall be the duty of the
Governor, as soon as he shall have re-
ceived said returns, hot later than the Oath
day of March, A. d. 1871, In the pres
ence of the Secretary of State. Public
Treasurer and Attorney General of the
State, 10 compare the number Of votes for
and against Convention and if it shall
appear that a majority of the votes polied
are IN favor of Convention, be shall
T. ~ In
manner AZ he may think proper, sum-
moning the delegates elected to taid Con
venslon as aforesaid, to convene in Raleig gh
on the Sd Monday in April, A. ID. 1871,
but if a ma jority of the votes pOlled age
against Convention, the Governor shall
in like manner issue proclamation of that
fact.
Sec. 4. That the election for dele
gates as aforesaid, shall be held with
open doors, in the presence of the
electors assembled, and conducted In
members of the General Assembly.
aud the vote shall be counted, the scrolls
compared, the result proclaimed, and certi
f1cates issued in the same manner, as now
prescribed by law, for members of the
House of Representatives.
Sec. s. That the inspectors of election
mentioned in section 1st of this act, shall
be appointed by the commissioners Of each
county respectively, at a meeting to be
held on the first Monday in February, 1871,
and said commissioners shall at the same
time, appoint registrar of voters, for
eacn voting precinct or township, whose
duty it shall be to revise the existing regis
tration books of his precinct or township,
in such manner, that said books shall show
an accurate list of all electors previously
registered in such precinct or township,
and still residing therein, without requir-
ing such electors to be registered anew
and such registrar shall also at all times,
after his appointment, up to, and on
the day of election aforesaid keep
open said books, and shall be at the
polls on said day, with said books for the
registration of any electors residing in
such precinct or township, and entitled to
registration, whose names have never
before been registered in such precinct or
township, or do not appear on the revised
list no certificates of registration shall
be given, and no elector shall be entitled
to register or to vote, in any other pre-
cinct or township. than the one in which