Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-01

d when the sons of our soil are called upc
D to defend our rights On tbs battle field, S
t in time of peace he is welcome to all III
s immunities, privileges and franchises whic
] his valor secured. [ therefore warn So
t not to place the ballot box beyond tn
} reach of any Of cur people who are right
fully entitled 20 it. Throw no trouble
some obstacles il their way. Give then
no just cause to complain of opposition
j rights, but ala and encourage them in al
their efforts to discharge their duties al
| becomes freemen. In order to accomplish
this end L lhiak it necessary to amend thl
Law now in force, SO that the elector may
have the right to derosit his ballot at cry
election precinct in his county. There il
no good reason Why he shall be restricted d
| to the township in which he reeides. Ii
often happens, under our present system,
that voter is forced to travel much
| g eater distance to reach polling place in
feals own township than he would be to one
| IN an adjoining township. [ am also Of
! opinion that registration ought not TO be
allowed on tie day CT election, and that
no voter should be challenged except at
/ the time of registration, and 1t should be
| the sworn duty OF every registrar to chal-
| lenge every one who applies TO be enrol
| Jed as g voter, unless he knows of his own
knowledge that be is legally entitled 10 be
enrolled. Many persons have been pre-
vented from exercising the right Of suf-
frage by reason Of evil minded persons
challenging their right on frivolous
grouncs. 50 as 20 consume the time within
which the polls are to be kept open. This
evil should be remedied, and I know Of no
other way in which it can ba done unles SIS
1t be by extending the time of voting
throughout two days instead of ono. The
!aW should also provide that voter may
deposit all his balIO;s in the same box iu-
stead OF requiring a multiplicity of boxes
to receive The various ballots for the diff
feroDt officers 10 be voted for. 1t is O nOto.
riOua aud 10 mented fact that large number
Of the electors in North Carolina, of
both c2lOrs, are uneducated and rot able
10 read, AID nnder the present system of
V0ipG, where per6OLs ara required TO vote
by ballot, and to have separate ballot for
every person voted for, many of the tickets
necessarily find their way into the wrong
box and are discarded as blanks, and thus
the Vo:er Is by law cheated out of his
choice. 1 take it for granted that every
laW-maker is not only willing, but is desi-
roUs, that every mon entitled to vote shall
exercise the privilege, and shall have every
facility for exercising it. and that it will be
the aim Of this General Assembly to amend
the law npon this subject so that the evils
and difficulties above enumerated may be
remedied and avoided. 1t may be said
that frauds will be perpetrated more read
lily If persons are permitted TO vote in
tOwuGhIps other than the ones in which
they reside. In reply to this objection, it
Is only necessary to refer to the former
method of voting in North Carolina, under
which there were few frauds perpetrated,
and seldom a complaint made. And now,
with the additional safeguard of regietra-
UyIl "a a m
one not qualified to avoid detection in an
attempt 10 vote illegally. II. however, any
one shall succeed in eluding the vigilance
of the poll-holders and vote when he has
no legal right to do Sc, then let the severest
penalties ot the law be visited upon the
offender aud in order to deter every one
from the commission of this offence, I
recommend the General Assembly to sub
ject any ono convicted of wilfnIIy and
knowingly casting an illegal vote at any
election, to puniehment for at Least two
years il the States prison and depriva-
ton Of the right Of suffrage for term of
years thereafter. The purity and inviola-
biity OF the ballot box must be preserved;
and he who is 50 corrupt as wiliul!y to in-
wade and prostitute it. should be made to
know that he will be held to a strict and
fearful accountability.
OoNsTITUIIoNAL AMENDMENTS.
The subject of amending the constitu-
ton has been agltated for some time be-
fore the people, and many we'll informed
persons differ among themselves as to what
amendments shall or ought to be made
[ am free to confess, gentlemen, that
feel very great reluctance to make any
TT concentrations to you upon tho subject,
although my individual opinion is that the
instrument may be very materially i'm
proved III some of its provisions. The
question of calling Convention for the
purpose Of reviawIng and amending il, has
recently been before the people them
selves. and by q large vote and in an en-
pha:ic manner thty declared against
i amending it. at least ia that way. II may
b3 that they believed the clamor raised for
Il laDge ia :L5 organic law was due more
t. legislation ucder the constitution than
to any defects in the constitution itself,
aad tbat tue greater portion OF the griev
ancea omplained Of might and should be
removed. or renledied by prudent legisla-
ton. IN this opinion Z heartily concur
The constitution is rot to blame fer the
high salaries and fees paid to various State
and county cfli3ere; neither is it censurable
for the great length Of time consumed by
thB present and preceding Gensral
assembly IN enact!ng iaHs; nor can it be
held responsible fer the extra7agant ap-
works Of Improvement. There is nothing
in said instrument which fixes salaries and
fees, CT presclibes the length Of Jour ses-
sic rs, or which directs the lavish appropri-
ations Of money. All has Is done by per-
sons chosen by the people themselves to
be their law makers, and 1pon these law
makers, who have been f4ith!ess to the
trusts c0nided 10 them, and not upon the |
Constitution, should be visited the con-
demnation OF their constituents. They
are the parties TO be held responsible for
a betrayal OF the peoplo's confdence.-
UDfa1hfnl stewards. who have not i'm
proved the talents committed to their
keeping, they should be reekOned as un-
profitable servants and no longer worthy
of public confidence. Then entreat you
to retrAce any false step which may have
been taken. BE diligent in the discharge
of your legislative duties. Waste no time
in useless legislation; go to work without
unnecessary delay; enter at once upon the
public business. and bring your labors to
a close at the earliest possible moment
with the TtnhIio r,co5