Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-30

There were considerable insinuatiOnf
and tt rea's pc nding the passage of the Con
7ention Bill and nfer the adjournment OF
the Legislature, OF great opposition in thu
Cont ranks to Convention if tht
Legisle ture by ma ority vote should sub
NIT the question to tie PIT ople. The manner
of eminent gentlemen were paraded betor
the publ C, and their opposition was held
n te7TOrena o yer those who favored the
movement. Unte1rifed. however, the bill
was passed, aid the question is to be sub
mitted to the people in August for theiI
ratification or rejection.
The canvass has now fairly opened. The
most eminent gentlemen in the State,
many of whom have ha d little or nothing
to do with politics since tho war, and come
who are diAfranchised from holding Office
und+r the Constitution of the Unite S atee,
are taking an active part in the discussions
i'll favor of the call-while not q few are cam
didates for the Convention. Indeed,
should the Convention assemble, it will he
much the ablest body which has met in
North Carolina since the close of the war
In the meantime, one by one, those who
were claimed as opposed to Convention,
have openly denied any such opposition,
and stated their prrpose to canvass in it's
favor and in one Instance at least, C0lon-l
BENNETT. Of Arson, is o candidate for
Convention. To day we cannot recall
single Democrat or Conservative OF any
general reputation, who opposes Conven
ton, if we may except Mr.. j. E. Moore,
of Martin, q young gentleman Of worth
represented his county in the Senate and
Hou>e with credit. There may be others
whom we cannot now remember Two
papers. the Salisbury Old North STATE end
the Raleigh Telegram, anti Radical, are
battling manfully against Convention, bnt
If they have any supporters outside of the
Radical ranks, we do not know it. We
trust, at least, that in this departure
they have none.
On tie oiher hand, several Republicans
Of prominence and influence in different
portions of the State, have openly declared
In favor OF Convention. Among others,
Mr.. L. o. Moore, of Craven, one of the
Radical S. majors in the present Legisla-
ture, among the ables5, as he was the most
pronounced Republi an in that body, has
declared in public speech that he would
vote for Convention. He said that several /
Republicans in the Legislature were in
favor of the bill, but that party caucus
whipped in the dissenting members and
compelled them to vote against their con-
victiona. At the same meeting, Dr.. NJ.
F. Arrendell and Jennings Piggott, both
long connected with political contests in
this State, and for many years Senator
from Cartaret county, announced their
purpose to vote for Convention.
10 Robeson, ex-senator Hayes. promi-
nent Radical, and we believe others, have
come out in favor of Convention. From |
the West we hear of several leading local
Radical politicians who are open in their
advocacy of Convention, and that section
is represented as about unanimous for it.
We do not believe that it will be made
party q1estion IN many counties OF the
State, but tie contest will rather be over
the election for delegates. Conservatives
and Republicans. rich and poor, white and
black, all alike, arc Cypress ed W th the bur
dens which our pr, sent constitution imposes
upon them. All parties are equal interest
ed in saving the State from ruin which the !
present expensive government will lnevi- |
tably bring upon her. Reformation is as
much needed by the laborer as by the en-
ployer. The poor suffer proportionately
as much as their more prosperous neigh
bors. The blacks bear the burdens no |
mo- graciously than than do the whites. |
From all q 1arters, from all classes of peo-
for judicial probity and learning, for peace
and order. for renewed prosperity, comes
Nothing can check these appeals. They
will continue to be made in louder tones |
until the evils under which the people suf- |
fer are corrected.
Everywhere the best men in the State I
are being brought forward, and the Con-
vention when it assemblies Will bs con-
troled by men who will not only |
know the wants of the whole people, but
who have the wisdom, frmness, honesty
and capacity to give US Constitution
which will be consistent with those wants.
and not in conflict with the laws of the /
country. The people demand the change,
thsie neces sites require it, and politicians
whose personal interests are in conflict
Herewith. will be cast aside rs hardly
worthy OF notice in contest of such vast
moment. The Office holders have rsade
good thing of it-many have grown rich
many, too many by dishonest practices.
But fneir time is limited. The end of their
official existence draws nigh. The neonle
have been robbed long enough. Thev |
now demand that it shall cease, and thew
Intend to be heard and needed