Wilmington journal., 1872-01-19

hE AOAo" LIZ 10 e4<C Viii 4OSSAty AAANAC~
duced by Colonel Waddel, into the House
of Representatives, for building new post
office and United States District Court
room in this city
Toprocide ,tor building for The use Of the |
post-ofice and United States District |
Court at Wilmington, n. C. /
Be IL enacted by the Senate and House !
Of Representatives of the the United States |
of America Sa Congress assembled, That !
the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he Is !.
hereby, authorized and directed to cause !
to be constructed suitable building, fire.
proof at Wilmington, North Carolina, for
! the accommodation Of the post-ofice and
United States District Court !: and for this
purpose there is hereby appropriated, out Of |
any money In the Treasury not otherwise
! appropriated, the sum of one hundred
thousand dollars, 10 be expended under the
direction Of the Secretary Of the Treasury,
who shall cause proper plans and estimates
to be made, so that no expenditure shall be
made or authorized for the full completion
of said building and payment for the site
thereof beyond the amount herein apprO-
priated: Pr0uided, That no money hereby
appropriated shall be used or applied for
the purposes mentioned until valid title
to the land for the site Of said building shall
be vested in the United States, nor until tie
State shall duly release and relinquish to
he United States the right to tax,or in any
way assess, said site or the property Of the
United States that may be theron during
the time that the United States shall be the
owner thereof.
CUMULATIVE hCFFRAGE.-Thefo follow
ing is the Report, made by Mr.. Ashe, from
the judiciary Committee, on the subject of
cumulative suffrage, in reference to the
House bill to confer that right upon the
citizens Of Wilmington. In municipal cleo
items
REPORT OF JUDICIARY COMMITTEES On
, HOUSE BILL Two HUNDRED AND
THIRTY-TwO.
The Judiciary committee, to whom was
l referred House Bill 232, respectfully recon-
' mend its passage. They desire to submit
some Of their reasons for this recommends
ton.
: The general law in reference 30 Iegisla-
8 tive control over cities is, That the crea-
d ton of municipal corporations does not de-
/ prive the Legislature of complete control OF
their citizens it has still power to amend
I their charters, enlarge or diminish their
= powers, overrule their action whenever
IS such action is deemed unwise, impolitic OF
!. unjust, and even to abolish them altogether
in the LEGISLATIVE DISCRETION. tool
en- C0nSt. Lin. y. 1872.
Il The Legislature has power to annul and
= revoke the charter of any city, and tn itt
:, discretion to establish some other means O
governing the city. And "if the Legisla
y ture should think proper in any case to as
a. sumo to itself these powers, We must sup
n pose it has been done because the local ad
ministration has proved imperfect and in
i' efficient, and regard for the general well
Hai,, hoa Il ,1a6o n oaloT >
This power has been exercised by the Leg
= islature of this and Of other States.
The Constitution requires, section 4, ar
10 ticle s: "It shall be the duty of the Genera
in Assembly to provide for the organization O
I'd cities, &c, &C.
:. This imposes a duty. 1t is suggeSte,
" that the administration of affairs in tn
lie city Of Wilmington requires some reforna
rd taxes for city purposes being excessive an
n burdensome. AS remedy we arc aske
to bestow upon the citizens Of that tow
the privilege Of cumulative or unreStricte
Is suffrage.
he The committee finds that there Is notl
IA ing in the Constitution Of North Carolinf
or in the Constitution of the United State
Il that prohibits this assembly from comply
ag ing with this request. And as the QueStio
tv of the adoption Of unrestricted suffrage
in in the election of United States officers ha
been investigated in Congress- we ava
Fe ourselves of the result of that investigatio
he for the information of this House. n
or Buckalew, from the select committee o
~. representative reform, (March 1869 in h
report advocating the introduction of - III
ur restricted suffrage first describes the rQr
m Gus modes OF frOtiag generally in use an
MS then adds 1.-THE unrestricted or free 20
=. obtains where the voter has assigned to hi
0A O number of votes equal TO the whole nun
on Der of persons to be elected, and is permi
ted to cast them according to bis own di
cretiOn and choice without legal restraint
He also uses the following language
Superiority Of the free vote.
In brief, the free, or unrestricted vote con
TO- binee the advantages Of other plans wit
on out their imperfeCtiOns, while it is not ope
prt to any strong objection peculiar 10 Itself
ng The free, or cumulative vote, or any lii
reform, may be introduced simply by Il
uy enactment of a statute
1T The United States Senate Commit,
re. urges its adoption az follows:
he ''Arguments for its adoption. The fir
Nh consideration to be taken into account is /
simplicity and convenience" 1t is easi
ne understood, convenient Of application, al
III, will readily adapt itself TO all new
IL changed conditions IF political society.
" It's conformity TO republican plint
''- Piles.
1T conformity with democratic principle
De and realizes more perfectly our ideas
no popular government. All electors will pa
lis. ticipate really in choosing representative
NY and all VII be represented IN fdct, No
'uS the beaten party choose nothing, unless
an be modification and are not represented
all An elected official is an antagoni
and not representa- i've of those who o
pose his election; bis opinions are oppose
Tor to theirs and their will he will not ex
=, cute"
lAe They add 1st, it is just. The unre
lty tricted or free vote should be permitted. b
.cn cause il is Just ut secures the elect oT fro
no the plIril of utter disfranchisement.7 "Ol
mass of voters will not vote down, defe
III or disfrahchiSe anotherInass. 1T will su
my stantially strike disfranchiselnent from o
he Giectoral system. 1t extends popular po7
;o,, er on principle Of equality, limits disfra
- chisement and provides the voter with ne
I'm essary facilities for the exercise Of his rig
of suffrage.
2dly. 1t will check corruption. The II
lbs restricted or free vote will greatly chez
nd corruption at elections. 1t will take aw;
ti the motive TO corrupt. and thus strike
effectual blow at the source of a great evi
3rdly. III the Southern States the fr
vote will now allay antagOnism of rae
Under it one race cannot vote down al
: disfranchise the other; each will obtain
cl4l 1ue share o. poEer without injustice 10 Il
'ar other, and there will be DO st rpIfg and co
in slant motive to struggle for the mastery.
A majority Of this committee (Cnit'
elx States Senate committee consisting large