The enquirer southerner., 1874-10-23

ten by Judge Manly to the Wilc
mington Journal. Judge Manly's
recognized ability, his state pride
and patriotism and his devotion and
loyalty to the cause of his political
party, should entitle his views to
careful and respectful consideration.
It is not to be presumed that he
would risk the veal Of his State on
a fancy or advocate any policy that
was not, in his opinion at least, wise
and safe.
NEwBERN, Oct 1st, 1874.
GENTLEMEN While disclaim for my
opinion all significance above those OF my
tellow-men, the emergency is believed to be
sufficiently grave to demand an answer from
every one to the questions you put. 1t IS,
therefore, from sense of duty as we'll as
| from courtesy that 1 reply to your letter OF
| the 29th ult.
l. The Constitution ought, in my judg-
ment, TO be amended in many material re-
-,
| despensibly preliminary to useful legislation.
| There is no person ia the State, it seems to
me. who has the sense 10 form a judgment
upon the subject at all, and who at the same
time, is capable of freeing himself from the
blindrg effects of prejudice and self interest,
who does not understand and acknowledge
Athis. Many of lis provisions are foreign to
tour habits and modes of life, unsuited to the
condition of our people, cuu!brous and ex-
bensive. 1t tainted with an arrogant use
of MOI al platitudes aEd exhOrtatiors, as un-
| Ineligible or absurd i'll parts, and has many
matters crystalzed into constitutional law
which belong to the evanesceEt and change
able ideas of the day and ought to have
been left to tAe domain of ordinary legisla-
| ton.
This being the char acter of:he institution
under which we are now attempting to con.
duct public affairs, l can conceive OF no
| sound reason, should there be strength
enough in the two Houses of Assembly TO
change it, why we should not reform and
make it harmonic with our wishes. r. F
2. OF the two modes Of amendment, that
by a Convention of delegates from the peo-
pie, is the only one which meets our need.
The mode by acts of successive Assemblies
is dilatory, and is, indeed, hardly practicable.
| where many amendments are required
Such mode is appropriate only when a sim
gle amendment ia wanted, or at most few
With defects and blemishes interviewer in
every part, as in our case, it requires a
council, sitting together. and freely inter
changing views, to eliminate them thorough
" and leave the law ia consistent state
Ii is not possible to inform people in theiI
neighborhood meetings Of the intended sense
of variety of amendments, of their rela-
tons teach other, and of their general effect
upon the whole. The experience of man
kind has shown that in such cases, full IN
derstandDg and complete and satisfactory
work can only be done by persons acting
collectively. (colleeiaiter) The force O
the objection to legislative amendment, vii
be palmer when you consider that each
amendment must be in separate bill il
nrder to avoid the risk OF losing the whole
by the failure On the part OF the second leg
islature to pass the bill identical ia all it
parts, that vas proposed by the first.
question is made as to the validity of tht
amendments of August 1873 upon the GROUND
above indicated, which is LOW pending VI
are informed in tho Supreme Court OF tn,
State. A Convention is the only adequate
remedy for the intolrrable political evil
that beset US and the sooner it is called tht
better
8 Premi.ing all proper respecs ana dc
ference to the approaching Gauer@i Assem-
hly. and 7e!yin1 upon their better jpicmHn
, for wise and patriotic action in the premises
| proceed To answer YOU third inte:oCa;o
~. If the requisite number in each HonS'
concur as TO the necessity OF Cnpyentio
| see no reason why il should not be calle'
The experience of the pas. few years con
vinces me that that legislation in NortI
, Carolina to any God end must be cripp'a aC
and inefficient as long as the constitution
rumains as it is. We are passing contin
ually from bad to worse. We are encum
bered with public debt that must ntimatel,
crush us, unless something be done. Th
opportunity for selfish and unprinciplet
demago2uss still further to cucumber ant
plunder us is afforded by the laws ,as the,
now stand; and these must be changed
> The risk of losing the present majorities, i
such risk would be incurred by actor
(Which l DO not beleve) is insignificant
compared with the great benefits to b.
derived from tie amendments proposed
The evil would be of trif1ing import, tenn
porary in its nature, and reparabe at III.
ba.lot-box; the good great, permanent, an(
Alasting probably for allstime to cone. The
summer elections prove wide spread op
position TO the existing order of things.
Twas popular upheaval under the chaiugs
Iof the laws and the expressions and impov
Ierishment Incidental to their administration
! The people had honestly eG,.cavOred to &C
commodate themselves to the harness tha
had been invented for them, but Hithou
success. They had turned from side to side
for relief, but found none. No longer able
TO bear it, using the power still happily lef
in them by the laws, they now send to the
Assembly the suggestive number of two
thirds of Conservative Democrats opposed
to these laws and TO this rule. This is The
way Interpret the elections of tie summer
Il the work of changing the Constitu ioI
Is not done this winter it Will amount to ar
iudefi1it" postponement. 1. will be con
fcssion or the part of the Conservative parts
that it is powerless for good, and the gooC
sense of constituents will at occe call fo
lis dissolution. i two thirds majority is &
rare providence in the history OF parties in
free governments. II We fail to avail our
selves OF it 10 accomplish an acknow!e !edged
Necessary good it would argns an indif
ference to The future Of our StItc uuwolth,
Of fuPaI .pR
The ohjact'n1 , q CouveH'ion arising
from apprehension, that Certain fea;uras il
tbe Constitution, 2s il :.0w stands might i,
iHiar!"rc1 SIth could he 0bv:dted in the
organic law q tie Assembly BY calling
restricted Convention. Az 4 C1n7antiDl
c.l. only be Legally Constituted upon a cal
ri the L"4Istot are, it tUl..vS that any con
.antjoa ass ubiIng without C j. or actili2
outside II the call. would ue ravoluti"aaiy
an' not constitutional. The C""reHtios