Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-11-06
VIEWS E-i'DS EEss. CGNyEN-
EstsN t;gs.Sss<s

Ts.sN t:s's,ssG'iss-s.
The feeling il favor of Convention
is cropping out in aImoategery portion
Of the STAT that va have heaIl from
SO apparent Is ibis indeed, that friend
and ioa alike sre and admit il. Where.
ever tie question has been fairly and
can,liiIy discussc1. th2 paop'e demand
q Convention.
We propose - contiuu, the fight
untll the matter shall be decided by
the Legislature IN one way or tie
other. We intend thai il defeat shall
c-aoo t. ths Conservative party il 1876
h-cauSe II it's want of nerve and a
l4.!u.e 10 perform its duty in 1874 in
tie matter Of the Convention, the
blame therefor sAall not rest upon
Tie 1oUnSAL
We havo the pionst,se Of laying
before ouc readers This morning. q
convincing letter from the Hon. JoiIN
MENaIaG Of Chatham. Our readers
VIII bear in mind that Chatham is one
oI tho counties that certain persons
have assumed viii bc lukewarm in the
Convention cause if not hostile to it.
The following are the interrogatories
referred to in Mr. MANSIHo's letter,
viz:
1st. DO you Think the best interests
OF the peop,e of North Carolina re-
quire their Constitution, tho "Canby
Constitution so-caIlel, to ha mater
ally anI = ce;liiy amended .
-. Ii, in Your opinion, material
changes in the Constitution ought to
be speedily llaje, which mode of max
ing those changes. do YOU think the
best interests Of the people OF North
Carolina demand should De adopted,
that by Legislative enactment or that
BY CONVENTION
II. The ConseIyu;ive-D Democratic
party having an uElvubteti two-thirds
vote III each House Of tie General
Assembly, what 90 you think is the
duty cf that party IN reference 10 the
cal II Il Convention by the Legisla-
ture at its approaching session for the
purpose OF amending the Constitution?
1R. MAN>ITG's LETTER.
pITTsBoKo', y. &. Oct. 23d 1874.
HcysrS. EaGcIhard & ,Stu5tdc1S:
To the first interrogator7 contained
in your favor of the 18th inst, reply:
Fiat the present COEstitution, was
adopted at time when large num-
Der, estimated by some as high as
Fl, 900, Of the most active and promi-
nent citizens of our State, were denied
the privlledga Of voting. 1t was
framed by men. for the most part, of
veIy little experience IL political af
falrs, and still less acquaintance with
our condition and wants. The Con
veution which made it, assembled at
a time most inauspicious for the or
ganization Of "a settl. form Of govern
meat. We were in the midst of "sea
"perplexel IN thee xtreme," "
by the difficulties and embarrassmen:s |
OF our changed relations, and impov |
erished condition; reduced almost to |
despair by a contiscatIon of three |
fourths of oar entire property, and |
crlbbed, coffined, confined, by a mill
tary surveillance.
Ii would have been miracle if the |
of 1868, or any other body !
Of men called together at that time, |
had formed constitution, that in the !
course OF six years should not need |
to be materially ard speedily amended. |
Many CT the changes made by this |
in our laws, were not the |
result OF our altered relations or for !
tunes, had not grown upon us by de- |
grces, nor were they felt to be q com |
mon want, but they came upon us with |
the suGderncss and after the tortuous |
Of a boomerang, and Were en- |
liured, rather than sanctioned by n |
people drsirou5 OF having q ci;;l gov |
ernmeIt OF some sort, and ardently
longing to be rid of military rule aud |
81 II 9rai orders.
Many Of those even, who vo;el I'M
der such influences to ratify the con-
stitution, looked forward to It's speedy
and certainly those who
voted against it, and the forty thou
sand disfranchised citizens did not
cherish any PARTICULAR affection for the
instrument; SO l think we may safely
that the constitution neverre
caived tho free, uutrammeled approval
of majority of The people who were
to be subject to it. and were it ever SO
perfect, it is wanting in the vital es-
sence of a free constitution, VIZ: The
consent of the governed.
II would not be pertinent to your
question to discuss or suggest any par
ticular amendments, nor Is it necessa-
w, for | have an abiding trust and
confidence in the integrity and good
sense of the people, and believe that
the nature and character of the amend
1nents may be safely left to the dis
tiGgUished gentlemenupo whom their
fellow citizens will devolve this impor-
tant trust, and with the remark that il
c0Dgenial constitution aud whole-
some laws tend to promote the general
welfare, the sooner We get them the
better Is viii he for the best interests
OF the people. I pass to your eecond
iuterrogatory.
[ have no hesitation il declaring mE
preference for convention.
1st. It costs less and is more eI-
peditious.
2nd. We are more apt to get con
sistent, homogeneous constitution,
9. It will secure us the benefit the
best tai Mt Of the Sta'e, for 1t will be
composed Of men elected on account
Of their special fitness.
-tth. It is walking in the old paths.
Having answered your first and second
iuterrogatio0s as above, M answer to
your third follows as Il matter OF
course. The Democratic Coneerya-
tive party, has the requisite majority
10 call Il Convention, ard il cannot es-
cape the responsibility. Ii VIC refuse
10 call n Convention, We must do so
either because We apprehend that the
people of the State think better OF the
Constitution than we do, or else we
underestimate the intelligence OF the
people, anl ovtreetimata the Influence
OF deInagoguee.
Ii the people are satisfied with the
Constitution as it i. then there j. an
end of the Convention and of all the
amendments; bpt il We believe as [ DO.
that they are not, but that many aud
important chang. are not only desira-
b!e, but neces ary, the Democratic
Conservative party must not be deter
red from doing right because had men