Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-01-01
GOVERNOR GEsAasAM,S VIEWS
On EEsE CONVENTION CUES
'EkzkT

e morning to the publication of Cove
II nor GRAIIAAIs views in regard TO til
y Convention question. It will be see
3, from n rorusal of his letter that Go,
/ erncr GRAHAM is warmly in favor c
: the cal Of Convention by the pres
c eat Legislature, and the reasons tha
0 he gives therefor are simply unar
S swerable. It will be difficult we thin
' to persuade the people of North Car
I olna that Governor GRAHAM woul,
: advocate any rash i'll advised or in
$ expedient policy upon the Democrat
party. His well known caution, prI1
, dence ard sound Judgment utterl,
preclude any such possibility:
GOVERNOR GRAHAM's LETTER.
: HILLsBoKo, \. c.. Dec. 10, III.
r G'CNtIenCn:- Circumstances unnec
c5say to be detailed, have DELAYED
longer than desired, a reply to yours
OF tie Och instant, requesting my
views on the question OF calling 9
Convention to amend the Constitution
OF the State. After the most careful
consideration, L am fully persuaded
that Convention - necessary to con-
form :he Constitution to the interests.
habits, sentiments and tastes of the
people OK North Carolina.
Attachment to Constitutions in the
American States, has depended main
ly upon the circumstances in which
they were framed, the respect enter
tanned for the men who constructed
them, and the principles and regula-
tions OF the Instruments themselves.
Thus the Constitutions of tie revolu-
tlonary PERIOD, given to US by men
Who slSuaiized Their devotion to their
country as patriots and heroes, and
clnhodNIhg prlnclp,es and guards for
huhlaA safety ana hhpplness hurpass-
i,3 ai'y hH"Wn IN prior ages, were
clleftelicH WIZ i deep ana enduring
Hlitc.i'H- II Va n'iIJ after they were
ioAl'' /" i'aNe Pc" tiiF3ro~n by the
#dEa-cr re- ~ and growth OF the States,
tina. Ga Z" IL thcin was called for
| al ti-tcts Il Even then, III North
CaIoIInis, lni!oH:.olon5 We're made eau
tl0uojy ahd with sparlng hand, and
the work was entrusted to persons,
many OF tntih, 'ii"n, holding the highest
puplic trusts ana others endeared to
Che WHole people by long lives OF IL
|
| other changes would have been made
N process OF time; as We have seen
| that the Constltutlon OF Virginia, as
ordained by her Convention of 1929,
an assemblaSe containing many OF the
| most eminent characters III American
history, lasted only till 1890, when a
new Convention was demanded to
adapt 1t more nearly to the wants and
wishes OF her people. And in the
Constitution OF Maryland bearing date
in 1850, lwhether it has since been re-
VlSeO, am not lnfofmed,J there is
requirement that once in ten years,
INN ediately after the Federal census,
the Legislature must provide for TAX
ing the sense of the people by an
election on the question whether
Convention shall assemble to consider
of amendments to the Constitution.
While there are indications that the
former reverence for those old forms
OF government had in some degree
yielded to progressive public senti- |
ment, there was still high venera- |
ton for the institutions and traditions |
of the past, and the conservative ASST !
rance that whatever innovations might |
be introduced they should be guarded. |
and the offspring of a deliberate pub |
liz SCiiHiSCIcL'
The present Constitution Of this |
State is an anomaly in American in
stitutions. 1t has no claim to contin-
uance by reason of the times in which |
it was composed, the influential char |
acters Of its authors, and, We may add, |
the circumstances of its adoption. |
There had been four years of desolat- /
ing war, il which the State and it's al /
lies had been unsuccessful. This was |
followed Dy the process OF rehaS1uta- |
ton, prescribed by the President o. |
the United States as an executive !
measure: and North Carolina having |
yielded her consent To the abolition OF |
slavery, IL was supposed that her rela-
tons 70 the Federal Government were
tnlly established. A Governor and
Legislature We're accordingly elected,
as well as other executive, judicial and |
ministerial officers: and delegation
was chosen to the Congress of the
United States but not admitted. At
ter two years more spent IN this con-
dItlon OF doubt, acts OF Congress were
passed ahnuIing all that mad been
oohe uhcGf the ffesldentla! require
nents. anu clfectlnS an election, nEdef
m1Itary orders, IL which the colored
people shouid exercise the elective
lfanchlSe, loI uelet5ates 10 convention
to frame CONSTITUTION III which it
should be ordalned as q permanent
reguiatIon tnat they should thencefor-
ward he entitled to the right OF suff-
rag, III Ike manner and to the same
extent as the " Whl'es-Wlth ef: =, an eHclu-
sion OF no small Iof'lon OF the "nltes,
OF most experience ana capacity IN the
affairs OF government, from seats IN
tins convention and the right to vote
lor FL us members. ;.
Inc circumstances OF the elecSion
are Wei remembered LII carried
INTO the convention an assen1olage OF
4elega'es, very rev oI "h0m had ever
oeen hno"n 70 Ine people rs PuoHc
ageI's u any desoLle'ion. 5ny ol
iaft Intn iahiay TioIy m ,ntho"n' ~ VIZ nau Dsen
l9,' poHlIu py @ the inVa.l'nS aIniieS'
COiOEGu u0u 1FOln dDTOaO, or