The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-08-18
Tho North Carolina Election.

piiuV VIII oulcly y OSCEGako the III TOO.
Tho North Carolina Election.
After week Of suspense it seems
at last to be settled that though the
republicans Of North Carolina gain
cd numerical majority in tho popu.
lar vote, the democrats have a
majority of two or three in tho Con-
vcntion. At first the republicans
claimed and were conceded ma
jority, but fuller returns changed the
result. We are gratificd that the
democrats gained victory, but we
arc also not displeascd that they have
received bad fright.
4'ho old North State trcmblcd III
the balance a long time. Although
within her !bordcrs the whites have Il
majority of forty thousand votes,
yet many of these are republicans.
It was not until last ycAr, in consc-
quenco of tho passage Of The civil
rights bill, that the democrats OBJ
tanned control of the state, and elect
cd a three fourths majority in the
Legislature. But they were mt
satisfied with this victory. The
constitution Of the State had
been drafted by tho Candy Legisla-
turo and contained many objcctiona
bic features. In addition to this,
it provided fur tho election ofjudgcs
by the people, and as some Of the
circuits arc republican, republican
judges have been elected, whcroas,
if the election had been left to the
Legislature, the outire judiciary
would have been democratic. For
these and other reasons some Of the
democrats desired to oall conven.
tion to prepare another constitution.
This measure met opposition ia tho
democratic ranks, and a call passed
the Legislature only by IN applica-
ton Of the party lash. Tho campaign
was worry acrimonious. Many per-
sons we're dcsirous of letting we'll
enough alone, and thought that tho
requisite changes in the constitution
could DO made. without tho intcrpo.
sition Of convention. Reports were
circulated that the convention would
abolish the homestead law, and this
set tho poor people against it. 1t
was alleged tina: usury law would
be engraftcd in tho constitution and
this alionated capital. d, The radicals
feared that their judges would, bo
legislatcd out of their seats, and that
measures injurious to their party
would DO passed., md they combined
solidly against it. They asserted
that in case they elected a majority
Of tho delegates they would adjourn
the convention Immediately.
This zeal Oh the part Of the re.
publicans, added to democratic
apathy, came near running the
democratic party. As it is, they
have just escaped by tho skin of
their teeth and their majority is SO
small they cannot effect any rnai.
cal change in the constitution. The
result of the election will make it.
MOI difficult for tho democrats to
carry tho State in the general cleo
tion, when every democratic vote will
be needed.
The democrats Of North Carolina
showed great want of political
shgacity in calling convention and
risking all they had gained. They
must blame themselves for the bad
scare they received. We hope they
will learn q lesson.
1t would appear presumptious in
Ms to lecture North Carolinians unon
their local affairs, were it not that
we are deeply interested in tho sue.
cess Of tho national democracy and
we think its chances Of success ~,
losScncd BY every local bluuder.