Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-01


holidays. Power to relieve from dis
abilities imposed by courts of impeach-
ment were conferred upon the Leg
islature.
ART. III.-Executive Department.
No final action has yet been taken in
this department, but certain changes
have been agreed upon, and will doubt
less be cosummated In a few days.
These are to reduce the term of Office
of Governor and the other executive
officers from four TO two years: TO sboi.
ish the Office of Lieutenant Governor,
and to reduce the pay Of Governor to
So, 600 per annuna. Those changes
have two purposes in view; first, to in
crease the responsibility of the Exec
utive Department to the people, and
second, to diminish the expenses OF
it.
Art. Iv.-Judicial Department.
Ordinances have been passed confer
ring upon the Legislature the power
to create such courts inferior to the
Supreme court as may be necessary,
reducing the number OF Supreme
court Judges from 1--WE to three, and
the number Of Superior court judges
from twelve to nine. The committee
have reported unanimously in favor
of the rotation of the judges in riding
the several circuits, and it will
doubtless became part of the Con-
stitution Sections Is, Is and IL of this
Article will be stricken out, and instead
thereof, a section will be inserted con-
ferring authority upon the Legislature
to allot and distribute jurisdiction
among the courts below the Supreme
court. The Supreme court judges will
be elected by the people for four
years, and the judges of the Superior
courts will be elected by the Legisla-
ture for the same term.
ARr.v, Revenue and Taxation-The
principal change that will be made in
this Article is one repudiating the
Special Tax Bonds. It is expected the
Radicals will seek to have all the pub
lie debt of the State rspudiatsd. No
ordinance has as yet been reported.
ART. VI. Suffrage and Eligibility to
ofice-No ordinance has been reported
upon this Article, but it is understood
that the length of residence iu coun-
ty required as a qualification for suf-
frage will be increased to six months.
and that there will be disfranchise-
ment for infamous crimes. It is not
probable that the payment Of any tax
will be required before voting.
ART. WI. Municipal Corporations-
The duty of providing governments for
cities and towns will doubtless be con-
fded to the Legislature in plain terms.
In relation to county governments
there are three propositions. One is
to place them in the hands of magis-
trates, elected by the Legislature.
| Another is to direct the Legislature to
elect number of magistrates for each
county equal to that elected by the
people, doubling thereby, the number
of magistrates. Another proposition
is to refer the whole matter to the Leg
islature, with unrestricted control
over the subject. Which proposition
will prevail it is impossible now 10 say.
ART. VIII. Corporations other than
Municipal-There will be little or no
change in this article; save to take
from it the 4th section which has re-
ference 10 municipal corporal ions
only.
| ART. * Educational prohibition In
plain terms will be put In this article
against mined schools. There will be
no danger under the new Constitution
that white children will be forced to
go to school with negroes. No other
changes are 81 yet sufficiently matured
to speak of.
| ART.x. Homesteads and Exern ptions
The committee have unanimously
reported that the Convention has no
authority to alter this article, and 1t
will therefore remain unchanged.
ART. XII. Punishments, Penal Insti-
tuition &C. ,-Itis thought no material
change will be made in this article,
save to strike out the clauses provi-
! ding for House of Correction &c.
ART. XII. Miitia-The report of the
Committee on this article recommends
that the Constitution shall not admit
that the right to bear arms includes
the right to carry concealed weapons.
| ART. XIII. Amendments-It is
thought the mode of amending the
Constitution will be changed material
ly. The Legislature will probably be
authorized to submit any amendment
to the people, and upon its ratification
it will become a part of the Constitu.
ton.
ART. XIV. Miscellaneous Provision
A section will be added to this arti-
Gle, prohibiting marriages between
whites and blacks.
All the Amendments will be sub
mitted together to the people for rati.
fication at the next regular election,
that is to say in November 1876. II
will be seen from the above that the
work of the Convention is nearly com.
pleted. That the changes proposed to
be made ought to be made no one car
doubt. Nor can any one doubt thei,
success before the people when the vote
on ratification shall be taken. They
will secure us an economical govern.
ment, will settle, for even the civil
rights question, will rid us OF
the special tax bonds, will make
it easy for Us to change our
Constitution from time to time in q
cheap way and emancipate the Legis-
lature, SO that we will be able o
pass the laws our necessities may de-
mand.
But have no time for comment. ]