The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-22
NORTH CAROLINA.

NORTH CAROLINA.
The North Carolina house of representa-
tives have, by vote of eighty-one to thir-
ty-one, passed the senate bill calling con-
stitutional convention. The election OF
delegates will DO held on the first day OF
August next, ard the convention will be
held on the sixth OF the following Septem-
Der. A special telegram to the Times says
that "the object is to overturn the present
constitution and revolutionize the state for
the democrats preparatory TO the campaign
of 1876" Undoubtedly, its object is to
"overturn the present constitution" SO far
as 1t can be called overturned by the max
ing and the adoption of new one, but the
revolutionizing part looks little absurd.
What in the world do the democrats want
to "revoutionize the state" for ? AT the
last election, the democrats carried the
state by majority of 1902, and secured
a democratic legislature-having MAORI
ty of twenty-four in the senate, forty-sx in
the house, and seventy on joint ballot
and elected seven out of eight members OF
congress. They must be grasping party
if they desire more than this. If they ere
volutionze the state," they can only accom-
pish so desirable result by changing all
these democratic maJorities into republican
majorities-a they will not be very apt
to do this, if they can help themselves. As
preparatory to the campaign of 1876" it
would be rather a bad revolution for demo-
Gratis to inaugurate, however desirable such
a result might be to republicans. But sup
posing that the democrats desire to cover
turn and "revolutionize' generally, what
can they accomplish ? Let us see.
Under the act OF March 3, 1867, 'tor
the moro efficient government of the rebel
states, the people of North Carolina
adopted constitution, submitted the same
TO congress, and were Hereunder restored
TO their representation in that body, and to
their practical relations to the Union, but
upon the following fundamental condi-
ton :" That tie constitution of said
state shall never be so amended or
Z" changed as to Deprive any citizen, or
- class of citizens, OF the United States Of
" the right to vote in said state who are
- entitled TO vote by the constitution there
- of, herein recognized, except as a pun
- shment for such crimes as arc now fell
" onies at common law, whereof they shall
. be duly convicted under laws equally ap-
"plicable to all the inhabitants of said
" state Prorided, That any alteration Of
- said constitution may be made with re-
gard to the time and place of residence
g Of voters If we turn back to the con-
sttution 40 adopted, and recognized by con-
gress, we find that every male person born
in the United States and every male person
who has been naturalized, being twenty
one years of age or upwards, and who
shall have resided in the state twelve
months, and thirty days in the county
where he offers to vote, shall be deemed an
elector. These qualifications, the constitu-
ton and the Fundamental condition" de-
clare cannot be altered except as TO the
time and place of residence, or on account
of a conviction for felony 'under laws
equally applicable to all the inhabitants of
the state" Where then is the opportunity
for a revolution The voters must and
will remain the same, if there is any bind
ing force to the Fundamental condition.
If these fundamental conditions are
of no binding force, the sooner we know it
the better. If, notwithstanding its prohi-
bition, discrimination can be made as to
voters, based on color, let us know it. If
the south cannot be trusted with power, if
they are free from all restraints, except
such as they may now or hereafter impose
it too soon. Any attempt to deprive any
class of citizens of the United States of the
right OF suffrage on account of race, color
or previous condition of servtude, would
be excellent work preparatory to the cam
paign of 1876" We believe, however, that
the south can be trusted with power. We
believe that there is room for improvement
in all Of those reconstruction constitu
tons" Arkansas is an instance of both
Let North Carolina overthrow her consti
tuition" if it pleases her. She can but i'm
prove upon the present one. If, however
she should display an intolerant or rebel
lious spirit, the remedy is at hand, and thu
people would not be unwilling to apply it
But we believe that that the conciliatory
spirit shown toward Arkansas will be me
by a spirit of political federation, and tina
North Carolina, too, will show to her sstel
states that she cordially accepts the logica
results of the war, and only desires to b,
assured Of good government.