Wilmington journal., 1876-07-28
THE OFFICEHOLD AGAs>ST
THE PEOPLE.

H HI 4 h-EpE.LE 4
The third article of the Constitution
relates to the duties and powers of the
Governor and other officers of the
Executive Department of the Govern
ment.
The amendments greatly curtail the
power of the governor. The one man
power has never been beloved in
North Carolina. Our people have
always preferred to hold the reins of
government in their own hands. It
was so in 1776 and it was SO in 1885.
Indeed in the latter year when a dis
tingished mf mber on his return home
from the Convention of that year was
asked what power the Governor had,
he replied "oniy the power to draw his
salary"
A hundred years ago our people
went into a long and bloody war to
destroy the onemau power in North
Carolina. What led our forefathers
to engage in the war of the Revolution
all the power and the people had none.
And so it is now under the Candy
Constitution. But more fortunate than
our ancestors. thanks to the Con
ventiOn, we are able to strip
these obnoxious officeholders of their
oppressive power without going to
war. All we have to do is to go to the
ballot box. What it took them seven
years to accomplish we can do in one
day. Only let the amendments be
ratified aid the people of North Caro-
lima nil have the gOvernmt mt of North
Carolina in their own hands and be-
yond recall
But the relef will one not a mo
ment 100 soon. J. VIII be remembered
that since The Candy Constitution was
imposed upon Us. Radical Governors
aided by Radical Supreme Court
have stripped the Legislature of well
nigh every power it possessed. 1t
must be remembered too that to strip
the Legislature of power is to strip
the people of power, for tue Leglsla-
tuie represents the people. SO far
had this gathering of power into one
mans haud gone that the most petty
office created by the Legislature had
to be filed by the tiovernor. The re-
sult Was that tn" Governor was all
powerful ard the Legislature was per
fectly helpless. The proposed amend
ments take from the Governor this
great power and restore it to the Leg
islature, and III restoring it to the
Legislature .'estore it to the people.
The Governor Can henceforth, If the
amendments be ratified. appoint only
those officials whose offices are
established by the Constitution itself,
and whose appointments are not
therein otherwise provided for. With
this great patronage taken from him
the Governor will lose much of the
tyrannous power and evil influence
that have so injuriously affected the
State IN late years.
II the amend ments shall be ratified
our friends III Orange and Alamance
and Caswell need not fear another
Kirk war with all the horrors that
came in its train.
The people of North Carolina have
found from bitter experience that it is
not safe to put too much power into
the hands of their Governors. Holden,
Caldwell and Brogden have each and
every one of them shown that the one.
man power ought no longer to be per-
mitted to exist in North Carolina.
So thought at least the Democratic
members of the Convention, but so
did not think the Radical members of
that body Not single Radical mem
ber voted for the amendments taking
power from the Governor and restor.
ing it o the people, while not a single
Democratic cmembervoted against them.
1t surely needs no further proof to
show which party is the peoples party.