The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1882-11-02
THE HOMESTEAD.

h"'o o0OH, iudho III IcpoIGS VI wi
Dockery's speeches. From notice
in Democratic papers printed wher
he has spoken, and from gentlemen
also entirely reliable who have hear(
him, we learn that eulogy of tn,
Constitution of 1868, the Canb,
Constitu ton. is the feature of his
speech. Col. Dockery's language or
this subject is what is sometimes
called eloquent, and sometimes
designated highfaluting. The CANDY
Constitution, Col. Dockery says,
''was the grandest production OF
human wisdom that ever emanated
from the brain of man." because it,
first in North Carolina, made pro.
vision for a Homestead Law and
personal property exemptions for
laborers' and mechanics lien: for
the rights Of married women; for the
adjustment of imprisonment for
debt; for the election of nagi trates
by the people; for free suffrage in
place Of the old property qualifca.
ton required for Senate voters. The
Coloners perora5ion, that is to saw,
what we plain North Carolina people
might call the tail-eend of a spread
eagle, is to the effect that all the
good ever accomplished for the
State was accomplished bv this Con.
stltution and the party which made
1t, and that the Democrats have
never done zone single thing" for the
people that resulted in good.
Skipping the peroration, as that
end ola spread-eagle is alio we'd to
display itself at will, let us look into
the statements made as facts, and
we will take them backwards from
the peroration. as that being last has
been first referred to:
l. Stree Safferage'' vas establish.
eo IN 1874, aarteen years before the
Candy Constitution was thought of.
The Constitution was amended in
that year, the result of the movement
begun in 1913 by Gov. David S.
Reid. the first Democrat cleo ted
Governor of North Carolina. Colo.
mel Dockery was quite old enough
In 1848 to take an active interest in
defeating Gov. Reid and his proposed
constitutional change.
z. The election of magistrates ayos
taken from the Legislature by the
Candy Convention. We need not
discuss the results here. Some of
them are noted else where in the of.
hclal county statements, and few
people have forgotten the evil DAYS
OF negro and scalawag rule.
s. Imprisonment for debt abolish.
ed. Most readers of this paper can
nnd In their neighborhood q cow
OF the Laws of 1S66-'67. If thew
Will turn to page So, they will find
IAN act to abolish imprison ment for
debit" and this act is pre- ,iselv what
was put in the Constitution of 1863
oy the Candy Convention. In 1866
negroes did not vote and white men
Ihen, as white men now, were Demo-
Gratis. The Legislature was white
ana OF course the Legislature was
almost unanimously Democratic.
The bill to abolish imprisonment for
oeot was introduced into the House ,
on January oath, 1867, by Mr.. Oar t
gan OF Arson, Democrat; was re- {
ferred ON the 29th to special CO M {
mittee of three Democrats, Messrs
MOORE Dargan and Mckay; was re. t
ported from committee on the Goth
and on the same day passed its three {
readings by 81 to 10, It came up in |
The senate on February 18th, passing i
Its second reading, "a to II. and on t
the 10th passed it's third reading. 26
to 10, and became the law.
4. The Homestead and Exemntion i
law, the lien law, and the married t
law. The reader who looks l
as above advised, into the Laws Of {
lo66-'67. may find on page 81, can t
act to establish freehold homesteads >,
&C.; which law, curtoHed and obr,do.
ed IN value of homestead and amount
Of personal property exemptions. but {
unchanged as to liens and married j
Woman's rights, was transferred to l
the Candy Constitution of 1868 and
forms Article x of that instrument 4
as any one may see who will take s
the trouble to examine. The hill
which was made law by this Legisla. q
lure of 1866-'67, composed as above +,
stated of white men, who were Of {
course Democrats, was introduced e
INTO the Senate by that old fashioned