Year: 1865

TION.


II seems to be no secret that The North Caro-
lima Convention, whose proceedings we have
reported from day to day, was picked rather
than q representative body. Correspondents
state that although there was apparent free
dom from restraint at the polls, it had
previously been intimated in many dis
tricts that disloyal candidates would not
be permitted to stand. An opposite
course was pursued in South Carolina, and the
Convention in that State was pretty largely
sprinkled with fire-eaters. The difference IN
the tone of the North Carolina body is due
partly to the better character Of the State,
partly to the influence which certain Gen.
erals exercised. 1t frequently happened that
members were chosen by small vote, because
the thorough going Rebels preferred to abstain
from voting till they could vote to please them
selves, or, as one worthy phrased it, till there
was no damned Yankee 70 tell him how to
vote !"


While, therefore, there was some pretty loud
talk at times, and while there were 10 votes in
favor Of striking out so much of the ordinance
annulling the Secession ordinance a. declared the
latter invalid always, and nine votes against the
passage Of the act TO a second reading-the
North Carolina Convention presents fair record
on the two questions of Slavery and Secession.
Like the conventions of Mississippi, Alabama,
and South Carolina, it has failed to show any
disposition to do any acts but such a. are abso-
lutely indispensable to the recognition Of the
State by the General Government.


The noticeable speeches or speakers are not
many. Mr.. McIyor of Mecklinburg was one of
the most outspoken Rebels on the floor. He
thought the Convention was not assembled to
pass upon the validity of the act of Secession;
that "we had lived. legislated, and fought
under that ordinance, and it was maxim OF
common law that no people were required to
stultfy themselves" Hence "silence" was
most becoming. and Mr. Mclvor was for going
home, aud letting the ordinance Of Secession
take care Of itself Mr.. N. A. Mclean
of Robinson agreed with Mr.. McIvor so
far a. to be unwilling to cay the act
of Secession had airays been void, and
inquiries, "What would DO the effect
upon the seventeen. .year.old boys and the
memory of the soldiers whose bones lay bleach
ing on so many fields. thus to stultify ourselves
to say we went into this struggle without
any constitutional protection :" A question
easy to ask, but Mr.. Mclean does not favor us
with an answer. 1t is worth remarking that
discussions of this sort went on after it had been
voted to raise the Stars and Stripes over the
hail. yet nobody, when three days had elapsed,
had taken the trouble actually to hoist the flag.
Were not the military near by. OF whom one
might have been borrowed


The debate on this question Of declaring the
Secession ordinance ainays null and void took
wide range. The curiosity Of it is that men,
bers were haunted by fear of doing something
diuespeettul to the Convention that passed the
act of Secession. Members of the former were
members also of this Convention, and they
seem to have been a little touchy on this point.
Mr. b. L. Moore put this pertinent question.
viz: If the ordinance of 1861 ever had any legal
effect, when did il cease to have effect :
Was it when Gen. Sherman reached
Raleigh, or when' Alr. Boyden OF
Rowan, referring to the language used in
the debate frankly said I" He had lately had
an interview with the authorities in Washing.
ton, and he had assured them that the news.
paper correspondents from North Carolna
had no excuse or ground for representing the
people of North Carolina as disloyal, but to.
day he found that he had gone too far. He saw
here that in this Convention this heresy of Sc.
cession was not Dead and was liable to be re.
yived again" Under the influence of two OF
three stirring Union speeches the question was
pressed to vote, and the annulling ordinance
finally passed with but two dissenting votes.


The ordinance relating to Slavery was passed
unanimously in the following words: THAT


Slavery and involuntary seryitude otherwise
than for crimes whereof the parties shall have
been duly convicted, shall be and is hereby for
ever prohibited" Several members wanted t,
strike out the " forever" but could not carry
their point.


d In the proceedings before us we find no de
bate concerning negro testimony or negro suf
fragc. The question of greatest Importance


next after Slavery and Secession was the as


sumption Of the Rebel War Debt. A deter
, mined efor was made to pledge the State t
its payment Or if that could not be douc, t
postpone action by the Convention and leave i
} an open question for the Legislature. At on
latest advIces the question was still unsettled