Year: 1868

MEssRs. EDIToRs 1t was my good for
tune to have been present OH the 18th inst,
at BO0n's Station, to hear the discussion he
tween the rival candidates in Alamance
County. The great issue, you know, is the
new Constitution. The Democratic can
vassers. or at least part of them. not deem
ing our friend Ii. M. Ray. and Others of sulli-
cicnt Importance to give full verge to their
transcendent abilities, had challenged Major
Badllam, of Graham. to meet them and de-
fend the proffered Constitution, against their
doughty assaults.


The Major held the audience, although
part were standing in the rain, spell bound
for nearly TWO full lours-ueithcr did he
descend tn the use of mimic rhetoric ar
stale anecdotes, but dealt in stern logic. and
his argument was closely connected and
consecutive refutation of all the falshoods
alleged against that instrument. He first
showed that there was no possible way of
saving the State from the disgrace of repu-
dation, and to restore her lost credit hut by as
suming the debt, and making provision for
its future payment, and for the payment of
the interest now. He further showed that
the provisions of the Constitution were such
as to allow the Legislature discretion rs to
the means of raising the interest, so as not
to oppress the people.


But it was the nigger equality "cry that
he sguelched most effectively He first read
the most vili6ed sections from the article on
education and the mlitia-showed that the
main clauses were in no essential point diff
ferent from Our present Constitution. He
then showed that, as the General Assembly
had authority to determine all the minutia,
as it regards organization, so it was pro-
vided for expressly in the new Constitution.
He added, if were this not sufficient in or
der to make the matter doubly sure-that
there cannot, without future explicit legisla-
| tive action, be possible to make white and
| black men muster together, or white and
black children go to school together, or al
low the intermarriage of races. The wise
foresight of the Convention inserted section
%. in the judicial article, viz: "The laws of
North Carolina, net repugnant to this Con-
sttution, or to the Constitution and laws { f
the United States, shall he in force until law
fully altered" This makes the present
statutory law of the State in full force under
the new Constitution, and there is no repug-
nance now in these statutes to the present
Constitution. There can he none to the
new, for in real substance and even in form
they are alike. At much greater length did
the speaker fortify his position, and the ir.
resistible conclusion to Which each unprcjudi
ced man CAME was seen upon his face. The
Major carried the crowd with him, and re.
ceived their verdict in favor of his cause.


A reply was attempted by diminutive
scion of fallen sire, who thought to come
it la Vance over the people, but the day i.
passed, when unfledged lawyers can "com'
it over the awakened, citizens of Alamance
by thread-bare anecdotes and inherited pres
tige. The crowd soon began to dissolve
and went home to look for better days unde
the new Constitution. Desperate men ar
using desperate means, but the people know
the men and their motives, and they dcfea
themselves. RADICAL.