Communications,
Jlr. ll'iuuinl: An Myil nil
tlr th siguaiun of "Civis," in
your last PM"M express his
kUunu disapprobation of the a
,,KMJitn'iit by tin? Convention of
thi :iJJ arli h of tin' Constitution
of tin Stale .ind oOVis some spe
culation mi the subject 'ff tually
tending to suggest lo a thinking
mind a Haiti of most interesting
icllectious. I :iti willing t be
lieve tbat Ins intention may be
leally pure but whib- I siurerely
accord my reaped to bis "inten
tions," if of Mich character, I feel
constraint t refuse it ,( bis
opinions. Without ascribing much
weight to in y own notions on this
MibjeiM, I confess I caniiil resist
the conviction lli.it any relitions
test ii, and ought to be, leg.trdcd
as 1 ir liehiml the intelligence of
the 4ige;" anil I feel mortified for
in y hatie State, that there should
have been found a majority of our
delegates deposed lo retain :u
article, even amended as it is, so
vt ell calculated to throw such odi
um and degradation upon our
t liaracicr us ait intelligent com
munity. ICS, this Nate now
stands alone among her sister
Slates, unrivalled iu the hpcci.it
eminence of hallowing and pre
serving the antiquated relic be
longing to an age of Miperanuua
led error, and cruel and intolerant
real. I should humbly conceive
that it required no great master iu
political economy m inform us,
simple an we are, that keeping iu
view the spirit of our institution,
tine of the principal objects of our
government is, to secure and guar
antee to all its citizens a perfect
.quality of rights and legal privi
leges. Hen? no hereditary rank,
no aristocracy stalks anions us,
appropriating offices and lionnrs
to themselves, and lording it over
the many Our country (thanks
to a kind Pi ovidence) is reputed,
and emphatically i, an asylum
tor the oppressed of all nations.
Once received as citizen, the
Jew, the Mahometan, the Jesuits,
ft multi alii, of every or any reli
gious sect, enter as largely into
the enjoyment of our legal and j
political rights as ourselves. The '
right of worshipping the Almighty
according to their own conscience,
is surely one ot those rights guar
anteed to citizens; and what can
be in.uv sacred, more holy, nunc
dear to the honest ami virtuous
citizen.' And vet there are to be
found advocates (and among
them good, well meaning, honest,
mistaken republicans, forgetting
their devotion to equal rights)
for disfranchising their own fellow
citizens of this inestimable privi
lege. The error lies in granting
to j.'ove niuent religious or eccle
siastical power iu any shape, to
be exercised with its political
power (Ioero m ut was not in
tended to determine religious con
troversies, or to decide upon the
thousand and one dogmas or hob
bies, as Civis calls them, of reli
gious sects, i'cclesiastical courts
(thanks to God) are unknown to
our institutions. Let all religious
sects be tolerated, let equal justice
be dispensed to all but let none
dare to hope for a political ascen
dancy, which may enable them to
inar the most beautiful political
structure ever exhibited to an ad
miring world. Let a wise legis
lation protect all sects in their pri-
tleges ami worship, but Id it also
fiv the limits beyomi which they
shall not pass. Let it take care
that society be not disturbed bv
these discordant systems let it
preserve order among then), by
teaching them the submission due
to the government which protects
them in th'ir rights.
Hut Civis "hopes the Conven
tion will not lise," Sve. (see .1st
hue, Im column.) Suppose the
wishes of Civis indulged, ami that
the Convention were priv ileged lo
sit until they should decide "whatjan eitlightened age, from the libe
we are to understand by the words ral spirilof the followers ofChrist
Christian . eh-nM" and suppose Though thy crimes be as scarlet
the interests of i!t. clMemiiug they shall become white as snow
sects balance,!, the question boin- Enlightened opinion, an enli-ht-ihe
reception or denunciation of ened country shall give vou with
Catholics, LutiUrdsMvmiu,nite, cut injjckcrV the rights of citi
Cniuri iu, ami many others, as
Christian sects is there a man of
mature age, who could hope to
live long t'liot gh to see the termi
nation? Society would be: eou-vnhi-d
to its foundations, and it
would be discovered too late, that
reason would be too feeble and
iner-cto.il a tribunal, to compose
a strife capable as heretofore, of
laying a world in llames and avli
e, while the blood of martyrs
would water the roots of that ac
cursed trie Intolerance. The pre
tensions of "the only Christian
church," iu common with the oth
er "only true churches," would
resound from north to south the
t rie, ol' Protestants, heretics, or
thodoxy and heterodoxy, Dissen
ters, Kpiscopalians, Presbyteri
ans, Uaptisu, Mormoniles, he.
would ring from east to west,
while thousands, inflamed by a
blind and furious zeal, would rush
to the rescue and array themselves
to give new impulse to ecclesiasti
eal rage, until the mild religion ol
the meek Jesus would hide its
head iu shame and horror of the
stupidity and wickedness and big
otry of rational man.
l)oe Civis actually believe that
tin' safety of the State is to be se
cured only by denouncing his fel
low citieus of different religious
reeds from his own, or the Prot
estant? I will not discuss this
point. A great and intelligent
people look to other means than
speculative opinions in religious
creeds for "the safety of the State."
Civis need not fear that the people
will be wanting to themselves, or
slow to detect the Atheist, or the
man bidding opinions dangerous
to the State, when aspiring to of
fice. Public opinion is a sufficient
collective for dangers from this
source, but the notion is too com
mon that the people are incapable
of self-government let them be
trusted and it will be found tbat
they are the sure conservative
power of every tiling valuable in
our institutions.
Civis infers that the reason why
"preachers are proscribed from a
seat in the Legislature is, no doubt
on account of the almost implicit
reliance arli flock places in the
l'ustor's judgment, and the undue
control he might exercise over
them in elections. If this were
all, it were indeed enough but it
is not all. 1 lie object is to pre
serve the purity of our institutions,
and to keep alive the just abhor
rence of that unholy alliance of
"Church and Slate." To prevent
the various clergy, bodies of dis
tinct and separate interests inte
rests ever hostile to the political
interests of all States from being
immediately and specially repre
sented in those interests in our
public councils.
Civis enquires, w hat will poste
rity find, &:e. (lJth line from bot
tom of I st column. ) If the march
of mind, and sound and liberal
views in the science of government
and the rights of man proceed
with the same step, as iu this day,
it may safely be pronounced that
the voice of posterity will be an
unequivocal condemnation of Civ
is s narrow and intolerant views.
Alas! poor hitman nature would
it not be belter for Civis to imi
tate the benevolence of Uncle To
by, when addressing the fly he set
at libel ty, "Why should 1 hurt
thee surely the world is wide
enough for thee and tne!" Ah!
poor "Jesuitical vernier of indul
gences" long, long and deeply
(it would seem) the arrow must
continue to adhere to thy side!
t'vils, cruelties unit horrors, has
your sect indeed inflicted on sit tier
ing Protestants in by-gone ages,
and hopelessly have sounded the
shrieks for mercy, mercy, in thy
impitiable ears, when thou grant
ed it not, but drew closer and
tighter thy hellish engines of tor
ture and destruction. History is
lull ot thy cruelties, persecutions
and intrigues askest tl ion now
I for mercy, for chariu? Yes, and
j thou hast, and shall receive it from
zen-; and not you only, but tl'
Turk, Jew, and every other text.
A liberal age fchull raise you to
the dignity of man, and effect a
certain triumph over the cant, su
perstition, and venality of bigots
and fanatics. The divorce of re
ligious and political power is ap
proaching its consummation, nev
er again to be united. Let the
faithful "reprover ol sin" goon iu
his proper sphere, to impress up
on the aged and the young their
moral obligations; but oh, Civis,
let him be covered always by the
mantle of hirily. Let him walk
humbly, and with a single eye to
the serv ice of (ind, to w hich he is
set apart. Let him remember that
the kingdom of Christ is not of
this world; let him eschew the pur
suit of temporal power, wealth,
honors and distinction. Let it
not grieve this faithful reprover of
sin that he cannot sit in the coun
cils of the nation, to represent the
temporal and political interests of
the clergy. Let him not tarnish
the snow-w hite purity of his eptod
by aspirations after the things of
this world, much less alter the
power of the sword; nor vainly
imagine that, while he utters bis
moral apothegms, be is seeking
with a single heart the salvation of
the souls of men.
Pardon my prolixity, Mr. Prin
ter, I have merely glanced at the
topics presented by Cms. I con
clude in nearly bis own words. I
for one protest against the reform
ed Constitution, because it has not
totally expunged the flJd article.
TOLKKATOH.
a AUtJi OoVO Wi-r6
SATURDAY, JULY 18, !835.
0.7s" We have received from a
friend a handbill purporting to be
"A few questions and answers re
lative to Slavery, w hich appear to
interest every citizen of the United
States. By Sherlock S. Gregory."
It was enclosed in an envelope, di
rected to the Postmaster, Greens
borough, Green county, Ga. and
was picked up on the road uear
Knlield, together with an anti-slavery
newspaper, on Sunday last.
Several copies, we are informed,
were found on the road by others,
supposed to have been distributed
intentionally by some person trav
elling South in the stage. The
handbill contains a variety of in
cendiary questions and answers
asserts that "the negroes to our
knowledge arc no worse than the
whiles," and avers that "unless
the Southern people conclude to
free the slaves, we will be severed
from the South to free ourselves
from the expected curses" these
curses upon the country have com
menced, it states, and the most
prominent are enumerated, as "the
Cholera," "the inundating our
land by great numbers of Roman
Catholics," "the unheard of num
bers that die of consumption in
the city of New York," $ce. If
."Mr. Gregory, or his agent, will
make himself' publicly known, w e
have no hesitation in assuring him
that be will receive many marked
attentions, such as w ill not be rea
dily elVaeed, from the people of
the South whom he so diffidently
attempts to enlighten.
State Convention. This body
adjourned 011 Saturday last, after
a session of five weeks and three
days. The following are the Cap
tions of the articles of amendment
to the Constitution, adopted by the
Convention, which are to be sub
mitted to the people for their rati
fication or rejection, on the 2d
Monday in November next. If the
amendments be ratified, they shut'
t ike effect and be in force from an
after the first of January, 1S36.
Wewii! barely remark, tbat there
were but fifty -seven voters in lhi
county who sanctioned the call for
a Convention, and we doubt very
much whether half that number
will assent to its amendments.
1. For fixing the number of
the Senate, and laying off the
State iu Klectoral Districts, as
follows:
That until the first session of
the General Assembly, after the
year eighteen hundred arid forty
one, the Senate shall be composed
of Members elected from districts
as follows. Tin 1st district,
Perquimous and Pasquotank; 2d
district, Camden and Currituck;
d district, Gales and Chowan;
4th district, Washington andTyi
rell; fth district, Northampton;
6th district, Hertford; 7ih district,
Bertie; 8lh district, Martin, 9th
district, Halifax; 10th district,
Nash; 11th district, Wake; 12lh
district, Franklin; 13ih district,
Johnston; I4lh district, Warren;
1.0th district, Kdgecombe; Gtli
district, Wayne; 17th district,
Greene and Lenoir; l&fli district,
Pitt; l(.)lh district, Beaufort and
Hyde; 20th district, Carteret and
Jones; 2 I si district, ('raven; 22d
district, Chatham; 23d district,
Granville; 24lh district, Person;
2fuh district, Cumberland; 2Glh
district, Sampson 27th district,
New-Hanover; 28th district, Dup
lin; 20lh district, Onslow; 30th
district, Brunswick, Bladen and
Columbus; 31st district, Robeson
and Richmond; 32d district, An
son; 33d district, Cabarrus; 31lb
district, Moore and Montgomery;
35th district, Caswell; 3Glh
district, Rockingham; 37th dis
trict, Orange; 38th district, Ran
dolph; 39th district, Guilford;
40ih district, Stokes; 4 1st district,
Rowan; 42d district, Davidson;
43d district, Surry; 44th district,
Wilkes and Ashe; 45lh district,
Burke and Yaucy; 40th district,
Lincoln; 47th district, fredell;
-1 Slh district, Rutherford; 40th
district, Buncombe, Haywood
and Macon; 50th district, Meck
lenburg. Each district entitled
to one member in the Senate.
2. For fixing the number of
members of the House of Com
mons, and for laying off the State
as follows:
That until the first session of
the General Assembly after the
year eighteen hundred and forty
one, the House of Commons shall
be composed of members elected
from the counties in the following
manner, viz:
The counties of Lincoln and
Orange shall elect four members
each.
The counties of Burke, Chat
ham, Granville, Guilford, Halifax,
Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan,
Rutherford, Surry, Stokes and
Wake, shall elect three members
each.
The counties of Anson, Beau
fort Bertie, Buncombe, Cumber
land, Craven, Caswell, Davidson,
Duplin, Ldgecombe, Franklin,
Johnston, Montgomery, New
Hanover, Northampton, Person,
Pitt, Randolph, Robeson, Rich
mond, Rockingham, Sampson,
Warren, Wayne and Wilkes,
shall elect two members each.
The Counties of Ashe, Bladen,
Brunswick, Camden, Columbus,
Chowan, Currituck, Carteret,
Cabarrus, Gates, Greene, Hay
wood, Hertford, Hyde, Jones,
Len'oir, Macon, Moore, Martin,
Nash, Onslow, Pasquotank, Per
quimous. Tyrrell, Washington
anil Yancy, shall elect one mem
ber each.
3. Prescribing the qualification
of Members for the Senate.
That each member of the Sen
ate shall have usually resided in
the district for w hich be is chosen,
for one year, immediately preced
ing bis election, and for the same
time, shall have possessed, and
continue to possess in the district
which he represents, not less than
three hundred acres of land in tee.
4. Prescribing the qualifica
tion of voters for Members of the
Senate.
That all free men of the age of
weniy-oue year, who have been
nhabitants of any one district
vithin the State, "twelve months
immediately preceding the day of
any election, and po-se -d of J
freehold, within the same (lri 1 , j
of liflV acres of land, for six
month's rxt before, and at the!
day of election, shall be entitled:
to "vote for a member of the Sen- (
ate.
5. Directing the manner in :
which future amendments shall
be made to the Constitution. No ;
Convention of the people shall be j
called bv the General Assembly,
unless by the concurrence of tw o
thirds of all the members of each
House. No part of the Constitu
tion of this State shall be altered,
unless a bill to alter the same shall
have been react three times in
each House of the General As
sembly, and agreed to by three
fifths of the whole number of
members of each House. Nor
shall any alteration take place
until a bill so agreed to shall
have been published six months
previous to the new election of
members of the General Assem
bly; but after such publication, if
the alterations, proposed by the
preceding General Assembly shall
be agreed to in die first session
thereafter by two-thirds of the
whole representation in each
House of the General Assembly,
after the same shall have been
read three times on three several
days iu each House, then the said
General Assembly shall prescribe
the mode by which the Amend
ment or Amendments may be sub
mitted to the qualified voters of
the House of Commons through
out the State and if the ma
jority of the voters have approved
the same, it shall become a part
of the Constitution.
0. For excluding Borough
Members in future. This Arti
cle sufficiently explains itself
7. For abrogating the right of
free Negroes or Mulattoes to vote
for Members of the Senate and
House of Commons. This Ar
ticle sufficiently explains itself.
8. For disqualifying Members
of the Assembly and Officers
of the State, from holding office
while they hold any office under
the United States, or any other
Government. This Article suf
ficiently explains itself.
9. For making the Capitation
Tax on Slaves and free White
Polls, equal. That is, all free
males over 21 and under 45, and
all slaves over 12 and under 50,
to be taxed, except in cases of
bodily infirmity.
10- To require Members of the
General Assembly to vote viva
voce in election of Officers.
This Article explains itself
11. To amend the 32d Article
of the Constitution. The word
Protestant is struck out, and the
word Christian put in its place, so
that hereafter no Christian can be
excluded from Office.
12. To provide for biennial
meetings of the General Assem
bly. This Arlicleexplains itself.
13. To provide for he election
of t ioverrior, biennially by the
people. In case two candidates
shall have an equal and the high
est number of votes, the General
Assembly shall decide which of
the two shall be Governor. Con
tested elections to be determined
by both Houses of the General
Assembly.
14. To provide that the At
torney General shall be elected
for a term of four years. To be
elected by joint ballot of both
Houses of the Legislature.)
15. Providing the manner in
which the Judges of the Supreme
and Superior Courts and other
Officers of State may be inpeach
ed and tried for corruption and
mal-practices in Office. To be
impeached by the House of Com
mons, and tried by the Senate.
Judgment not to extend further
than to removal from office, and
disqualification to hold and enjov
any office of trust and profit under
this State, but may be subject to
indictment, trial, judgment and
punishment, according to law.
10. For vacating the office of
Justices of the Peace, and disqual
ifying them from holding office
upon the conviction of an infa
mous crime, or of corruption and
nub practice iu office. Pro
vides, lhat on conviction of anv
Justice of the Peace cf aa infa
mous f : :::.r-., r,r of ci.rr -coiii!n"--ion
hals he
hi? rhao be lot, v. , ' 1
from hohfu;Lr m -'n
17. Providing fr ':
of any of ihe .U,t':t v ,j
premeor Superb. 1 "otir;. f ,
tal or pj) ?:cal iii;i-.ihv
concurrent R e-ih,n. . '
0
.1 (i (
thirds of both hi am i f . l ;
General Assembly, a J,,,!,,'1
be removed from t.tWro ,jr f. '"v
or physical disability. 1 ':
I 8. Providing that tij? ;
of the Judges shall not l0 ":
ihed during their ci
Tl!lliis;.r
office. fTiiU a nl. t
L t,
itself.l 1
19. To provide ngainu t.,,,r
cessary private Leci,!,,,''
This ArtiHe provides i, ' f
General Assembly may );1;V
eral laws regulating mvon!,
alimonv; but shall not h;,venc.h
to grant a divorce, or stcure"
mony in any individual cf-
shall have power to pass any
vate law, to alter the name of a!'"'
pei sun, ur 10 legitimate ar
sons not bom in wedlock.").
ftr.
any person convicted of i,,-
crime. Nor shall the (;,llfJ,
Assembly pass any private C
unless it shall be made to a;r.'
that 30 days notice shall
been given iu such maimer 1
shall have been provided , v u 1
20. To amend the ; ;f(!
tiou of the Constitution, '-,
strike out after the word .fyf.
ralty, the words ''and un Atiorv
Genera!,'' and lo iiw'it bttutti
tbo words "Kquiiy" ani
''Judges," ihe words and, so r?h
j exclude the appointment of .i..
toruey General from this Article
21. To provide for vacancies
that may occur by death, resima
lion, or otherwi?e, before !ie
meeting of the Crrural Asstmbiv.
Writs may be i-sued under
regulations as may be prescribe
by law.
22. To provide for the a
pointment and removal of Mihu
Officers. The General Asm
bly shall have power to pass m
regulating the mode of appoimitg
and removing Militia Officers.
Death of Chiff Justh Mv
shall. The Hon. John Marshal!,
Chief Justice of the United States,
died at Philadelphia en thefiih
inst. after a confinement of several
weeks. Judce MarshalUas bora
in 1755. In 1775 as a lieutenant
in the service of his country h
was engaged against Loid du
more. He afterwards scrvd
with distinguished courage ard
ability in the war of indepeiidei c?
and fought at the battles ef b'rrc
dywine, Germantown and 3!k
mot.th. In 1762 he represent
his fellow citizens in the Led 'a-.
tore of Virginia: in 1799 lie
elected to Congress; In 1600 h
became Secretary of War; and is '
1S01 was appointed Chief J usticf j
ol the United btates. llnsas;
gust oliice beheld, to the tim?
bis disease. He died surror.nfc
by esteemed friends and afTertw
ate relations. In Philadeipki
New York, Baltimore, fichmoni.
Norfolk, Sec. testimonials c r?
spest for the memory of die
ceased have been adopted.
Gama Grass. We have b"
informed by James B. M3f;
Esq. that he has lately l!,c'
into a state of cultiv.nion riu'.
uable grass, and in the monta 1
May cut from less than t ftt
square, two pounds nine ":llCt
green grass. In less than 14
after ciittincr, it grew 12 ,ncl:Cs,j
heiLrhtiand it mav be fU;
25 days until the 1st cf
ber or severe frost. He sri i j
horses, cattle and sheep rre.''f
to the best of blade fodder;
having tried red top, tiri;la '!
elover, he is certain one z(!ri!
Gama will produce more
than ten m those grave; .
sons wishing to see the o1'.--the
bay, can 'do o by c'a
this otiice H't:: 7!.
r . jy Ther1' 1
IiteJron i-tnyi--. l,,cr ,.i -
et ships Kttonc from Havr? '.; j
North America from Lnf' J
have arrived a: .ViV i 'r'-' ' h