Vol. XV.
UNION, THE CONSTITUTION. .ANT) THE LAWS?THE GUARDIAN
S OF OUR LIBERTY.
WKPXKMPA1, \0YF.T1BI:K 516, 1*514.
i\o. V 19.
|?| I L L S B O R O U C. II. N. C.
rriuantD wieili
by iikssis hmaktt,
?T THRRB POtHtl A TKAk, OR TV J DOLLAR*
riTTT CKMTS IT fiin IS A L)\ A NCR.
Thoae vr,,t> '1? not notice of their wish
?) iv4 their oiiper liscontinued nt the'expirs*
tio'i of the year, ?ill be presumed a? desiring
,U continuance until countermanded. ?And no
a* ill be I "continued until ?I1 arrearages
?ra [>?' I. 'wl<" nt *b? option of the publisher.
Persons procuring nix subscribers, sliail re
ceive the *ove?ith gratis.
Advertisements not exceeding Mxte??n lines
will be inserted throe tunes for on?; dollsr, and
t?*iitv-five cents for each continuance.
Subscriptions received by the printer, and
m nt of the post-master* in the ntate.
ill letters tiponbusinessrelstivrtothepapei
m ist be post paid.
srsr'i > ?t risj'i* itiiLk
HILLSBOROUGH, N. C.
sa a 2i ftftuoasi a
A I ?? i" 'p"' tots ot u.c ' t .-a veil* | ,a,"
r-'n^ectlully inform their f ?r*i.er customers
%nd f>e p?ibl ??, t'?Kt tury have pur liased from
Col t'hild. that tar^t- and --o omodious
Mtab;??:un' * n t1 e
" F.V#O.V HOTEL,"
in the ????? ii it ' Iill&bor 'fun i -1 '.nil 111 fu
ture it wilt be con?)uct?*d oy them. Having
thus <?csied themselves p. mmietfly evrrv
exertion will b?> rua>le to pioivtr fie comfort
arxt ? onvenieuce ol those who may f>iv<?r them
wit'i t itir custom. ('heir charts will he mo
derate and suited to the times. The line of
SUt?-8 I<S9<<UII; through iliii?tiur?utih stop at
then llou*e, where ?ea>scan be taken. They
hope, by rendering f<em?elves deserving by
th'-ir attention to their hu*uiess. to receive a
liberal share of putilio pitro'imf
MARY A. PALMER,
JAMES M. PALMER.
November 9t ?. 47 ?
SPLENDID M IIEHE!!!
NORTH-CAROLINA
STATE LOTTHKV.
5th CLASS, KuK 1W34.
JTo be Drawn in the City of Raleigh,
On Friday the Wth of Move tuber 1834.
ON Tlir: POPULAR
Terminating- a? sitre System
Stevenson X Point*,
Managers.
cp^.'zbV]?7,0()0!
SCHEME.
1 Prize of 87,000 is g7,000
1 Prize of 4,000 ia 4,000
1 Prize of ii, 000 is 3,000
1 Prize of 2,000 is 2,000
10 Prizes of 1,000 is 10,900
\0 Prizes of 500 is 5,000
10 Prizes of 300 ia 3,000
15 Prizes of 200 is 3,000
So Prizes of 100 is 5,000
100 Prizes of 50 is 5,000
i:i5 Prizes of 30 is 4,050
200 Prizes of 20 is 4,000
330 Prizes of 13 is 4.950
6.000 Prizes of 10 is 60.000
fl.000 Prizes of 0 is 36.000
0.000 Prizes of 4 is 24,000
18,804 Prizes, amounting to $180,000
Whole Tick?Hs, . . $4
Halves, . , 2
Quarters, .... 1
j'.tU*" ' ?? **!# to b<> h id of
ALLEN PARKS, J gent,
mi i.?b .uuti, >i'H i n Carolina.
November 4 46 ?
N O T 1 C F..
'plllS t? t o certify Hi*' I. Wm Bnnhlev,
hav? ma>1c and nnpnnneil CIJRSLEV P.
FMIUKTr my 'iwf il njcni to ?"ifle a0 my
bn-tnr?a in this Or4>,p?? County. North
Carolina, thi# the 1 7 ? *? >i n ????"-?( 1^34
WM. BRINK LEY.
November 4. W
thin tiny Srhoot or i'amily
Wsinn.iKW
^1<IIE Pnh'i- alums ul the American Sun'Jay
School Union, 'tow a n<Min?iny to IUJ
Rook* in paper r nvr n?<t "iftS BmU* bound,
?aitablefir Juvenile, Kaonlv and Sunday School
LiSrtrii?a; furnt?lun|> n I ? r t* ?? am >uol ol intrrcul'
ing a m<I instructive m iIIt, nil having hi'cn
? minoil and approved hy tho Comm?lt'-e ? ?? I'ub
location, composed of an ? (pial number of ov in
bars of the MethodiM, Presbyterian. Kpfeopa
Han and Biplial Churches, (any one of whom
by hia v .!?? run capu.itf' any ae m ute h J
(,B? (,*? ohlaincH a' the t<?IU?wing mm
e?l Depositories in tine "*'aie. (N. C )
Hal?*i^h ? Turner & llughes
Favetteville ? James Miller
Wilmington ? Geo. E. Fnuieh
Newhern ? .1. C. Ai VI. Stevenson
Oxford? R. ,f. Yancv, jr.
^1 iltt>n ? Margaret Smith
Salem ? Conrad Kruiser
Hdlitborough? Dr. Jas Wehh
? ircmshorou^h ? W. R. D Lindsay
Salnhnry? ?.!, ,J. IliirkwonJ (;U Col.
T<enilev's
Charlotte ? 1? id Park 4
St ?tp.<villr ? Vlexiuiler A; Cowan
?rganton ? !,. Henderson.
? ? i I ?l|" (Mat" f IV irnl?l< f '* the untrue
1 ^ ul'i, arc renne<*ieil ? tin: ah><vc
*' ? Mi'rli me in tb?<r papci*.
' 1*1 I > -
FALL V\I> WINTER
GOODS.
a&aasiaa <s
%JJfrAVK the pleasure of again announcing to
the pahlic., that they are receiving from
the New York and Philadelphia markets a now
supply of
r+iMjL .f.V0 WriJTTER
Goons,
which renders their assortment inferior!* none.
The following comprise* a part of their clock,
\>t.
Staple Jt Fancy Dry Good*,
Queemurare, Hard ir are
and Cnttlrry, .
Mtatu , Shorn , HoiuietMi 4V.
1 ?? uddi'ioti Ikeir pre?' 'it sun lc. tnev will
constantly be rt ceivtng new supp'u-s; a<i of
w'uch w.'l . as naual, he sold low fur the nrttlful
' hankful lor tlie liberal (mlrnnagv heretofore
bestowed upon tlit'di, they solicit a coniinu
ance fil th) ??acne.
October 15 ?
Dr. Wiinhinffton D?r*?ey,
H\S .mut^d nitnse'l <n I i ? .thorough, and
esiiectf illy <<ff t" it i? piofe&sional servi
ces to ttie inhabitants of tue tnwn and sur.
routi'lmff eouotjy, and ask* a s\are of their
patron ige
Mi* -n'iy be found at his >.fli<*e, (the former
store bo- <e of Mr. Dtvid Varbiougli) on the
public square, or nt his >tw tiling house j-tsl in
the 'ear of tue same.
N'tV'-tiiber II. ,47 ? 8v?
UK. NORWOOD,
'f WING removed to mis pln< e from Cha
""** pel tlill, where ho has neen practising for
more man three yrara, otf? ? liis professional
service* to tb? citix? n* of tins town and its
vii fitly. Hi. iiiav at a!) times be found, when
not iiroies'ionally engaged s' his ehop lit the
v ?? ? ??w 'fiuiie two doors woi of Mr Adliam
\ nderson'n siore.
A good asiorlment of
.JME UMC MA'ES
wil! alway* be kept on hand, ami sold at rea
sonable prices.
September 93. tf ? 40
\V A N T E 1).
* FIRST RAPE Journeyman
*? RlackHiiiilh, ami two Ap
prenticea. Apply to
\VM. l>. KIRKSEY
Chapel llill, October Jttt 43?
* i; \V WATIHI>,
Jewellery and Fancy
Articles.
auKt'jtxa&i&a ^
JiKsPh' ll'l l.Ll innuunct1 t<> tlu'ir friend*
""* aid lite public ji?stn rally, that tn?y have
formed a ? op iflnerjittp h> the *l?ove mention
ed ?ni< l.?V' j i?f ecp'Vff an i-l' jiiit
d4Si>rtiu?>it . c<<ndi!>!ing in part of tSe follow,
inf:
Gentlemen's Go'ri L?vere, p'ain and ei'tra
jcw?ll?d,
l.tkdi' ?' ^<Mnf
G dd I) ip!et. Morimntat St I.ep ne W'atcfiea,
Silver l.t ind French iViitihes,
l.->ni{ 'inked Gol? 1 tluirh Chains,
Cuhi "*? C' < Cham*.
f-'ine (???Id <?nar t (' i, ?*,
(? if>? "%?- ?;? anil K- ya,
Mniiamr* C*-<er?,
\ r-c'i ?i*?i?rtin,,nl of Bronet Tin*, Finger
I <?'>?? * arid lar Ilin0?,
Srnatl Vtmiatirre l',iininij.w on Ivory, and
E anr'Hed l'aiiHii>|??,
Silver Plale,
*?i<v?r Everpo-n'ed ''rnril face*.
.Sj? ctar.lfH, a?-">.'i. ?l, '?I'.ver a*'d Stee',
llnlici k iv> p,
C'-rnl. a*sorf?*d,
Silver, M? el and GiU Chain* and Keya,
S ietl arid 1*1 1* ,\lu<nr
B i l B u'^ and I' ? r'e*. (
Fine K ' iven an I H<t7. >'*f
Clocks Ti'HC Piorefi, \e. tic.
B"ir>e permanently located in IliUahnrontfh,
and fn^rnp a l*r? ? i tn>l l?rj>e Mipp'y of Wulch
\f iteriala, tin y nri prepared to repair Watches
ol a <y de?c*r ip'ion, in tin l?e?t and most dn ru
hle in i i i"r and w ill *? ? rranl watche* rep.ni ed
i ? ev-Ty ?? aie I tn >nlh?.
Orders punrtn.i1 v p't?M?de?f t <t
JOHN HUNTINGTON,
lynch.
Oetorer flSrl. 44 ?
Mit a ?t Km for 8aW* at tin* Office.
J* O R T H - C \ R O I, I N A
STANDARD.
The ConttiMion, in / the Union of the Slain ?
ihe y " m'Hl br prr\rv red."
MVIE nnder?i |m to iniitio n Wrrk
ly Newspaper. ? ill* the nlintn title and
inntt ?, in the city of K i nub, NOr h Carolina.
P actically ? Printer a id Inn mi; for many
year* rundiii;l<.'il a Preta in anotiiet pari of the
state, thr principal ohjcrt of the limit rmcncl,
now locating hiaiMlf in Kn loijfh. i* omplo} inent
f >r htmaelf and ? npport for hja family.
\nd '.tMltrvinir that the eatahlia'imcnt of a Pa
p?*r at ih? >?.if of Government, which ehail do
juaticf. to the venerable and patriotic Chief
tlagiat rate of the I'nion, and to the measure*
of tbia 4d>nini*f n lion, and through who?e co
lumn* thr letfttona'c und cardinal prim iplea . >f
Kiv ililicnnis<n ahall lie defended and inculca
ted, m dmn inded by the prcaent criaia of politi
cal cfTi.. j, and exiled (or by tbc ?entimcut of tlir
peoj.Y of t.ie state, the undersign- o !ias i<l\tn
t red i ? en|ai(? it. t'ie enterprise, with th? hope
of bring sustained in his e tt~> > n * for the accom
plishment of so desirable an object.
Il i? an ano'ualy hi the political hi>t?ry if thi
times, (hat, m a State which la ao emphatically
Rfpuhltftn in principle a* North Carolina?
which >>aa on three several oceaaiona. by laryt
and iriuinpbant majorities, supported and eua
tsina I Andrew Jackson for the Presidency, be
lieving and /.nnri>i< him to be a aafe depoatory
and faithfu' representative of their principles,
and ?h>>se P?npl?, it is confidently *"li?ved.
ste still ili'V<it- d to hia cause? should have no
I i>jprr at its ? apital. through whoae colnmna the
| measure* of .is Administration can he (airly
I vindicated, and the voice of his Iricnds freely
heard. It is the desire, and a* all he the Zealous
endeavor of the undersigned, to affurd thai fa
I cHit). A*
His earliest political impri sMnus *frc in uoi
*nn with tltiiM* of th? l)c(n?c*( y of the nation;
whirl* Piperirm e, and his prowim* years, have
wn?pirMl t? strengthen unti' the sett I > d pjin
ciplcs of hia inatorer age art but the realization
of hia early convictions. Ohenshtiig tlu-??>ai n>
tinienla. a! lh? firntdemnnMrtUun in tavor ot
Andrew Jackson tor the President ) . the uudcr
aliened (it that period the Editor of u paper mi
Snlir-luiry) espoused hia cause, believing thai
one possessed ot ancii h>tty patriotism. and
w'.ose bigna aei vires to tha country ?j em
phatic *lly constituted h?tn it* brKftfni lr-r, could
not he other than a timet wortuy ? ?prisenta
ttve of Hie l)< tnocr?(y of the Union. it ti
continued and nnahaken onnfidencain his patri
otiam and integrity of purpose it la with highly
gratifind feelings that the undersigned 1a now
afliirded an opportunity of devoting himself
anew to the aa:ne cause, but in a more extend
ed aphere.
Ardently attached to the National Constitu
tion, and to the Union of the Mates, aa consti
tuting an impreg isble safeguard to our politi
cal, civil nnd rcligioua ri|(hia. whatever may
have a teod?i ?y to violate the provision^ ol
the one. or endanger the pfrnetnily of the oth
er sha'l receive the moat unreaervd eondem
imtioii at tin- editor's hanris. And while the
freedom of ?pet ch and the liberty of tkt pn ss,
blessings gua< rantied by the great C harter ot
our Ki^-hta, ahall remain unawed b) the threa
tening* of ambition, or unernotlii red by the
enrruptioiis ol aristocracy, the editor prnmi*
ea, not only that " t he Constitution and the
1'nion of t c St<n ?" (wheh he has adopted
as the inott<> of his paper,) shall he strenuous
!y vindit at> d, hut that a rigid enforcement . f
and p'oo.|>t i.h. rtiern-e to t !>?- popular Hill, ti n:
most imp ri>nt piiocit-ie of Representative
ti'ivc" ai,.ili hi cst!ed fur ?nd advocated
throughout ti e columns of l:u pa| er
A tii! I 't tair i Mt'tMMon ol tboce important
and le*. lit jf political topic* ol the day? the
fnil' / Slutrs Bunk, Inter 'td Improi hntnts i?nd
the n-xf Prtsid'H-y? will be admitted in the
" Si slots 'd." B'li opposed. fr> tn principle,
n-it '?n'y to the I.' S D ink but to sll other
National moneyed ni?"io?>olies. an well as to a
wasteful svsiom ol li.icrnal Improvement* Oy
the G? tierul Covi -romeof, the edi'cr *i!l rai-?
hia vott e m'suist thee-- il! a-rv'Scd iees?.-uie*, in
whatever* ape they may he pieset.te . a> i! 1 e
will equally oppose t'?e ?"*i,rei?c. bv ("ni gre?s
or the l.iecuttve. of all t r>v -.Iructtrt ^owi rs be
lieving that tim prrpi tuny of the L'ni niso ly
to be secured hy u j uliri-ois division ot pi' w t re
between the Gem ai .?rnl "*tat? Govt rnineiitr,
allotting to the first only that which is strictly
delegated to her, a <d 10 the latter what la
clearly reaerveil thorn. As regards the nil
absorbing question of H ho shall be our ? ml
President/ the T.ditor will, in due time, he r? a
<!y to inscribe Oil his banner ths name of him
who shall he selected hy the |)emo r?cv of the
Stat' ?. hs tlie K- publican Candidate.
Although, *1 : -is poritcular juncture, a more
' ran orilninr> aneiilo'n to (?eucial Politics is
called for by public se' Uinent, yet it is the de
?ogn of the Kilitor to rievnte ? I iige portion ?>l
his paper to the lorv i.fT'iirs ? / the h'atc Mid
| 'he peculiar interests ot herii'ixeus l.i>calerl
at the S?st of Government, he w |l he enabled
*.-? rfjmrnii'itcate *o the People early und enr
rei t information of the proceeding* of the !.*??
gis'alure while in s?esioii ami to gi v- pioitipl
sdviee ttf all .ictsnf ' ther servants ol the pen
pie. He w-i|l r ? alrtisly atUocate whatever mot
o itnhote to devfh'pe the rn h resourcts, un
fold the litent eneri>iei>, and elevate the cha
racter of No*th ari'LIna, as well as to en
eou'Hge all tha' may tend to en'ightcn the
nenple in rerwr.l to the internal ndxantages
with which tl i'v have been blessed hv nature.
He wi'l str.vr to muke tus pnper :? di>scmi;ia
tor "f faeta ? ?n asserti?r ? ? I be "ot h ? n \in?li
I'ator of i noon r.ce sod 'irtii' ? n censor of
I ?tre? an advocate of ; i?ti.i ? a promriter of
harmonv an 'suctil orilei in the eoriioit<tiity ?
a detec tor o'" (rn nd. imposture and crime -and
a sentinel, pmnipt'y In warn the people of tt e
first approaelrs of t veiv danger w ith which
their rights atvl libertps nipy he threatened.
I ?? fine, ? the t'ditor ? desire and hope,
should g?nt en' n ol leisure and suitable ac
quirements In 'or him with their contributions,
to rendi r los journal useful to the \|!ni ultii?
ri*t, p-oli'ahii to the Christian, entertaining
to the io rtri lur ofler news, instructive to the
man of scienci. ainu*o?g to the mtseellanfoup
reader, and m "standard" under which the
patriot nod politician may rally, confitlenl of
a secure d. ftore ngainpt the evil* of Consoli
dation, and a still more dang?rnu* po tlical
heresy which s>ek * to spresil itself thrrnighout
the land, ?' mngliog its fitful hlaits wtlh the
steady enrren ol consolidation, and threaten
tng, hy a comiined tfioveuicnt, jjreater injury
than anv hefi -e rlreadcd.''
i ? h this hief expose of the object. th< di?
sign snd futife purpose ef his journal, the
Kddor throwsiimsell upon the liberality of the
pnhlic, and sdicits such Hi I and assistance
from those whi may be friundly to his outer
prise, as shall enshio hun to sustain a paper
which shall h? no discrudit to the state, but
w-.rthy <S thetause which it is hi* pride and
hoas' t ? he at humb'c hut zealous advi cate.
The " Norli Carolina Standard'' will be
printed on an mperin' sheet, at least equal in
sue and ex< ctlion to any paper in the sla e;
and issued oirs a week, at threo dollars a
year.
The first niinher, it is hoped, will he put
dttritr.' the fi - <* weok in Nnvemhrr; the Ktlitor
thr-rct'ore r< qi*sts, that the nanies <-t a" those
who shall Imp subscribed previously to the
last of Octohe, may be tnimcdiately theresfter
forwarded to htm at Italeigh, that be may he
enah' (I to d'termine how many ol thu fiisl
nmnhc.r to alike ofi".
I'll 11.0 WHITE.
l>';tvhor, '2*4. 4J
tioiernor'n
To the General .Istrmhly of I he Ulute of
wVorlA- Carolina.
Gcntlemck:
The gratification whicK it always af
fords int* l'j witness the assemblage ol' the
immediate rep rest' ntatives of the people,
is greatly heightened, upon the present
occasion, hy the peculiar circumstances
under which you have convened. Al
though we havr neither, as an independ
ent state, nor as one of the constituent
parte of a great nation, attained the high
est degree of prosperity and happiness
within our reach, we have reason to be
lieve '.hat we have made important im?
provements in the science of government,
and have done much to perpt tuate and
diffuse ttie lights of civil and religious
Ireedom at home and abroad. Such con
sideratious must excite in every patriot
ic bosom not merely emotions of plea
sure, but the most heartfelt gratitude to
the Great Author of these distinguished
bloesmgs. Deeply sensible as we may
be, however, of the superior advantages
which we enjoy, in comparison with any
other people, either ancient or modern,
we should recollect that nations, as indi
viduals, must continually press forward
in the contest for human excellence, if
they would preserve their relative superi
ority.
No truth in poliiic.il science is more
clearly established, than that the public
liberty can only be pre&erved by the dis
tribution. among various departments, of
the powers of government. -I'he j?reat ex
cellence of our Constitution consists in
this distribution, and however much we
may regret to witness a conflict for au
thority between these departments, there
is no difficulty in determining that while
die checks and balances are preserved,
though public harmony may be disturbed
for a time, the public liberty is safe. It
is only when two much power is grasp
ed by either, that *he whole system of
government is endangered.
That your attention should be mainly
directed to objects of state legislation,
cannot be doubted. This does not pre
clude, nevertheless, a proper degree of
vigilance ith respect to the proceedings
of the (General Government, since upon
tht* purity of its administration may de
pend notonU public prosperity, but indi
vidual security and freedom. Pursuing
! the course indicated by these suggestions,
1 will proceed at once to the most impor
tant 6u!jccts which are, in my opinion,
| pioper for your consideration. Of these
the proposition to amend the Constitution
of this state, first introduced into the Ge
neral Assembly in 1787, and which has
coutioued to command the public atten
tion for nearly half a century, is regard
ed as most prominent. L'pon a subject i
of such universal interest, and involving
so many important considerations, you
have a right to expect an unreserved com
munication of the opinions of the Execu
tive I)epaj-;ment. The circumstances
which, in it-v estimation, reudercd such
a course improper at the commencement
of the last st t-sion, do not now exiirt, and
1 av :iil myself of the first fair opportuni
ty, which has been afforded to me, to
present my views of this perplexing, but
interesting question.
The Constitution itself u> silent on the
subject of amendment, and this circum*
stance has <r i ven rise to great diversity of
opinion as to the luyde in which it may
be effected. It has been contended, on
the one hand, that if the Legislature is
not alone elothcsl with this highest attri- J
bute of sovereignty, it has the exclusive
right to direct the time when, the agents
by whom, and the manner in which it
shall be exercised: and that the acts of a
Convention assembled without legislative
sanction, would he unauthorized and
void. On the other hand, it is insisted
that no change of the fundamental law
can be legitimate, unless it proceed from
the people iu their primary assemblies;
and that all action upon the subject by
the Legislature is an usurpation of pow?
er. 1 apprehend that neither position is
true to the extent which is sometimes
contended. That all political power is
vested in and derived from the people
only, is a leading principle in our Hill of
Wights, and it would seem to be a necessa
ry deduction from it, that they have, in the
absence of all stipulation upon the sub
ject, the right to determine m what man
ner it shall be exercised. Without en
tering into any formal reasoning upon the
subject, however, or even looking abroad
for authority, it is believed that the argu
ment may be safely rested upon the pre
cedents which have rome down to us,
clothed w ith the sanction of the Cramers
of the Constitution, and of the two suc
cessive Conventions to which it has been
submitted for amendment. It will not be
contended that the Constitution cannot be
amended, or entirely abrogated, and a
new system adopted, by the same power,
j exercised in the same manner, which
4
gave existence to the former. The itu j
pient measures towards ihe adoption
the present C oiisutution, proceeded ? ei
ther from the Legislature nor iri m the
people in their primary asseu Ku ?>; no*
was it framed hy delegates chosen lor
that purpose only.
On the 9th of August* 1776 the Count
cil of Sijfuty , whu'li Consisted ??f two
members from e?r|, ?f the six judicial
districts in the State,- appointed h> the
Provincial Congress winch assembled at
Halifax iu April preceding, adopted il.ft
following resolution:
''The Representative* of the i {llle. Su(
r 'Vm1" ,n J?*-'"'!*1 Cltnuns, .
.niladclphu. llir ?lh day ??l July 177^
eterrmned that ihe thirteen I niied < olon-ea
-re tree and independent Stolen, and in r??ao,
^"ll" h*v,n? published a Dedaiation
ot Independence:
fr*?* f" t*1 11 h" r?'ro"?",*nHed to the
fo- .1 pe..|,Ic of thia fit- it injtj.rnilrnt State I., P.J
!.Y,nV(?fc\:,uen;,?" 10 it~ 'Action, to bl
Hd ??n Ihe 15th ot October ne*t, of deiefhtea
to r. present then. Conges. .?d to'.*!
partiroLHy m view the important c...,der^
JTim ih t lh? bu,,ne,,B ?f ??>e dele,
fi J*" choB*"? not ""'y ?? ?nke law* for
the g..od gov. rnn.erit of hut .1*, form ?
Constitution tor thia .tale, that ihia-Uai as it
is the corner stone of all law. It ?.)#ht lo be
filed and permanent, and tf.:.i according ns it
is ill or well ordesed it n.nst tend in the first
UiTstat'e .?r0,??te lhe "r mia, r> of
The delegates elected to the Provincial
Congress, in pursuance of this recoin*
mendation, convened in Halifax in the
month of December following, and in ad
dition to the discharge of the ordinary le^
gislative, judicial and executive duiies ?
adopted the present system of fundameijl
tal law. The Constitution thus formed
U"der8?^ an amendment. (n
' lhe Convention which assembled
to consider the Federal Constitution,
in compliance with " a recommendation
the General Assembly, to that Con,
vention, to consider the projiriety of ex
tending to die town of Favetteville the
right of representation in the General As
sembly, passed an ordinance for that pur
pose. The Convention which, in the
month of November of the following
year, adopted the Federal Constitution
artmg under a similar recommendation
from the General Assembly, passed the
ordinance to establish the "place for th*
future seat of government. Neither the
( onstitution itself, nor either of ihese
amendments, was at any time submitted
to the people for raiification; and it is re
markable that the* resolution of 1787 did
not recommend to the pnopfe to elect
members to a Convention with power to
consider the propriety of allowing a town
member to Fayetteville, but confided ihe
discretion immediately to the Convention
called to consider the Federal Constiti*
tution. Without pursuing this discussion
further, the conclusion may be fairly
drawn, that a legislative recommendation
to the people to select a Convention,
clothed with authority to exercise ,he
highest duties of legislation, is i? stric.
accordance with first principles, and in
precise conformity to all the precedent!,
afforded by our history. It i9 not const
dered necessary to inquire into the valid*
ty of other modes which have been suut
gested as proper to effect this object; be
cause the one proposed is entirely ade
quate to the end in view, is the only one'
hat comes within the legitimate range Q(
legislative authority, and has twice receiv
cd the unanimous sanction of the found*
ers of the government. Nor is any dis
cussion of the principle so frequently
controverted that a Convention may be
invested with limited powers, believed to
be called for. If the precedents before
u* are authorities, the affirmative is con
cliistvely established; for neither the Con
vention of 1788, nor that of '80, had any
other power in connexion with the State
I onstitution, than to allow Fayetteville a
town member, and to establish the <eat
ot government. The objection, indeed,
seems to be altogether of recent origin,
and not to have been even suggested in
the frequent discussions which the sub
ject underwent at that period.
Satisfied myself that you have author*
ity to direct that a convention shall be
convened to consider the Constitution
to prescribe the specific powers u.th
which it shall be inwsied, and that any
act it may perform, which shall transcend
these limitations of power, w ?n be void,
I beg leave to state briefly some of the
reatons which induce me'to recommend
that a convention whh limited power#
shall be called.
A particular examination of the vari?
ous change* which have heen proposed
to our fundamental law, would not com
port with the character of tin* communi
cation. The great object to he attained
is a radical changp in the basia of repre*
mentation. It la obvious that the utatea*
men of 1787 contemplated no other inn?*
vation upon the Constitution than to tub
aitiuie either population or taxation, or
both combined, an a hams, inatead of the
arbitrary principle of county rrprcHenta
tion, without regard either to numbers,
or wealth, or even territorial extent. )i