Newspapers / The Era (Raleigh, N.C.) / June 22, 1871, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Era (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
i QUKNT, oe. in the "Standard" buildinf, Et id of Fayetterille Street. Raleigh, . N. C., June 22, 1871. - kef.rit-before -the - people.- -Coxvestiox Elwtiox Rbst TlIL'THAY IX AViUT. i h lio sure to vote "IVo Convention1 md also t vote for the candidates that i,pNrthte Revolutionary, injudicious ami extensive attempt to bring trouble upon our ieople, and to sacrifice) their iri.iiu-skail4 for tne soie purpose von lr.,llin' atul ad ministering thd few onlvs now. held by Republicans ih this rotate. : The late hour at which it was re ceived prevents our noticing further . ntffMltioll tO the ah e hu- (.111 V" 1 Com- mini. .wiitP.'lound on our third page. Any p.uer emanating from this distinguish ed Ho.ireo will be carefully read by the people of North Carolina. THANKS. V lu'vc to thank our zealous riend from I or-ylhe county for a ulscri ption tut .if luo hundred and thirty names t Can't some of ourffiends : . iirt ions of the State beat that? i-nd in vur lifts of suljscribers, and in. tiwv Linre or small, we will be p - n y thuikful. ' i. TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE VARIOUS COUNTIES. j I J.- up and doing. Nominate at once vour U-st men, imd let as have bn ac- tive, vigorous canvass against Conven- if in in everv county, and at the same ----- w w t time endeavor to elect our cand I t there be no two opinions on tnis Mi'bject among Republicans. Rijn can didates and let them oppose the Con vention, and if a majority of odr men are. elected, as they undoubtedly will ! fnm present appearances, let them at mice adjourn and go home, thereby thwarting this new revolution and sav ing much money to our oppressed tax payer?-. -' " OFFICE-HOLDERS ORGAN. Tin- StiilimI has taken KlnA to in ionu tli' people of the Sbite that the r.ui u tlif' fifliec-httlders' orsran. The frntirtil draws from the State Treasury suvr.x m xiHiF.H lxu.LAas ief week 1 1 is well known that the existence of the S ,iihul ' denends upon 'the that it gets weekly from th State Treasurv. We leave it to thH people tH mll " oniee-holdrs1 timt which Is the " othee-holdtrs' or r.in." , It must not be ftirgbtten that Mr. Turner had a xjM'ctal bill passed to enable the .Sentinel to draw urMiKF.n ikiii.aiis per week. SF.VEN MORK PIGS THAN TEATS. 1 his is the cause ofthe preseijt polity ii-.il commotion in ibis State. Politi cians have a great many piggish ways! I -Ivery one knows that pigs that have imt got hold ofthe teats always do the stiiealing,and are constantly struggling for a place. The princijial Convention Miuealers could easily lie quieted if .there were only a few good vacant of II t s to give them.. This preventive remedy might have stopped several able letters and a humlier of windy editorials. There arc a nunilK?r of squealers in this State who regard the .Constitution and laws a "medley of confusion" because they did n6t make them, and think they have an Inherent . . ? . . . nt m ' A .1 riirlil loxne omces. i ney are luupnmu or too lazy to work for a living, i and they are so hungry for a sttckiw place tlut they are willing to turn the old m i mammy upside down to shake off the present office holders with the hope that they may get a place in the gener al bramble. There is niany a j squeal in pig wjio will hear the jeople say in A ugust root, little hog, or dictf APPEAL. TO OUR FRIENDS We trust our friends in every County in the State will at once send us In lists of suliscribers. er.ito that all Our terms are so mod- can 'afford to subscribe. See terms Tri-Weekly $3 pi r annum fir six months $2. Weekly $1 per year; .50cJ for six inontlis. I't every friend opposed toj the pro poeil unconstitutional and revolution ary change in our organic law send us a list of subscribers. I We luiir cheering news front all quar ters. Thousands of Democrats who pre fer law and orler,to assassination for opinions' sake, are with as in this ii;dit, and Many of the opposition who know that on this election depends shelter and home for their families are with us. What is needed is I only to ..v.- it..n the iKHipIe to the real desiresof lU oilKt-sekers. To tell jthem the true meaning of this mipirivdtHited ai.l revolutionary i.tlempt Of a bare i..ajfritv of the Iegislature to call a Convention, and it will bo v4ed down I ,y at least Injhe Slatej. j The people of North Carolina are with us. 1 lelp us to circulate the Era, and you will see tliat such, reckless legislation will receive the just rebuke at the ballot box It so richly deserves Send in your' list, with post office larHDEE, - Editor. plainly stated. YHE REVOLUTIONISTS AND THE HOME. STEAD, It is well known that no feature, in the Constitution of 1808 gave more' of fence to a certain clasd of great power and influence than that which pro vided for a' Homestead. Such a pro vision manifestly threatened to inter fere with the interests of creditors, it was equally manifest that It was likely seriously to diminish litigation in the future, and thus to affect the- interests of that guileless and dove-like profes sion whose fortunate and useful voca tion it Is to live by the stripes of oth ers. These two classes, often repre sented In the same person, made their attacks upon the Constitution , behind an ambush of other professed reasons. Considering the.conditlon of the State, and the admitted necessity for some remedial act like the Homestead, It would have been unpopular and gross ly impolitic to denounce the Constitu tion on that ground. Measures like tliat are invulnerable to direct attack, but their originators' and supporters are vulner' to slander and denun f dent than we have heard an in cessant and clamorous outcry against the friends of this feature in the Con stitution, and "especially against the Judiciary of the State to whose care its infant life was necessarily entrust ed. They were urged to sacrifice this fair child of Justice and Mercy, by the merciless knife of constitutional con struction, or be sacrificed themselves. There were other reasons for hostility to the Homestead than mere unrea soning conservatism, and a mental inability to see the advantages of any thing new. It is well' known that a majority of tne lawyers of the State, whether upon a biased or disinterested conviction, believed that the Home stead would and ought to be declared unconstitutional and void by both the State and Federal Courts. They still hope and expect that it will be so de clared by the Federal Courts, and if we are at liberty to' draw any infer ence from an occurrence in the Su preme Court as reported in the Tele gram of the 17th Inst, their hope even with regard to the State Courts has not been altogether abandoned. The occurrence .we allude to is thus re ported: II. E. Melton et al. r. William Monday, from linnooml?; decided at January Term 170, was on motion, re-docketed and motion made to amerce the Sheriff for improper return on the execution for costs. Qucs- L tion involved whether the Homestead ex emption is liable to execution in actions or Tort. i ::.' Under this belief many creditors pro ceeded, notwithstanding the Constitu tion and the Homestead Act, to sell out Homesteads, and the attorneys Iwught them in, either for their clients or them selves. It is also well lenown that af ter the decision of the Supreme Court in fovotof the constitutionality of the IIM others "with capital and willing to bet upon their opinions, proceeded to sell out and buy in what they , called the reversionary interests of the owners of Homesteads in their lands, to be en joyed in possession after the deaths of the. owners and their wives, and the at tainment of the youngest child of twen ty-one years of age. Sold under such circumstances, and with manifold doubts as to the validity of the titles which might be thus acquired, of course the buyers had prices all their . own way; there was no competition; under such circumstances there could be none ; and they bousrht the most valuable lands against their impoverished own ers for the merest triflej It was indif ley bought a ferent to them whether t present claim to the . land, in spite of the Homestead enactments, or a claim to the reversion equally in spite of the law. me sums wnicn tney paia i wnen they paid any thing) would be repaid several thousand times, if in the revo lutions of politics they could ever obtain a Court which would refuse to recognize ihe oblicrations of the Constitution of 18C8. The people of North Carolina may see in these facts a key to much of the opposition to the Constitution of 1868, and to a great part of the envenomed and. unfounded attacks so pertinacious ly made on the tchole. of the Judiciary of the State, which ,would otherwise be mysterious and unaccountable. The universality pf these charges of incom petency and corruption against the Judges, shows that they proceed from some other reason than a sincere belief in their truth, and a pure and unselfish love ef Justice. If these motives were at the bottom, they would disdain to deal in indefinite generalties. Persons and circuinstances would be specified with a precision which could leave no doubt ofthe aim.! Vague denuncia tion betrays a mind, 44 Willing to wound but yet afraid to strike, i and is inconsistent with the directness of step which marks the man intent on; bringing an offender to justice. It may be that some of our Judges have done .acts liable to censure. We do not know this, but possible it public, and for the sake of the argument admit it. But we know that all of them are notjustly liable to the unmeasured charges made against them in mass of incompetence and villainy. We know, that some of them at least, are equal in intelligence and learning to any that have here tofore sat in their seats, and that their in tegrity is beyond all suspicion. Now if the revolutionists feel an honest indig guation against the improprieties of any Judge, why do they not accuse him or them by name, and with a spec ification of the offence? There are courts, from the High Court of Impeachment down, competent to; try. every act or omission which the Judgment of en? lightened and pious men lias declared wrong? In morals. If no other court can try thff criminal, the High Court! of Publics opinion will take cognizance; of it. Bqt that court like all others that mean to act justly, demands specifica tions and proofs before it will convict. There is but one court in which the accused is con victed without these small preliminaries ; it is j the j court where Bigotry and Ignorance sit together and never dissent from each other. , It is to this Court alone that the Revolutionists mak'e f heir accusations. In any other they eould be answered by a denial and a defiance of proof, put the Revolu tionists i desire, no such; result. They mean business of a different character. To expose one or more incompetent or corrupt Judges (if there be such) would serve their purposes but poorly. These can onty be accomplished by the over throw of the whole judiciary which sus tains ttie homestead. iNo less a victory will give satisfactory spoils to the vic tors.! In no other way; can they bring rnmifipfnt sneculations in the uncertainty ofthe law J-j m j to a Ruccessfuix! 'GteGovernment, millions of dollors. and the homesteads of one Hundred thousand men, wives', and children, dependl Such a prize Is well worth all the zeal and energy of those who have a pre-emption in case of conquest. Well may this enormous and transcen dent Interest afford tj subsidize! the legal arid editorial talent of the State. It is ths Interest at wliase bidding the whole Judiciary of thej State without exception has been daily denounced forjoffences great but nof specified,! un til Jthe. people in some counties of the State have become so demoralized as to hohijin defiance and contempt the lai; and all its minister Liberty, and civilization ,are endangered by tho of forts of tills great power to secure its prey. The Constitution is to beJ de stroyed: ; not for the sillyj and frivolous reason assigned, but because it stands like a ivall betyeen avaricious specula tors and the Homestead of the people. There I jj no bound to impudence lf no restraint can be put to the effrontery of iiprinri! nrofessions and promises are cheap and little, but it s to be hoped that thfre are bounds to popular credu that the horiey-worded ierambulators are spending their precicjus time who per suading to a Convention, wi.ll not use their gift when once tnade lxyond recall fas a property tf their Theirliibors are scarcely those of unselfish lienevolence and love. bwn. pure The confidence game has long ago played out except, in the mxt benighted dis tricts1. I ' ' ' ' i A woodman had an axe but no liel ve ; he besought the trees of the forest to he e him one little sapling that might make him a helvej he put him sfilf under the most solemn oaths that Ken wuil never injure amm if J t 1 menuXthe trees, in their generosity thev consented, but no sooner had he fitted tile helve to his axe, then he set to world and hewed, down the whole forest. So says' old sop. The own ers of homesteads, and their wives and children may apply the fable. VALUE OF STABILITY IN CONSTITUTIONS t One bfj the greatest blessings confer red by government is tjie stability of its fundamental law. ; This' has been a revered nlaxim in this country from its foundation, taught and enforced by the precepts of the vast majority of the pat riot statesmen who framed, and who Imvejsubsequently devojted theiij ener gies tdttfei" preservation of our Coilstitu- tioiL (Thespirit -of faction as developed in restlessness, chronic dissatisfaction, a morbid disposition to Experiment J to change established government, has al most1 uniformly been a source of na tiomd and individual disaster, not un- frequently ending only in destruction. Without now going into the history of ancient andmodern Europe for thej many examples i furnished therein, we have them on our own continent of sufficient ly recen; date and Significance to sat isfy the 'most skeptical. The tremendous events previous to1, during, consequent upon th late rebellion, as well as the dis tracted, unstable and revolutionary con dition of Mexico for ages, furnish us ar guments which no sophistry can solve or refute The co61 and reflecting pa triot sees,: and feels with aching heart, the disastrous results of these efforts at revolution of restless change that it had been far better to 44 bear the (in many cases, imaginary) ills we) have, than flyj to others (far worse) that we know not of." But-in the incipiency, or even In the earlier progress of these revolutionary demonstrations, the coun sels of ; those wise and good men who would n have averted the terrible ca lamities, were treated by those radical revolutionists only with contempt, dis respect arid denunciation, or at best, as the over-prudent suggestions of timid submtssionists. Time and expe rienfe, however, too clearly and forci bly 'demonstrate that of which we will allow T$o argument no warning to cbnyincus. ! j j In' view of these truths, then, jlet the people 6r North Carolina pause and se riously reflect before they heedlessly and raslily allow themselves to.be again entrapped and led into another crusade; bf revolution, 'in any shape or under any pretence, at the behest of discontented ftd ever-dissatisfied lead ers,' whose zeal far out-strips their wis dom or discretion, while determined upon radical changes not very clearly defined, land a substitution of provis ions arifrom being agreed upon even among themselves. And just here is a most formidable and serious objection 1 . ... -i , m 1 ; ... , ....... . -. .. to thiswholeschei nor convention ami Constitutiou-chan sJg at this time. - For a work of fi 'J Important charac -. ter, much thougl 1 and'cful cori siderationand pr ;i&nt judgment, and i thorough, well-d !ed, mature system;, should all be rej ,red before its conj mencement. Thkemarkable absende of these Qualities $ this revolutionar f proposition for a f invention to change ...AmamantaTl iiT. L so marked thax its best friejidsim admit itJLwam the judiciary eievc, x wv , wants it elective fo.a short tenn, D f( a Inner nno r 4-mts J it decreased fi nnmliera.Fwanincreased,seeGo' Graham's recomnlsidation in 184G, f6r instance :1 G wanti qualified suffrage, H does not ; I waiiS the whipping-pofet restored, J does not K: w ants imprts onment for debt, icoes not ; M wanfe the Homestead fea(ircy knocked hig i erthanakite,"allen:that it isdisho a estv. whereas N clairfct to preserve i ; ; O desires that votejs .ihall be required to vote at' their owa 3vnship or d s irit hnr. nr nnft -rr4 ' ' P ".'nnts iireat&r, Zenxrrn box, they may be permitted to I to town and vote. Q wants public ucation provided for, R thinks no, let the 41 poor trash" provide for its own education ; and so on through the nu merous and indefinite provisions of ; a State Constitution.: This diversity jx ists in all parts and among all clastes and parties in the State on. many sub jects, to a feverish and excited degrep. It is readily seen, then, that the pub lic mind i in no condition now toibe annoyed and harrassed by a Conven tion, and especially one of the charac ter proposed, to effect changes which, if ascertained to be pressingly needed, may be effected otherwise, and in 1he mode'jpojw&'fi oat by the Cpnstituti n, and not in a mode subjecting its work to the imputation of liaving been done in a revolutionary: manner, thus crea ting a ; seditious, rebellious sp rit thereto. i ' , ;. Whenever time, untainted by he fell spirit of prejudice and a too trucu lent clamor, shall inevitably point out great changes which should be inade public sentiment in the various couni ies ofthe State will call for those changes in a far more clearly; defined and intelli gible manner than that how resorted to by bitter and prejudiced political id venturers, the point of whose opposi tion to the present Constitution, in the main', seems to be their own exclusion from place and power. And it isnot believed that, for the mere gratification of this desire, the! people of the State are going to sanction the present revo lutionary call of those and kindred pol iticians, unduly exciting and harass ing the public mind, hazarding so ina- Lny good provisions in the present Con stitution, in a risk for some minor ; im provements. When the people of thei U4ofn dioll rltieivo 9MlPi elisin?"i JlM their Constitution, . tiny win so cate it that a Convention may be read ily ciilletl in the "manner presented by that instrument. It will then lie q lite time ebough to act. Constitutl on-j making is a subject of too serious md important a nature to lie done ui der haste, excitment and' prejudice, md especially when attempted in a mar ner unknown to the Constitution, w den that instrument expressly prov des the proper manner of its own change. CONVENTION HOW ABOUT IT IN MIS SISSIPPI ? A majority of the members of each house may propose such amendments as they may tleem expedient ; tne amendments proposed shall be published and submitted to a of the people. If a. majority, of the voters shall vote for the amendment, it shall be come a part of the constitution. " The Gen eral Assembly may at anj' time authorize by law, a vote of the people to be taken upon the question, tyhether a convention shall be held for the purpose of amending the ' ?on4 stitutiori," and a majority of votes shal. (iej termine the question. j And yet this very course in North Caroli4 na is denounced vy tne omce-noiuers as revolution, tinel. red-republicanism, - &e, Scni : Very! well;, if, .that' is tne provi sion t ! of the Constitution of Mississippi it or were proper that! she should alter amend i her Constitution in tliat way The difference then, between Missis sippi and North Carolina is, that W hile the has the former has provided ' that way, latter has not. North Carolina specially provided other modes speci- ally and definitely of amending her .in Constitution ; and if her politician their undue eagerness for the offices, were to assume to change her Co asti tution any other way, then that action would be justly amenable to the charge of rash and radical " revolution, red republicanism,tcJ!A IBtttLnafc so ivith Mississippi, if in compliance with the requirements other constitution. This point of difference is as material as it Is apparent. And here"44 comes in" some 44 State rights," of yhich we have h ?ard so much in the past twenty years but of a totally different and more dar iger ous character. It 1 is the 44 right" j of each State, irrespective of the action of another, to manage ler own internal affairs in her own '.'way. Mississippi makes (her Constitution and laws; North Carolina hers. Wliat might be constitutional and legal, or even proper, in the one, might not be in the. other. And the argument which seeks to shel ter itself behind the action of one State under a certain provision of its Consti tution, to justify similar action of an other State which has a totally differ ent provision, is certainly one not far-fetched, but really without a 44 only local habitation," except in the imagination of its propagator. " Professor Morse, the inventor o the telegraph, took the first photograph ever made in America. THE DEMOCRATIC iAVhen Thomas Jefferson gave the Democracy his in ereat talents to erecting a system otpoUticai. policy up on which the Democratic-f party ; was to rest, ana on wmcn:; P"vf(F3 werefounded, it was m a great meas- Tkntriotic. When in af- ter years Jkladison, Monro6 x . and Jack- son were the exemplars of those pnn- ciples, that party held hig h rank J for its maintenance of human jhberty, the eni- rlo-hts of the Deonle and free gov ment. From the farewell address of Gen. Washington to the immortal ex- clamation must and of Jackson, the Union shall be prese rved." the minds of the American people have been educated in the faith that the pre . , -A. servation of the Union is the only safe- tmard ofthe Erovemment. The Demo cratic party then taught that in Union alone there was strength, and froiri that bartv mainly the people learned the lesson that to dissolve the tie that bound us together' was to put in jeo- xt' nil that was ! valuable td the that ptrty have departed, j JSewl dog mas have taken the place of its time- horioretl principles. The rjght people of the United States to off the main- - i tain the Union has been denied. The right of the government to protect it- self and preserve its ow integrity j-new doc secede has has been repudiated, and a trin of the right of States to become one of their fundam ental prin ciples. ; .:; . . ' . ! : . . This doctrine, in the interests of sla very, organized the war and prose cuted it, until the triumph iqf the Re publican armies of the nation had tested and settled the ques 4. ilJ tion, we hnd honed forever. But the Democ racy of the day, having no Issues to array in opposition t(f Republicanism that have not been buried, in the tomb ofthe rebellion, areAiow actively at work in resuscitating these dead jssues 4nd systemizing them as a ground work for opiosition, and a means, of organization for the future political canvass. ! They are opposed t the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amend ments to the Constitution ofthe United States. Colored suffrage is a heresay,- that it is the mission of the Democratic party to destrby. The faithful execution of the laws a ty- ranny that must be arrestexl by a bem- ocratic victory.? Disarming the mur- derer and desperado Is a vio ation of private rights. Educating al the children alike throughout the nnd breadth of the land is nbt length to be tolerated, and cannot .be accomplished bv the aid of Democratic Votes. Equal civil rights to all meri, is with the Democracy t4eqUal civil rio-litsto all white men.", Violations of law are to be screened, and the per petrators sheltered under the JEgis of i 1Wkvihw: A lift nrmnsitKm ko ' ' eVerv 1 - naepulilIean principle and meas ure is now uie loumiaiiun sluiiu oj, mc party. Whatever of prosperity, what ever of improvement, whatevjer ojf ben eficence, whatever of happiness and peace result from Republican ! meas ures and .Republican administration, thev are always worthy the maledie- tions of the Democratic party. .. ... ' 1 ii i , r - " And yet this wjis once the party of thd peo pie! O, Democracy, hoW has thy erlorv departed and left thee nothing but a name? AMUSING IF NOT INSTRUCTIVE jjineci It is an amusing picture, combined with all the elements of the ridiculous, to see such men as Hubbs. of the Newbern Times, Grady, of the Wilmington Post, jlleaine, of the Raleigh Telegram, Carpenter f the Rutherfordton Star, John, of thfe EWfeibeth City Carolinian, and other small lights, at tempting to: instruct in constitutional law such men as Gov. Bragg, Gov. rraham, B. P. Moore. Judee Merrimon, J udi:e Ildward, Edward Cnigland, Judge Battle, Judge FoAvle, Judge Warren, and a hos of others, embracing nine tenths of the lgal talent and intell lgence in the State. Dots not such a probability cause a smile of indredulity to Sass over the faces of the good people of rorth Carolina? T'arboro' Southerner. Admitting that all in the above ex tract taken from the Tarboro'&ou lhern er is true, should it not open the eyes of every homestead man in the State as to the frail tenure by which hp will hold his little homestead and pefsonal property exemption in case a Conven tion shall be called ? Hubbs and Grady, and Hearne, and Carpenter, and John and "other smalt lights," all believe in the constitutionality of the homestead law, and are in favor of sustaining the Judges who rendered a decision by which thousands of poor people are now able ; to keep a comfortable home for their -Wives and children, while" Gov, Bragg, Gov. Graham, B. F.Moore, Judge Merrimon, Judge Battle, Judge Fowle and Judge Warren entertain the opinion that the retrospective feature of the homestead law is clearly uncon stitutional. It is ominous too that the leaders of 'the Convention movement are all in favor of turning but the pre sent Judgesof the Supreme Court, who say the homestead law is constitutional and of putting in their places Hon. B. F. Moore, Judge Battle Judge Merrir mon, Gov. Graham, and Judge Warren, who say it is unconstitutional. Let the people ponder well this subject and not allow themselves to be caught napping. Tliey now have their liomesteads and liuv4 it in their power to. enjoy them if they, will be trine in timei "l : k r If you .wish to retain and enjoy your Homesteads, vote against ' Convention. If you. desire to see the Sheriffs sell your Homesteads to the highest bidder and turn your wives and children out of doors vole for Convention. ' i A sharp young .woman, says . there is nothing more touching in this life than to see a poor but virtuous young man struggling, with a weak moustache. We publish on.the outside of to-day's paper the speech of Charles F. Fisher, having heretofore publlsnea iiuit tu Hon. Wm. B. Shepard.and snai ioiiow H with that of Judge Ruflin. - The question involved was exactly the sam as is now before the people of N,orth Carblina, foranother solution, inougn not a 44 novel one," as Judge uiggs an nounced it to be in 1854, still it seems that the universal condemnation ofthe Democratic party, in lS52-'ol and im aided by a respectable number of its opponents, was not powerful enougn to ? n auMus to the heresy. T it not strarijre, that there should be found men in North Carolina, who pro fess now to belong to the Democrati Mrtv. and who are willing to turn on iiAir own recorti and the recorti .c their party, by becoming converts to a lopfrine. "novel" and 44 palpably un constitutional ?"-! In an address issued lwthe 44 Central Executive Committee," found in the Sentinel of this City of $Iay i Rt. h . 1871 . and siemed by Thomas Bra; tvt a : TilPdsnfi and others, occurs the M.. - following, parasrraphrr l. hnt tliaf wiu thn (lone .ltvlant cau tion and not -for the purpose of amending the Constitution, and was the. only instance of such action, and such a vote was then unnecessary." j Tv'-p"'-- v:; . ' ' f Such disingenuous expressions las the above are more likely to find favorable criticism in the obscurities practised by the special pleader, than in the quota tions of candid exponents of legislative history. Those gentlemen knov, or ought to tknow, that the power of the Legislature to call by a majority vote, a Convention for the purpose of consid ering our Federal relations evenf was debated several days and decided against, and the Democratic' Speaker of the House announced, that, unless the bill calling a Convention passed by a majority of two-thirds, he should not announce its, passage.' Such was! the opinion of Judge Ruffm, Mr. .Avery and others, as we can abundantly show from the columns of the State Journal of that date. In 1854, Gov. Bragg canvassed the State against the Hon. Alfred Dockery. He made a speech in Raleigh 1st, of J une, 1854, and we copy from the te port of that speech, to be found in the Weekly Standard of June 7th, 1854, which was Gov. Bragg's acknowledged organ. That paper says: t j .'IIe," Gov. Briagg, "showed that a Con vention of the people could not be restricted by the Legislature ; and' ho referred to( the important fact, that there was notning in the Constitution requiring a vonvunuon w submit wliat they might do to the people. His opponent, he said, had at one time dis puted this, but that he presumed after con ferring with his friends, he was ready) to give it w. A Convention then might niake most unexpected and exceptionable changes in the Constitution, and the people could have no reinedy. II- " This was another argument in favdi!' oi the Legislative mode, and he proceeded: to rmifi in favor of this mode, quoting in cordial approval of it the opinion of Chas. Vl.n.on.l Win Tt Klitiriiv1 ' . I There have been three several ex lXtei; 4U Conservative party First, the address of the one hundred and ilvQ.SecondA- the testimony of Mr. Moore before the Southern Outrage Committee in Wash ington Citv. Third, by. the Central Executive Committee, platform? i ' w Which is the ANOTHER RADICAL. Every person in North Carolina who had any hand in forming or who voted to adopt the present Constitution j las had "Radical" pinned to his skirts by the Democrats.:- f - . One of the main objections urged by Democrats and Conservptives to jthe present Constitution is that it provides for the election of Judges and Justices ofthe Peace by the people. Perhaps it never occurred to these Democrats that Hon. David S. lleid, a life long Demo crat, first suggested this radical meas ure, and recommended ' its adoption. Such, however is the truth. J , In his annual message, to the General Assembly, November 20, 1854, the great Democratic favorite, David S. Reid said The election of Judges and Jus tices of the Peace by the people, and jfor terms less than for life, are also ques tions of reform, which I recommend to thefavorable consideration of the Gen eral Assembly." it--':; -'M-? ( . "A well regulated Judiciary system is necessary to the security of the rights of persons and of property. North Car olina has been pre-eminently blessed in the wholesome administration of Jus tice in her courts. This has doubtless been more the result bf the wisdom and intearitv of her Judges, than of thePCT feet ion of the system Jtseir." r ' i : " , - ' ) KILKENNY CATS. . The Democratic papers are endeav oring to produce the impression that the principal . oppointii..rrConyen tion are the office-holders. 1 It is ' Very evident that the most.' active support ers of the revolutionary Convention movement, are the j office-holders. the approaching political contest If be-' tween the "Outs' and the "Ins,". was a kind of "Kilkenny Cat fight" in which the contestants would only eat up each other, there , might not be much public damage, but the people have to suffer The expenses of Jthe Outs getting in, will cost large sums of money, and will produce; a revolu tion which will destroy our homesteads and involve us in new difficulties with the general government. . j '' Tlie homestead is 'certainly, one of the stakes in this Kilkenny Cat fight, and if the wives and children' of j the country could vote, there would be. ho difficulty in telling how , the matter would be decided. . They know how to appreciate- the comfortable homes which a Republican constitution and Supreme Court have secured to theni against merciless : creditors. . They would not allow political ; madness ' to reduce them to beggary. -""n the I' I i wua ibvainr letter, written by W Justice; a Reprntatiyafrom Buthjry . . ? . j A j. k VWxunt General As- lora couuiy . . sembly, to Gov. Caldwell, was read by the Governor to a number or genuemc of; both .ItlcaLi.JfyJ'lf oen made public, we arepermui publish it as a matter of news:, f , , :-'' June 12th 1871.- GOV. CALDWEI.L: . . I f . ; Dear Sir: L wriie unuer . . . .,,rw. A ornu'il Of SOniCL.. voraoiecircum&uww y -rzrtu fifty men came to my nous "f"Z i .itiioA burst mv door " T done1 iV about one .... v- .. . T lira a a waked I minntP irnii iusi. as x Ul . F . i twr Rfiverai, of them ana whicn strucKa mow , r x!i-tva is a very serious wounu ; x wi a very painful 'wound under my arm nm&htside; iwastakenoutand carriel otf in my rto j far edge ofthe town, wuerex " for a loiisr time in a very heaw' At hist after my lire had been threat- at me, with beng and Iaoanaon my-i,u1, wi',v; . hp . " n ftrui to aid them in carrying xne Kwinn Section in this county, end furnish them wih information asm . whAfwahoute if Mr. Biggerstan, ind making Jnanj- iner uromuw. x .ww irith . . nmmisA . to meet them next Saturday night to give them the in formation they wanted. . f ... I cannot sit up to write much, but the whole thing was fbr my politico they said they had nothing else against me; that they had lately held meetings and pledged their members to nil all, men that resist them ; that they intend to restore the bid Constitution as it was before negroes were free ; that they are going to place .them under white men; and all white men who re sist them they will kill. I cannot write all, but if our Government cannot pro tect us we must leave.l J. ,:. I Governor, why not have this section placed under martial law? We cannot live without it. I am stronger in my devotion than at any previous day. ,1 will try to make it a dear affair to some of them, yet .the night wasj so dark I could not see enough todestinguish any one but I thought I knew 'the voi ces of some, and circumstanoeff men tioned by them convinced me that they , were men tliat I knew and that live in this county. I hear that they whippet another man last night; they destroyed the Star Office and swore they would kill Judge Logan and hunted for him last night. Excuse errors I am . too weak to write more now, the troops at Shelby do uno good in Rutherford. I am with great respects,! V i' v Ih --Yours Ac,"! ' ' ' Jas. M. Justice. Representative from ! Rutherfotd County. We will merely add that Mr. Juctice is a man of high respectability, lives in the village of Rutherfordton on the main street and in thq heart ofthe town, and it seems almost incredible that , such an outrage could bo perpetratetl in any town in the State without the knowledge of some of the inhabitants, yet no one who knows Mr. Justice Will ,iiVf statement. HOW long. Oil how long will this sad State continue in North Carolina. of affairs Oh shame where is thy blush! oh Justice where Is might ana suppress vnis ' ouinigwms . '- . '! lit' i A violence. THE CASTLE BESIEGED. The homestead is ;!a castle built by the Republican party for the protec tion of women, children and unfortu nate men who were ruined by, the' war. The present Constitution H the ram part thrown around this castle and the defenders are Republicans.! Jt has long( been beseiged by an ktrmy of lawyers, creditors and Democrats. -Not long Since 11- was bwhucw uy . hic hi.ijt, but the big gun of j Hill ri. Kesssler chargetl and directed by thej Supreme Courtvfora time scattered the be siegers. The lawyers are cunning and indefatigable miners and sappers, and they are constantly devising new schemes to accomplish their I purposes. We are informed that there is now a half a dozen cases in the 1 Supreme Court presenting new points' as to the constitutionality of the homestead. Lawyers never rest when they are ; af ter offices and fees ; and if they succeed in their Convention plans there will soon be plenty of business in the Courts and they will have very rich spoils from ruined homesteads. The home stead is safe while the present Judges are on the Supreme Court'; bench. They cannot be removed except by a Convention, and a Convention cannot be, called unless the homestead men are traitors to their households. They can gain nothing by such unnatural treason, as they will get none of the offices. If they vote for a Convention their political and ) personal - passions may lie gratified, but their wives and children will soon be homeless.. , ,,-J NEW DEPARTURE. In 18C0 the Northern Democrats promised material aid to their South ern Section friends in case the Unjted 4 States" Goverhmentj attempted to' eo- erce obedience to the Constitution, j ! Secession was attempted 1 War was ' the result, and the ' Northern Demo crats made a. departure and become our bitterest 'enemies. i ,-Mj-.-! '; : . t Northern 5 Democrats i advised their Southern friends to resist thej contAitu- tional amendments and Reconstruc tion measures. The advice ?-as fol lowed, and the consequences were colored suffrage m Hilary governrtwtt and all of our present disord' ; The Northern Democrat ? ,,OMr making a "new departure" 'J 01,41 that the constttutional amendments and Reconstruction pleasures are a" right and must be ohserved. JThe rev-, Blair iu tne it i . . i nni: suit , tne urnn mi iw i - iho Dresent be North .and must ULfUllllU.lLU . . Ill' ' V. J The Northern Democrat nave , u,eu thus for a political! leading the Southern PP" fol"i !!,' Siffinfcs and misfortune. ' ; . o..iUnrn neODl have v nen will tne .orr - nd thf dreads the fire." I t J f i Hp 1
The Era (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 22, 1871, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75