1 ' '" 1 "' -- i hi .in ii .i 111 . iii i. , .i i i i in i mil i i iP'i ii - . i n i " 'i ' .- - -.
' - - ; : . ., : v . . : : : ; : i n t: . t7 , ---.:'- . ----..- - -
'I-
'i
PEOPLE
OF NORTH CAROLINA. I
. .-;- - I
Following the crumple set by their po
litical opponents, the Republican -farty
hare instructed its Executive Committee
' " to address you in relation to tho proposed
'-. Convention. ' ' '' ; I
. It w very ranch ng&rast oar wudics1 that
" yon have lwcn precipitated into a taun-
r'paign upon this delicate and important
, tmbieot. -The State dnrin tr the rmst ten
l?'-jeaxs has born subjected to tho expert
" f mcnts of various political doctors, land
" what Seems most needed now, is repose
and quiet, an opportunity for the oper
ation of natnm's soothing and restorative
lowers,rather than a resort to new nU and
potions, however confidently rocommpnd
4iL On Una ' con trary, the Conservative
Tarty produces in great plenty lancets,
blisters, drugs IhjIIj emetical ami purga
tive, potent modicii.es guaranteed I by
many certificates, and a glitteriug array
of surgical instruments, the upshot of
all which is that North Carolina Is Juce
more to be subjected to active treilaent.
It seems that Conventions are to be
come of ordinary occurrence in this State.
Mr. Jefferson has been generally de
nounced by conservative men for hating
advised that State Conventions should be
called once in every twenty years. Here,
however, in about one-half of that space
we have had (including that now pert
ding) no less than five elections upon 'the
subject of Conventions, ,and if the one'
"now proposed . hllJjialxalled fwT"'V
. Heaven- lozLki i) f rotrthsCJU
have resulted four separate sovereign
Conventions. It is obvious to askj If
the three Conventions already encoun
tered have reduced the State so
what will become of her after she
I6W,
has
leen submitted to the tender mercies
VII
a fourth! I
It has occurred to all men who labor,
whether with hands or head, now and
then to find- themselves unaccountably
, unfitted for work which ordinarily! is
I easy. At times nothing goes right.
brain and hand seem to have lost their
cunning. Blunder follows blunder.
Under such circumstances it becomes
wisdom to withdraw the attention, and
go about something else. By so doing
we see ourselves in a short time restored
to power, and are enable easily to triumph
over the obstacles which just before had
overcome us: we even wonder hqwj it
was that they had given us trouble. May
this not sometimes happen to whole com
munities of men, as well, as to individu
als? IIa3 not North Carolina, for pie
last ten years, been in just such a condi
tion! We ask this . question upon the
Conservative theory. If it be true, I as
saltl'by them, that nothing but blunders
have followed all this ten years of en
deavor by North Carolina to amend her
fundamental institutions, had she not
Utter lay the task aside, and await he'
coming of a season in which her brain
will be clearer,- her nerves more steady,
her temper less ruffled, and her hind
under better control!
Such is the advice which we most I re
spectfully tender to the People. As the
State is most clearly out of $ortt for Con
stitution making, let her for a while day
this business aside ! ,
l To the same effect we would add, if (the
.loud adverse; clamor upon this isub
. it will Thermit us to be heard.
that the present Constitution is by
no means the monster which it is repre
sented.. In very important respects it is
an improvement upon any Constitution
that we have ever had, and in no respect
is it one that cannot be borne with ujntil
tho community has reached a poriod more
propitious for impartial consideration,
f Vmra 'diner "that it needs amendment in
substantial particulars, is such concession
mftf iVao.t com - r. applicable to
all our coitotiumoi: , atM ami cacrai, -
and indeod to tverr political consuiuiioti
thathAcxistcd in juy age or country)
Before taking tho very cursory1 view of
tlds instrument, which is all that the lim
its of an address will permit, 'allow ui to
remind you tliat the mighty political eio
lenceto which we have been subjected since
1SG1, resulted in casting North Carolina so
ciety,afterl86o,upona unhwtcn shore.'Er
erything around is strange. Tho socialma
chinery of our old forms of life does not
suit here. . What was political wisdom
'there, in many respects, is not so here. jPer
haps even the wise men of that condition
of things are not the wise men of our
present, and will not be so in our imme
diate future. If the character for (wis
dom in question were founded upon fa
miliarity with the relations and proportions
of the structure that has passed away, then
if has perished along with them; and to
to call the possessors of such a quality
to the conduct of that complicated ma
chinery which now bears our fortunes, were
as prudent, as under other circumstances it
might be to call upon one heretofore known
as a trusty wagon driver, to become at
once engineer for a Lightning Express
Passenger Train. There is, . however, a
An.i;v mnm worthv of the sacred name
of wisdom, which would, on such occa
sions,' prove to be most valuable. (If a
citizen had studied, and been inspired by
the great theme of human Liberty, divest
ed of all such circumstances as are merely
technical, accidental and transitory,
if, whilst i jealous for his .own
ownpeaeeand freedom, he prized aright
the peace and freedom of all other citizens
of whatever color or lineage, if the beat
ings of his heart had been taught to'keep
time with that famous saying uttered by a
dark skinned man in Athens two thousand
v years ago, which, endued with greater
vitality.and winged by a loftier eloquence
than any other saying that had preceded it
upon that renowned spot, has circled the
Earth, and visited both Poles, gathering
new strength with the lapse of ages; and
bearing richer fruit with every returning
reason, to-wit, that God has made of one
Hood all nations of men; if, in fine, his les
sons bad taught him to 'gaze with una
bated delight upon that glorious j scene
within this Republic, on which the curtain
rises higfeer from day to day, bearing in
his heart all parts of the assemblage, and
irifted with an eyesight so purged and un-
' scaled as to be engrossed with the bril
liance of the object rather than offended
bv its spots, then, of such a one it may be
said that there was not so much room, as
" Was there in all our borders such a man
If not, then,- without disparaging the just
claims of our more distinguished fellow
citizens. It was not of their assistance
that our society had .most need. This new
wme was not for their old bottles. J
Our fundamental institutions required
for sure laying, workmen who were not tram
Sd by ideas peculiar to the former
itateof things in korth Carolina. How
eveV ch men might fail upon certain
vA:.nrb- would not be affected
"VMIIO.
by thedeadly sia of a failure to correspond
ij uie ucau j ,nt- uoon the other
With the Situation; Vr
. . lar II I M I T I III III HIT
hand, however, slaltuimu o
the details oltne rnrap?i bv
men, it would mw x immaMnt(-
lein2 unconfonnaoie " rW
The
i.in r r. n-it ii our ut"
chrefS;. that tliediarties
carieUaggers, scalawags and
negroes, had some quaUties for '
' e7j X Knrth Carolina, that
were in advance of those possessed by
,7. A.ir.atiHlsnd mostdis-
tineuished of our own citizens I it is
nrohahu- th-f onr nosterity, ana nistwy,
.will pronounce that the Constitution of
1868,- had less unsuitableness to the true
condition of the people of North Carolina
than any paperlhat would probably have
been drafted by the best of our native citi
'zens. It will be said that it sympathized
with the new social life that had sprung
up and was to continue, whereas that
nympathy tea Vie very ' jtoint 'of diagiut and
ateruon with those whose theories had
taken color and proportion from the former
rnorth Carolina. i
A consideration and digestion of such
questions in the only wiso temper that
of travelers will, we are pcrsuadod, enti
tle tho constitution to a favorable judge
ment, and render a consideration of its
most important details light work.
. TOWNSHIPS.
Take, for instance, the new system of
county government, including townships.
It Ls generally supposed 1 that townships
are a yankee invention,' imported into
North Carolina as a badge of subjugation,
and machinery for oppression. The truth
is that they are a feature which for more
than twelve centuries, as' all students of
English law know, have marked that free
society from which we have borf owed the
substantial parts of our own. The most
philosophic foreigner. who has yliscussed
American institutions, one whose decis
ion upon various portions of o-cr system
seem, at the end of the forty years which
have passed since he urote, posseSsed of
proy heti?glar:'", 'TV" r?,-""'?ville,) re- j
as in tht from wi uiUoaucou.
It is khwn that alike subdivision of coun
ties warf recommended by Mr. J efferson ;
and it is remarkable that in the early set
North Carolina the same
ideas were carried out. They disappear
ed before the Revolution, probably under
the growing influence of our slave interest.
It deserves consideration whether that in
fluence did not naturally substitute the slave
plantation in place of the township. The
totenship, according to DeTocquetillc, is the
germ of, and supplies vital force to the
only free societies that have endured for,
centuries. Is not the plantation its correl
ative, slave societies i . The communion,
free speech, and local self-control of the
one, naturally grows, in the society at
large, to a free Press, a Parliament, and
the other noble institutions which mark
the conscious presence and free movement
of a self-governing People. .The isolation,
restraint and combined independence and
refinements a few, with the ignorance and
constraint of the many, that distinguished
the plantation, were, on the other hand, no
less seen and felt to the extremities of the
other society. What was peace in the one,
in the other was mere solitude.
Merely suggesting then that tlte totcn
ship of 1871 was the proper substitute in
North Carolina, for the plantation of 1861,
ni-A Biibmit that its introduction here,
jwhich in carpet-baggers was mere habit or
instinotTin a-JSortn uarounian wouiu
have been proof of profound refleci
tion and wisdom. or tne rest,
the Township is a small I and natural re
public made up of neigltbors, of those
who have great similarity of interest, and
who ought to be, and generally are, friends.
It controls matters in which they only are
interested. Incidentally, it promotes pub
lic spirit, prevents consolidation of coun
ty matters at the court Lhousc, develops
talent in rural communities, nnngs ior
ward good material for public servants
that would otherwise remain unknown;
nrwT what observers of such things will
not Underrate, it affords,? in the organized
circle of its neighbors, that machinery lor
forcing forward and upward local merit,
in the absence of which promotion so
much depends upon the reluctant favor of
ennrt house cliaues .1 - J
u preS8ea bv such .reflect!
reflections. - wiucn. uo
rloujjj - j - oR
opponents, whilst specifying this town
ship system as a main -objection 'to the
present constitution, admit that, it works
well in other parts of our country, adding
that this is because they are populous, intel
ligent and wealtlty, which we arc not! How
very poor a shift this may be for an argu
ment to countenance unfounded preju
dices, appears by recalling the fact that
they were adopted where they now flourish, at
times when those countries were thinly set
tled, grossly ignorant, aiul very poor! They
have grown to their present pros
perity under the influence of
this institution. Long centuries ago,
when thick darkness covered all people,
before printing' was invented, when people
who could read were as rare as in this coun
try now are men who own their million of
dollars, the Township took form. What
iU splendid story has since been history
tells ! What, the bright consummate flower
that now adorns it in i the spot where it
sprun up, is seen and known by all men !
It is natural that there should be some
yearning after the plantation, throughout
North Carolina. Many virtuous people
no doubt struggle with the forbidden . ap
petite. One step towards its restoration
nrnnwlv 1 the abolition of the
township. We enter our protest against
it ! Under our Constitution the township
'isverV much under the control oi tne
J - '- 1 Ti !1 -nra
General Assemoiy . xis powers, j umn t
become more used to the new county ma
chinery, may be clipped very close by
the Assembly, and then by degrees new
functions may le added, until at last all
merely local affairs be entrusted to its
control. Such is our I proposal, instead
of its abolishment ty a. Convention.
. The other county machinery is so ob
viously an improvement' upon former
methods, that its consideration j need not
detain us. The difference between be
ing taxed by our representatites, those
whom we voted for, and who have to
come before us again, and render an ac
count, as is the case with county com
missionere is, beyond I all .measure, an
improvement uoon the former system of
county taxation, by an irresponsible and
partially distributed bench
t rates. " I f ..
of
mains-
It was to beexpected that a number of
shrewd lawyers, rendered skilful in such
matters by old experience, in the defence
of criminals, would be able to say someth
ing worthv of their reputation In defence
of the old system of Law and Equity, of
Trespass, Case and Detinue, and other
caitiffs. as against, the system recently
introduced. Let it be remembered that
the Code is no part of i the Constitution.
T7mt mav be altered as the General Assem-
iw Khali think best. What the Constitu
tion provides, is only the abolishment of
two ets of courts. Law and iuiuity, ana
f h different forms of action. That it
has done so, is a mighty stride in civiliza
tion ! It is an improvement already auopi
1 " in a dozen of the most intelligent,
wealthv and populous States of the Union.
No one that has tried tne cnange, uas guue
..... . i
1 1- A. llin fwmA
condition of things,
iZ ; TnUnd the rraxlle of the old
MU Vfc. LIlLi A VTA auw w -w j-i
...v-. . --a - amend oien ts, (although
unon an enormous scale,) had been tried
with shYrht effect for forty Years : the Lord
I mii-i,a ;n rhnrtr with the
Chancellor has in charge, with the sane
tiom of the crovernment. bills to effect this
very purpose : and, what is more, to adopt
tne svstem ui uiuutiijjt;' U1 xt
Code ! The chance is a very great ameli
oration, and in the course of a few years,1
iii nniversallv be so regarded. The
lnenta which the People receive from the
Constitution of 18C8 in this one item, might
well float thai instrument, even if loaded
with objections ten-fold greater than any
which can be ascribed.
It mat be pronounced, .with great cer
tainty that thi change in the law as well
as that of townships for plantations, are in
more duuger tf being annulled now.thau,
if they escapd this assanft, they can ever
be Rsrain It unchanged within the next
ten years, thefy will remain permanent tri
butes, to the jinstinctivo wisdom of the
convention 6t 18C8. Meanwhile, no oue
will wonder i( all middle aged and more
advanced lawyers, much of whoso capital
consisted of familiarity with tho hooks
and crooks of that rusty, mnsty, dnsty
Iabyrfnth.--hooks and crooks that con
cern jmlice otherwise that by often serv-,
ing t pLigneiand defeat it, are keenly
sensible bf tho mighty loss that has been
sustained, or should mdidge in nev ba-
nientations therealonts.
i H GENERAL OBJECTION.
We greatly biarvol that the Conserva
tive party shoiild have urged, m a ganeral
and most iotent objection to the Consti-v
tntiou, that, .ith regard to many of its
provisions important ones at that no
Ixxly could teJl what they signified until
they had received judicial ' construction ;
when the very same remark is no less tmo
of the Constitution of the United States,
and of every other Constitution that has
been formed npon the continent Have
they not, each and all, been a themei.fbr.doi.
bite ever sinebey wenjnl:rte?I not
. . ii, te iJoino tret
years, beoause' one or other side (perhaps
both) did! not understand provisions in
that Constitution? Were not there pas
sages in lit that seemed, contradictory,
and required judicicial construction, oe
f ore any! mm could say what was
meant upon the whole? Is it not true
that. the. Convention which formed it did
not understand how it was to work in many
important: particulars, and indeed did
Lot realize what part of it would be most
prominent W I the newsociety which it
was to create! i
No Convention can remedy such de
fects. A new Constitution may abolish er
rors in the one now existing, but; it
will le at the expense of , creating new
ones, i It may safely be foretold that a
ereat harvest for the legal profession will
' follow the; work of another Convention.
Nobody will know where he stands. . All
the questions now at rest, will be renewed.
Other fees! will be to pay. An unbloody
revolution (such as we hope the approach
ins? one will, !bc) is necessarily a great
feast tor lawyers, auw ihu uugm, w.
be in favor of such: Whether the inter
ests of the People in general, are the same, j
is not so clear ! !
Upon this; topic it may be added, that
whilst the1 Conservative Party are fluent
upon the ',- matter of the want of
perspicuity, Simplicity and logic j in
the : present S constitution, and upon
jthe doubt ; and confusion necessarily
iltinTherefrom. they have not en
larged upon theTfleasureLpfUie doubt and
confusion to! arise from acPnstitution,
however worded, which is the offspring o
an irregular! assembly, called in a revolu
lntiopary manner. In connexion with the
method in which the next Convention is
to be called the People have some inter
est in thisrview. That a vendor of land
V
liaviog ito tdlc to convey the lann :
; -I! I' TAXATION.
; One other I topic urged for ii cull of a
Convention demand partictilar consider
ation. It is that which is most strenuOtis-
ly urged in this councxiO!i: the matter
dI;.L r4"mino'5raxatioutrhicb, it-is
tirgcd.'can tip avoidctl only by s Conten
tion that;
ih.ll strike out the obnoxious
clause-.
ThnnrreMnt Constitutioii retmires (Art.
5, Sec. 4,');Uhat the General Assembly
shall provide for the prompt payment of
the interest upon the public debt, "by
apiropriat& legislation and cul&juate tava
tion." It i,V admitted tliat no one j can
compel thq General Assembly to impose
such taxation, but the point is made. that,
as the Constitution requires that members j
of the Assembly shall swear to suppoH it,
they are biind in conscience to do so.J -
It seeing that this provwion applies only:
to the 6VJ'$tate debt, i. c to that- which
was in existence when the Constitution
was mloplfld. The debt to arise after the
Constitutiou.was provided for in the next
section. I he method of providing for tV
interest w fmarked out there.
This rids us of the great bugbear con
nected with the many millians of the(nj,
extravagait and fraudulent debt The
obligation! of conscience in question, (does
not extend to that. That there should ap
pear, as upon the face of both the Address
es bf the Conservative Party to the People
this year,there does, a suggestion j that
the conscientious obligation extends to
lw.th shows how uncertain a thing the
conscience of a politician may be. Prob
ably somd Irass might be digged out bf an
Address which insinuates a threat that if
the people do not call a Convention, the
signers of the Aaaress, wnoare aisso uicux
ir nf tlip Tfrioiature. will be constrain
ed by thr consciences whatever'imder
the circumstances- this may mean, tcj levy
a tax to pay the interest upon m w uoic
debt ? whether Swepson;or Littlefield's,
or whosoever. I- J
Ttnt thn. as to the old debt : ttowmoes
that stand i Is there an obligation in; cpn-U
science,1 unaer tne uhui iu 4uv-i',j -
lay, 1 adequate taxes to meet its. interest
promptly? " ..I .
The answer is this: The provision in
question" is of no force for any purpose !
If we were not under the Constitution of
the United States it might have effect.
Bui it adds no force to the obligation al
ready imposed by the Constitution of the
United States. Members are sworn to
supportithe Constitution of the United
States, as well as that of the State. ! iThe
Constitution of the United States recogni
zes the Existence of the obligation of a
contraci,iiot only by forbidding the States
to impair it, but ; also by enforc
ing it J itself. It j enforces it in
various ways, according to the character
bf the person it deals with. As to most
people it enforces this obligation through
Us courts:' sometimes by ordinary j! exe
cution? against goods and chattels1 and
sometitnes by mandamus against officers
-who are charged with official duties in
levying taxes (say in counties and towns)
for such: purpose. There are other classes
of officers whom it reaches only through
their official oaths; . e., operates only up
on their consciences. Such are members
of the i Legislature. All of such are sworn
to support that constitution. That con
stitution applies itself to the details of all
contracts, and imposes an obligation of
like quality, manner, form and condition.
What is the character of its obligation in
in. Mnscienee in rcsard to officers who can
not be sued, is evidenced by its operation
on those who con he. If county coupons
are payable semi-annually, ft imndamus
may be had for the identical payment con
trol for ! If State coupons are payable,
the obligation in conscience enforced by ;
the official oath, is the same, jxuere
may, in the case of the members bf the
General Assembly.be some play of discretion
allowed by the United States Constitution, j
ho. nnt iTnrosp his nieas m eiesrant lan-
m 1 A w I
lll&O V. " d l .
: ;.;1t- AnftM in n lppd. State
guagu, vutuv , " " i' i uoon
but after ail, is not one to wmwicu r;,.
with jthe trouble which arises from) his
uiference to
;'vir$ of a
: they are to
taxes; for
iie want,
r the, appro;
u ion ;it3ap
?ay, l. e,,q
r ml thv fxi-
astry, and
I y; delicate
ed how-
man who
Vouldbe
,-ilowever
this may be decided in -.regard t the Con
stitution of the United Stat .vit isyery
plain that the State Constitu tion binds
; nobody's conscience who i . leves that a
tax bill for payment of the I ircst.onthe
public debt is, under the ciicumstancesof
the community, ijuxpproprioie legislation;
He is required to jdo it only ly "appro
priate legislation." Let any gentleman,
who threatens the people with, such'a law'
be asked whether he regards fucli lcgisla-.
tion as appropriate to the pre cnt circum
stances of the times.- If be say, yes,
then he is bound even in tl .n absence of
such a provision as this, to iery the tax.
If he say, no, then the pre. '3 section is
without enect. - i i t -
Two oaths,, to the"
:t.'Jiadho
COliiBiuoidji
a a duty akeadyyCOim.
rrtWAoi! comprcuensiver
i tin. Ommnk
U
lis too, in
' HOMKSTKAD, ?
Indeed, the tactics resorted
to upon the
ivkint. lust discussed, bv the supiwrters of
tho rVkTiv-Antion. hriner forcibly to mind thcH
celebrated hunting expedition of the lion
and the jackass, in which these tactics orig
inated. TliejaeKass was to. set up an nu
braying, and thereupon the affrighted game
would escape from such jaws as he had,and
fail into those of the lion lying in ambush.
tfrre this section about taxation is to play
the part of the ass, whilst the affrighted
oeoDle run off and fall into the trap upon
the subject of Homestead, which has been
nrottiivsfltforthat ouroose. This trap la
ominer to be very well understood, and
Venires no elaboration : The delegates ard.
to be sworn not to toucn tne iiomesieaia
provision.and all the while, vows have been
. . if
registerea to ciean out, mc auprtrun;
This will answer quite as well! The '.neat
result will be that at the next Christmas
many a present of homesteads will be niadt
to honest creditors who now sit behind long
suffering judgments waiting to be let slip
The exceeding tenderness of Conservative
consciences in regard to the oath upon "ad
equate taxation"! fcc., required the com
pensatipn of some indulgence. This has
probably been allowed upon the Homesteac
question, where a certain anticipation o f
sales of that sort of property, coexist with
solemn vows not to touch tlte words in th ;
Constitution which guarantee them ! If you
take the conscience in too tightly in some
quarters, you necessarily let it out too xar
in others!
ilKVOLUTIOX. -
We have iiot said anything in regard t
the method in which it is proposed to ea 1
this Convention. : The point has been thor
oughly discussed recently, as well as foj -.
lerly, about itsy. we susu not tiawiaiu
it here. Itjis enough to repeat, mat uie
mothml i. e a call under a vote of a nii-
i iority of tho Assembly has been condennk-
. i . ..i.i : 4-:.iiAi unj.t
eu by tne VTenerai Assumuiy m timoa
as being revolut io nary, r that this doctrine
was affirmed by resolutions of State-Con-
,-entions of the Democratic party in mps
before the late war ; that it vwas acteu
in 1JSGA m reference to Hie can oi uie
.-on tion: of February, which did not sit :
timt !iintriiaofi so extensivel v and notoriously
discussed and construed, .was adopted with
out change into the present Constituton; ai)d
. .,1 1 t .1.1,1 I li n i 1 1
mat retienuy uuvcmui, .
prome Court of the State, have pronounced
Such a call to be unconstitutional ami rev j
lutionary. f Those who wish for other a i
thority upon this question than can be lu d
from persons triw now, or irum ouwi
ek llie tlioaL .iUliadtcrf'' a
Convention, we refer to tMruTfJuiEF .1 1 f
tice RuFFiN.the greatesiawyer we rF.vo at
any time had in North i arolw le w :is
so convinced that such nf Vhods;. te pit s:
cut are revolutionary, JLhltrJio vJHuntoc'.'cd,
upon a memorable occasbfl, to ooine oAt ot;
retirement; and, in an Elaborate parcr, jso.
adviso his fellow-citwcn4 t
We quote his language j
" Two modes of ameiJmrtlie Const uu
tion are provided: One UTough the agen y
of the General Assembly, proposing inj
amendment for ratification by a vote ot t?iej
People, which need not ht considered hoej
the other, by a Conventioi, calletl in am jn-
ner prescribetl in the Constitution. It is
obvious that in prescribng tliese two, p
other modes aro excluded by irresistible
inference. I In respect toi Convention, he
lu-nnla rpJ " Xo CoilVeilUOll Of the 00016
shall be called by tho General Assembly
inio&a iw tho conciirrenre or two tiiirasmi
nil the Membei-s of each House of the ien
priil Assemblv.'' Letter bf Jjiht Id, mm to
ff ffnninlnttd. ' i !
. "
r ThnaA who disres-ard sneh an array of
Warning voices, appear to be regardless of
ial dntv. and fatallv bent upon mischief.
We trust tliat the wisdom of the ieople at
.the election now at hand, will dissipate tne
cloud of ! apprehension: which naturally
arises in view of what Sms to le, at :iiiy
rate, such recklessness. :j ' !
' If otherwise, it is well tor sober, men to
'consider what may bo tie result If any
of the present officials of the State relying
upon Chief Justice Ruftn's opinion, be
dieve their removal under elections held by
virtue of the proposed Convention, to be
revolutionary and illegal, they may reg ird
: themselves bound by, their oaths of ortiee
to resist the same. In such event tne i-res-
i.i ant of tho United States is bound by his
oath of office, supposing lam to be equ uiy
deferential to that as well as the oiher
opinions quoted above, to interfere wit i a
strong hand and suppress all the coi lse-
7uenees of the contemplated moveinent.
t was done in the ease of a Northern ftate
(Rhode Island) by a Southern Presidont,
Mr. Tyler ; it may be done again in the jase
of a Southern State, by a Northern Presi
dent. Does anybody doubt it ? Who . iocs
not feel that if it occur, it will not only
shock, but shake down public coniid mee
in the stability of everything that pronl otts
prosperity in, or that atti acts capital pto
North Carolina?
The 'very mildest form in which the ques
tion can be put, is, canorth Carolina jus
tify herself in resorting to doubtful expedi
ents under such ' circnaistanees, will she
trace her path upon the very edge of dan
ger when all know that another inaugura
tion nf t violence witldn her- limits will
necessarily result in so much confusion,
and so irretrievable ruin ? She could hot so
justify herself, even if the purposes profoospd
were more clearly.right than nowtheviseem
to be. But when it is added, that thbre is,
ot out no need for the constitutional re
form suggested, that, standing alone, Imany
of these suggestions deserve condemnation
rather than endorsement, it is a wanton
thing to call such Convention! Improper
ends by violent means, is simply preposter
ous ! I '
The Republican party of orth Carolina
have the same interest in the general
Eeace and prosperity that their opponents
ave. They desire to see no public trouble
revived : thev wish to aid in raising ! and
recovering tne exhausted energies, bf j the
State. They prefer that all disorder fn the
State, if possible, shaU be put down by i the
powers of the. State, and, in the fij-st; in
stance, inasmuch as an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure, they desiife that
the people shall forbid this threatening
measure. 1 i ' : r M;l
It Ls in this interest, tliat representatives
of the Republican party from every section
of the State, at two different meetihgs; in
Raleigh unanimously adopted the follow
ing resolution: j , . 1
itrxnlve'd. That the Republican party of
North Carolina, hereby protesting tjhat the
nail for a Convention is unconstitu
tional, reeozniae that it will be mostJ for the
ocaee of the State that the people i
1 so
decide at the ballot-box, and therelbre
'Such persons may claim that ' :
their condition, as set jover r
quasi sovereign, requires tj t
have some discretion as to 1 ' ;
instance, in times of grca t p
fcc., that they are to cor k!
priateness of the proposed !. , ; '
proprijteness all arouiul, so t )
the wants of the ereditors," :
geflcies of the State. i
t lye do not know how this v..
'are discassing a question of cc
such questions are pro ver I '
and deceptive. It may be y
ever, that the conscience i f
was in fear of hisconstitr.i .
apt to take; soniclmclu-turn.
; Upon ail points oi uiw tv maj "w,.r'T 1 EGGS IK'l
r , - - - i i i
Ot Cniei justice nuinu, wiai 10 wuauw ia!a, VT.OUK uei'
xfVt nu t f ii if' i:u i 1 1 ii i iu i in i iitj liiu JJl ct-v. w i i.imil'u
commend that an appeal be made them
for that ' purpose, and that' such appeal
be prosecuted in the usual wav, by a Cam
paign, and Candidates, .
nit is in this interest that we have been
directed to address them. We trust that
our designs herein mav prove to be effec
I In several important respects tho Con
stitution is a great eain upon: all that
have preceded L In the large majority of
us provisions it is a good Uonstitution, in
Hii, Jfc ih toieraoie. ' -
! The , State is: in" . an untrietl eon
ditioii : in that jrondition it is not
easy to sav what coiistitutionai provisions
in some respects may be best. An, experi
ment nas teeii set on root at great expeiine,
Let us give it a fair and full trial the rath
er that if we were now under eompulsion
to mako a cvnstitutiou. no eonsKlerate man
could be sanruiud that such as we should
adopt would answer even tlve purposeH that
we -have in: view. Iet us walk, eareruilv
forward to bur-plaee in the future, avoiding,
so rar as we can all risks or tailing to secure
for our posterity a fair chance in the race
now leing made nn for : the. fortunate men
who are to come after us. Above all things,
let us trcal no step backward, upon pain of
receiving the maledictions of future'genera
ttons, as those who,., with great, opportuni
ties for escape, fell under condemnation
meet for such as are not diseemers of the
times. -
; With liearty goml wishes for this Htate of
ours, new jyorth Carolina, and for all .our
fellow citizens, of every race in this ; hour
of danger to all, we earnestly ask that every
ian who wishes to avoid civil confusion,
and every man w'ho has not buried his en
ergies and affections who has not vowed
is davs over a dead
encft"xmventQJiti. anil jc(xi'uffrym&
i -i : ?r
1 JlilJjlI' VK
Chairman, c,
MARRIAGES t;
; j Maukied, on the morning of the 12th
inst., at the residence of the Bride's fath ?r,
iiii Edgecombe county, by Rev. CV B. Rid
diek, Mr. A. J.' Daniel, to Miss BettJe,
only daughter of Col. Klisha and Marge : et
C; om well, all of tliat county, sd cards.
'Married, in Grace Church, WoodviDe,
Bertie county, X. C., on the 6th inst., py
the : Rev. Edward Wooten, Mr. Burues
Cuqhart to Miss Mary B. Thompson,
daughter of Tewis Thompson deceased, dl
bf Bertie. .
Married, iu .Gaston county, on the $th
inst., by Dr. Morrison, Mr. W. Friday,
of Charlotte, to Miss Eliza HenUkrsn;
daughter of James Ifenderson,, Esq.,fof
Gaston. . : ' I
DEATHS :
Die d, at his residence, in Forsythe cofii
ty, on Saturday night, the 10th inst., Mr.
John Reich, aged 76 years. j
Died, suddenly, at the residence of Dr.
Wi II. Wheeler,, in Forsythe county, jon
Sunday evening, the 11th hist., Mrs. Eliza
beth Hunt, aged (2 yearsi i
Raleigh Markets.
Wliolesale I3riee,
CO R R EC T ED TRI-AVEEKLY
11 Y
j POOL. Ac MORING,
Gi'fjeer (aid Commission Merchants,
Comer Wilmington and Martin Sts.
COTTON per lt., - -CORN
per bushel, - -
PEASEr-icr busliel, - - ' -OATS
per hundred,
FIjOUR North Carolina Family.
FLOUR Baltimore Family,
B ACON per lb;, " - - -
SATr perWuk, - -BA(i(iIN(
J - -MOLASSES
Cuba, new, -
- ?i iu
1MK)
- slrQ
-104,11
: IV
17
44
... Sugar House, -
:$5
CORN MEAL per bushel;
1."
lit T K I) T 11 1 - W E K K U Y It V
.-MAUCOM An ALFORD
trfoccrs and Coiamision Jfrrciouits,
llargctt Street.
APPLES dried, - ; -
-green,
BACON Baltimore smoked,
44 .- uusinokeil,
44 strips, - - -.
44 shoulders,
" N. C. Hams, -BUlTER--per.nJ.,
-BEESWAX
per it)., -BEEF
on hoof, - . -COFFEE
per tt., -CHEESE
per lt.,
COTTON YARN per bale,
CORN per bushel, -
31
05
IK)
15 ,
12i
00
11
20
00
25
10
1
00 (cfell
12
11
15
10
10
2o
20
07
20
i
(a)
22i(j
10 !
15 (d;
25
15
:i0
20
ClIICKENS-per piece, -
dozen, -
bbl.,
S 00 fa. S o0
per lou lbs., -
1 M to 00
HAY per lOO fts., -HIDES
green, per lb., -
7o (j
ori(i
121 (ay
00
00
15
44 ! dry, per n., -HERRINGS,
N. C per
bbl.
8 50 (d i) 00
MULLETS por bbl., -LEATHER
per lt., -LARD
per lb.-,
MOLASSES per gallon, -MEAL
per bushel,
OATS per bushel,
-per 100 lbs.,
PEASE stock, - - -
I 44 ! white, -. -POTATOES
irish, per bush
PEACHES dried, peeled,
SUGAR crushed,
44 ! extra C., -'
! " j P. R., - - -
; 44 i common,
SALT per sack, -TA
LLO W per H.,
VINEGAR per gallon, -
0 00 feO 00
,lo (a)
10 (
33 ()
40
20
50
- 1
10
tol 20
03 (it)
to
50
W (ail
tO (ail
50
00
50
10
00
16
00
00
50 (m
40 to!
Cotton lYIa.vket's,
-non U K C T ED TRI-WKKK Ta Y
GEORGK rr. .STRONACjll,
. ; ,i . . .
Dealer' in Cotton and Karat Stores,
Market and Martin Streets. !
Receipts at Raleigh, - - -For
' shipment fi-om Raleigh,
For storage, - - . -Sales,
yesterday, - -
d ; i o.votation's:. " .
brdinarj', - - - -Good
ordinary, -
15
15
41
00
lales.
141i(15
17(3,171
lTStolfS
Low middling, - -Middling,
- - - -j
Market active, cotton scarce.
00
J-JOORS, ;
! SASHES,
BLINDS,
I Wood Mouldings, Stair Rails, Newels, tc,
KXAMELLEI), EMBOSSED,
GROUND AND CUT GLASS.
t A large j and well assorted stock f the
al)Ove gooils constantly on hand at the low
est rates. Order work promptly attended to.
Builders and owners will find it to. their ad
vantage to get our estimate before purchas
ing. Special attention given to Black
Walnut and other Fiust-Cuass work.
Estimates and Friee Lists nimlslicd on
eel!,:
application.
WHlTLOCK'&
!5 1
aUc i2SO CoJitil fcstreiet,
it :
SEW VOKK.
re-
June 8, 1871.
2 wly.
I A. V aJ X JL-J V
0a to!
20 (i
15 (ad
121(31
t 10 to H 25
7 (a I 12J
40 .to! .50
BIT
Wt
War.' M. Brow??, as Business Clerk, is author
ized to make contracts, and give receipt, Ac,
All letters relating tq raWriptions or adver
tisements must be aduressed to Win. M. Brows,
Communications ami , jiohtical ngviiiou
will be aildretMod Kditok or JKra, ltaleijch, X ,q.
Itjtleislt, N. j C?., t June , t8Sid t :
-TT r rr -rr-f 7-.-
WAKE. COUNTY CONVENTION.
A t-kmvention of citizens of, Wake County
opposed to f he Convention measure of the,
late general Assembly will be held in the;
Curt House in Raleigh on Maturday, July)
1, 1871; for the1 purpose 'of hominatihg can-j
didates to ' canvass Wake ; county against
said measure. -At :A. r-, i I
Kach township iu the county is requested
to hold meetings aiid send delegates tb the
County Convention. '-;Kaeh 1 township will '
send live delegates, and each ward of the
city tive. ... f , - :r, r . : ,
STATE NEWS.
, I Ion . WiiiV, AS m Ltlt is, J U
Maj. A. M. .Envin for Convention. '
. Dr. Jas. W. Blount and Isaac B. Kelley
have leen nominated by the Duplin Dem.
ocrats. - . j . ' ; j 1 .
J. F. Wooten Democratic lawyer, has
luii iiominfltprl bv -the Conventionists of
Ijenior. . v - v
Col. J. A Gilmer will deliver an address
at the Kernersville High School on the 23rd
instant..:''-. :'...:..;:)-: ;j
lion. C. L. Vallandigham, of Ohio, accl
dentally shot and kiiled himself on Satur
day last. - . I -
There will be
a Grand: Mass. Meeting
against Convention
4th of July next.
at Greensboro' on the
T. B. Kingsbury, Esq., proposes to
pubf
lish a paper in Oxford, tb be called
Southern Appeal. ' :
the
Jaiucs B. Shepard, for many years as lead
ing citizen of North Carolina, died ,in this
city on Staurday last.
Mr. Frederick
urger, of Bremen,
Ger-
manV. has nurchased the
late l-esideiice of
Gov. Worth in this city.
- The Republicans of Pasquotank will hold
a meetinfir on Julv 1st. when an anti Con-
vention candidate will be nominated
- m r
Granville county Conservatives
have
nominated Col. J. S. Amis, Alex. S. P
earce
and Wm. M. Snead, for Convention.
If a man docs not advertise, it is safe po
presume that he is afraid to let the public
know how small and poor his stock is.
Col. S. M. Hughes has been nominated as
tho candidate for delegate to the State Coji
vention for Stokes county, by the Demo
crats. ,
3T-
iWanoTfcsqlrna boelif nom--pito
inated by the Denio'cratlc-Conservati ves
of
ISeaufort county to represent
them
n t
ic
State Convention.
The wheat crop
in Montgomery
A A
ouiity
is represented
us an entire iaiiure.
Corn
and cotton aro promising,
crop will be very line. i
and the.
ieach
Mr. A. L. Ixiugoe having resigned as one
of the Commissioners of the Middle jWad
K. P. Battle, Esq., has lieefi ehosen
Board to fill his vacancy. f
by the
- titv romicil F. of T.. Will celebrate
its 4th anniversary on the 17th ot July,
tr Tritrh!ird and others will )o inyi
ted to sjeak on that occasion.
AtV, MSA- m M. M. .
The Conservative-Democrats of
de
conntv. met in' Convention on Saturday
last, aiid nominated Wm. S. Carter, FWq.
for delegate to the Convention.
i v.nil at Tit.tloro'- Chatham
countv, on the 10th inst., Hon. John Man
ning, Jr., and, George W. Fooshee, were
nominated as candidates for tne v on enu m.
i
ti,u rMiarlottn Observer understands
iat
John Scheuck, .colored, of that city, has
eeived the appointment, of Mail' Agent
a i. A. .
re-
on,
the A. T. & O. Railroad, to taite enet-ion
the
1st of Julv. J; '
Til KoliMsonian learns that
Daniel
L.
Rnssel. Sr.. Esq.. who is now in
Philadel
" 7 '
trAalment for a cancer, is
very low and is not expected to survive
lliim, uiuili""b
much longer. ;
Mr. Georee Z. French is now busily en
gaged in shipping peaches i rom ins
eelsior plantation, in New j Hanover coun
ty. Up to! Friday he had shipped .three
hundred bushels. ; , j; t -1 :
r,M. !tui Titrift is infornietl thati
XUU vjijicvk"-'" ,. f
Mr. John A. RatlifT, of Itockingjmncmmty,
raised 7,000 pounds of JobacW' -of
km. and sold the crop at i .... ,..-tM3
all round, amounting to ws.iM. ,
Wo am informed that CoL
Charles
C.
ar-
Jmifts Jr.: late Lt. of Artillery
in the
mies of, the Confederacy, in premring
roster of General Officers, te.. in jthe
Oow-
federate serv ice during the w ar.
The Carolinian loams through a reliable
source, that the prospect of Uie' Edenton
and Suffolk Railroad we brightening. we
;ntrrut iivthis MitervrW and are
KTl c ..- - , .
gratified in hearing such good news.
The remains of the Right Reverend
IGcn.
Poik are to lie removed from the church
yard of St. Paul's in Augusta, Ga., where
they now lie.unnWked, to Louisiana, Where
. il Vv ofoi-fn-f nvpr them.
a uioii-m-1"' " - - r-
The JtobesonUin says : 44 We are pained to
learn that the turpentine; distillery ; of Mr;
S B. Tolar, at St. Paul's, was consuuved by
tire on Tueslay last. Tho lire was accl:
deiital, and the loss is reported heavy. ! , , ; ;,
. We learn from the nillsboro'. Recorder
tliat'a son of Mr. John Stoekard aged about
rr.rtvdiAd rf inncer at his home .ill
Ala
nonoA vnntv i last Monday,, The
cancer
a a---''w -w j
had eaten up the lower portion of his
chin.
I James Broner, one of the., first settlers of
Washington, N. C.,. wtoso pody has been
resting under the pavement of one of the;
streets, of that place, has been recently dis
interred and buried in the Episcopal Ceme
tery,.' - ' . - ; . ; .:
' ' ' : . . . i
. John Bich, au old and reHpoctablq citizen
of our country died at his residence, two
milea South of Saleiu on last Saturday night.
Mr. Rich represented tliat county I in the
Legislature before it was divided, o says,
the fientinrl. y
The Elizabeth City C,it rot i nob says that
the most of the M-heat in that section has'
been cut. Tliat which was sown early and ;
on groiMid that was pojWrly cultivated
good the balance has lccii ladly daiuagel
by the rust.
. UAKK CotTV KxfcCUTlVK COMillT-
ii
tkk. What is tins committee doing? It
seems to us that it is time that a bounty
Convention hnl Ikh ii cuIUh! for the purMse
r nominating candidates opixysedlto the
Convention. .
The annual meeting of the IahhI. Minis
ters! Association of North Carolina jvill le
held at Hit kory Tavern, eomiiicneing July
12th, and continuing 'four tlays. A Grand
Mass meeting (jf Sunday Schools .-.will le
held Saturday.
nMiy4thr last
Statesvilie ana caiarioue, h h (
i .ii mmm
wilt be laid and the last pike driven,
Wednesday of this week.
A: W. Fuller, Esq., ha been elec ted
Mayor of - Lumberton to All the yacancy
occasioned by the resignation of O. 0. Nor-
ment, Esq. He beat hia competitor E. K.
-Pwwm- Rnnblieaii. bv 10 VOtes. So W6
learn from the Robesonian.
The people of Chatham county want to
establish the Haywood ana canej cree
Railroad, chartered by the last Legislature,
to run from Haywood, on Deep River, via
Pittsboro', to a point in Alamance county.
BooTcs of subscription have been oppned.
:
The Statesvilie A merican learns that the
North-Western N. C. Railroad lacks only
three miles of being finished through to
Statesvilie, and that on the 24th there will
be a grand festival, public speaking, Ac., at
Shepherd's Crow Roads, 12 miles this side
of Statesvilie.
The Annual Commencement of ake
Forrest College takes place on the 2st, 22nd
and 23rd inst. The address berorehe . Lit- j
erary Societies will be delivered by the Rev. f
J. L. Curry, of Richmond ; Ta., and the ser- j
mon before the graduating clasaby the Rev.
J. D. Hufham, of Warsaw,' N. C. V
The Asheville Citizen says': 44 The cheese
factory near this place is now thriving.
We are informed tliat Mr. Patton is man-
ufacturing a quantity of cheese, which is of
the best quality. We are pleased io know
this, and hope ho will bo encouraged and
supported in his enterprise." j
; i J
The Statesvilie A merican says :
The wheat
harvest has commenced in this section, and
I.
the prospect is very gratifying to our farm
ers. The yield will be good. , cjjrn crqp
doing well and oats improving. There is a
very largo amount of old corn andfwlieat in
our midst. (Emigrants to .that e tion can
lie assured of abundant adpplicH at inoler-
urt,-r , . -vJ i ':'
The Address leforc the Alumni Aksik-Li-tion
will be delivered at the Annual Coin
ineuccmeut of Davidson, College by Rev.
Froutis Johnston, of Lexington at 3
P. M., oil the "28th.- Business ofj unusual
imiortance will claim the attention of the
AxsTM-iation. and if is earnestly Hoped lliai
the members will generally
attend. The
cars are now runhingto the College.
i We learn from the Sentinel tliat jat the last
regular communication of Winston Lodge,'
No. 167, the following officers were elected
for the ensuing Masonic year ; if, P. Mast,
Wni-uliiitful Master!
A. Wilsdn, Senior
Warden; G. M Mathes, Junior
N. W. Nadiiig,jTresisurer;-vV,1IOi
Warden :
landj Se'-
retary. . A
Installation of offices vVill tak
place
on
Saturday, the 24th of J line..
We regret to learn from tho North CYtroi
nam that Timothy Morg-an, of Perquimans,!
diet! at his home in that county on the 7tli
inst. of congestion of the brain. The'AorA.
Carolinian says : Timothy ; Morgan was
piore than an ordinary man. To- know him
was to respect and love him. His prover
bial honesty of intention, his sterling com
mon sense and his many amiable qualities
gave him the eontidence oTidl. poring the
war he was a Ixdd, steadfast, out-spoken
friend of the Union,, and since then he has
ever been a zealous advm-ato of the funda
mental doctrines of the Republican jMirty.
Previous to the war he resided in Pasquo auk
county, and at one time represented 'tt in
Uie House of Commons. In 1806 he wa-t
elected to rcresent PasiUotanH ana rer
quimans in
not learnetl.
the Senate. Ilw age we have
Wejudgehe was about CO."
LwrrcRic Hon. R. iicK Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court, delivered a
Iecture at Temperance Hall in ihis city on"
Wednesday last. In its notice of the lc.
ture, the Sentinel of this city yjs:
It In seldtiiu that our citizens have an op-
portunlty to enjoy such a "literary produc
tion as that delivered by Judge Dick at
Temperance Hall, pri Wednesday night last.
His subject was Helirew Poetry. Judge
Dick' lias shown himself, in several
lectures to which we have had the pleasure
of listening, to iosse-s; a masterly literary
niind, as well as much tliat partakes of
true poetry. In his lecture Wednesilny
a
mm I Mil 1VP
' A.
night ho did himself eminent JusUce, pre-,
venting tlie subje-t in a manner most in
teresting and instructive. He presentofi
in beautiful and elegant utterances,-the
poetry which characterizes the languago of
that historic race; and hia allusiona to sev
eral of the l-ooka of tho Old Testament,
which were first written in the Hebrew,
tongue, as containing the highest type of
true poetry, were strikingly impressive, ...
and clothed in words themselves poetieallv
eloquent. It would have pleased us eould '
the whole of Raleigh, who are capable of
appreciating such an effort, have liceii pres
ent It is to bo hoped that more of our lai
dies and gentlemen can appreciate 7 real,
high-toned, literary eloquence; than were
present the other night, though the audi
ence was complimentary in f intelligence
and character, if not in numbers . and all
were niost delightfully pleased. May the ,
davsoon come when literary genius can
command at least the same respeet and
consideration that would be bestowed upon
an immoral exhibition of personal develop
ment in theatrical entertainments.
4
III i
. " j
F!