Newspapers / The North-Carolina Star (Raleigh, … / Feb. 3, 1847, edition 1 / Page 1
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' I III lh. Jli.. . ' "Z BTI:E?:-:.:- TH09 J, LEMAT, Eerre Faeraierea. sT ciaeM; raws i waaai.iaTsiiBsTvai aaaraveicai. attacactt irai ia at m nitiiii -rqa nova er or ArrscTiexe-'V THREE DOLLARS A YEAR-iaesveats. .. r . . . ...... ,. . . , .. ... ., ma i ii . ? tou as. RALEIGH, N. C . WEDEliAT FEB. 3, 4T. , im B Hi II 7 III 'li fi 111 III II III aw II III RVl'H IK in lit rBl Ml II l Ml III ill lalAIII III ill Ill ill Ml 11 II Oil aa fin III lit (IJ ill II Iff. II . ii U El il . III tm iMLfifflbl ;& I li llli NUN ' ll'telMPJyiIiftf SEALED PIIOPOSAU wilt be reed veil at the office of til Comptroller of Publi Accounts anlit ilia lat day ot May nasi, for am rMina the Ccpiiol fJqnare with a fence of Stool end Iron, aeeonlinf to the pUa and epeciflcalien hereunto aubjoined ; and on the day above referred m lb Comiuieaionere of Publio Buildings will open such Proposals, and lot th at niraet for the erection of tha enclosure ecc-mling- to the provisions of tha act of lh General Aaaambly "at ila recant aeeaibo. WM F. COLLIN 4. See tftard ef tomxuurt. Publk Building: Jen'y S, 1817 4 3m SPECIFICATIONS, Of the mnner in which tha Fence, endoainf tha ' Public Square, in tlia City of Raleigh, on which the State House ia erected, is to be built. 'ITie Vance to ba b iitt of atone and iron; to have a to.nl and solid foundation of e'one, laid in atroog lima rnoflir, beneath the auiface o' tha earth, and in coma up to the IctcI of the earth on whioh is to l erected a sjlid. draaae.t. stone coping, twuWe in hrs high, and sixteen inches widd each panne' Li eight feet wide the balance of the fence to l of cast iron; the panned pasta to be five and a h lf feet high, five inches and a half in diameter near lam baaa, and foar iuchea and a half ia diameter nrar the top. aa shewn in tha drawing; to ba hoi. I iw. round, and fluted, with an ornamental top, aa airwn in the drawing.' Tha tresiil work, reeling n the stone coping to ba one 'oot high, and tha Mil of the tresil work at each end let into (he pannel posts, and tha top rait let into the paonel ' l.w aUo the tfTail to efohaawile, by ul.an inch thick the. top rail af jha tressil work, on which the upright rod set, tobej$ inches wide by of sn inch thiclii the lower rail of all to be t inches wide by of an inch thick the up right roJs to ba square. 1J inches in diama ert to pats thioagh the lop rail, and rest on tha nppt rl of the tres4l wark and let into sorkata, ith ilia edge of the rod or angle to the front, with an rnamenial head I'ke that shewn ia tha drawing. lnide of each ptnmrf poet there ia ta be an iron rd, wrought, Ii inchea aquara, to pass from the top-rftha po4, and to ba firmly- and aetfrely fas tene I in tha atone coping. There are U be fifteen upright ro.'s in each panneL 1 bare shall be tour Ivge gates fronting the four en'raacas of lhe8tate House to be twelve fart wide betweei the gate potts; the gates to be folding gates (ha gate posts and the gates to ba higher than the balance of the 1ywi and in Hnttaortioa. tartUe &bv and an ,ac g ta post an ornamental lamp, the frame of wbWi is to le of cast iron, tha aides to ba eoeereJ with tfnjUea. The galea, la opaning. to tuns ee) iron mllera, running on iron bars let into solid atone; - the gate pts and galea to ba after tha same pat tern aa the balance of tha fencei all of the iron work 14 br of restores, excepting tha rods which paae inside of the poets ami are eoeketed ia tha atone rooinf. The whole- fence to be bailt aaeording to . tha drawinf W ha aeea la tha CemptroUer'a' Office. THK WIL'THERN AND WESTERN Uierarr Mciigjer ! lie view. rOB 1847. Thlsla a : Monthly Magaxina derated to, a?ery department of Dictator and the Ffno Arte. It ia tha union of Sim ma' "Southern and Wet ttrn Mutkh MagatUtt and Review." of South Carolina, with THE SOUTHERN LITERARY MES : SE.NGER.' Tha Meswnjei haa been eatabliahad moia tlian Twelve y eara, much longer than any oth er Southern work ever ex-iated, during which it haa maintained the highest rank among Amer loan Paiimlicale. I'iKlai ila new Title it will air ttf to extend it form and naefulnea lis CoMtrihutora are nu me. oua,--erri1 racing 1'rofesaional and Amateur wrkeis of the first dis tinction; so that ita pagea will be filled with the choicest matter, of great variety, aaab aa KBVIErM. UiaroRICAL AND BIOORA. PKIUaL-8KEICHE4. NOVELS, TALES, TRAVELS, ESSAY, POEVS, CKITIQCE8, AND PAPER! ON THE ARMY. NAVY AND OTHER NATIONAL SUBJECTS. Pong PIUic$ and Cntroverial Theeltfy are exclu ded. Whilst the '-Messenger ard Review addressee it self to tha -30TJTH WEST:- and confidently appaale to them for even a mora rihniai'e patronage to the only Literary Journal of kuig and high ataoding, in all their wale borders, il ia not teoional, having- always circulated wide ly in the North and East, and amed at imparting a HIGHER NATIONAL CHARACTe te our )'eiodical Literature. THE THIRTEENTH VOLUME WiU commence- on tha 1st of January, 1147; and aeither peine nor ei penes will be spared to make it amiaently wartby ' of patronage. Among other thing', it will contain a III3TOHV Of VIRGINIA and arrangements will be made for procuring a regular and early supply of notices of New Worka aa-l other Literary Intelligence. Order for the work can be sent in at oncav CunditUn tf Aa Metmmgt mni lUviewt . I Tha aleaaenger and Review Is published in tnoolhly nambera. ' Each naaibsr contains not la's then CI large eupor-toyal pages, printed a d lyps, and in tha beat manner, ami on paper uf the aies bcautifi rfyality. ' t. The Messenger an J Review ia nuiWotf or about the first day a.' every monCt in the year Twelve numb make a volume.- and tha price of eubecriptioa U Si per volume. pagaUein ndnanct, n jr will the work be ,ea. la aoy one, uulcaa tha nrJer for it ia Sccomnauied with the easA. Tna ;sar eoameiKxr wi'h tho January nambrt. N aitbsRTivtiea rana-ed for leas than the year.'anlees the iwlmJual subecrib ng hooesM pay the full rie uf a year's saWription. fr a Ices period mj 3. Tbe risk af tranarnit ing subscription - bv in til will la assumed by the proprietor. Dot ee ry aubacriber thus transmitting payment, i requea led (beaidee taking proper evidence of the fact and ata af mailing) to rein n a memorandam of the nuubdr and particular oiarta of tha note sent; or auhae ipiioni may ba remitted throagh the J'aat Makers aceordbig to tha pree -nt laws. 4. If a strhecription ia not directed to be dieeon- nurd bvbre iba lirvt nomher of a volume has ln pubbahed, u will be taken as a continuance t " i t tber year. t , & Aiy.ne rucl-w'ng a $30 current bill.atene li a wiwibe KmaM of Five New sulerKwe a I re rive flo, a.,, f ,B Meaaeoger aiwj Re. . furanay nr. 6. Tha aautaal vblieali aia of the pubnaher and tul-c lb. r fui are fully incurred a eoon . ihfira, , uf iu te'u- ia ia-ae4i end af ' . r ihu Uioj, dtacofUiuu rnra al a- subaciifti a wi I be permitted ' Nor w.Il any suSacnpii be ajohaued whiW any thing remains due tbrrcon, .Mm at.tha aptioa af tha aditor. EJitoaa publishing this Prospect oe, with the ac companying conditiona, at least three timee and noticing if erfiwrielly, prior to tbe lat of Pebrnary, 1847 iU ba farniehed with the -Mesaenger and Review." for one year. B B. MINOR, Editor and Proprietor. Richmond, Ya. October. 1848. , FRANCIS C. WOOUWORTH. ECITOR. TOL. U- FOR 1647. THIS popular inoothf for Joung peo. pla commences the tecond jetr ufits new aeries iB January, 1847 It may now ba ra garded aa permenenrry aaUbliahed and both the editor and publisher, enoonraged by their past suc cess, will endeavor not only to deserve tbe flatter ing encomiums so generally bestowed ujon their labors, but to mrtf (he Cabinet a greater favorite among its readers than eer The second volume will be enriched with m variety of Beautiful EmUUUkmtnU.fnm original detign: Tbe stated vignette, engraved from a daiga by one of tha first ettista in the ccurrtry, ia af ileelf a gem, rarely surpassed in tha (Met coatly maga xinrs. When completed the yeel vo'ome am braces ONE HUNDRED ENGRAYINOs, several pixea of tbe choicest aooeic, and nearly four hnadrad octar pages. The content of tkia. anagaaiae are for tha meat pan original. Il ia the aim af the editor to afford amusement and instruction af the beat kind and in tha moat pleasing manner to oppose the stron gest barriers against vice e multiply iocentivee to virtue enS, white' Vtarf llitag "eaeuuian ii' carefully discarded, to Impress apt tha young mind and heart taeeuprema importenca oi ins truip af revelation, and tha necessity of ap t ileal reli gion. TERMS Or 8UBSCRITI0N. Far a aingle eapy, $ I 00 Fifteen copies, 810 00 Fom eopias, . S 00 Thirty two do. 30 00 Sevan eopiee, t 00 Forty eopiee, 14 00 fcy-Paymcnl itrictly in advance, in alt ee t Bk f OeaataEletaiit rinbk. The first volume of the Cabinet ia bound aa an armual. It ia a most beautiful and valuable book, and aa cheap aa to be placed within tha reach af alL Price, in plain mueliu, 4 1, 15; mualin gilt edgea,l,o0t imitation morocco, l.75. NEWEUinoNor the bouk or ucaio, , -TOR THE HALL. ; the "e4nveAian'oa ai pereoha'ft !avvu tha publisher haa prepared a new edition of the Book -of Uemo for tha mail. It ia . bound in neat paper covers, nneVthe postage to any part of tha United State is only lff fanU. Price One Dollar, by enclodng which id fha publisher, this beavtlfuf boOmf toltfrtte wl.I U Hial'ed to tha tub acriber'a ad .reas. For $2, two eopiee will be sent pottage Jrtti four copies for 13. aeven for i: fifteen, fur I0 -Th aJition iain great demand ' CCT The ook of Genu, mail edition, and a raar's subscription tm 1847, will, be furnished fur il SO. and $3 will pay for tha setrte book in gill muaun, and a year s atmacflpiinn. D. A. WOOD WORTH. Publisher. Clinton Hell, Neesaa niraet. New York B1U. ItAYNEITS FIUST SPEECH, bar thi BILLTOR RE DISTRICTING THE STATE In the House of Commoks, December 9th, 1816. MR. RAYNER said, that in first in troducing tho Dill before the Uonse, and in now rising to ndrocate it, he had been, and now was, conscious of tho responsibility which he incurred He was well aware of thr vhrrperaiioTi and obloquy which awaited him. He might well expect that his course nnd his humble name, would, for some time to come, afford a theme of denunciation to a malignant party Press, and of un sparing abuse to every unscrupulous demagogue in the Slate. But for him self, he had counted the cost, and was ready and preparcd to abide the result. My own honest convictions, (said Mr. R. aud the approbation of the just imd reflecting portion of my countrymen, must ana will sustain me. Divine wis dom seems to have decreed, that in the moral government of the world," no good is to be achieved, no blessing is to be attained, ex-erey by a correspond ing strerifice. This is eminently so, in the strife and tumult of political life He' who desires to receive trie approv al of an holiest conscience for an un flinching discharge of duty or to ob tain the esteem and support of the wise anxf flier good, for a disinterested eflbri tor promote tbe happiness and welfare of his etftintry ta wlio devotes himself to the fasto ot avengkig- the wrongs ol the injured, aud in aiding the efforts of tin deserving, must prepare himself to meet thtr ftem'tigo of many a pitiless storm of censure and denunciation For myself,-1 ask no higher honor, than to receive the detractions of those whose j vocation is censine, and whose moral food is defamation, for, the position I now occupy, in endeavoring to sustain the great fundamental principle of re- fiublican government, which 1 insist on iao been ouUaged, and the injury done to which, it is ihe object of the bill now before im, to' redress. . But the doty which I owe to (hose upon whom I rely to ar.stain me to my gallant comrades) in the cause of ConsiitMtMHinl liberty' with whom I hareso lirugatrtigsflecr rnquir, ihM 1 ahHttld aile.upt to set' forth smewhat in detnil, lh grounds of our aCiion end apje.il to tlie culm nil J sober reflection of our cniintrvmen, f.,r t!i rectitude of ur intentions and the propriety of our course. , - . . In -conslrlr rearrange ihe ng .tJiis propnaition t 'lOngressio ial Districts-of the State at this time, there are two prominent poinis of view in. which it presents itself to the m'ind. First hare we the Constitutional power to do it; and secondly admitting we hatfe the power, is it expedient and proper to exercise that power nt this time, in re gard to the power, I presume it will be admitted by all, that the General Assem bly of the Slate has sovereign and unli mited power over all questions oi legis lation; except in so far as rt is restricted by the Constitution ol the Stat, ihe Constitution of the Uuited States, and all National Laws and Treaties made iu pursuance thereof. This sovereign power ia indispensable to the ability of government to maintain its authority and etifofce its decfess if? e)i systems, it must reside somewhere and iu our State it must reside iu the General Assertibiy,- subject t j the restrictions ju$t rfnmed. This exercise of sovereign power must, it will also b e admitted,- extend to every subject of legis lotion; the passing, modifying amend ing, or repealing, all laws which the Generic! Assembly, ns tlie Coiisliluliounl organ of the popular wRI, may deem to be required by the ptiblic god, subject la the restrictions irtentiotteil, Dous the Constitution of-the- Sitr contain Miy provision prohibiting the Iygisture from remodeling the Congressnnral districts, at this lime, or oftener than once in ten years? No such provision can be found no such pretence will he" se( up. In (act, the State Constitution being design ed for, and adapted to an internal mu nicipal government, has mt provision on a question which afterword's grew out of our federal relations; oitd it is from the Constitution ol the United States only, that any and every power has been exercised by the State egis latu re over the subject Conrjojrjji elections. Then, is there niiy tiling in the Federal Constitution t prohibit our action on this question, at this time? There are but two clauses ia ' fire Constitution of the Ur.i'.rJ Stales bear ing directly on this question. The first, is the second section of the first article, wnicn -provides mat "Repreaentaiirea and direct lata shall be an "portioned among lha saveial Stitea. according "to th ir respective number, oec. The act oal "enameraUon shall ba made within three years "after tha Aral Congress of lha United States, 'and within every subsequent term often yr, in eacn manner as (hey sMll by law dtreel " Now, What Was the olyect cvi tempi fi led by4his provision 7 It r pf;iin that it was intended for tho purpose of keep ing steadily in view, and constantly in operation, tho great prirrc?pfe of compro mise forming me oasis oi ine ixwsuti tion that whilst the States wera repre sented with equality of strength in the Senale tbey sfroDld be rcpre.sentd ttc cording to their relative opulaiion in the House of KpfesentrfVes. The enumeration''' here mentioned, was Clearly for the purpo.se of ascertaining ihe "respective numbers" o( ilie acvcrul States, that the number ol repreeeirta tives to which each mijht be entitled. should be "apportioned'"' accordingly. I he framcrs otthe Uonsiitution seem to have had a foresight of the increasing strength fatd grannies of their country; of the shifting localilies of population and power of tho mighty jr(wih of new States, and the comparative decline oftheoloV This enumeration ouce in ten years, was to secure to population however h might change its . sat, to numbers wherever they inijjht be f.mud, their due representation 4n the popular nrancli oi the ISntional Legisl.-ittire Tne manner of choosin; these Krpre sentati ves by the several S'ates, docs n9t come withiu tlw fnirtrew of this p. o vis ion at an. in ract, not Hie most remote allusion is made to it. The ten years mentioned refers exclusirelv to the period to intervene between each "aciu al enumeration." This who!e secirui of the Constitution explains itself hy providing for the enumeration, immedi ately after the provision for apportioning representatives among the States, ac'fftr ding to their respective numbers. Iris the apportionment ot the numWr of representatives to each S'ale, under the entimerolion of its inhabitants, which is to be made oneo hr (eu years orilv and If reefy admit, that this apnortfrrvfr ment as to uumber, must rviniiu for feu years, and no Slate legislation can affect ft. . , . But whaf siryt flio Constitution hi regard fo (ho manner of choosing Kep resentatives? Tho fourth section ol this same first aTtiele, deelirres that The limes, places and manner ar holdinr aleetioaa ahall ba preaerlbad ia each Mtata by the Itgialatarr ibereof but iheOtae;reea y. at any time, bylaw, taakaoraifer aueh legu lationa, axo. pt a to ihe placefcSf eh Ming'Sea--aWra. . . . Here the entire contl of tho "imo ner" as well as of tho 1tim-s aud places' of holding cleciion5, i,-in theabsrnce ol CtuigreMiou-il action, left to the Logi lain re of each Sut; tiubject fo no rttht limitation b::tihut such St ik s!ial! elect' j no more members than Congress may nave ffpporuoned to it, under an enu mcrntion of its people. Tlfe words "each State" in that clause of the Con stitution last mentioned, shows that it was intended to leave the maimer of el- ection to the peculiar wish Or lancy of every State; without requiring uuilorm ity, unless Congress should see fitter alter tho Stitte regulations. And until the passage of the last apportionment act in ISi'i, no uniformity has ever ex isted in the several S'lates as to the man lier. Some Slates have elected by gen eral tieket some by single districts and others by double districts. Aud these systems have been chanced and modified from litre to time, duriig tho interven ing perioos Detwecn tne regular tunes ot enumeration and apportionment, It is well known that- a tew yean since the Stale of Alabama cnanged her sys tem of electing by districts to that of general ticket, and before the uext elec tion, returned aain to the old mode. his also well known, that since the lust apportionment was made, the States! erf New Hampshire,' Georgia, and Mis souri have elected by the general ticket system, and yet htfve all three siiice al tared their regulations, nnd returned. to the district system. Will it be preten- tksd that these changes were not rtjfht ftfly and" constitutionally made? Aud if a Stale may so change its districts as to amalgamate them nil into one ot, When so amalgamated, parcel them out into separate divisions, and that too dur ing the interval between tlie decennial periods of apportionment, will it be con tended that a Statje-scan uot change the Iprrilnrinl' limtie afnrl ra-arrancnt thn wn a a wa awn sevj- a es w aav component parts of her respective dis tricts when once made Will it be denied, that but for the action of Con- ress, this Igi-"latnre might so' criange the districts as "to abolish them aTtbgcTti-" er, and resort to the general ticket sys tem? The major proposition must in clude (he droof and if a Stato can in the absence ofConxresilot! r?!.r!?olr so change lha districts as to unite them all into one; certainly it can change them by such o re-arrangement ol Coun ties, as to still have them in conformity t ihe Act of Congress, of separate and distinct but contiguous territory. I admit that the Legislature cannot unite all tho districts Into one by adon ting the general ticket system, for tlie apportionment act of iSi2, for the- first ti.ne in our history, altered the State regulations so far as to prevent this. The clause of that act bearing on this question, is as follows "That in evety eaaa where a Stale It entitled to mora than one Kopretentetive, the number to which etnh State ahall ;be entitled under this apportionmeat. ahall be alected by Dittricta eompeaed of corrtirrjfuous territory equal In num. her to ihe nuriitor of Itepresentativea to which aaid State may be entitled, no one District electing mora than one Representative." But for this act, I have at templed to 8how,the State Legislature has entire cotfrol on the manner of holding elec tions; either by destroying the districts altogether iu adopting general ticket system, by chnujiHg them into double or triple Districts, or by constructing them of Counties not contiguous to each oth er. To what extent then, does this Act of Congress interfere with the power ol the Slates on the mamur of holding elections? Why ol course, only to the extent expressly specified in f ho Act .iiid thnt i, Ihnl the Districts shall be composed of contiguous .territory, and that no one District shall -elect more than one Representative. In every other particular, the power of the State Legislatures over this subject is as am ple nslvforc the Act was passed. To the extent of its interference only, un der the Act of '42, Congress has assumed ihe power whKh before I elougeu try the Stales. .Will it l denied that Congress niey nt Ihe very next Session, revise the whole plan may it not provide lor the election by general ticket in all the States may it not repeal tho clause ol the Act o( '4:2 which 1 have read, jmtf reave each State to' adopt fls own favoriteplan aud thus entirely disarrange this, fan ciful idea of t ten years duration of uu- Changeab'i'o Districts? Will it be con tended that ' Congress in aKtSsnig the Act ol'42 might not hive assffiied the euiire regulation of the Sta'o elections, as to nut uner, time, and place ana thus have actually arranged and set apart the Districts in the several Stales? If this had bcmi doue, . wiU it be denied that Congress might still at lire present session, hnvn' Changed those Unlricts, iftilind snnno.ted tli ptiHic trood re quired if iU any Slate?" Will il bode- nied Ihnl Votogfeti may, if it see proper, at thi present Session, so interiero as to change and real range Ihe Districts in all he Stales, as at present constituted by their several . legislatures? For mind yotij the Constitution say, "the Con ress may at any lime alter the Slate1 reulaiiou!i. except as to tho places of clioosing Senators." Congress can, am . under the authority conferred by thoj Const it ill ion, exercise such nowr only in regttrd (o regulating tho manner of elections, as are lea to the States in lire first instance and no more; Then if Congress can now re-arrange tho-Districts, of course the States in tha absence of any interference on the subject, by progress can do the very same. As Congress ean do na more than the States could have done before the act of '12 was passed -and as Congress has not in tha( Act chosen to exercise any pow er in regard to the- territorial elements of the Districts, except that requiring contiguity certainly the States can now do, what Congress might have done, but has not done. The uniform practice ot tlie States in the annoiulmetit of Klecmrs of Preai dent, affords an apt and forcible ilus t rat ion ol Ihe positions I have assumed. The second ciurfso of the first sectio" of the second article of tho Constitution says lhat .' 'Each State ahall appoint In aurh manner a Ihe Legislature thereof may direct, a nuiubet of RJeetQit equal to the whole nun.ber of SerrttfjfJ ana reprearniaiivea to wnicn ilia otata may ve entitled in iho Conjr reas. Here the truthoritv ol the State in the Tnantier of poolnttneiit is4eft entirely tintrammel wr The only -instruction ts as to the' nimrr'wr. Aifd the number of Electors to which a State' fs entltkd, is as much dependent on 'fever? (eft years enumeration of its inhabitants, the number ol its Representatives in Con gress. - Uot h depend on th apportion ment byCtongres,. lintfefiuC enumera tion. And il iho first arft'ngeinfefrt by a State, of the Districts for fiepresenta- tives, after every apportionment, must remain for ten years unaltered, so must of course the nrrnngemenf of Electoral Districts lor Wtn depend on ine. pe ration of the tme, princJpiB JvliJclf Js pMCtiCalfy felt in the renewal of its exercises only once Jirj: ten., yeas. s If a State regnlaiion in regard to the election ol Representatives, must hove the bind in" operation ol , AlcJo Persian law for ten years o also must suck regulation in rvgard to the. appointment of Electors, And on tho other hand, if a Stato wgu tation as to one,en beat any time al tered so can it bri as -ta the iher:- What his been tlie constant practice of tho Sttrtes hr rcgtffd .lo tho mtrnfrcr f choosin Elec or?? In the strtigglcs of political power. States have constantly been altering tho niode of appointment. The Sta'o of New York jutt previous to the Presidential election in 1828, altered tht-ir system' of choosing fifector Iv Districts, and adopted that of General Ticket. Other States from lime to time, have done the sane. Our own State in 1803 passed an Act Inyiflg off the State into Blectbral Districts., Inlgll, before tho apportionment bill tinder the census of T81Q had gone into opefaliou, this act was repealed, and another act passed providing for the appointment of Electors by the General Assembly. And this latter act has since been re pealed, and the election by general tick et established. Never have I heard this power of the States to alter the reg ulations ns to' the Manner of appointing Electors depending on the same prin ciple as tho inotinef of electing Repre sentatives, questioned iu any quarter whatever. . It appears ta rtfe ffrtft the ptSstttfO di mmed by the Committee who i-efrtfted this bill, of which I had the herrfOT to be hairroanis tmanswef ablert jrreaents the argurr,eut ub ab$uraum,D a simple, though brief nn'd forcible maifnef. The power of the States over the-nianner of holding elections is the very tame as that over tho' times and placer ,Jt is thor ough and complete ns to aft, $bbject to altt'ratious to be made by(Corigress.-r-tihat is meant by tho "ruanrter of hold ing elections?" - Of course it must com prehend all regulations necessary and proper ttAfafds the exercise 6f Iho pow er conferred. .. AVhed ihesu regulations are found to ba imperfect, or-tinsuiled lb fho gftiat 'purpose for whieh the hp porlionmcnt of Il-preserilaTrvf amoilg the Stoles, according to federal population,- was -desigYied-a-t moan' the just reflection of the popular will il ft hot only the unquestionable right, but the absolute duty ot tne states to alter , or amnd them,- unless f rohitiicd , by the Const hufto A or some act of Congress in pursuance thereof. - The Constitution and the v? Bortionnreat act of '42 being both silent except in tho particular re ferred lo of course State legislation 1 is at any time justifiable and proper. Neither the Constitution or tne act or Congress, say one wor afr'fo' whether Ihe Districta-slian. remain unaltered for two, antf six, eight of ten years. - If, as Mated in the report, the action "of the! Legislature, whett once exercised as to i the manner, is exhausted for ten years -m is it also, when exercised as to the limes and places; ior the power in all these particulars rests on the same on- ihoritjr, and is subject lo the Very, snrae control by Congress. If the Legislature -can not change the manner, in th0a particulars where Congress has not, in-' lerposed, oftener than ouce in ten years, neither can it change the limes and I la' ces. Yet the power of the Legislaiuro' over tho limes and places of holding elections, at any lime, has never leea questioned, hut is, and ever hus been . const am I y exercised. The admission of this power as to time aud place, must imply an application of the power as to the .manner also. What is meant by tho "regulations as lo the limes, places,- and man fi e f of holding elections, mentioned in the Con stitution, that are left to tbe entire con trol of ihe legislatures, except interfere ed with by Coitgrtws? A legislative , regulation is a law to all Intents ana pur poses, nnd nothing bat a taw.. It -ttrff j readily be admitted, that the power : which makes,' can also modify, amend, or repeal a law except in those eases? i where rights become vested, no - inter ference wiih which would impair thai ' obligation of contract. And it is right it should tie so, especially uf a'couott ,' r of such expansjvt growth, conflicting ', interest, and chanrinsr oolicv asourt' Otlwwiswj-howr are t he . mwwAid- itijnreu to no rearessoa; now is im en terprise of tho iiidustnoiis and puWio spirited lo bo encournged; how art the conflicting claims f sectional interest ; lobe harmonized And if it is -fight and proper to redress wrongs and U re-.' pair error iu one particular why not in regard lo the elective fratfctriAeV fho ?reat political iuheriturrte of fho Ameri ah citisen, and ihef rreat Cfonrer stone of our ropablfcan fabric? Vr- v; ' ,y 'ihis brings ma to tbe cons'deratton of rha second bi ahch of ihe-subject I uiearf tha expediency and propriety of passing,. "C'JIjP look at Iba object cemtemphtted by loV . CoTtsth&ifoftla spporiioning tflpreaeota tivea to the resneetive Stales, according lo " .1:' , .- . : . '- -- tneir population, it was to rteirro in tirar . House of Hepresentalives : of th Lq'fteJ Stales, a fair exprossioa of the popular will. U bilat guarding against tomoli ami l , faetioUf by- a -Snae - the - members of - '' whieh were to be elected by one i onto V from popular force, and who were to k Ul their seats foir six " years tho" " framera of 5 tlte Conififutioa provided for'saoiher branca! whioh should give utterance 10 th .wiahea" of I he ' pepdlar m itii!; hie h should "gi a $ full scope to public feeling; - which should -reflect th impulse, th passions th".-' very ; anarchr, if you choose, tf t!ia spirit of lib , erty that such' a eompromis saight b -eflected between the conservative and pop ular branches of iho Government, as would . ' " arost rcdoun l to tho public good.- Whilst ibo Senate represtnts the people in meif j lelation of separately organised Comma- ( nities, as States the House of ftepreeafrta Uvea represents Uieos in their ftumerital force. The great printipl which tre at th foundation of our republican fVflem ta, that ih people are capable of self govar. ; aiont that all power, ta derived from tbem and ifit their will when conttitBtaonally expressed, i and must ba lira oopram law- - Hy tit people as eoqaliimiug tM body po -fi.if, I rnestt thiae emlowed with th right of Suffrage", who Voices O'nd withe ought to exercise a controlling tnfluenc ovi lha governing - po'er.The.; only practical, : and in fact, possible way of making ihia t eonuolling influence peacefulry-availabla, . is by giving lo majoritred, itf A various -telationa iu wAif.li the people af railed oa to act, th poWei nf es pleasing iL aertae of th whole, 'fhafa maji.fhy ought t rule. lias becom so Irii a inaxin, -es- . paUy with altaA poliiicaf party frorrv - whom 1 mat xpat OppoSmon to Hi bill . . n6w before the llotift, tfiat I ned not fur ther attempt to effforCe II. Although 1 do nM' tdont that theorv 10 th extent urtrda . by (h l)emocralifi pattjv yet 1 insist that when the people act in. pursuance iba forms, ana in confiirmilv to the irovisions . of fhe Coruiiintion, th majority . should i frvait. Conaeqeefltiy, any syatera - of pgislation Which i fakolalad to depriv v ihe majority, oftheii rightful power, and to give to a mmority tft means of speaking - . and deciding .in tha nam of th whole f must b fneofiflict with ihe wy principle" " i iY wfiicn our Ire institutions ar . rowauetr.-; f i Is utirrly subversiv of iho great fund's , menial law of all popular government ; and if followed out, must end in sue jlfCiirtg' the many lo llieivmnny andcipritOnf'itie designing fw.. -Especially whert'1 tee thia course pursued oy a party wha ftav - . the love of tha people anil a regard foe pop-. ular right constantly on their lips, w ar-, . warranted ia cenchidirtg, we are compelled lo believe, that thrr leading object - ia th , DistTiciinry Act of '3. was to rain wnduo I political flower to a patty in a derided mi- nority in lha Slate; and U stifle the, voices i of tliouaantls nf freemen, through t an ateei-i! dental' assendency in uthority. Let us examine th present rrangement f the DiatrtcU, under th Ad ol the tleneral As-1 aembly of '43. in aeeordanee with th priu. ciplcs I hiVOlaU dowaw -.-;.' .jw In looking st th details of an arrange- meet of lb Dtstricta, it' will be recollected that th p rtionmeni set nf, Congress ' of "4'Z requires. : that the c'ia I I.t shall li enmpuaad of coMtguoua U nliory. Aeco -ding to eety fair prineip'e of com traetio i, -
The North-Carolina Star (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 3, 1847, edition 1
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