.
of th State certain modeVrf determining the' bly determine the future practice, and may it not
pobfw whether ;it will be fair dealmg to com
sens- of the voters upon the question of change or , bine two or more propositions into one ac , and so
wcksngt. i You Will then", know what public compel the people to vote inst what they de
ODhiion is : but until something ol that kind shall .sire or else to vote for what they do not approve?
'Srtf been don ih? action that is intended to bejlt is, therelore2, commended to your senous cor,.
. i .L.jJ ' 1 U1 U,.,et roet nnnn pnn. siHrntinn whpiher each a Herat 10 H 01 the UOnStl-
iecture.rThis act may be passed by a majority cl , tution, when proposed, ought not to be presented
the Assembly. I t the result of the popular vote r associated doM
should show either indifference or hostility to the
ht to be attempted bv the Gen
-r eral Assembly, if, on the other hand, it should
exhibit a very decided popular feeling m favor of
the alterations, or any of them, the moral effect of
' this popular vote might suffice to procure from our
- v legislature the requisite constitutional sanction to
, an v desirable reform.- You are better able than I
v , ,am to foresee whether the large majorities of three
v fifths of this Assembly , and two thirds of another
" 'are likely to concur in propositions ot the kind
without a previous vote of the people. No one, T
- - presume, is anxious to force upon the people an al
literation of their Constitution, without some con-
: vincing proof of their desire for it. Every intelh
gent mind must perceive that it is the interest of
- the State and a duty of patriotism to have the ques
"' tiori settled and put to rest one way or the other.
" Until it shall be done, there will be political agita
. " tion and sectional discord. These will bring forth
' C a multiplication of new propositions for altering
- the Constitution, and the people ot North Caro
. lina mav be thrown into that perilous situation
wh rein the "desire of change pretendeth the re
formation;" instead of that safe condition wherein
" "reformation only drawethon a change . y
It may be, however, that a constitutional' ma
" -" jority of three fifths ol the Assembly, coramg as
- vou do (directly from among your constituents,
v; know already the will of a majority ofthfe! people
upon t us subjeot., 11 public opinion oe ueciueuiy
i favorable to immediate action, and you feel con-
. vinced, without any previous vote of the people,"
that this demand for altering the Constitution is
the demand of a majority of the people, then, of
course, the necessity lor an act to Make tne sense
. of the.people will be superseded ; and it is believed
. you ought to act directly and at once upon the
question, according to the Constitution.-
t The Constituti on has clothed you with power
to respond to a known demand ot the people lor
. i... n:
constliuuonai reiorm, enuer uy cumug u uwuycu-
tion of the people at once, or by enacting specific
amendments, and submitting them, first; to the
" review and decision of your immediate successors
in1852, and after that, to the voters of Ihe State,
at the polls in 1853. - ?
There are several interesting questions which
' " will present "themselves jo your consideration, up-
on this view of the subject. I shall refer to them
" briefly, not with any design to forestall the judg-
ment of others, nor for' the mere purpose of put
ting forward in ad ranee of your action my inter
'f - pretation of the Consumption; but because your
.action will probably, form a precedent in the fu-
ture course of the State ; and the consequences of
a mistake might be very , injurious to the Repub
" lie.1 Therefore, I would desire to have nothing
" done without careful investigation and calm de-
m liberation. This is all I aim at. ;
; - The Constitution of 1835, we know, was framed
, : and adopted upon, principles of compromise. It
was intended to adjust, upon equitable grounds,
. a sectional dispute and conflicting political opin
ions, which had distracted our State Couucils for
many years j and good faith requires an honest
' adherence to its true meaning, until it shall have
- 'been repealed or altered by the sovereign authori
ty of the State, according to the compromise in our
- ? amended Constitution.
Now, it it should be the pleasure of this Assem
bly, three fifths ol all the members concurring, to
call a convention of the people, a slight examina
1 tiop of the 1st section of, the 4tli Article of the
.Amendments will be sufficient to raise this ques
' tion;: Can :the General Assembly impose any
, , limits or restrictions upon a Convention called by
. ;. them, under this Article? Is the power to call
j, . a Convention "by the General Assembly, confined
, to the single , office of calling it, !or, can the same
t- Legislature limit and confine the powers of the
Convention in. the Act for calling it? As there
are conflicting opinions upon tliis question out ol
the Assembly, it is probable they will exist in it.
; I do not think that this article necessarily excludes
' the right of calling a limited Convention by the
J concurrence of two thirds of the General Assein
bly, provided the act for calling the Convehiion
contains5 a limitation upon its powers with proper
sanctions and the sawie sluillbc ratified by the Fco
pie, by a vote lpbe taken before I heir delegates
, ' - shall be chosen, under the sanctions of a law en-ri-
.acted for the purpose. In such case,; it seems to
. - me, that, the limit prescribed by the act would be
imposed, not by the General Assembly, but by
r .' the constitutional sovereign authority of the State:
1 Oiherwise it cannot be doubted that a Convention
- called by the General Assemblv (two thirds cou
. curring) would be clothed with Unlimited discre
tion oyer the Constitution. The General Assem-
j bly has power to call a Convention into being, but
no power of themselves to prescribe a limit to its
u. authority. I hazard little in sayiug that the pco
pie oTNorth Carolina have not hitherto exhibited
. a strong desire for such an experiment as this upon
) their Government; and, therefore, it beaooves
- their Representatives 10 look well to ihe mode they
; . adopt lor introducing reforms into the Constitution.
' I Hit should be the pt cssure of this Assembly to
uvuiu me insirumeniaiuy oi a uonvenuou alio
gelher, you can, of yourselves imtiate an altera
tion of the Constitution, in virtue of the second
section of the4th article of amendments to the
Constitution of 1835. i To effect a reform by this
mode of proceeding, it will be requisite that the
alteration proposed, shall be sanctioned by a ma-
w mire uiius ui au me meiHbers of
harm nr nft allv to helD it throusrh. It has been
intimated by enlightened men "of our State, that
according to the true spirit and meaning of the
Constitution, the power of the General Assembly
to adopt a specific amendment, is confined to the
case of a single amendment, and t hht it would be
a violation of the 2nd section of the 4th article
for the Assembly to pass an act embracing in it
more than one alteration'of the Constitution. If
this be so, the duty of acting upon each proposed
alteiation separately and of enabling your suc
cessors, and, afterwards, the people, to do the
same, is imperative. ! ' . N
V The opinious which I have thus hinted at, upon
this important subject, might be eu forced ahdjl
lust rated by many 'considerations which J-have
not introduced into this communication. I con
tent myself with what has been said, believing as
I do," that the Executive of North Carolina is pro
perly excluded by theConstitution from the duty
of taking part in altering tlie Organic Law. What
has been said is barely intended to awaken your
vigilanceand to arrest public attention to theiai
mer. father than to discuss the matter "of Constitu
tion'al reform. In mV ODinion. ihe .manner of
dealini with this subject is vastly important, and
will prove to be much more than a question of
mere form. , ' " - '
In connection with this "subject, let me be in
dulged in a suggestion relating to the constitution
al period for the installation of the Governor.
The Governor of , this State is 'elected by ; the
People biennjally. m August j but he does not go
into Office before the 1st January succeeding. If
the General Assembly met oh Ihe 1st of January,
there would be' nothing objectionable in this.
But that body, chosen by the People at the sdm-.
time tlxty elect the Governor, meet in November,
and have nearly completed their session before the
Governor comes into office. .Moreover, the Go
vernorgoes out of office on the 1st day of January,
but lus successor is elected in' August preceding,
and therefore the Executive of North Carolina is
never called upon to express his opinions or to
communicate the policy of his administration,
until he has been either re-eleclcd or s ipersed.d by
the choice" ofa competitor. This is not right
and it ought to be rectified. Whenever a Gov
ernor shall be willing to conceal his policy and
avoid the just responsibility of his station, he may
be thus enabled to do so; - This is unjust to the
people. When he shall be jready and willing to
develop his plans ot' administration, there is but
little opportunity aflarded for it under the existing
state of thinjrs'; and if he shall be a candidate for
re-election, his enemies and traducers can pervert
and misrepresent him to his constituents, without
his being allowed a legitimate occasion to expose
falsehood by a reference to his declared and pub
lished opinion j. That is not just to the chief Ex
ecutive of the Stale. Besides, there is a plain ab
surdity in this : that jwhere the Cpeople, change
both their Executive and their Representatives
at the same election in August, the. one does not
go in to-office until the others have nearly closed
theii session ; and the two never consult together
for the. interest of the State. , Contrary to the the
ory of bur Government, the Governor, whose first
election might have been intended to ensure the
commendation of an important measure of State
policy, has no fair opportunity to enforce it upon
the Legislature, and his term of office may expire
without his slightest participation in Vie matter.
This might be remedied by an act altering the
time prescribed by law for the meeting of the
General Assembly. It is respectfully submitted
to your consideration, as a topic wotthy of your
notice. It is a political evil that ought to be cor
rected in some way.
REORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC OFFI-
A thorough reform and re-organization of the
several State departments is a subject that can be
no longer postponed without detriment to tne pub
lic service. ' V .
The office of the Secretary of State is a mere
land office. Almost the sole duty of its head is
to issue grants ana to certify copies, except the
occasional employments of making contracts for
printing and distributing the laws, and for the
purchase of stationery and tire wood. In other
Stales, he is made, what is greatly needed here,
the head ot a Bureau ot Statistics, and is required
to collect from all parts of the State, information
upon various subjects essential to wise and whole
some legislation; j -k i
The Public Treasurer, instead being the keeper
of the pubjic money, to receive and to pay it out
vuueners nrsi auuitea ana allowed, is left to
bf the
1.
106.500
3.
118,192
0,rG0
200,000
on
amended revenue laws for the year just closed, ex
clusive of the trust funds belonging tp the; Board
of literature and Lunatic Asylum; and the sums
raised by loans; amount to about $135,000 show
ing an mcrease, over the averege annua amount
received under the old system,; of about 62,000.
The ordinary expenses of the .State, t msy with
sufficient precision tor the present purposed sta
ted to average S75,00Q per annum ; and tius the
presentcyenue basis may be estimated to produce
an annual excess of receipts over the ordinary nc
ntiCQfirv IwlMirsomAntsL to Iip anDlied annuallv, to
the cxtinjmishment of the State's debts, afid lia-
bilities, of 860,000. f i i M .
The present indebtedness and liabilities
State may be stated to be,
By a guaranty of Bonds of the Raleigh '' ,
and Gaston Railroad the interest of
wliicli is navable semi-annually, and the Jr
onnciDal after 1st January, 1850, fOO.OOO
Do. ' Do "i i interest payable semi-
annually, and principal, by nifetalmen of
30,000, on 1st January, 1851, 1852, '
1853, and the residue 1st January, 1854 '
Balance due the Literary Fund for tbat
amount, uaed by. the rubhc Treasurer ;
from time to time ; interest payable an-
nually, principal at the pleasure of the
Government, '
4. BcHids of the Public Treasurer, giveu to
the President and Directors of the Liter-
, ary Fund forltlce amount transferred to.
the Public Treasury ; interest payable an
nually, principal at the pleasure of tlie
Goyeniment, : ; ' ' ; '
5. State Bonds, issued by? Public Treasurer .
to pay the Banks, fccn by resolution of the 1
last Assembly ; interest payable emi
annualr, principd after 10 year?, ,
-6. By endorsement of Wilmington and Ral
eigh Railroad Bonds by act of 1 848 in
. terest payable scmiiannually, principal by
instalments of 50,000 on 1st January,
' 1850 ,1860, :i86i; 186 18G3, H
7.1 Stock" iuFayettcville and Western Plank
Road ; interest payable semi-annually,
principal after 20 years, i . - --'
8. Stock in Deep River and Cape Fear Nav
igation Compauy; interest semi-annually,
principal to be provided for, ! ,
9. Yor amount appropriated by act of 1848
for improving Neuso aixl Tar River ; in
terest payable semi-amiually, principal to
be provided for, - -
10. For Stock in the " North Carolina Rail
Road" by act of 1 848 ; one fourth of
which is to be paid when the work shall
i be commenced, and the remaining tliree
1 fourths in equal instalments, at intervals I
of six months thereafter interest paya-
ble semi-amiually, prbicipal after thirty 1
years. lt; -if . .'. 2,0b0,000
11. For money borrowed from the Bank of
Cape Fear, &0.000
Thus it appears tliat the liabilities of the State," al
ready7 existing est rai.thorizecl, amount, in principal
money, to 3,520,052. ; And there will be rcjquired
to pay tlie interest on this sum, with one instalment
of principal before stated- for; tlie year 1851, thje sum
of $149,000. And in like manner for the year 1852,
207,000. ' In this calculation of I interest, the State s
lfibilltv on the Wilminirton and Raleierh Rail Road
bonds is not included ; for as that compauy havje here
tofore paid promptly the interest on their bonus, their
improvea conaiuon is a saie guaraniy luai wey win
continue to do so." This calculation is predicatefl upon
the assumption, that the State will be culled upon for
the first mstalmcnt other stock-subscription jto the
North Carolina Rail Road m the beginnu
ensuing year, and for the other instalments at inter
vals of six months, as allowed by the charter. And
upon the further assumption, also, that the resi jlue of
the State's subscription for stock in the Fayottevdlu
and Western Plahkj Road Company, in the Capio Fear
and Deep River Navigation Company, and the appro
Tiriations for Neuse and Tar lUvcrs will be called for
at an early day. 1 i!-:; i- y.-,-yi y.
' But we have seen that the surplus in tlio Treasury,
alter tne payment oi ino regular aemanas, wui ue
$60,000; while" the increased demand upon it fiiir the
year 1851, will be $149,000 ; and for the year 1852,
207,000 ; and. of course, that the State will rpquire
for the year 1851,'over and above the whole amount
that may be raised by. the present revenue baas, the
sum of $ 89,000 ; and for 1852, the sum of $148,000
Or, it may be stated thus:
A mount, required to pay State's liabilities'
250,000
120,000
80,000
r
5,000
; r
and interest for 1851.
Add ordinary expenses for 1551,
Deduct probable receipts at -the Treasury
according to present revenue laws for
8149,000
i5,0UO
1851,
.$135,000
assume the responsibility of determininsr the vali
dity of all claims bju ihe Treasury whicu may be
preaemeui wuiie ineoniceoi Comptroller ol pub
lic accounts, instead ol being what its name im
ports, the otlice where claims upon the Slate are
audited and allowed, and so certified ta the Trea
surer, is siuiply a depository lor the. Treasurer's
vouchers and lor a copy of nis books. I -
It fnust be obvious to everv one that a ramn.L
ling.and reform ia necessarvr.iu tiiese deooitiiienta.
And 1 can ma!ke the sugtion vith tlie greater
freedom and without jus& impeachment of motive,
as my ; otticial intercourse with the incumbents, has
11 I A. , I'll -V . I . I 1
ween in au instances oi me mosi Kina ana unreser
ved character, and is now soon to terminate.
(:..(;
FINANCE AND STATE DEBTS.
invested as you are .wtitli tlie preservation of
i tne laith and the honor, of the sStatc. it will be
ti-
her
i 1. .t: .l !. .. . u yuui
. wu . iuai me same snail ue sanciioned by "two
' thirds of the members nf iho Aroo,.,i,i.. .f mm ;
I and alter wards 'confirmed by a niaioritv of ilyour r&t 2reat d ume carefully her
1 - reoDle Totinor at ih Pi!0 - tJ 3 .-.,ue i nancial couditioiu To learn herxlitibilities and 1
: - stitution has tuus been hedged in ariinst 'hatv rae 1 ' ,aiia xo maKC PromPuy anaboldly such pro--or
frequeiiU hanges, and there wilt be no little l S lvlsions; as while it may develop aW increase iier
; .culty in procuring an alteration of it ' 4 Ourht om;c.e afford'aid and succor to the various
this consideration to operate powerfully unon fhi 1 mdustnal Wf of her citizens, wUl at the same
: minds of those who sincerely desire Mreesura tmJ? " efablish1 011 sure foundation to meet
f;,; to prevent, if they can, iis association with aherT1 le' ! hiadran Payment of her debts
propositions ibr :
; ' -wise or proper to unite into one bill several and 1 f hQ f,01?8 ?f tll? IiWic Treasurer and Comp
- - distinct propositions I If more than one, how roa-s tI n fn Que tune, be laid before you, giving
; ny separate questions ol the kind will iou com- J - i1 eipts and disbursements at the
bme? The precedent to be set now, will oroba". AreasTr,the twa Preceding fiscxd years. - By
V mese n win dc seen that the receipts, under ih
Deficit to be provided for J85I ! I),000
In like manner it may be shuwn that "the v j ;
deficit for lfe52 will be: : - 5147,000
These results will be changed, to some extent, in
favor ; of the Treasury balances, by the - comiiiii in of
xne uererrea taxes lmpoaeu on sundry articles in the
7 th section of the revenue act of the last sesionl
But no provision has yet been made for raising the
money for the payment of the residue of the State's
stock subscription to the Deep iver and Cape Fear
Navigation Company, of $60,000, and this amount
must be added to the wants of tlie Treasury. (
To meet these demauds, which: can now be neither
avoided orj postponed without public dishonor, provis
ion must be made by the General Assembly now in
session. In addition to this requisition for interest,
prompt steps sliould ber taken for the establishing of
a sinking fund for the gradual extinguishment of the
principal of the State's debt, to avoid the insupporta
ble pressure upon the people, if it be postponed till the
principal shall fall due. , Thet most urgent inquiry,
however, at present, is, how are the Bcrni-aunual in
stalments ; of interest to . be met f By creating ' new
loans and borrowing money thus increasing the debt
by compounding principal and interest overy . six
mouths i f If the demand upon the Treasury were for
tuitous and not likely to be repeated, such a plan might
with some, be allowable. ' But here is a sum iwhicfc
must be raised for many consecutive years, and untd
some return shall bej yielded from the profit bf our
pubhc works, i jlt ia too plaiu for commat, that the
temporizing policy of borrowing money to pay, inter
est will be disastrous to the State, will impair her
credit, and may reduce her; sooner or later to the ig
nominious and dishonest condition of repudiation
, .4" absorbing crisis fts arrived in the financial af
fairs of the State, Vhich reqiures the energetic exer
cise of all the caution, wisdoni and patriotism of the
Kepreseutatives of the, people. . i
1 have felt it to be jny indispensable duty to lay
this miportan subject thus plainly before you- On
you, and you, alone, rest the task and responsibility
of providing the ways and means for paying the debt,
sustaining ithe faith and credit of the State, : and for
preserving untarnished her character forplain dealing
and honesty; f , ; , . '
-" . Concluded to-morrow.) " "
DAILY REGISTER.
; Thursday Morning, , Nov. 21.
STATE IiEfilSOATURE.
SENATE.',
Senate met aecoig.tG(&djoacnf, ,s
. Wm.;B.f Shepard, J. H. - Haugbton, and Joha
Barnard, Senators elect; appeared and were quaL
lfied. .'' , v ' ; r . . ;
" A message was received from tlie Hou.se of
Commons, proposing to go into the election of
Engrossing Clerk. ''Concurred inl ,! -
J Mr. Bo wer nominated R.K. Bryant; Mr. Speight,
James Thomas.l , ; I ,;JTT;'
A message was received from the House of
Commons, announcing Sleasrs. AViison,WPerqui.
mans, and Caldwell, of Rowan, a Committee on
the p;irt of the House to 'superintend the election
of Engrossing Clerk, and that L. Graham was in :
nomination. i , ;':
The Senate then proceeded Jq vote, as follows:
Bryan 29; Thomas i 1 ; Graham 4. No election.
' On motion pf Mr. Caldwell, of Burke, another
message, was sent to the House of Commons, pre
posing a second vote, and - Messrs. ' Collins and
Kelly appointed Superintendents iHouse concur
red, and announced Messrs." Steele and McLean
Committee of Superintcndancc. J V
Vote was again taken as; follows Bryan 24;
Tliomas 12 ; Graham 10 No electionl,'r i H ;
t Mr.Bynum moved another message to the llonsa, '
proposing to vote again, and added Augustus AT
Burton to the noniination. rn jt ; t &un 'V-.
. Message concurred in 1 by the 'i House, and the'
Senate proceeded to a third, vote, rwh!ci resulted '
as follows : Bryan 20; Tliomas 8 ; Burton 14. :
Mr. Cameron moved the appointment of a Com
mittee to prepare and report rules of order,' for the
government dfths Senate during the i presient ses
sion, which was agreed to; and Messrs. Cameron, .
Courts, Joyner, Bower and Bynurnrwere appointed
said Committee. s .
Mr. Cameron reported thesame rule's that gov
erned the last session, with the, addition of one ap-.
pointing a Committee on. Corporations. ;
I Mr. Lane moved to appoint a joint select Com
mittee on the part of both Houses to prepare and
report rules of government. ,' . l
A message was received from the House, trans
mitting the Go verndr's Message, with a ! proposition
to pri nt 1 0 copies for each member. I , '
The proposition to print 1 0 cbpies'for each mem-
mer was agreed to. Wlieh, on motion, the Senate
adjourned., .. $ .1 u
.! " r ' J , - ''
r HOUSE OF COMMONS,
Jl 3 .-;i::--WEDSSDiTiov. 2Q.
The House was engaged during this silting, ia
hearing tlie Rules of Order and the Governor'
Message read, and in making sevejal unsucessful
ballon ings lor Engrossing Clerk. ; 1
The following Standing Committees were an
nounced : "-'x-
On Claims, Prop, aiid Gritty Education.
Wilson, ' f --" G. Hayes, T r l t). Barnes,
ivlcoieese, . , Uordou, : .
Hackney,' Stowe.
D. b Cald well, McLean,
KT T!tfVT-:il t--ll. '
VV.Mcx'eill
Newsom, ?
Urogilen,
Waugh,
Dargari,
Bogle, ;
Farmer, r
Agriculture.
Sloan,
McMillian,
Dunlap, i
Douthit,
bimmons,
rarham,;
Maultsby, . :
1 horn burg,
c wanner,
Bond,'
?, Manin,
if- McDowell,,
Jones, -Drake,
.
J Barnes,,
Winston, ' J
t Int. Imp ' -
Rayner, '
Mizell, v . '
4 Cotton,' '
; Montgomery,
Powers,
; 1'oiw, -r
Jerkius,..
J. M. Leach, -
" tocott,
.
Blow,
Pegram,
:,S,P.Hill,
Steele,
,Clanton,
E IBauders,
A..G.Fosler,
Davidson,
. 3 Walton,
Lore. s
Privl.mid EXtc'nt
;'. Siler,
Foard,
'r Rankin,
Uuffin,
t B.T. Williams
Thornton,
Boykin,. .
W instead,
.crazier.
' Stubbs.
Fieming, v ;f Cherry. v
tW We are requested, to state. tt'lPiirup a
WniTivEgq, of Kentuckywm'd
orcsses on the subject of Temperance, in the Presbv-
tcrian Church of tliis City, on this (ursday) even
ing. and alio on to-morrow (Friday) evening at early
candle i light . He wiU also address the ' People oo th
ame.subject, in the lWn Hall, on Friday afternoon,
at 3 o'clork. Ilia X'ublic generally, axe iiivited to at
tend. Mr. Wliito deservedly Bnstains the character of
oeiug uue oi um man cuecUYc popular speakers in
America. , - , .
F s at.
HayJn found Mrs. Billinffton n
Ravuolds, the painter,vwho bad taken her picture
iu lbe characier; of Cecilia lUtenini n .tecti.i
music, as shc is usually drawn. ivlrsl B: showed
the picture Uaydn j It ir lite her' said hr
-but there is a strange raisiake." "What' is that
asseu neyuoius, naauiy. "Xou have painted hr
iisteuing to the angels . you ought to have represeu '
toil tk nrrB.'m 1 7 . . . . . U 21 aa ' w
f