Newspapers / The Weekly Raleigh Register … / Feb. 8, 1822, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
.-. J ';": J --4-' -' . "re " V - I .1.'-'. : - i 1 uetHt are the pUne fWriHblfpI PeacV ; i - il t as Lams '99 FEBRUARY 6, 1822. A1 ''A 1 1 i ''-'V i4 mmrn 1 A L " . .-i--tr j -...- xja, t. .-v :?vii s.it-- 5S . V 1 V tif.ratr on the CONVENTION QtfESTIOX. VEHOUSfl 0 COMMONS. Z.18, 1821." Tifr IHNeTOP did I arise on" ah occasftiri in which I greater distrust' of my own abiHtis, thau tle ;psent j VasSoXSi the question that is agitated r'when I.con Ir Smportaice of that principlej tliat is about to itt ' iXeS'tTfinal determination of the resolutions, on. ypur Sle-; that Principle tl.at is about to receive a legsslatave sdnrtioti 50 completely .subversive of leplative nshtsr, . YetI'must confess. at the same tunef notwithstanding ttu Lit jL... V.b;t(,ta,.flin!r1mv own inability to wipe away SeSand'ctiona Monbi this quesuon, aim .wuiwi t 7 - y t Ddnd with reanimated vigor from every bosom-: J say I con. I never felt amore irresisuoie luuutcurcm. . - m m'i..iMv nnn norai a i 41' 11111 fiiiiju u a. -wide field ot aeoaie. r newer w p u.- v o- T J ii that I amanimated by the gustnessor I.22 grievance contrary to the, spirit ofa Republican goyerriment, an which the people; certainly have a right.to consult toge ther tor t!ic common good and redress; s ne 01 jjiese 'Couuiic, vmgu .wc wu uwiuuii..w contain a wTiite-MMflatiori iwenty-seven, which we iwil) call esteffiV 'contain awhite i r . This division, will be observable on a Map, by having drawira Nbrth and Sth line from; courtty to the SodtharolinW line, which will intersect; Wa Anson Ashe l r Buncombe ; ; Burke - , Beaufort :v-;s Bladen ; H--Bertie ; r Bruhsyick .. Camden ! Cumberland Gumtucki: CartereilJ', Columbus v Chatbam,;? Chowan ff;J Craven 2 2 4 f 1 1 a ,2 .7 2 2 Cabarrus Caswell Duplin iyranklih GuUford ' -1 Granville . " Gates -..y : v?; . Greene ' " Hyde Halifax' " ' NewHanorer Onslow. ' Oranc Pitt; Pasqttttank .Tvrrel , .id,' Wayne 5 Hertford Hayyopd tredell: Jones s,' Johnston; Lenoir Lincoln - " ; Person v Perquimons Butherfoid Rockingham Richmond t Randolph1'.?? 2 .1 1 2 5 :2 2 4 3 2 3 if WUkesT Wake V. " ' Mecklenburg 4 Martin1t-l.t'; Mpnfgomery Northampton Robeson s Rowan; .'' Stokes.i" Sampson ' Washington,: 2 4. 5 2 8 3 4 21 1 The above table returns 451 membcw, .and shews that tbs '. t' Here uciuwjuv. . . ; - ' our essential weirarc and pnvuiges asairwwiu c.5 people demanded it not; if I thought the principle ofa 1 sentative and pomilar government, corresponded with the si SfrUm of North:Carolinaiare placed 5 if I thought r could in any way-discharge the duty which-I - owe, the SbUgatiim which I conceive, myself to ;bej under to tbd constituents whom I have the honor to represent, without participating in the unpleasant discussion of a question which L nladvlrivcn rise to a sectional and local feeling, I po- - sitivel affirm it would be my choicc. . I ... In our taking a comprehensive view of tlie Constitution under which Ave live, we need not have pointed out the defects cxisthre in that -Constitution: , We need not be told, a$ we repeatedly have been this day, : that some of its provisions are deficient,: We need not be told that equal representa tion, founded upon the principle of, free white population, or upon the mixed principle of population and wealth, can ever beattained under its fostering care. The. most superficial ilance will corroborate tlie assertion, arid proveto tiie world, that it is not imaginary, that it is not the wild and capricious wmiri of fancy, but-that it is the steady and unerring hand or wisdom that tells hs to suffer not the most s minute infringe - WcnV-of.our richts. For the leading defect m all popular or repttblican governments, is the want of a proper jealousy of the minutest infringements of popular rights.. . ; .i Let facts speak for themselves, and when these facte are rtpd And illiberal spirit of sectional feelinc: which characterizes us this day, be thrown aside, and r. :.:.Af':i fTin iisurii the beam, and unpreiudiced rea- .sonJ detertnihe facts, liet arguments be govci-ned by their. weight, by;tiie conviction tliey carry witn xnem, anu.uyj uuu. criterionMet themlrise'or fall.- : x' y I : . wkw!n thft misnices and protection -of Divine iTovi- 'j-- ' ii.o :;fnnpi. rnlnriiea became free and independent States ; whenour forefathers resolved to shake off the shackles of mimsterial oppression, otvsacrifiQC their hveson the altar of liberty 4 'when those chains of oppression that held us down, j those bonds of political association, were burst asunder, it j became necessary to establish ome laws to prevent anarchy and confuslonao piventuinrestrained liberty from degene- ratine into licentiousness, lor I icenuousness p ,,. ebullition, an excrescence of liberty ; it is asjieck n the poll tical body, which if suffered to rage uncontrolled, , spreads its contagious influence, and, like'farons serpen V swallows up the rest:" ; It'iwas then the.pepple claimed to. themselves the risrht of establisliing a free and independent government ; . ariirht Inherent ft themselves and formidable to tyrants only." r At this time wej.had jummancipatedrom lie colo Bial shackles of.En.yand, we hadjust emerged from that po i:f V.ai.lniti 'wirieli. bad like to 1iave enveloped us in the besom of destruction, " it was at such a time the Constitution under which we live was framed ; it was m tunes of difficulty j wheri it was impassible for that reflection, and mawre uuoe ration to be exercised, nvhich. importance pf the subject demanded ; for at no timeis itn easj :Usk frame a code; 1 of laws which can buffet the? billows of;ipopular rumor and discontent rmuch less such arT one inTitsn nature Uias to; accommodate the various - changes Vtiiroughhich , we iliave passed. The mori? simple idca of orderand equity.weat that time : sufficient to guided ihpsepverierable heroes 1 m the revolution, in tlie! formation of a codept: laws calculated .tor tlie internal administration of justice. :But equal itypf rcpre sentation, the vefybasis on which all republican governments fcMm.l m! . nnlitv n renresentation, that very .principle fwiftch d es not even ajKai-46 Tjc well :undeat this t enlightened day, or if .understood, is treated.witii indifference) : isini'tsWture-niorc intricate ' and .rplexedanduires Ions; experience,; together withconversant knowledgeof history,) , be-well. understood by any person. j: It "has been stated to us by tlie gentleman from Salisbury, CMr "FisherV that serious defects do exist in Jthe'constitution, which cry aloud'for redress and 4hat the; only :methoil by which redress ' can ,be obtained,' is by a Convention. 7( This is certainly truc,ibr If it is defcctiVe,' it carPbe remedied only brthe:deiegate -The sowrenty innhe peopleVconequcritly theple?have an indefeasible, tmftlleWuble and aYi ihcontestibleTi?At -to modifvChapge or annul .any form rif government which does not go;to secure the liberties of the governed. If this position, then, can l)e true, and that it is there is nor. gentleman on rthis floornyill Ifcthe aggregate aniburit of whitejpojmlatmri, viz : 4lsuu h rliviilnil hv 1 Rfi-"the number of representatives elected by the 62 counties, excluding, the borough towns,, u a6xWa tiiA-niimiiHP parh man nu&rht to renrescnt, and ..-..the 27 counties: which how have 81 representatives, by this mode 'lc 1 'i4.l- Unxro. 1 10 anil ihp. &5 r.f iintlCS WhlCll now have 1Q5, ought to nave oniy . - i. v u Tliit nVwft stand at nresent. vou will find, if you will take the aggregate amount of the Eastern wnice jwpuuui fi;vifiA t hv thft ntWhftr of Sronresentatives theyi nowi mill tni-o tim n P-Pri.i-atft amount of the Western I white popuia- tion, and divide it by the number of representatives kiharI Vwisb$dXPl if?1 lavA, xn.i will find. I sav., that every 1571 souis in uie oj wi;'rt: which it is With pleasure J-nave seen, nave ween counties before alluded to have as great a share in; enacting lac in a ;morc advantageous position, than I could have . laws, and have the same weight in our legislative oouy, as doQ, my i wehtt:seven;yvestern counties -which havarWn- ; : q onfi.tlm thirtv-fivft eastern counties wbich have 105, ought to have only 6Inthis, s in vtbe, other; table fraction Havinff now sufficiently proven xue mequaiuy uhitsui- ? . tation, not only on the basis of iwhite population: but ',on tho principle of population and eaUhjjIv shall next rocee to ; r SUUiewilab Hit. maa w uviai.u.4, i ,,.-. , nion .0 rh mrmrt nrinrinle on which to build a renresenta- tive eovernment, and it certainly should, in most cases he iha virv ni vnt on vvlrfrh thcv turrt. I The number of reprcsen- tatives that each county would be entitled to, upon the tooting of equal representation, would be as tollpws: Anson Ashe 1 Beaufort 2 Bertie, - 2 Buncombe 4 Burke 5 Brunswick 1 Bladen 1 Cabarrus ' 2 Columbus , 1 Currituck 2 Ccavcn -2 Camden . 1 Carteret 1 Chatham . '3 Cumberland,'. 4 'Caswell Chowan "Duplin Edgecomb Franklin Guilford Gattes Greene Granville Haywood Hertford Hvde Halifax Iredell Johnston Jones 3 r: 2 : I: 5 ? o O 1 1 1 2 4 2 1 Lincoln Lenoir -Moore Montgomery jlartin . ?.Iecklenburg Nash ; Northampton N. Hanover Onslow Orange , Person . Pasquotank. Perquimons Pitt, 6 1 o 1 5 2 2 2 1 7 2 2 2 Robeson y.. Richmond Randolph' Rutherford' r Rockingham Rowan. - Stokes! J x Sampson V Surry i Tyrrell AVarren Washington Wake , Wilkes, Wayne. 2 4 5 J 9 .5 2 4. 1 2 1 5 3 2 By tliis calculation, we have returned 162 members," omit ting fractional parts, whicii operates as much against the larce counties as the small. Which shews usAthe! number each county wouldibe 'entitled to individually,-apd the &27 counties collectively, would have 100, and the S wpuld have no. Rf n we stand at nresent. the E astern counties, with a white population of 164,976;" have) a greater share in enact ing laws, than the Western counties have with 254,224. It thio fi.p.i i consistent with the cenius of republicanism, I confess it is a political phenomenon hitherto unknown to me, nnri if it is. T - nincerelv hone that I bay never belong to that " 7 - a? A . "-. M A i. clan. But it is stated by gentlemen ot tlie opposiuon, tvnipntation ouirht to be aonortibhed upon the mixed prin ciple of population and wealth. In answer to this argument; I'"sayi already have we tne wcaiui jot me ow iau.uwv..MlJ represented' in the House. of Senate ; and; indeed, it appears to me, that this is another aristocratic teature whicn uggeu ;f0if iinnctitiitinri: In the 7th section of the Consti- IWVIl' lilt" VM v wmu v-.w.. , . v . 1 tution it is expressly declared, that no person shall be entitled to vote for. a member ot the senate, .uniess ne is cac .av the 'same' time, ot50 acres of land, v . , v -, A ,v linf it i alert tatpd that in t he renresentation tor vonffrehs, the black population is taken into consideration. Y:,usi is'ccrtaiuly true ; but I will ask the gentlemen that i advance 4i.;a fihtiifV it W 1 one from motives of equity, Or motives of pblicyv ? whether it was1 done from v a pinScientiouV belief tliat they" were entitled representetiqn ledffQ that me oouinern otai.es wuuiu uuv iiuva --i pact,;wbuld-ttot!i karantee of this sjes of pie aV a precedefit live,4 tnav e-xnerieiic-c , os -""v"" -7-: teeted'usforrieariha and intesune uivisiuut 1 1 t r ? have we arisen to almost the,pinnaCleo, tame. sis is ly true, butv still it oesnof p Carolina do not labor under any inequality in their represent ;f ,i0 Mt irnvft that 2 and 2 are hot 4. 'All this might possibly Have ueen auameu unuer gv wuuic,n;,Uui , : aristocratic than our own, and experience is aliout tnis ilay K ; to teach us the cause oi ixs uurauun , it whilst evils are tolerable, inanoto resori w new auu ;uuiiu . v projects.." . v. 7 - :V ,:-V" -y.-m: l Ue VOnSlltUUOIl, III UK. 1-IU OtVMu ; uvv..,yU, .. Senate and House of Commons shall have pow'er to appoint the ceneral and field officers of the militia. Of the impi-oprie. ty of this section, I trust :gentle concur; with me. :-. :;-v' . Whenever any power, is taken out flff the hands ot the peo i Li.ri vAsted in anv other tribunal, it is done upon the prin ciple thatthe exercise of that power wuld be abused f ; body from whence it ii taken. ;; V'.,' '' '"'T Let us see how tar tnis, men, accural wim ur umVu u JUof manlrind nrft p.vervmore disoosea- to enuure evu v 1 a Kin ,xmuiiu, ui:viia .r--: tv . is--; -'T a body is ? Can it be coneciureu, mat wro uiucut uiww and bridesLof th militia, are not reasonably; supposed o b better capableofjudging orthe quaUfications of the opposing candikics tiian this Igislaturis? the Principles of a popular vcrnment,; where the power is;.; vested in the people, and where the I people claim to them- selves the privilege, of cxe.msing : that qualifecatlon--that privateVrcspectability should be the only passportsltb honbrand: preferment. ; Which,thert, (are . most liable to disregard thes requisitions; the legisUtivebodx- or the people. T Let &im but $ strut the soldier or ape the ' v bero, a few'days, and any office which this; body can will bevWupbn-M 'l ! abuse o our authority, but it is that we he Jiptthejoppor tuility bf judging: f you ant a stronger proof 0 turn yoiir eea TtthQ melancholy, to e egradingtate of ybiir militia. I See if cannot recognise amqngjts officers, ; ' : ' men witlmutShe; ray bt-m "V, deny, it is equally true; that every itningjuai w .iu tun; tact withr that power, that every thing that prevents ijhe people from having their due weight in legislative proceedings, is' a ere; this have beeii loaded ith ct degree as would ;have rendered tii ,1 -TT!t,ic! fio-hf AfCxvi.w ithaticlatise. as a sme: mui cbndkibh; Soutlfern 8ttte. M&t I do not wish here -to be understoou as uisapproving. ui mat principle in the federal goyerninentjlfor the situation ol the times renderedjit Indispensablebutl do fnoihquoted asaprin'cipluponTwhid of right or wrong, jmlcssr it undergthis exiUiationItisi i h itniaf than : ti . otir 1 unrment : it is an indirect attack upon h; part of ;our. politic which of ail others is most. viz.;bu rj avarice- 7 Butfor the respect If have fbrM gentlemen 01 tne- oppusiuuiwuiuu w .r " 5 implicit confidencejto 'ttieiPisrlbr see . - - V. .r Moim to nrivate resDOCtability. . Then1 before you can withhold from the peopIevthe right of electing their own militiaIfic tional prodl ot tne nenenis resutung jhjui mo 4 wav- v , . election. ;,, - j , rm; u. : v': . i There are cases ;tnj.wj he lbdcred in tlie breast rtVorTio: the .Tiiiliciarv ai)DbintmentS best of frebnsifbr . f . '" "',TJ ilia' inaoti An lia(Vta iiai ID . Ot xneir quaimqaiujiis. mv which theyrelthe only judg, ittheandid:4arthe BirtH" f erenuemen-uouwi..mo ij mui ivi, j - j :ru t Wuhi wfpi tKm b; South-Carolina for;an exam to thai; state frbin which Weay dramany bereeebeare theyeveihivMb notary discipline The Jnext nuestion thicoinmitteeistb rlfthe Cohstitafid hvViAint tinllot of both Houses.- shalFappoint Judces of the. SubremelCurS' section is .noLnue muup v. y muxjimvm v, w -"ir t'?-'A? In fhW; IftMfllatiire bodv. i But i ; tit isieTolffic tiiatjaffectshe.;matteriinuer;aiscuss omrw.aiiy.iowwvwu t ther poibt of fedbfal hum PWrffifi;f 5 ihecallaoes hotnde i The fcderahpopulatibb of this State Ib Sl07hi experience W.haTeo ;lj r wedifide;tfieame:nim eive 2$62 whiph; if Ave then diVide Into the federal popuia j evils which we stiningly antiapatc.: iJn J ; tionbfeaehcountywiirveheio
The Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 8, 1822, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75