tr -
2
11
M
-ft
Ours are' flic plans of fair delightful peace yanVarp'd toy party rase, to live like brotiiers
11 :
30;
mi:
Titit "Dotixit per wihn'm one halfin a3'
ThowWdwWtheratjthc ttme.of snnacnmhff
or lfeqnehfljr five iratlce of their wish to havt
the Paper ifcntfnu& Rt the expiration of hr
year, will he presumed as desiring its continuance
ujtil countcrmandea., V : '
Net exC4i3in(xe insertei fAre
twCfor, a poplar; and twenty-fi.ve cents. lor eacli
'eubsequni pMlifii'adori : those of greater length, in
prbportierw , ff. the number of insertions he not
marked on jweihiihey will be icontinued until r-
dered ou and charged accordingly.
statu corjvrrJTion,
4 -- t,v
- ',-.'SF:'..s.- VZ"
TlveAfticte of Amendment, in rela
tton tOfthe ruinber)orMernlfs'f whiclv
. m r i : '4- ,: '-I'll
the senate ana JioasejH Aommons snau
cnnist. tein2 Wilder Consideration, Mr.
byngrafting-uif n oiir Cons titntion the Mr. Fisher said, lie "was ' in favor of bl
,Huucipsmfwnicn are .not new, out naveenmal sessions for a lew reasons, whicJ.
'jcsii raiu howb ami recogntzea-irom timeine wouia uneny state, in tue.nrsj place.
Miiiiif iiiunai. vi ne lom oecnon ueciares ne rnousrni niev woui (tonsure to t ie stair
"ttfat the peonlt havea right to assemble linore careful, andl3etterle2isla.tion. If
together, to consult fof the commonpod, jtnere be biennial sesirQ'sthere mu&t be
?vvhen elections taKe
two rears, he
h insirwci inirfWttpresenxjiiies ana toioienniai elections.
ippiv, to ine jjjp!;isiartires ror rtoress ot place; otjjjyonce in
'irievances.' The 20th Section declares thought the people
fiiher movedl to fill the blank with the
word WehtoiaL " The questioo having
been stated from the Chair
M r. 12d wARtis said, he did not rise to
detain the IJonventiarr; tor, u cusposeu
to do so he feft too rrwell to make the
attemnt.; But he owed it to"the Conven
tion to. state,, that I whilst concurring in
the Articles vnndet consiaeration, so lar
as, the number of Members in each House
was concerned,jethe could not votefor:
them tfthe blank was filled with the? word
IximniaL Hehad pronounced it the other j
daj one of the" Anost 'important questions
to come before the Convention and sub
sequeut reflection had gone to confirm the
opinion. . Hecpld notJherefore vote fur
any adjastmentoRpresentatfon which
would authorize ' Elections only at inter
vals of two years; rhis statement was
due to himself-rfdoe Co candor and due
tq the Convention. Anxious! that every
amendment 'made to tW Constitution
should be confirmed,, he was sorry to see
thi niattePfso pertinaciously. insisted on;
I or in ms opinion .it auopieu, mepeopie
would f rejecJLv theCojistitution. They
wouid not part witb ibe,cohtrol over their
Representatives: which annual Elections
ga?efoE the sake offapetulative notions
ef.Economy. For the' whole matter was
open to conjecture, and the experiment
was to be tried whether there wouta be
any saytgr-otsWHe. did not him elf
believe there would r thegLegislature
would sit twice at Ions -'"'every two vears.
and, in the end, the expenditure would
be fully as great. .1
Miy Carson or Rutherford, remarked,
that he took pari in this discussion with
extreme reluctance, and'felt much em
barrassment in rising to do so. The man
ifestation of sentiment, 'exhibited the oth
er day,: was so clearly indicative of the
result of the vote about to be taken on
this question, that he should certainly
not have troubled the Convention, but
that he wished to justify the vote he should!
be boumivto give.
Mr. C. said, he believed the great ob
ject which the people had in view in au
thorizing the call of a Con vention, was to
correct the inequalities of our Represen
tation. 1 hat point attained, the most un
portantand the one which most concern
eu tnenii 4hey cared but little about any
other alterations.! Infthe discussions' we
have had on this question. economy and
reuenenment nave been assisnet' aspri
-r" I Iniary considerations Why bienniatses
sums should be preferred. In no part ot
me state, ol which he had personal Know
lede,1 had this qestion been fairly put
in all its bearings: before; the people ij and
reany, me more he heard it touched up-
n, me stronger was bis conviction, it
had better be left asit vas There are,
saul he. but three: or four States in this
huholeiUnioni where biennial sessions are
required by their respective Constitu
tions. ith tiwee of those, to wit : -Delaware,
Mississippi and Missouri, we have
no connexion .andi can have no sort o
practical intercourse"! but in those States
txrdeiio on u. wttfuwhich ne mtht h
T " : ' .
presumed to have legislative intercourse.
as well as in the Ctineress of the United
States all have thTir annual.Sessions, and
it might often occur in the course of all
lutuie tinw that -ereat -and ureentlnat-
ters might require jthat we should have
ilmultaneous seesinns fSUarfnra
as this State ? might tequi re" a joint aTtfon
with her.contiguous ister slates, it would
oe an auvaHtage to have annual sessions.
Mr. Ci said, that since the discussion
Ue other dav on tl.fft' Riihiec.f, t ti,;u
timer J,e felt inclined to vote-br bietvniaf
sessions, he had bestowed mu.ch renec-
nn on the siihJprlfrrinnfl (he r.itnspniipnrd
- J 7 . X T - .. w
I.: l I' i-i1
nisi, ms iniuu nau unuenj-one a
every two years.
wflild bmore parti-
that for redress of grievances, and or I cular in tKechoice of theii memberau I
amending andstre.ngthening the lawj, R- am to favor of fr'eqyent.electi.ohW said-Alr,,
lections ought o 'be. 'often .beld.y The F. but therelmay bVsucliaHhing as hai
wottl often might be regarded as used in a ing thenHoo frequent Whenever a liinj;
qualified sense, and itnight be said, that becomes very commobit celsesfb be-much
once in two.yenrais often within the true valued, and when we cease to prize iti, we
meaning tf the Bill of Ufgltts. But he are careless howj we use ii. The elective
believed this construction to be inconsais- Iranchise is tbe greatest political privilege
icui auu uiin.o3iiiuir:, smit; jMacu-i we enjoy, anu ineua,nger is, tnat wctin
car exposition given of it by the framers dervalue it by the freauencv of elections.
of ourCtmstitution themselves,, in" fixing By Jiaying otir State elections .'qjnjj once
upon annual sessions. j in-two years, the people will lvalue the
There is another Section,said Mr. C. (privilege" rnore highly,, an exercise it
to which he would call tbe attention ofj more judiciously.) As It now is, in:many
honorable gentlemen. 1 hat is the Ist places wesee that the people care but lit
Section, whicli declares "that a frequentjtle about goins to the polls, and often-
recurrence'. fundamental principles is, times give themselves but little trouble to
absolutely "necessary to preserve the enquire into the qualifications of the can-
blessings ot liberty." w bat are landa- didates : 1 hey say, it is only for one year,
mental principles? : une or tnem is tbe land if the election goes wrong, next year
supervisory power tlve people .have over I they can correct. Members of Congress
their. Representatives, and may be lound lare chosen only once in two years, and
in the.first Article of the. Bilk of Rights, has the country experienced any inconve-
which declares "tbat an political power nience or iniary Irom this ? I think not.
is derivable from md belongs to the peo-jlf it be proper toelect members of Con
pie." So far as you postpone or nut off grcss. whose Dowers are so vitally con-
the right of suffrage, so you weaken and nectcd with the principles of liberty, only
cut up this most excellent principle of once in two yean, can it be less so to
tree Governments. Thit 'Convention, I elect in the same manner members of the
trusrwill not hastily repudiate and set State Legfslature, whose sphere of action
it at defiance lis more limited and less dangerous" to-the
If, Mr. President, the people who rights of the people ? In the new States.
have this right torappiy to the Legislature where there isra constant filling up of the
for a redress of their grievances, are to country, where new counties are every
be put off for two years, before they can year springing into existence, and where
be heard, anif run all the chances of new laws and regulations become, nece
disappointraent in the end, why Sir, it sary, it iscertainly proper that there should
amounts to a deniat of theprivilege, and be annual sessions of the Legislature ;
is to my mind, a manifest violation of tlie but in an old Sate, like North-Carolina,
true spirit of that clause, andean be no where every thing is settled, where the
longer considered an nxiom in tree Iro- system of laws are, established, and all
vernments. Again Sir, frequent blec- the institutions of the country fixed, no
tions give value to the right of suffrage, such necessity can exist. When there is
and secure a prompt and (aithful accoun- nothing for the Legislature to do, why
isuiniy Hum me urpiosrinauc iu ins urtng it in session r it is witn.Legisiative
constituent,and in the law-making branch bodies,, as with every other mass of men,
ought not to be departed from. His if thev have nothing to do that ourht to
I I ;-F III' ,
ndcntal .expences, for' a session of 75
laH'wilbconbouV teiQiOOOi or only
ne nat I .what two SessonV ;nTy ost, ; sf'
this; um wir s arng-? dertas t$j t w su i,
31 rr r saidv hewbiuJ very" bneflje
notice one f j6 tff 'ejelbtionsdvan
ced agijinst bteii nial1 sessions Ttis,c6n3
tended tbat there otvliHobe anntfal e.s
Rons if tile State LegisiatuVes, lin'Vnler
twfeiVj- months. .Wefi.ttheir,- a$a,
been argued, deprive 'Ourselves .of the PT-1 M
viliewe of meetihff ahniiallv if he neonle tkhi
hat, they tmay sta,nts guards' dver ihe
tights of the ncnle against the encroach
ments f the .Eederaf Governlr!etit' This
wasnot a :new,idea tqMin 5 he had iconii
idered jitVefore he came here,; and felt
its weight.' lie believed with those who
pposed biennial sessions, that the Stlte
Lenslattres are the natural alidieffitt-
inate gualrdlaristortlte rights of theStates
anu me eopiwe anu4inac it was not. oniy
heir nglit, but their dutvf to keepa strict
oter the
eonductf our
Federal
watcn oter
Rnlera. IThp vritpr nf lhr 17(rlrjtrefl
'JUexftndm Hamilton Jo fin Jay and Jaime
laonltake this viewAot the subjettn
the 26tl No. -of that able work. I do not
believe, liowever,. said Mr. F, that the
mere actisn of th
passing ot a res
Ration : lor, so far as his observation had
gone, the Legislature as ften decides in
lavor oi me aDose or power as against, it.
so wijl iti If it.be lound that4 anQtt
se.ss,nrare sessenriar io-in preseryaiion'
'pfourpolUicat'jcrglits peopIii-feU
linly incur 'the expendTture iiepesfy
llir (lift niirnnua I w
J ud e T. aiil, we'iilid; hofcnn w xerefse
the." jjrjviJ ege of Con veni ngthe";Leatlre'
sol req uen Uya odr- anceitislHPi Wh 1
i neeasonperhaps
but 'iiMtmTite
qhencyrof enioymiTftrail batted inon the.
appetlie. rlle,believet flifhe.iliberty of
the peopl d loan tied ' u prrrH'rW2 pu rityl of;
the elective frainchie. and he .was tliire-4
tat I" &
glow with 1 ess iijteg sijty J f te!ljp5l aie,,
fMf.jfllfxOtfr; i mmiidjatf wants, needslbe ad;
Cnmerciomndforiit a gfjotL market.
Lro exchange it for lher: iaVtirUwV of U I
nec i yitt fcon ve n j e n cei frdmhibrdatL $ f 1 1
XheoinJerests are therefore Jnepata i Mi
bly- tjected anil each ougHt,toeceivB 11
the;tltection of the Legistatiirel iThta 1. 1
prjniesiion is pecuuariy,neceRsary.ror inB ;
4,.
voinjiecianieresr, wnicnjyersate I'viflA
HallTrom Jahj, other. lhaV aseparate JH
c6d.0trwsaTciihitefl' ftoimee1t?all$
iit t Jn ielailoli'ito. In speciitjfjSi nstr
inferStS; befetehoeela'jif
xuft anll'th e;: necessl fyr'protecti . :y
t h toeen? ;lfu(i I y i f la strateWn the
f oaj e ,wn i ctr naa n i rea a v t a Ke n p ace -iv lv
biM rll Svtlre rfin rWd Ii r p.1 iMi nib& of W
irS5rhat.a veryolmdeblo a
tfre Legislature, that is, the
solution, is a check to us'ur
ff-
motto was--annual Llections and short be done, they will be very ant to set about
sessions. ty im means, we wouui nave doing wbat tbey' ought not to do. 1? or my
a rational systemvnf Legislative economy, part, said Mr. F. I think, at present, there
and preserve our Institutions in their hap- is more danger to be apprehended to the
py arid just proportions. To be blotted institutions of the country from too much,
out of political existence for two years than from , too little legislation. When
the very thought chilled his blood and (we look around, and see the Legislatures
made him feel for the safety and pros- of the several States, and of the Federal
perity of the State. Before manhood. Government, all in full operation at the
and in his boyish days, he was lifted in same time, manufacturing laws at the rate
joyous transport, at each anniversary of of five thousand a year, it is a matter ol
this our political jubilee.. The spirit,the wonder that bur political institutions can
jovial animation with which the people remain permanent under this annual flood
of all ages and conditions press forward of enactments, changes and inrfovations.
to the polls, prove by the manner ot its It looks like unsettling every thing.
A second reason in favor of biennial
sessions, is, that the Legislature itself
being better selected, will be more--cautious
in its enactments. The members
ontf
i they
f ol'V
feet
was,
sine
id k
.Oltirf
iii;tW-
.. 1,00
.nt.
6a
C.iailO-p. Ho UnuJ latva tn rill tU
ttfon of the Convention to certain prin
Pjw defined and laid tlown inouriil
JJ1 ;gUt, and what were they ? ; It is to
uc w)eryed, that though the Bdl of Rights
' declared to be a, part of the State Con
uuuon; yet it fprm's no portion of the
0rg Knc nart or.bodrbf our State Govern
Jnt. and enters nowhere into either the
'slative, Judicial or Executive De
Partments. It is therefore, nothing more
's than the most solemn declara-
sJ' lhose rtZhu essential to the pre
mmn ot freedom, and which the wis-
-.yur ancestors have made sacred.
eniovment. that thev set a hitrh value unl
J . J " " O" t
on this privilege.
Mr. C. said, that annuallr, in his sec-'
tion of the Stated when people have finish
ed working their crops, they assemble at will consider that the laws they make will
puouc piaces to near political discussions, nave to stand lor two years, and therefore
then being carried on by those canvassing they will be more careful what they do,
for their suffrages ; and, many of these As it now is, laws of doubtful policy are
discusslonslare managed with .great spirit often enacted, because if they do not Work
and are often replete with instruction to well, they can next session be repealed,
those, no otherivisr conversant in,.politi- A third reason i is, that therewill be
cal affairs; and of that class, are a large more steadiness and consistency in our
portion of their liearers. If it be true, legislation. It now often happens, that
that oneof the best securities of the rights laws are enacted at one. session and are
and privileges of ujree people, is to en- repealed at. the next. The session ad
lighten them oh these topic?, I would journs in January the Acts usually come
say, in proportion as von take away or cut in May, and the elections take place
diminish their elective rights and prevent in August! So that the laws are scarcely
opportunities of mingling with antt hear- promulgatedbefore the new members are
ing public men, and profiting by public elected. It often happens, said Mr.' F.
discissions, in the same degree, you wca- that an act is passed at one session, is re
ken 'and detract from the stability of our pealed at the next, and at the succeeding
tree institutions. His own observation one re-enacted. This was was the case
and experience warranted him in saying, with that important act abolishing Impri
Ithat these discussions in politics now-a,- sonment for Debt. Now, if there were
days, though more frequent, yet they biennialvsessions, the people would have
Were listened to, nd were often deliver- time to see the operations ot the law, and
ed in a style to make useful impressions could determine better, whether it ought
on the people, and served to put them in to be repealed or continued, - ,
possession ot the public lopics which at j Mr. F. said, he was in favor'of biennial
the particular juncture were of the great- sessions, on the scoe of Economy. Eco-
est moment. It might be said, thathere nomy is not less a virtue in Governments
are other forces of political information ; than in private fami!2i. Whenever we
for .instance, the newspapers of the day. see a Government disregarding the prin
This specicsof reading is extending and ciples of economy, we may look out fur
becoming more diffused 5 but it is not ge- abuses and corruptions. If therefore, bi-
neral, and is not half so good as a spirited ennial sessions, in addition to other ad
discussron beforc the people. In the Nor-1 vantages, will occasion a considerable
thern States, the people have the advan- saving in public expenditures, surely we
tage oX.free? Schools & education i more ought. not to. disregard this consideration.
universal.' Here,;we are not so generally Will this be the case!? Some gentlemen'
educated, and therefore need all the be- savior but he was certain it would. We
rijefits of knowledge derived from these jknoV that the annual expence of tiie Le
ant! other sources. Collision pf sentiment gislature has been, for a good while past,
elicits the truth ; and it is, said Mr. C. about 840,000. At the last session, biir
a sound, though a hacknieil expression. Legislature consisted of 202 members ;
thatwheii the people know the truth, they I the new Consitution wilt thvow oft" S3 ot
nave no other interest than todo ngbpm these, and leave in future 170 members
public-affairs. Mf Ci said, he dislilced in both Housls. For several years past
uiis innovation extremely, and was sorry tne legislature has continued in session
to see gentlemen as pertinacious on this from 50 to 55 days, Qr.lfrom; 100 to 110
pviwt. iiv was unwilling tnax a cnasm juays in two years. ...ii. a legislature con-
snouiutake place in our Legislative Coun-isisting of 202 members, could do the bu
ens tor so long a time as two vears. It siness of two years in lf)0 or 110 davs.
mill ilitm.A. L. 1 ... - i " ' ' J .. m 1 - ' . - . v 1 .. i
i.i.uo.i.u me iov5 01 country ana weani3ir.ir. saiu,' ne leit ceitaio that a Legt
th!e people from thbosdindf their own nature ofjl70memberW can do the same
1 1. d e pen d s al toge t h e r o w th e m aj or i ty o f
the State s'fand affected to the Adminis
tration. If, for example, they are for
the powers that be, then. thek Legislature
will approve :if otherwisewinfejJsuRE.
The . .guardianship, therefore, does not
consist in the voTEof the Legislature, but
in the opportunity it ajFords 'fur .public
discussion. The Federal Government is
far oflf from the people Jthe State Gov
ernment is closeby.4 The people of N.
Carolina, send to Congress 13 members ;
they send to the Legislature, 202. They,
therefore hava better means, of knowing
what takes place in the State Legislature
than in Congress. TheTriendsoDiiberty
ctn speak to them with more effect from
Raleigh, than; from Washington, And the
people will listen to the arguments of the
minority as well as of the majority. As
a proof of the correctness of this view,
Mr. F. said, he would remind the Com
mittee that the Legislature, in 1798, re
fused to condemn the Alien and Sedition
Acts, but the agitatipn of thesubject a
wafeened the attention of the 'people to it
and the State was soon revolutionized in
politics. So, also, in 1822, the Legisla
ture of North -Carolina approved Congres
sional Cautusseiy refusing tocensure
them ; but the arguments went out among
the people, "and they declared against
Caucuses. It was the discussion then,
that took place, and not thevote, that
made the Legislature, the guardian tfthe
people's rights, against federal encroach
ments. But the question is, will a change
to biennial sessions make the Legislature
less a check, against encroachments, than
at present ? Mr. F. said, at first, he tho't
lit would, but further reflection brought
him to a different conclusion. It is only
00 elections that these discussions in the
islature can act, and elections for
members of Congress take place but once
n two years. If therefore, our sessions
cart be held duiing the. winter, before the
ections tr.ke place, then the people wil
nave tlie lull benent ot an the light an.
information that were called fortji during
the preceding session. Another advan
moii jntertst ihan the ejectiansof Ul
bers of. theLgislatu re jiltrisbecase me
duties of)he;St'ation are more ?linVbrtSht
than t hose of jjie other s itisecsuef te
people, exereisifij ,the rigbt'folfrage
but once in two years, are joor'Circunv
spectjin theseleqtion of; their ajje tits, aiul.
attach greatervalue to the privHoge
4 Cming;eventl,,, it was .said cast
the?r shadow before, 'r:and though poeti
cal, Judge T. remarket, it twasvne;yetthe
ess true. For yearf, mere havefbeen
corn plaints: tfiat the LegislatlfrwaS tort
requently .assembled at great' expense.
wi thout any corresponding public benefit
rhe people; have found faaftw ecau'sfrVsb
onen caueu irom tneir larms tq, vote-
ney pave comniainea tnaiuneir young
meii rmet too otten at electtoogranusv
for purposes of intemperance and dissij
pation every class of the cornmunity has
complained on this score. It was expect
ed, on every hand, thatif a Convention
were ever called,! this subjectwoofA be
eXatm n ed an d re v ised , & . the refoVe VsMx$
could be no surprizfe about the.matter.4-
He hopedglhe amendment would prvaiu
Gov Swam said, -he should; vote to till
the blank with the 'word biennial wall a
view to press the amendment he nid al
luded to in his remacks. i
Judge Gaston saul, that the amendment
of the ffentleman from Bsfncombe,'; he
thought,.. "was wholly unnecessary. - In
proposing amendments here, .gentleman
did-not always advert to theprovisions of
the existing Constitution, vine loth sec
tion of that instramentgives to tbe Legis
lature the . power of adjourning them
selves o any future day and plaee.Tiftit
part of it which .ltnihVrizes the; adjojirrii
ment to any other place.was annulled by
the Ordinance - fixing the permanent seat
offGovernment at Raleigh' ; but tlieower
to adi'iurn to ahy future ifar still rematn
and, if it shall be found, that-the people'
desire more frequent meetings of-theLe-gislature,
the General ;Asseinblyjis cn
petent so to provider- ' ' -M; M
rhe Jldes and Noes werethen taken on
the question k S'lall the blank be jille J
with the word biennial?" andileJuled,
as heretofore stated, in the affirmative.
1 1 nii.iii
ifodir-cedC
crytQ4olroatket isgreatIt JUtlf Kf&.
csuuutjiiU4iie saj, nat;prn5juc p r ' z- ?4
I:M'rSJi'i .. is.-v!fi t-?. v sif
tage of these biennial elections will be.
that it can be so arranged, that our State
elections and our Congressional elections
hall not come on in the same year. v As
it now is,'-both come on together, anil the
consequence is. that very often, the State
ections influence the CouWess election.
and vtceversa. lint to bring them on at
different times, the minds' of the
being
claims.
VHft;mouBtr nveinitiions onJdoiiarsas ; rv
no o n at r y ,9" U'l,cu 'rojn in a tys,gciioTi Qi(no. '-.-'4. . -
Statenditha1MltfeeJaiHt Mlnntllibbs
em
fr
ilLAWfHi ttTuhltlie rAl befnlarndV
itJb?i!dl)j50tftrS ot bippins4'tV4
artlpfertrnlrrlienC
me iv .tldUierefitf eV whether tbeom
merciat interests 'of fthisportton oMhe 1
were '4xp deserving of Cgnsidera-o,
t
pou
t?in
14hi merMv-xjie VrO rj.y principally st a
carrieH on ougVt not ta.be -(Qa'UfCttJ repf
jesentlp svv-.;'; ;f
- 7iir.jnoi.MEs nan neani notnng sinca , : t
he spole'on-tiissubjeC,1ieiyreib chango". If
hisOninion Sua"fn thMrnrXiS-ip.i ftf-pnrttinV. I
i : r " t - . - i1.- ;."1-. ; '
i fcAgh represntaioVprhe town
Vlmington, situated - in tlheoanly
Uirtg
of Wi
whichjhe represehted. war thelargest ami"
mos:portanteapoWin'lne State s but
! he sawno hcessity for a separate Repre-'
Aentatife. for thjtowrif distinct from thd-
C6untmembersJ?, tie was . satisfied, rn
deelirffthevinh;Mtants of Wflmingtptv
themselves diti hot" desire the; privilege
conten&d jor$ Mr. rf. denied that! the
if
if,
-si
port. ofWiliningron pai3 the large amount
of duties to the General Goveameai that
had been represented, .., Instead of pay- '
ing4bo000 xfoljarsn duties to theiGen
erAplyernment, one-nurOi?oCthatia
myunt fvas not paid ; and whatever was
Icbllecteni in this, way, went into thjt Trea
fsdQrlohe Uwted States,kn4 . irot into' '
theU reasuryol the StateM&f i$ ,
It liiip.beeh faidVt that theciti7ienf.of; ;
AViUningtrin hd scarcely ahjiclh'the ,
electioif of Senator. 1 ThisIrrL sii
miglvt eea$VljreiiB
cient toqaf ifjrnhejm tootebtttd o t
taitied ai a yery lowtririte.- ..;.-' v--;: -;;- :-
;' Mr. trtrred"anAc
town Member fVtnrilrnihgtbh nad caUs-!
ed to bpsedjnthe jeimnhif
had givligrtlissatUtacUbriihe peo-(!S
pie of ttatf iomtA, , apd c.ertaioifaa-hdi--.,
eyidencU; that they
tative;' .' ; -the
Carolina Wafchrik$W $ '
Debate on BoronU Htleaibefs.
I A
6-.
Being t a favor of an-
State institutions.
n tfal elections and shortsessiohs.ne should
vuve agunst me amendment wbicn propo
se Elections only oncein twd years.
amount or business in 75 div t for the
reason that .sinal I , bodies do business with
greater despatch, than large ones. ;, One
hundred and seventy rdember, with in-
people
less distracted with, conflicting
will be able to make better and
more disinterested selections. When the
Congressional election is pending, Fede-
rai I'ontics wi l be mostly discussed, and
when the State elections are pending,
State, and local matters will engross at
tention ; so that each will stand fairly be
fore the people, and candidates will have
less chance of combining to aid each other
in their schemes of ambition.
MnFvS:tMl for these reasons, to which
he might add others if time allowed, he
would vote for biennial Sessions of the
Legislature.
Jujlge Toqmer rose to make but a remark
or two. This Convention, "liesaid, was
authorized to provide forbiennial, instead
of annual meetings the General Assem
bly ; but it has no-authority to "deprive
that body of any other power conferred
upon it by the Constitution. That instru
ment does not declare that the Legisla
ture shall meet annually, but certain du
ties are pre$cribed-tu it, which are to be
annually performed. But it contains al
so a provision, that the Legislature may
adjourn Iheinselves to any future day ; so
that if the amendment prevails,' and yve
declare the Legislature shall meet bien-nially,-yet
it will be perfectly competent
for that body, when assembletflo adjodrn
to ineet aqnually, $emi annual ly, or soop
er,lf the public good may seem to require
it.Tho argument therefore, that bteania!
sessions of the Legislature wilt' be pro
ductive of great evils, has no force : for
if the. people are in favor of more frequent
meslings, r publicjsenmentiiroerce
tKat bdjr: to adjourn, to meet again in
Wednesday, June 2
The Renort of the CommitteeTilIrtwing
the towns of Edenton, Newbern, Wril-
mington and Fayettevitle. each a member,
being under consideration : '
Mr. J. B. SKtNrJKR said, though he rose
to adJress the Convention oh the subject
of Borough Representations he wished to
consider me suoject oniy as connecieu
w'rth the great interests of the Sute at
large. -
When tbe subject was undcr'cbnsider.
ation, some days ago, in Committee of the
whole, he took no part in the debate, but
voted in favop of allowing members to a
portion of the Borough towns to which
he had intended to have added Edenton,
had he found a proper opportunity of do
ing so.
rhe subject, Mr. S. observed, had al
ready uodergonea pretty ulLdiscussron.
The ri?rht of renresentation for the Bo
ld
-I
?
1
.1
Sew
constit iri'ioN; 'f i
, iln the Winterof 18323$; VCpmJ M
va appointed to prepare and pub
i Address totlie DebDfe ' ofNorthl; ; 1
roughs, is claimed bv the citizens inhabit
ing them, first, on the ground of being ;
separate anu distinct ciass, consisting o
merchants and commercia' men, having a
senarate interest from men engaged i
agricultural ahd other pursuits. It thi
were the only ground: on which the citi
zens of Boroughs claimed a right to be
represented, he should not insist on their
rightrButthere is another ground on which
he thoughtthese Boroughs were entitled to
consideration ; it is because of the exist
ence bla distinct . coisimerclal interest in
this portion of the country,eculi;tr and
important, which requires a distinctcon-
siderationi' The nuestion is, is this itite-
res.t of suffi cient. ex rent to req lire separate
consideration ? He thought it was. It
is not confined to, Boroughs only. It
extendi througnOut the countryvherevcr
trade i3 carried on. But the coramerciali
business of ' this country is" principally
conducted on our sea-board ; it matters
notstt much what number of persons are
ngagediri it, but the amount of property
employed in it,"; ought to be cl5idereil."
Agriculture and Commerce o6gh& to
hapd in hand ; forwhateveri prjnticed
by A-icultural iadustry beyoud the'sup-
Constitencu 9 a Jewel In a meelinfl' OC
tne wettern-Mempew ot the uenerai As
sembly
mittee
lish an address to the people ! of: North
Carolina on the . s ubj ec t' o f . a m en d ing gthe -.
Co n s 1 1 1 ufUo n of th e p tate I li isJd u ty thi
Committee discltaVged Jn ansriy iifi
through Iheir organ Mr.-ttalrooo.i-Itil"'
the address which theyubiishedIoneof r
the mostonspicfuous evils'of tlie Consti-'
CONl) S:CTlOX. In this very alVpa-
per, the f!t)l lowing language ts usd'ref
live to tlws.Seetiu:r i tt a--
' In tU 322 Mlele. ofowConsWuttA :
IIICI C I f lift IVKSI lUUUUN'ON' VOIfj
sct8NCE. ny excluding irom pualic trusty
all person who deny the Protestant faith.
vv e are rt otestaajs, merexure we can navo.
no peisonSil interest in. the abatioa,ofJ
this restriiUori. . .Mt;wiMtre.expected4L
of us at iiiis'day, t(K otter argumentiiiftjJ
.41
' .
At
nine holloa nt . . . -:' -r -.m'
It is ; i disgrace to atiy free people to ... .
ers,;,
tyranize fiver the consciences
It is a grss & undeserved iinpauttpnM!- ,
gainst ihepatrintUtn atid pulic yirtlptf?
the CatJuicK, of North -CJroiina.toipreWi
serve ariyilonger ths balgpfjolurj,nithe
pt ejudiet ' Tle Article itsiJi isJ
llict with pur Bill of Uightaneti. tt-d4,
cfa es thaiiall men have a naturaiin:
alienable rightlo . worship At inigUtGbdli!;,
accordingjto (he dictates o their uwiii Con -
sciences,'' .'. "'-;ITlv:;
Tlys Committee recrtmroeeil to (Tie
freeift en oN6hh- Ga rofi n a ftVr thi s'J ambn2v ' .
other reasn iS,to dec! a rfbjr w r it t e nyLick ?rA:
ets wh'ethet? tliejr wihdmendmenisni
m the a rtic a Ursjhiea fniedj ;' jibieirad; :
d resl ancral ihoughlnmost of the largest" '
eitern .Ouniies 7 the attention oKltho t ;
yoterswalcaljed bffU) ihe nc;bi!i miiniy ",
a ii t uiatd vn te U; tb at pre vat etl i ri th ft
CogresiUianii;' s ;
(thisbn0liefw
most of them vemostu nequjaocatdo
moDstratio& in favor of the proposed a t'f;
'
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t
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