To my Constituents Of the Counties of Randolph and Alamance. ON the 28th of February next you are called upon, by an Act of the General Assembly, by your vote, to declare whether or not you want a State Convention, restricted to the considera- tion of our National Affairs; and also, at the same time, to vote for delegates for said Con- vention, in case a majority of the whole State shall call it. The Act provides that the action of the convention shall have no validity until ratified: by a vote of the people. I voted against this Act, because neither the Constitution of the United States, nor of this State, contemplates any such convention,—and because I can see no way by which it can do any good, and I fear it may do much mischief. Such a convention is a modern invention of South Carolina, to bring about a sort of legalized revolution. It has been adopted in most of the Southern States. All its original advocates were disunionists. Wherever such a convention has assembled, it has asserted the power to sever the State from the Union, and declare it an inde- pendent government. Under my oath to support the Constitution of the United States, I could not vote to call a convention to overthrow that instrument. : ; [thought it improper for the General Assembly toask you whether you want an unconstitutional convention. What can it do? It can do nothing only as-a revolutionary body. Everybody looks for a remedy for our national troubles, to an amendment of the Constitution. of the United States. The Fifth Article of the Constitution of the United States prescribes two modes of amendment, I give you the words: ‘*The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution ; or on the ap- plication of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid, for all intents and. purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratifi- cation may be proposed by the Congress.” Our wise fathers did not intend that the great fundamental law—the Constitution—should pe lightly altered. If bare miajorities of the popular vote could have altered it, a written Constitution. would have been idle. You will see there are two constitutional modes of amendment. Congress has been en- deavoring to agree on amendments. There is little prospect that two-thirds of both Houses can agree on any thing. The members were all elected as partizans. Many of them have in- dulged in crimination and recrimination in mutual abuse of each other till they are not in the temper to act as patriots and statesmen. They have become excited—excited men rarely act prudently and wisely. .The other mode of amendment has not been tried. Shall we not try all constitutional modes of amendment be- tore we resort to strange and unconstitutional modes? That other mode seems peculiarly adapted to our present condition. Let a Na- tional Convention becalled. Surely two-thirds of the State will join in such a call. If called, it is hoped wise and discreet men, not men lately engaged in party strife, will be called to fill it. Can anybody doubt that such an Assem- bly could compose the National commotions. I do not doubt it. The provision for such a con- vention, in common with all their works, shows the forecast and wisdom of our fathers, In such an Assembly, composed of calm and prudent men, all sections could be heard—could inter- change views, each could make some conces- sions to the feelings and. prejudices of others— the same sort of concessions we all have to a a et . SE es make to each other in religion, morals, andy everything else which makes civilized society, They would agree on a basis of settlement, In all the States exceping South Carolina, perp. haps in a few other Southern States, the people, still cherish a love for the name of Washington, and for the Union. The doings of such a cony_ vention would be likely to be heartily ratified, by three-fourths of the States. At all events let, no one break up this great Union till we have, fully tried all constitutional modes of amend-. nvert. ; If the proposed State Convention does what. its most ardent advocates desire it to do, it will, be what vll Conventions south of us have done —declare the State out of the Union, and an independent State. Every artifice will be em- ployed to make you believe that a convention is to be called to save the Union. Believe it not. It is true, many members who are Union men voted for submitting it to a vote of the people whether they would have a convention or not, throwing upon you, with little time to consider, a responsilility which I think they should have met themselves. A majority refused to pass an amendment allowing you to endorse on your tickets whether you are for union or disunion. It will be said that the convention can do no harm since whatever it may do will have no validity until ratified by you. The disunion leaders boldly maintain that the Legislature can- not restrict the convention —that it may pass whatever ordinance it pleases, regardless of the restraints attempted to be imposed upon it by the Act of Assembly ; and that it may, or may not, at its pleasure, submit its action to the. people for ratificatlon. If war begins, it will probably be brought on during the sitting of the convention. . SS It is now the policy of disunioniststo postpone —= hostilities till President Buchanan goes out and President Lincoln conies_in. hey will proba- bly court a fight as soon as Lincoln takes the reins. If war shall have actually commenced before the Convention closes its session, and an ordinance of secession be passed, it is ta be fear- ed that its action will not be referred to the peo- ple for ratification. Not one of the five States which seceded, though acting under no emer- : gency, -has submitted its action to the people fer ratification. We have not yet exhausted Con-> stitutional remedies, We cannot have exhaust- ed them before this convention shall assemble. Believe not those who may tell you this conven- tion is called to save the Union. It is called to destroy it. Ifyou desire to preserve the Union vote ‘** No Convention,” and at the same time, be careful for whom you Yote as delegates, — When we shall have seen what the Comimis- sioners shall effect, who are to meet in Washing- ton on the 4th of February, to look fora remedy for the National disturbances,—when we shall have called for a National Convention and it shall be refused, or shall have failed to accom- plish a pacification, it will be time enough to re- sort to revolution. I think that those only should vote for a eonvention who regard dis- union as the only remedy for the disease of the times,