Radicals and Conservatives in Revolutionary North Carolina: A Point at Issue, The October Election, 1776

Abstract

IN recent years historians have been much concerned with the question of the degree and nature of democracy generated by the American Revolution. Bearing directly on that question in North Carolina is the character of the October election of i776, by which delegates were elected to the state's fifth Revolutionary congress. This election was of special significance, for the congress was to serve also as a constitutional convention. Its predecessor, the fourth Revolutionary congress, which deliberated during April and May I776, had sought to produce a new state constitution, but without success. At the heart of the problem was the question whether the new government should be conservative, with a legislative body elected by the property owners and with appointive executive and judicial officers, or more democratic, with few or no property qualifications and elective officers and judges. On these issues the congress had been unable to agree, and it therefore abandoned further consideration of the constitution and provided that the fifth congress, which was to meet in November, would assume the role of a constitutional convention. After giving up work on the constitution, the fourth congress created a temporary government for the state-an executive committee vested with extensive power and denominated the council of safety, which was to have control of affairs until the fifth congress convened.' On August 9 the council of safety designated October 15 as election day and recommended that each county elect five delegates to the new congress. In its notice to the counties it took pains to stress the importance of this election by pointing out that the delegates would be