Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-12-13
Legislative Summary.

The OrFIcE OF GoVERNoR.-On the 9th
instant. Gov. Reid gave notice to the Legis-
lature Of his acceptance of the US. Senator
ship rendered him and on the 9th he deliv-
cred up to Warren Winslow, Esq, Speaker
of the Senate, the Great Seal of the State,
Documents, &c., belonging to his Office. Mr..
Winslow will exercise the powers of the
Governor" without v~acating his Speakership
or his seat in the Senate ; as by the Consti-
tuition, the Speaker of the Senate does not
become Governor, and vacate his Senatorship /;
but be merely, by virtue of his Office 0 fSpeak-
er, Exercises the powers of the Governor"
If therefore he should resign his Office of
Speaker, he could not exercise the powers of
the Governor. Thatist he difference between
this case and that in which one officer Ia Vice
President for instance,) succeeds absolutely
to a vacated office.
This was the decision of the majority Of
the Senate, the vote being % to %, and upon
which, the Fayetteville Observer remarks:
This is in accordance with Judge Rufin's
opinion, in which many of the first legal au-
thorities of the State do not concur. A VEN
cradle friend of ours informs us that there
was a precedent to the contrary some forty
four years ago, in the case of Benz. Smith,
then Senate from Brunswick, and Speaker
Of the Senate, who became Governor on the
resignation of Gov. Stone. lie was duly
qualified as Governor, and vacated his seat
in the Senate. 1t is a curious factthat in no
work relating to the history of the State,
that we can lay hands on, can we find the
slightest allusion to this. Wheeler tells Us
about both Gov. Stone and Gov. Smith, but
not a word of this. So little is the History OF
our State known.
VoTE FOR GovERNoR.-The official vote
for Governor as counted out and announced
by Mr.. Speaker Winslow, gives Mr.. Bragg
48,705, Gen. Dockery, 1904, thus making
Mr.. Briggs majority 2,061.
SALARIEs.-The bill to increase the %salarie
of the State Officers, after being reported from
the Committee, was discussed at some length
in the House on Saturday week, and tinall.
the whole matter was disposed of by laying
itupon the table by a decided vote.
COMPENSATION TO JUsTtcRs.-The Senat
has passed a bill providing for compensatio
to acting Justices Of the Peace, when the
are appointed to take the list of taxable prop
erty. The bill leaves the fee discretionar
with the County Court, SO that it does nc
exceed two dollars per day, and it only n
quires seven Magistrates to Le on the benc
to make the appropriation.
ELEcTIoN.-Thos. Rufin, Jr., Esq, after
number of ballots, has been elected Solicitl
of the 4th Judicial district.
JUDICIARY.-Mr. Bynum, of Rutherfor,
has introduced a bill for the formation of te
Judicial Districts, and the adjustment Of IL
Supreme Court.
CoNsrITUTIoN.-Gov. Graham's bill Or
vides for ascertaining the will of the peop
upon the subject of a Convention for amen
ing the State Constitution, and if said will
favorably expressed thereto, provides for ol
6 ing an election for delegates thereto, &c.
This important bill has been ably discuss,
by Gov. Graham and others In favor al
by Hon. Asa Biggs and others adverse theret