The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-03-01
THE DISGRACEFUL SCENE IN THE
N. G.. SENATE.

very badly in the Senate on the day the Lcgsla-
turc adjourned In order that the reader may under
stand the of the disturbance, will state that
committee appointed by the Legislature to examine
affairs of the y. c. Railroad made report censurng
the management Of said Road and rejecting somewhat
upon the President, Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher wrote re-
PLY to this report and requested that it be laid before
the Senate. Messrs Turner, Leach, and other wing
members resisted the reception and reading of the reply
Finally after great deal of confusion it decided
that Fishers reply should be read The reading
commenced by the Clerk and proceeded with until it
began bear pretty hard the conduct of Mr. WORTH
the chairman of the investigating committee, when
Leach and Turner became greatly excited and protested
against hearing any of it. The reporter of the
Standard thus describes the which followed
At this point Mr. Leach sprang to his feet and
in violent manner denounced the paper as an
''insult to the Senate
Mr. Turner also sprang up and cried aloud: ait
is disgraceful to the Senate"
Such scene as here followed! To attempt to
report it would be as futile an artists attempt to
paint sigh dying groan. Leach commenced
belaboring the clerks desk and KEEP. on exclaim-
ing, it's insult to the Scnate-an insult to the
Senate-outragcous insult, &c, whilst Turner kept
shouting at the top of his voice, Dsgraceful to the
Senate-an outrage on the Scnate-go on, Leach :!
60 on, Leach stop the reading, Leach SO on, Dr.
Leach it's infamous, stop it, Leach, &c.
During all this time MIR Leach was going on
loudly as he could shout. lie had ceased to beat
the desk and was now stalking the centre aisle.
Loud cries of 'sordcr" rang from all parts of the
Scnate-about one-fourth of the Senate were on
their feet. The Speakers gave was kept vigor-
ously applied to his desk. Nothing could be
heard but from Leach and Turner-the one de-
nouncing the paper as an outrage, an insult-the
9TH |
Mr. Ashe, very much excited, moved that Mr.
Turner be taken into custody by the Sergeant at
Arms A dozen voices seconded the motion.
MIR Turner sprang up from his seat and dared
any of them to touch him. "Come on he cried,
"with your Sergeant at Arms! any OR all of you"
The Speakers gavcl raped loudly on the desk.
Loud cries of ORDER order Mr. Turner kept stand
ing and called the Doorkeeper to ''take Ashe
out" take Ashe out-take him out by the
coat tail ~ cloud laughter from the lobbies.)
Several motions were made to clear the CALLER
les and lobbies.
Mr. Leach approached Messrs Ashc and Martin
and violently gesticulated at them Mr. Ashe had
completely recovered himself and quietly kept his
seat; but Mr. Martin stood coolly in front of Mr.
Leach, and seemed to overawe him.
Mr. Turner called on the Doorkeeper to throw
the communication out of the window.
Mr. Houston arose to a point OF order.
A motion to lay the paper on the table was re-
iected-23 to Is.
Mr. Turner moved to adjourn, and called for the
ayes and nays.
Mr. Ashe rose to point of order. The reading
had been interrupted and motion to lay the
table had been rejected, and he contended mo-
ton TO djourn not in order.
The Speaker ruled the motion in order, and the
Senate rejected it.
Mr. Pool moved to dispense with the reading.
Rejectcd-19 to II.
Mr. Ashe again moved to withdraw the paper.
Mr. Turner objected.
The Speaker putting the question was interrupt
cd by Mr. Turner calling for all adjournment.
Mr. Houston rose to point of order.
Mr. Cowper moved to adjourn till clock p. NJ.
Mr. Turner moved to amend by inserting p
o'clock, and called for the ayes and nays-reject-
ed, 81 to 5.
Mr. Ashe once more renewed his motion to with
draw the paper.
Messrs Miller and Cowper continued to make
motions to adjourn, and resisted motion for
cess. Motion to adjourn rejected-32 to 8.
More calls and motions to adjourn.
The Speaker put the question on Mr. Ashes mo-
ton to withdraw the paper.
Messrs Turner and Cowper stood up in defiance
of the Speakers raps to ORDER and interrupted the
calling of the roll by motion to adjourn and
question of order.
The roll was continued amidst great confusion
and calls of 'order, order from all parts of the
Senate
The vote resulted, for the motion to withdraw
the paper 81, against it Messrs Turner, Cowper,
Leach, Mcdonald, Flanner, Pool and WORTH.
So the communication was withdrawn.
MIR Worth rose to question of personal privi-
lege
Mr. Houston raised point of order. He insist
ed it out of order to reply to charges made in
a paper not read. He had intended to have the
document read and to sustain Mr. Worth's right to
make any reply he thought proper. But the pa
per not having been read, Mr. Worth had no right
to reply.
The Speaker said there was no rule by which a
Senator could claim right to rise to aquestion of
personal privilege. 1t was a mere matter nof
courtesy.
Mr Houston If that be so, does it not require
unanimous consent !!
The Speaker thought So
Mr. Houston. Then object
MIR Turner appealed from the decision of the
chair. Chair sustained-24 to Z.
Mr. Turner offered resolution Ruled out of
order.
Mr. Turner. I hope the clerk will take note of
that. Mr. Clerk !
1t being now near II O'Clock, the business pro-
ceeded.
Thus ended the most extraordinary scene this
writer ever beheld in any deliberative body A
very faint idea will be conceived in the foregoing
sketch. The scene lasted about four hours and
of course it is out of the question to expect a full
report of all that was said and done during that