Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-12-26
Our Legislature.

1t will be seen from our summary of Legis-
lative Proceedings, that Mr.. Erwin's bill, ap-
propriating three hundred thousand dollars
to purchase arms, &C., for the State, passed
it6 last reading in the Senate on Tuesday, by
nearly a unanimous vote-Mr. Ramsey, from
Rowan, Mr.. Sharpe of Iredell, and Worth of
Randolph, alone voting against it. Seven
Senators did not vote.
On Wednesday the same bill was taken up in
the House, where it was met by determined OPP
position. The entire day was consumed upon
it, up to a late hour in the evening, by motions to
adjourn, to amend, to postpone, &c. The friends
Of the bill forced it through its first and Sc
cond readings, and came within three votes of
having two-thirds TO suspend the rules for the
third reading, On Thursday an effort was
made to take it up on it's third reading, but
it did not succeed-so the matter lies over in
the House until after the 7th of January, the
two Houses having given leave of absence to
their members till that day.
On Wednesday, when it was announced in
the Senate that South Carolina had virtually
seeded from the Union. Mr.. Erwin offered
the following resolution. This resolution was
postponed in consequence of a resolution hav-
ing been passed to adjourn till the It'll of
January:
Resolred, That having heard of the sober
and deliberate determination of the State of
South Carolina to sever her connection with
the present United States Of America, we
hereby tender her our sympathy in the posi-
ton she has assumed, and pledge ourselves
to stand between her and the coercion of the
Federal Government. ~
On Thursday, Messrs. /. W. Garrett, (for-
merly of Wake county, and R. Fl. Smith,
formerly of Berthe, we believe Commission.
ers from Alabama, We're presented to the two
Houses. Mr.. Garrett read the purport of hi
commission, setting forth the grievances o.
f the South, and asking North Carolina to co
operate with her sister Southern States in re-
sisting northern insult and aggression, by re
firing from a union with the Northern States
On the same day a message was read from
Governor Ellis, transmitting a letter from
S Hon. Jacob Thompson, (also a native Nortl
. Carolinian,9 who came as Commissioner from
Mississippi-from which letter we make tn
5 following extracts:
The question which is now submitted both to Mi
siss ippi and North Carolina, is this, shall we sit gu
I city down without a II nrnur, and allow all our col
s~titutional rights Of property to be taken away by
construction of the Constitution which originates
} hostility and hatred. or shall we, as zen who Rno
our rights, bestir ourselves, and by a firm, united an
,f cordial = cooperation" fortify and strengthen then
that they may be transmitted unimpared to our chi
q dren. and our childrcn's children throughout all gener
at tions. Wisdom dictates that all the questions arisiI
:, ont of the institution of slavery, should be settled no
y and settled forever.
= a people jealous of their liberty will detect dang
lc while il is yet afar off and provide the remedy.
:, ever there was q people answering this description
IN the past glorious history of North Carolina will poil
ne out Your fellow-citiZens as that people.
j bear this message of Mississippi to you, al
III through YOU, TO the people of North Carolfna; and
en- hope that you will allow me to inform Mississip
he that North Carolina is fully alive to the importance
No the present crisis, and - will cooperate with her
the adoption of sufficient measures for the eomm
Iy defence and safety of the South"
he We give on our outside form, the Majori
~ ~ and Minority Reports concerning the call
ar a State Convention. The consideration of t
subject is postponed TIL the It'll of Janual