The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-01-22
N. c. LEGISLATURE.
SATURDAY, January IL.

county to be called BreVard, out or portions u
their counties Referred to the committee On
Propositions and Grievances.
MIR White presented the proceedings of meet
ing held in the county of CASTOR Mr. White said
he thought the resolutions expressed the senti-
ments of the people Of his county
Mr. Walker introduced bill for the protection
of sheep and taxing dogs.
HousE-M1 Person, from the Committee on
the Judiciary, reported back the bill aboIishing
freehold qualifications for jurors, recommending its
passage. Also bill to alter the term of the office
of sheriff; recommending its passage.
Mr. Fleming, from the committee on internal
improvements reported back the following bills,
with the recommendations indicated A bill to
build railroad from Dallas, in CASTOR county,
to the South Carolina line, with an amendment to
strike out South Carolina line and connect with
the Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford Rail-
road also bill incorporating the Greensboro and
Danville Railroad COmpany-nOt to pass
Mr. Logan introduced bill to allow the Justices
of the Peace of Cleveland county to abolish or
continue county court jury trials in said county.
MONDAY, January IA
SENATE-Mr Ramsay, of Rowan, introduced
bill to ascertain the voice of the people upon the
proprerv of calling a Convention Of this State
upon Federal Affairs. Read LIST time and ordered
to be printed.
Mr. Turner introduced the following resolution:
Whereas Fort Caswe situated near the mouth
of the Cape Fear river, aud belonging to the gov
eminent of the United States, and in its possession,
has, without the consent of said Government, been
seized upon and occupied by certain citizens Of
North Carolina (sad to be members of Vigilance
Committee,G and whereas, such seizure and pos
session of said Fort endangers the peace of the
State, and NAY precipi it in war, without con-
sultation or preparation for such dire calamity
therefore,
Resolved, by the Senate, the House concurring,
That this General Assembly do hereby declare the
said act of seizure and occupancy of the said Fort
illegal and wrong; and as such they not on y re-
pudiate the act in behalf of their constituents,
but do condemn it in the most unqualified terms,
and declare it as their opinion that such violation
of law and entertainments upon the rights of
property cannot be tolerated without jeopardizing
the peace and safety Of our people.
The Senate adjourned without voting the
above.
HoUsE.-Mr Clark, Of Craven, asked and Oh
tanned the unanimous consent of the House to in
troduce bill to call Convention of the people Of
the State. Mr. Clark said that he did so believing
that the bill would harmonic the conflicting
opinions in both branches of the General Assem-
bly,. The bill read, ordered to be printed and
referred to the Committee of the whole House.
The bill requires the Governor to issue his
proclamation requiring the sheriffs to open poll
books that the people Of the State may vote for
Convention or against it !; and at the same time
to open polls for the election of delegates to
Convention. If majority should vote for Con-
venton, then the Governor shall issue procama
ton converting the same; if majority should vote
against Convention, the Governor is to issue
proclamation stating the fact, then the election Of
delegates shall be void and null The bill re-
qures the action of the Convention to be submit
ted to the people for ratification rejection; and
restricts as to any alteration Of the present basis Of
representation, and otherwise.
The following resolutions were introduced by
Mr. Folk:
Resolved by the General Assembly of North
Carolina, That in view Of the imminent danger Of
civil war, and to the end that peace may yet be
preserved, if possible, this Assembly, in behalf of
the State of North Carolina ask respectfully, on
the one hand, of the President Of the United
States, and the other of the authorities of each
of the Southern States, that they will reel procay
communicate assurances in response hereto to the
General Assembly of North Carolina in
sion: that the status quo present condition of all
movements tending to occasion collision, and con-
corning the forts and arsenals of the nation, SHALL
on either hand, be strictly maintained for the
present, except to repel an active aggressive
attempt
Resolved, That His Excellency, the Governor
of this State, be requested to communicate these
resolutions by telegraph and written communion
tions to the President of the United States, and
to each Of the Governors Of the Southern States
These resolutions were passed the third time and
ordered to be engrossed
Speeches made the Convention question
by Messrs. Waters, Bridgers, Wright, Stanford,
Bullock, Love and Faison.
TUESDAY. January Is.
In the Senate, Mr. Walker introduced bill to
incorporate the Sharon Rife Company. In the
House, Mr. Hall introduced bill to form new
Rowan and Iredell, to be called Brevard. Mr.
Fagg reported a substitute for the bill known as
the Military Code"
The Convention Bill was discussed in the Senate,
and occupied most of the day.
In the House. the resolution against coercing
seeding State discussed until after IL o'clock
at night. The objection to it the part of some
of the members seemed to be that it acknowledged
the right of secession. 1t finally passed second
reading by vote of 81 yeas, So nays.
WEDNESDAY, January l6.
Both Houses consumed the day in talking on the
Convention bill. Several speeches were made in
the Senate.
Mr. Walkup said that his constituents were OPP
posed to the calling of convention at ALL if the
object of the convention was to precutate North
Carolina out of the Union for existing causes
That if convention should be called they were
IN ia, of its being restricted; wished it to con-
slider only our national affairs He did not believe