The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-02
fSEMARks OF MIR. Ryss, OF WAKE
In THE HOUSE, ON YESTERDAY. ON
A PRIVILEGED QUESTION

A PRIVILEGED QUESTION
MIR. SPEAKER: rise sir, to a privi,eoe,
question and desire the Clerk 70 ,lo mn tho
favor to read the article in the Nortb-Caro-
lima Standard of the Gath Dec. 1866 which
statements have never been denied
Mr. Speaker you will probably recollect
and this House will recollect. that nm tho
day of election for Senator of the I7,i+.d
States, put in nomination and made
speech proposing the claims of the Hon.
John Pool for that distinguished nosition
before | did so, however had an intcrviey
with that gentleman and learned. as SUP.
posed, his real feelings and oDinions in ref
erence to the " Howard amendmentn and
other kindred subjects.
approached him frankly and cordially
as always do warm personal and politi-
cal friend. told Mr. Pool that was Glad
to meet up with him,-that had called at
his room several times, but found him alb
sent. L said to him that wanted to vote
for nm, ana II you are opposed to the
Howard amendment I will do so, and
think you will ultimately be elected. 1 told
Mr.. Pool that [ could not and would not
vote for any living man who was for it, or
for anything like it, but that rumor was bu-
sy against him. He laid one or beth of his
hands upon my shoulder and said in sub
stance, that he was glad to have an oppor-
tunity OF setting himself right and declared
that he WAS as much opposed to the How
ard amendment us l could be, and was glad
to know that he and occupied the same
ground" | expressed myself satisfied, where
upon, he asked me to nominate him did
so spoke and voted for him every ballot,
and would have done'so until Gabriel had
I. =.
trait in my character it is to stand firmly by
my principles and nay friends 1 told the
people of Wake in the late canvass that 1
would not vote for the Howard amend
n'ent" or for any man who was for it or for
lining like it.
Then Mr.. Speaker, the sequel shows that
I was woully deceived, and that too, by one
that L reg lr'led us 4 fast personal and polit-
ical friend, the Hon. John Pool regret to
have to say this, but it is true, sir, and
feel that it is my privilege and my duty to
ask pardon OF this House for the statements
made and the votes gave on that occas
ion. l feel, sir, that 1t Is my duty to ask
pardon of my two colleagues upon this floor,
whom deceived and nlisled in that matter
and above all, Mr.. Speaker, feel that 1 owe
it 10 my constituents, the good, the intelli-
gent the honest. the confiding, the patriotic
freemen Of Wake County, whom have the
declare that l regret that vote more than
any political act OF my life-and but for the
deception practiced upon me-should have
been the last man to have given it.
Mr.. Speaker, my resolutions in references
to the loyalty of the people of this State, my
votes. my whole Legislative record shows
that was imposed upon. feel, sir, in my
heart that they will forgive me-for l have
represented this people tor a long time l
have never deceived them-I have never
told them an untruth and never will. They
have -iven me as high as 100 majority
against the most formidable opposition, and
am here to-day, sir, because they have con-
tidence in my integrity and my political hon
estv. | am Union man to-day, and this,
sir is the hest evidence of the loyalty of my
people. for nearly all Of them voted for me.
1 can truthfully say there has not been
day or an hour since the first gun was fired
at Fort Stump ter,-since the attempted seces-
sion of North-Carolina up to the surrender
of Generals Lee and Johnson, that would
not gladly have returned to the government
we attempted to leave but | want 1t dis
tinctlv understood sir, that am no uncondi
tional Union man, in the present acceptation
of that term.) | was not a Union man IN
'61-'2-'3 and 4, for the purpose of distran
chising white men and entranchising black
, men. I detest white man with negro prln-
ciples. at ali times, and have no sympathy
with. or respect for the Abandoned white
50. ,Eretch. who will soiunfarialy e1Ter a respect
able negro .neetinRsy <and by resolution ask to
be made their equal by the Congress OF the
United States.
Mr.. Speaker, I declined being candidate
in 1861 for the Convention, because l could
not and would not vote for the Ordinance OF
secession. l also declined being candid
ate for the late Convention, after my friends
had presented my name, for the reason that
knew that we should be required to re-
ioice and be exceedingly glad, that we were
robbed of our property and, sir, my notions
OF honesty would not allow me to endorse
and sanction the theft-the indlscrlmlnate
theft, which has been perpetrated upon this
people.
Mr. Speaker. I have always hated seces-
sion, the doctrine of secession. mot the non
est secessionist) as I do the Devil in hell :;
but sir, candor compels me to say, there Is
nothing comparable on earth or IN hell to
rampant Radicalism, North and South