The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-12-23
SENATE.
SATURDAY. Dec. 49, 1863.

SATURDAY, Lee. ~, 1910.
The Senate met according to adjournment.
The President in the Chair. #
The Journal of yesterday was read and
approved. E s.. E.
] Mr.. SCOTT presented plan of the town.
ships of Onsiow county. Referred to the
Committee on Townships.
Several calls of the Senate were had, no
quorum being present. After some time
several Senators were brought in 10y the door
keeper, and the President announced that
there was quorum present.
Bill 10 authorize the Treasurer to supply
certain temporary deficiencies in the Treas
ury. Passed its final reading. s--
On motion of Mr.. Cook the bill in relation
to the holding of municipal elections was
taken up and passed its final reading.
A message was received from the Code
Commissioners submitting bill to provide
for the holding of terms of the Superior
Court -..
A communication from Mr.. ROBBINS. ask
ing to be excused from service on the Com
| mittee on the Penitentiary. was received.
MIR. LAssITER was surprised at the char
acter of the communication. especially after
the Senate had ordered that the action of
the Penitentiary Committee should he made
the subject of investigation. The Senator
from Rowan had himself remarked to him
that the location of the Penitentiary would
he subject of criticism, no matter what
point might he chosen. The Senator frcm
Rowan had not been present at the meeting
of the committee, although notified to do SO
/, by the chairman of the committee. 1t would
have been well for him to have been there
! to have given the committee the benefit of
his counsel, or to have demonstrated against
this purchase if he had deemed it improper.
He wanted to know from the Senator why
! he did not remain with the committee and
aid them with his judgment, and shoulder
his share of the responsibility. ,.t'
| Mr.. ROBBINS had met the Committee seve-
raj times and had visited every location and
had never heard during thai. time that the
purchase of 5000 acres of land was contem-
! plated. He had made motion which was
adopted, for Committee to be appointed to
| visit Northern Penitentiaries, that the COM
mittee might inform themselves upon the
i subject and be able to present better plans.
| He knew this would cost the State several
| hundred dollars but also knew that it would
! save the State thousands of dollars. This
done, he had supposed all work finished for
the present, and had obtained leave of alb
sence from the committee After the pur-
chase had been made, he had, in a meeting
of the Committee, declined having anything
to do with carrying out plan he did not
! approve. There had been disposition to
i withhold the report of the Committee until
!; the bargain had been clinched
Mr.. LAssrrER stated that the delay was
occasioned by the length of time necessary to
I; get the report printed and that he had done
everything he coulc to hasten the presenta-
! tion of the report
Mr. ROBBINS said as me had not and did not
| approve of the action which had been taken,
! he should not shoulder any part of the re-
sponslbility. One thing more he wished to
say, che had had very pleasant association
i with the Senator from Granville, and he be-
lieved that Senator to have been actuated by
the same motives which had influenced him
and he wished it to be understood that he
cxonorated him from any blame or imputa-
ton of unfair dealing. He believed him to
have been actuated by an honest and con.
scientious desire to perform his duty. He
thought he had been imposed upon by de.
signing persons, and that i would be for his
interest to wash his hands of the whole bust
ness. That there had been unfair dealing he
(, was convinced.
MIR. Rich moved that Mr.. Robbins report
be complied with. sr't
I Mr.. GALLOWAY thought as bill to repeal
the act authorizing the erection OF peni.
Tertiary had already passed, there was No
committee Tor the gentlemen to be excused
from. Insinuations Of fraud in their trans
actions have been made, and if they wer,
true it was not right to discharge the com
mittee until the matter had been thoroupb
ly investigated and the fraud sifted to tn,