The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-08-25
LEGISLATURE of North Carolina.
MONDAY, August II.

MONDAY, August IL.
! SENATE-The report of the committee to
which was referred an act to punish seditions
and conspiracy with the substitute proposed
Mr. Martindale moved to amend by striking out
| certain words. The effect of which amendment
was to render the length of Imprisonment more
discretionary with the Judge.
Mr. Osborne liked SEINE Of the features of this
bill, while he dsliked others. He was willing
to vote for anything for the preservation of peace
and the protection of the property of the State
but considered that the common law already af-
forded ample protection to that end, and thought
that this bill was designed to injure the Conser-
vative party, and that the dominant party meant
| it as gag on the Conservative press and people.
| Mr. Martindale's amendment was adopted.
| MIR Osborne withdrew his amendment
| Mr. Barrow moved to amend by striking out
the first two sections. They proposed to do what
| any lawyer in the State knew could not be car
ried out. He characterized the bill as an at
| tempt to check freedom of speech and was op-
| posed to it.
Mr. Blythe explained his reasons for his mo-
ton and declined to withdraw it. He was as
much opposed to preventing free speech as any
man in the State, but this bill did not propose
| any such thing. 1t proposed to prevent persons
from melting rebellion or encouraging sedition,
knew that hundreds of men in this State had
been kept from voting in favor of the Constitu-
ton by men banded together for that very pur-
pose. All We wanted was for every man, Demo-
crat or Republican, to vote without molestation,
and that was what this bill provided for
The amendment proposed by Mr. Barrow was
carried, and the bill passed.
Bill regulating the hours of, labor fixing ten
hours legal days work, passed its Sd reading.
Bill appropriating 81 900 to furnish the Gov
| ernors Mansion: On motion of Mr. Winstead,
$4,000 was stricken out and SIS 600 inserted in
its stead
Bill providing an appropriation of $40, 900 for
| the support Of the Insane Asylum, passed.
Bill to prevent the giving sale of intoxica-
ting liquors on the days of public elections, with
in five miles of the polls, passed its I'd reading
Bill authorizing the Norfolk and Great West
ern Railroad Company to extend and construct
their Road into this State passed its Sd reading.
Mr. Osborne presented protest against the
extra appropriation of 81 900 600 to the Chatham
Railroad Company, setting forth its unconstitu-
tionaity, &c, which was spread upon the Jour-
nails, and is signed by Messrs W Osborne, G
II Brogden, j w Purdie, Z NJ Shoffner. Joshua
Wilson, W NJ Robbins, w Ii Sweet and
Moore of Yancey.
HoUsE-A bill to authorize the Treasurer to
issue new bonds for old ones. Reported from
the Committee on Finance recommending its
postponement until the next session.
Mr. Estes said that the Committee on Finance
had considered this matter, and had come to the
conclusion that if this bill passed. there would
be more work put upon the committee than it
could perform A portion of these bonds were
issued during the war and used for war purposes,
and portion Of them were held by parties who
paid for them in Confederate money; and those
bonds should not be paid in full at all events,
and he hoped this bill would be postponed until
the next session to give time for investigation.
The bill was postponed
On motion of Mr. Estes the bill to provide for
the funding Of the matured interest upon the
public debt, was considered under suspension
OF the rules. Committee on Finance recon-
mended its passage.
Mr. Estes said that the bill provides for pay
ing the interest all State debts contracted
prior to the war and since the war 1t is in &C
cordance with ordinance of the Convention,
and simply provides for the payment of the in
tcrcst and goes no further
Mr. Hodnett moved to strike out section seven
or the bill, which provides that an agent shall
be employed in the city Of New York to attend
to this matter, and that the Governor shall fix
the pay Of such agent
MIR Estes said the State had had financial |
agent III New York ever since it's organization. |
and it would be impossible to execute this bill |
without such an agent, as most of these bonds |
were held in New York.
Mr. Whitley moved to postpone until the 18th |
of November. Rejected
Mr. Latin said that heretofore the Bank of the |
Republic had been the financial agent of the |
State and charged no pay. He ventured to say
that tor making these exchanges their charge
would not exceed three or four hundred dollars
Mr. Durham moved to strike out in line II of
section 9 the words 'shall be exempt from tax
alton" He said the bill proposed that the
holders of these bonds should be exempt from
taxation for thirty years. and we did not know
but that the people would rise up and demand
that they should pay tax. The act if passed.
could not be repealed hereafter, because the
bonds would be issued under the terms of the
act upon the faith of the State, SO that their
terms could not be changed.
MIR Estes rose to a privileged question He
had called the previous question, and no motion
could be made until that question was taken.
lie asked the gentleman if he was aware of the
fact that all those bonds bear On their face the
words mot taxable by State authority"
Mr. Durham said he did not, but they ought
t. be taxed
MIR Stilley desired to call attention to sections
three and four of Article five of the Constitution
Sec j. Laws shall be passed, taxing by
uniform rule, all moneys, credits, investments
IN bonds, stocks joint-stock companies or other
WISE; and Also all real and personal property. :
according to its true value in money
Sec. l. The General Assembly shall. by appro-
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