The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-02-25
N. C. VENTI0N.
MONDAY, Feb. II.

road with amendments. Referred.
Mr. Watts offered an ordinance to prohibit the
collection of debts, contracted for purchase OF
slaves or hire of slaves or in aid of the rebellion
Ordered to be printed
The minority report of the Committee on
Homesteads was called up, by motion of its Chair
man. Mr. Jones, of Caldwell, and considered Tor
the second time Mr. Jones said that the Com
mittee had concluded to report bill prospective
in its character, as retrospective bill would
amount to reputation and tend to demollsh good
faith between man and man, &c. Mr. Morton
was opposed to the report, and moved to postpone
the consideration of it, until tomorrow week
Mr. Morton amended his motion, at the sus-
gestion of several gentlemen, SO as to postpone
until Thursday next. Carried
Mr. Mcdonald, of Chatham, called up his ordi-
nance in favor of Ii. B. Guthrie, Sheriff of Or
ange county, as he wished it referred to select
Committee, appointed by the Chair. Agreed to-
Mr. Watts called up his ordinance, viz:
"That no Trustee or Mortgagee in any mort
gage or deed in trust made to secure debts con-
tracted prior to May LIST, 1865, shall sell the
property conveyed to him by such deed, before
the LIST of July, 1868, or the adoption of the
Constitution, which this Convention has met to
form, whichever may first happen, except by
consent of the grantor in such deed, or unless
the property, conveyed by said deed, Off it be
land, shall bring at the sale the sum at which
it was assessed for taxation in the year 1862
Mr. Jones, of Washington said that this
amounted to nothing more or less than rcpudia-
ton He characterized it as being monstrOus<
and entered into quite lengthy argument III
opposition to the ordinance.
Harris of Wake, (col.) made speech in favor
oft and as far as Reputation concerned,
secuted the very idea of it. He contended that
the ordinance did not contain an iota of it in its
provisions.
Mr. May said that they called Consti-
tutional Convention, but upon reviewing the
work accomplished, it would seem that it was an
improper term. Weeks had rolled around, and
nothing done. and almost nothing considered but
things ofpurely a Legislative character. fittings
were to GO on in this way, the session would be
protracted to an extent unheard of. He thought
this subject foreign to the legitimate business of
the Cow ention and he favored the voting down
of all such propositions, until the proper business
of this Convention has been accomplished.
Mr. Jones' of Caldwell, moved to amend as fol-
lows: 'But the Trustee shall take measures to
prevent the waste of the property, and. if in
houses and lands, control the rents of the same,
so as to apply to the payment of the interest on
the debt secured by the trust"
Mr. Watts advocated the measure at some
length
Mr. Jones withdrew his amendment
Mr. Forkner moved to postpone until the adop-
ton of the Constitution.
Mr. Morton called the yeas and nays. and, the
roll being called, resulted: yeas "a, nays SO.
TUESDAY, Feb 49,
The Bill ofRishts and the question of Suffrage
was discussed at length but no final action taken.
There are four reports from the committee on
Cuff h., Of tbo
posed of Messrs Pool c. c. Jones, Rich, An
drews, Benbow, and Harris and Cherry, negroes,
recommended universal suffrage, coupled with
universal amnesty.
Messrs. Congleton and Chandler presented a
minority report. DISTINGUISHING all persons dis
franchised by the Howard Amendment and the
Reconstruction Acts of Congress.
Messrs. Durham and Graham presented a
second minority report, confirming suffrage to the
white men of the State, while Mr. French of
Chowan, offered a third, granting universal stuff
rage, but prohibiting ''all persons who, having
previously taken oath as a member of Con-
gress, or as a member Of any State Legislature,
Or executive or judicial officer of any State,
TO support the constitution of the United States,
shall have engaged in instruction or rebellion
against the same, given aid or comfort to the
enemies thereof until such disability be legally
removed" from holding office
WEDNESDAY, Feb 10.
Several petitions praying for divorce were pre-
sented and laid over.
MIR Rodman submitted two reports from the
Committee on the Judiciary, to whom were re-
ferred the Haynau and Overton petitions for
divorce, recommending that the divorces be
granted, and reporting ordinances to that effect
The President Mr. Cowles, vacated his chair
and spoke in opposition to-the passage of the
ordinances accompanying the reports Mr. Cowles
felt it his duty to the Convention against
legislation in these matters. The case was an
aggravated one but We had no time to investi-
gate difficulties IN bowdy houses, and family
feuds. He was ashamed that such a thing had
been brought before the Convention. Not many
ladies had been here, but if such a thing was
discussed here not one would grace this Hall
with their presence.
The suffrage question was then debated till
adjournment.
THURSDAY, Feb. 20.
A report arranging the Congressional Districts
of the State discussed and finally adopted
The Districts as formerly, except New Ham
over was put in the Sd District and Stanly in the
9th.
The Suffrage question was again discussed till
adjournment.
ESCAPE OF NOTORIOUS THIEF-The An
derson Is. CO. Intelligencer requests its exchan-
ges in this State and South Carolina to inform
their readers of the escape, from the officers of
the law, Of Bob Thompson. a notorious burglar
and horse thief. He sprang from the cars on
the Greenville and Columbia railroad on the 9th