Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-03-20

W OOIu MI L reuCQ0 8 amendment ana III
tended section.
Mr.. Abbott did not like the proposed
| substitute of Mr.. Heaton, as it amounted
simply to general amnesty. Now he die
not like to be considered illiberal, but h
thought the interest of the State demanded
that the men already barred should remain
so until they manifested repentance, (repe
tition of Galloway, negro).
Mayo (negro) concurred with Abbott.
Mr.. Parker was utterly opposed to any
proscriptive policy. He would vote fol
Mr.. Heaton's proposition when it came
up.
Mr.. Colgrove would do the same.
The question REQUIRED upon Mr.. French's
amendment to the 1st section, apd, vote
being taken, resulted yeas SO, nays so.
The section as amended was then adop
ted.
Mr.. French then offered the following as
an additional section, to come in betweeer
the 1st and I'd sections, viz:
Provides for registration by Legisla
ture. Person Offering to register must
swear, among other things, that lie is no'
disfrdnchiSed by Reconstruction ActS).
Mr.. Reaton then offered the following
substitute for the proposed section, viz
cit shall be the duty of the General AS
sembly to provide, from time to time, fol
the registration of all electors, but no per
son shall be allowed to register without
first being required to take an oath or atfir
nation to support and maintain the Con
stitution and laws of the United States, and
the Constitution and laws of North Caro-.
lima, not inconsistent Herewith.
OATH.
81 dosolemnly swear Tor affirm) that will
support and maintain the Constitution and
laws of the United States and the Constitu.
ton and laws of North Carolina, not incon.
sistent Herewith. So help me God"
Mr.. Abbott offered the same oath which
he did some time ago, as an amen 1ment.
Mr.. Durham said that all gentlemen who
supported test oaths, made use of the ar
gument, that such q measure was necessary
to protect ''loyal men," The loyal men
And who are the loyal men in yO,t7' estima-
ton? Those men who arc true to the
Constitution, which you pretend to regard
to support those unconstitutional acts OF
Congress, known as the reconstruction acts
-acts that are notoriously illegal and Sc
acknowledged by the leader of your party.
OF course, nobody is 'loyaP' who will not
accord a support to those acts If loyalty
consists III supporting those acts and wor-
shipping at the shrines Of such men as
Thad. Stevens, Henry Wilson and others,
then [ am proud to be called disloyal. Ac
cording to the oath proposed by Mr.. Alb
bott a man shall be required to swear that
mics of the United States. Why, as to that
part of it, l, as well as other Conservative
gentlemen, can take it, but who are those
enemies They are the men who openly
violate the Constitution, by supporting and
advocating the Reconstruction acts and
other revolutionary and unconstitutional
acts. You very radical gentlemen had better
mind how you swallow that oath, for IL
doing so, you will do nothing more nor less
than perJure yourselves.
Mr. Rodman here interrupted Mr.. d.,
saying that the rebellion alluded to in the
oath was not the old rebellion commenced
in 1861, but the rebellion now attempted
to be inaugurated by the Conservatives.
Mr.. Durham replied No doubt, sir, you
would like to have that construction put
on it, for while thousands of men, who are
now banned, were crying out and battling
for the Union, YOU, sir, acere q rampant Sc
csssionist, cldnaOrOus for ardr to the knife a1eC
from the knife to the hit!
1 brand all these efforts to secure test
oaths as Infamous, outrageous and tyranni
cal. You are afraid to let the people judge
Ireely, anu ny your dCUs, 1eSI, Set1uS Iue
corruption and vileness that pervades the
whole party, they should rise up and put
their feet upon it's neck. It is sheer COW
ardice that makes you anxious to manu-
facture test-oaths. You are afraid to have
your iniquitous proceedings here fairly
judged by the people,
The question recurred upon Mr.. Abbott's
substitute, and it was rejected by vote ot
yeas 76, nays 26.
Mr. Heaton's substitute was then adopt
ed by vote of yeas "A, nays 27.
Mr.. French moved to reconsider the
vote.
Mr.. Sweet moved to lay the motion OIL
the table.
Here the House became involved in 6
scene of great confusion. Various points
of order were raised, motions to adjourn
and deafening calls for the question were
heard on all sides, and, at last, motion tc
adjourn was entertained, put to vote anc
carried, amid great confusion.