The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-02-03

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statement that their truth could he proven
in five minutes. Suspicion had rested upon
every member OF the General Assembly since
that time, and it was due our honor that
the facts should he fully given that the peo-
pie might he enabled Judge correctly who
was guilty. The minority report. signed by
who SAID he could prove the truth of
the charges, says that the Senator
from Rowan is not guilty of any cor
ruptinn. Hnw could the Senator reconcile
this with his declaration that he could prove
the truth of his charges in FIVE minutes?
Mr. SWEET said the gentleman belonged
TO q profession that should be charitable and
should not misrepresent Others. The state
mcnt was false as could be.
Mr.. BLYTHE thought differently, but would
leave it to the Senate to judge the truth of
the statement 1t was the first time in the
history of North Carolina that such charges
had ever been brought against Legislature.
He considered it due the people that all the
facts should be laid before them. sta
Mr. GALLOWAY hoped the resolution to
reconsider would not be adopted, and that
the report of the committee to I've discharged
would he complied with. He was sorry that
Mr. Robbins rame had been brought up
here. He did not believe him guilty of any
corruption, but thought every member of the
General Assembly clear from fraud and cor
ruption. He was willing to leave the man
who had made these charges against the
General Assembly to God and his own con-
science. He for one had never believed Mr..
Robbins guilty of any intention to do wrong.
He hoped all members would be willing to
forgive as they wished to be forgiven.
Mr.. BLYTHE would always be ready to
forgive any offence committed against him.
| self, but this was an offence against the
people of North Carolina, and he wanted
them to know all the facts that they might
be able to judge for themselves. The re-
port did not show the least evidence that
any fraud had been committed, and there
was not the slightest evidence to sustain
the charges made by the Senator from Cra-
ven. As regarded the case of Mr.. Robbins,
the evidence was very incomplete and the
report seemed to indicate that Mr. Robbins
returned the money the same day he took it.
Mr.. SWEET considered the evidence as
showing conclusively that over three weeks
elapsed.
Mr.. BLYTHE considered that nothing in
the report showed this to be the case. He
concluded by demanding that all the facts
in the case should be laid before people of
the State.
MIR. SMITH said there was something in
this matter which he could not understand.
He was astonished when the charges were
| made, and when Senator rose in his seat
and charged members with selling their
votes and even went so far as to say that he
could put his finger upon members guilty of
corruption. asked for Committee of Inves-
tigatlon to find out the individuals who had
sold their votes for dollars and cents The
resolution had already been read when
the Senator from Rowan offered similar
resolution which the Senator from Craven ac-
copied in place of his own and defended
stating that he could prove of the
charges and could point his finger and
locate fraud and corruption. Everything the
committee asked WAS done, and the Legis-
lure waited all of a month in suspense. He
knew himself MIR. Smith) to be clear of any
wrong but did not know who might be
guilty. One night last week all the Repub-
iican Senators were requested to hold Il eau
Gus After they had got there they were in
formed that the Senator from Craven had
called the caucus for the express purpose of
revealing the evidence elected by the exam
ination of witnesses before the committee.
The report was then read, but AS read then
and as read here was as different as daylight
and darkness.
Mr. SWEET said no report had been pre-
sented in the caucus. He hoped the gentle
man would not reveal the proceedings OF a
caucus.
Mr.. SMITH said the caucus had been call
ed by the Senator from Craven for advice.
The report of the committee was presented
last Saturday and was then postponed until
Wednesday. To-day it was proposed to
settle it now. He hoped the Senate would
not decide the matter until Wednesday. In
looking at this matter he could not under
stand how it happened that two gentlemen
of opposite parties should have resolutions
so nearly alike, and resolutions which made
the gravest charges.
Mr. SWEET lose to a point of order The
gentleman was not combining himself to the
subject before the Senate He also was say
ing things which were not true.
Mr.. SMITH SAID the situation these two
gentlemen found themselves in reminded
him of the man in the Bible who erected a
gallows for some one else and was himself
hung upon it. Who the gentlemen meant
to catch by their resolution was not apparent
but it certainly was not themselves, but they
found themselves in an unpleasant position
Now resolution comes out and says Mr.
Rnbhins has not done wrong in receiving {
bride of twenty dollars.
Mr. SWEET insisted on decision on his
point of order He was not prepared to &C
into discussion of evidence so voluminous
He did not see how Senators who had only
heard the report read once could he 50 posi-
tive as to the evidence it contained.
The CHAIR stated that as the question
was on the re-committance of the report tt
the committee it was in order to discuss
the merits of the report and that the Sena
tor from Wilkes was in order.
Mr.. Smith had only to say that it was our
duty not to conceal the truth of the matter
He regarded the motion to accept the re- port
of the committee as an attempt to obtain q
snap judgment. The charges had been made
public and it was our duty to give the facts
proven to the world.
Mr. EPPEs moves to adjourn. Lost.
Mr. WELKER believed he understood che
duty of being forgiving and merciful as wei
as any of those who were so constantly cry
ing out for us to be merciful and regarded
such remarks as a piece of impertinence
He knew that mercy was the daily attribute
of Heaven and trusted he had never beer
unmindful of its power. The mercy which
we show to others we had right to expec
from them. He had been in the Convention
, and the General Assembly for nearly twelve
months and had never had mercy shown
him. No member of the opposite part,
, had ever had pity on him and his wife anC
chillrep when thew had branded him am