Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-03-26

Mr.. French moved to refer to Specia
Committee Of three.
Mr.. Argo said he hoped the motion
would nut prevail. He thought the House
as well prepared TO vote tonight as ut any
time. He wished to get an expression o
opinion by the House in regard to this
question of removing disabilities.
Mr.. Gambler said he opposed any post
ponement. He thought the time had come
for this House to pass just such a resolu
ton and he thought it the duty of the
House to pass 1t now.
Messrs. Leary, colored, and Cawthorn,
colored, concurred with Mr.. Gambler.
Hud ins, colored, thought it dangerous
to remove the disabilities from the mass of
the people. He thought Congress would
move in the matter at the proper time. He
was sure there was wisdom, prudence and
economy enough in that body (Congress)
to manage the matter without the inter
ference of this Legislature.
Cuffee Mayo, colored, and Mr.. Renfrow
both opposed the resolution and wished it
referred.
Mr.. Hodgin moved to lay the resolution
on the table,
The House refused to table by the fol-
lowing ballot:
YEAs,-Messrs. Ashworth, Banner, Blair, Car
son, Carey, Dixon, Estes, Forkner, Franklin,
French, Gahagan, Graham, Gunter. Hodgin,
Hoffman: Horney, Hudgings, Justice, of Ruther-
Peck. Ragland, Rea, Renfrow, Robbins, Rey-
Dolds, ssiiegrist, stiley. Vest waldrop and
NAYs.-Messrs, Allison, Ames, Argo, Arm.
strong, Boddie, Gambler, Cawthorn, ,Claton, Davis,
Davidson. Durhsm, Farrow, Ferebee, Gibson.
Gilbert, Green Harris, of Franklin, Hendricks,
Jarvis, Justus, of Henderson. Kelley, of Davie,
Leary, Long, of Chatham. Long. of Richmond,
Mcmillan, Moore, Of Alamance, Nicholson, Pain
of Allegheny, Smith, of Wayne, Sweet, Thomp.
son, Testal, Whitley Williams, of Rarnett, vii.
liams, Of Sampson, Williamson and Wilson'S.
Mr. Pou offered the following amend
ment in the shape of preamble
WHEREAS, In the opinion of this Gener-
al Assembly, the time has now arrived
when equality before the law may, with
safety, be established among all men in
North Carolina, therefore, &c.
6. ". Price, colored, took the floor and
argued for some time in favor of the reso-
luton.
Mr.. Ingram said there were gentlemen
who were now called Democrats who were
as good Union men as any man on this
floor. yet were now, according to some
gentlemen, to be considered as outlawed
and outcast, &c. He would denounce such
a vindictive spirit, regardless of what some
gentlemen might say. He said further,
that the great portion of the responsibility
Of this Legislature was due to Conserva-
tives and some noble hearted Republicans.
He would vote for the resolution heart and
soul.
Mr.. Justice, of Rutherford, said there
were men in North Carolina who should
never have their disabilities removed until
the "clods fell upon their cofins," &c.
reasonable sentiments against the Gov
ernment-the public journals and the pub
lie speeches proved it, &c.
| He hoped the resolution would be refer
red and be consigned to that merited OBJ
livion which thirty other resolutions of a
sim lar character have met.
Mr.. Ellington supported the resolution
| aud was opposed 10 any reference. Until
| all men III this State were On an equality
before the law and enjoyed all the rights
of citizenship, the declaration that this was
bona fde Republic is false He wished
the Republican party when it cried out
"Llberty, Liberty" to do 1t for some
thing more than song He did not wish
free men to fall OF their knees before him,
clothe themselves in sack-cloth and ashes,
and lick the dust on which he stood, be-
fore he would lend his influence towards
removing their disabilities. He did not
blame those men for not SO humiliating
themselves. He would not do it, &c.
Mr.. Parker was not prepared to vote for
the resolution now.
Mr.. French said he lad made the mo-
tion to refer in order to make discrimi-
nation. He was in favor of relieving those
who ''accepted the situation"
Mr.. Proctor was opposed to the resolu-
ton in toto. He would never vote for an
indiscriminate removal of disabilities, SO
help him God. He was surprised that col
ored men on the floor would vote for this
measure. He would warn them that if the
Democrats got into power, they would en-
act the scene that took place in Georgia,
&c.
MR. SINCLAIR OPPOSED THE Re
SOLUTION.
J. W. Leary colored said he could ap-
preciate the principles of this resolution.
He, by the magnaniL0ity of the Congress
and the people had been relieved from a
heavy burden indeed, and therefore he
could appreciate the spirit of the resolu-
tion and was prepared to vote for it. They
might call him ''weak kneed" but he could
claim consistency, as he did not one day
| introduce here o resolution and the next
day vote against one of the same character
as did some gentlemen on this floor (al-
l0d1ng to Mr.. Slncla1r.) he was sorry TO
see that the gentleman from Rutherford
(Mr. Justice) had grown SO excited over
the matter. That gentleman had not dis
cussed the theory and principles Of the
government, but had simply INDUCED in a
TRADE Of abuse of individuals for their
political thinking. &c.
Cuffee Mayo, colored, moved to postpone
the resolution until the third Monday in
November next
Mr.. Jarvis said that it was stated that
this was no time to pass the resolution
That might be. But it was time to cease
to speak of the war and those engaged in
it. It had been four years since the Con
federate looked upon his flag. Confederate
and Federal sleep side by side, their ashes
CO. -mipgle, and the grass grows over theil
graves on thousand fields. Can't w
forget those past differences and go for
ward hand in hand to build up grea
country. Who were the majority of th'
men laboring under political disabilities
Why they are the very men who in 1861
and 81 stood firmly by and battled brave
ly for the Union until hurried into the wa
by a whirlpool of excitement. They hat
held some petty Office OF magistrate, con
stable, &C., and had probably given com