Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-01-21

judgment the civil authorities in any coun-
ty are unable to protect its citizens in the
enjoyment of life and property to call into
active service the militia of the State to
such an extent as may become necessary to
repress such instruction.
Harris of Wake, colored, occupied the
floor for some time in support of the
bill and in opposition to Mr.. MaIone's
amendment.
He, in substance, repeated the argu-
ments used when the bill first came up,
together with the same charges of murder,
rapine and Ku-Kluxism. He charged that
the reason why magistrates in Chatham.
Orange, Jones and some other Insured
tionary counties did not take measures to
protect colored and white Republicans was
because they were intimidated and were
afraid OF being visited by armed bands at
midnight and being, what is called, Ku-
Kluxed.
He charged that the Conservative party
and papers in the State paliated these out
RACES, and sought, at all times, to stir and
fire up the hearts of the white people
against the colored people, and the "Sen-
tlnel," III particular, took advantage of
every occasion to disseminate all sorts of
falsehoods which might tend towards the
disadvantage and persecution of the col
ored race.
He repeated the charge that tho Magis-
trates and Grand Juries of Orange, Chat
ham, Alamance, Jones, Lenoir and some
other counties were either afraid to pro-
tect colored people and Republicans, or
were in sympathy with the midnight ma
rauders.
He next detailed various outrages COM
mitted in Chatham, and called upon Mr..
Long, Of that county, to substantiate what
he (Harrie) was saying, which he (AIr. L.
did not or could not do.
lott
Forsyth, upon colored man, and how the
Grand Jury refused to find trne bills
against the parties, when
MIR. Vest, the Representative of that
county, stated that the Jury could not get
proof against all, but part of them had
been bound over.
In relating an outrage upon q colored
man III Johnston, he was interrupted by
Mr.. Pou, Representative of that county,
who said that this was the first time he
had heard Of the affair. When detailing
an outrage upon colored man in Iredell
! county for merely teaching a colored
school, he (Harris) had been informed of
this by letter, when
| Mr.. Nicholson, of Iredell, arose and
said that the school-house where the out
rage is alleged to have taken place was on
his way to his house, and he had never
heard a word of the matter until the Rep
resentative of Wake (Harris) had made the
charge this morning, and he (Mr. Nichol-
SOM wished the name of his (HarrisO in
formant.
Harris said he did not feel at liberty to
give the name until he had consulted him
| (the informant.)
Here Miss Dix entered the hall, attend
ed by MIR. Moore OF Chowan, Mr.. Down
ing, the Governor and several members Of
the Senate)
Mr.. Moore introduced the distinguished
lady, and said: ''NIr. Speaker and gentle
men of the House of Representatives,, I
have the honor of introducing to you Miss
Dix, the eminent philanthropist [ need
not inform you who she is, as her name is
household word wherever civilization
and Christian charity are known and re-
spected.
Mr.. Speaker Holden welcomed the lady
III the following remarks:
Miss Dix, / have the honor, IN behalf Of
the House of Representatives, to tender
you seat upon the floor of this hail.
Among people where your name has been
honored, and will ever be honored, be-
cause of your services in behalf of the
unfortunate throughout the world, and es-
pecially because of your services to their
own unfortunate low-citizens, know
that your stay will be pleasant; and that
when you return yo1 will bear with you
the benisons and blessings of all the in
habitants of q great commonwealth.
On motion of Mr.. Downing, recess of
10 minutes was taken, and the members
and officers of the House were introduced
TO the distinguished visitor by Mr.. Speak
or Holden)
At the expiration of the recess Harris
Resumed the floor, and detailed various
alleged outrages in Wake, Orange, Jones
and Lenoir.
In conclusion he charged that in these
insurrectionary counties, where the colored
and white people were nearly equally dlvl-
ded as to numbers, these outrages were
perpetrated to intimidate the colored men
in the coming election.
Mr.. Argo next took the floor in opposi-
ton to the measure. He was astonlshed
that gentlemen should lose sight, in their
arguments, of the foundations upon which
such measure would be based.
He wanted to know what gentlemen
meant by saying that certain counties were
in a state of instruction and rebellion
Instruction meant that there was in GER
tain sections organized resistance to the
law. Rebellion was term of O more wide
meaning and included larger number en-
gagged. Now what evidence has been pro-
duced here to show that such state of
things existed in any one county in the
State. Were gentlemen going to rely upon
the er DdT'te statements of political partl-
sans Were gentlemen going to rely upon
the testimony of detectives and spies Yet
all these charges made upon the integrity
of the people in certain counties were
based, the reports hired no spies and base
political tricksters. Would gentlemen take
the testimony of such character in the
face of the feet that not a scintilla of evil
dence has been produced from single re-
sponsible source. If organized resistance
and rebellion existed in any county, what
has become of the special militia law pass
ed by this Legislature, giving any five ma
gistrates power to call out the militia to
enforce the laws whenever and wherever
resisted.
Mr.. Argo then proceeded to ventilate
the charges of outrages committed in Or
ange county, and proved by facts that
whenever hanging had been done. it had
been done under circumstances and prov
OcatiOns of the most aggravated desCrlp-