Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-12-30
Impeachment

AS our readers are advised on Tuesday,
the House of Representatives exhibited
eight articles in the name of themselves,
and all the people of the State Of North
Carolina, against William ". Holden, Gov
ernor of North Carolina, in maintenance
and support of their impeachment against
him for high crimes and misdemeanors in
Office. These articles are V, ~ long. Be
low we publish a full syno sis, giving each
article in detail, emitting only the neccs-
sary legal forms and repititions, which
would be uninteresting to the general
reader.
At2 o'clock on Tuesday, Lieutenant
Governor Caldwell called on Governor
Holden at the Executive Office, to know if
it would be agreeable TO him that he should
take possession. The Governor, after
formally turning over the Office 20 him.
retired.
1t is not yet known TO whom the Cover
nor will confde his case. It is absolutely
necessary for him to employ lawyers not
members of his party, or 60 beyond the
limits of the State. The only Republican
least off the Supreme Court bench, is G
member of the present House of Repre-
sentatives. Il may be that he will seek
counsel. as is reported, from the North.
I'VE understand that Mr.. John Speluan,
well-known to our people, and q nan fully
competent, will report and publish the
trial in full. 1t will certainly be a book of
great intrinsic and historic interest.
The following synopsis of the articles of
impeachment, embr&ce all matters of i'm
portance in the original:
Article first char ges that W. ". Holden did, in
defiance of tbs Constitution and his oath OF of
fee, and intending to stir up civil aud to de-
grade and humiiate the people of the State,
proclaim the county of AlamAnce to be in state
of instruction on the 7th OF March, 1869 that
he sent bands of desperate, lawless and armed
men into said county, occupying it by military
force; that he arrested certain citizens of that
county. numbering eighty, when there was not,
in TRUTH any 1nsurrection, which the said Holden
well knew, whereby he was guilty of high crimes
in office.
Article second charges that Holden intending
to subvert personal and civil liberty, the Consi-
tuition and laws Of the State and people thereof,
did likewise declare the county of Caswell in a
state OF insurrection on the Sth Of july 1870;
did, by desperate and lawless armed bodies, ar
rest and detain them by military force, when the
said Holden knew the civil authorities both of
state ana county were peacetuiiy and regularly
exercised III all respects, the courts being open
and the due administration of the law uninter-
Eppted.
Article third charges that Holden did, on the
9th OF August, 1870, in the county of Orange, in
defiance of the Constitution and under color of
his Office, incite one John Hunnicut and others
20 seize, detan and deprive of his liberty Josiah
days.
Article fourth charges that Holden did, on the
1st OF August. 1870, in the county Of Caswel, in
cite, procure and command one George W. Kirk
and one b. @. Burgen and other evil disposed
ana desperate persons, to assault, seize, i'm
prison and deprive OF their liberty as freemen |
Nathaniel n. Roam, citizens and residents ofsaid
county In said State, for one month and more
A WHOA he committed high crime against the