Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-02-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
THURSDAY. Feb. 8, 1871.

/ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
THURSDAY. Feb. 8, 1871.
House called to order at the usual hour.
Mr. Ashe presented q memorial from
certain citizens of Wilmington asking the
adjustment of the Special Court OF that
city. The memorial was read and appro-
priatelv referred.
Mr. Johnston, of Buncombe. presented
an additional article of impeachment
against W. w. Holden. Mr.. j. said shat
he very reluctantly introduced this article
as it might smack OF something like perse-
cution, but the report of the special Com
mittee, appointed to investigate the issue
of bonds to the Western Division of the
Western N. G. r. r.. made it his duty as
representative of the people, to have
this fully examined into. This unauthOr-
lied issue of bonds should be tifted to
the bottom, and the guilt fastened where
1t properly belongs, go.
The article reads as follows
ARTICLE TX.
That the said William W. Holden, Gov
ernor Of the State of North Carolina. IN
mindful of the duties of his Office and the
Interests of the State, did. on or about the
9th day of June, A. d. 1869, wilfnlly, COR
ruptly, unlawfully, and in violation of his
oath Of office, and under color of his said
office, and conspiring with one George W.
Swepson and other evil disposed persons
10 defraud the State of North Carolina,
sign and issue, as President ca O65cio, OF
the Board Of Internal improvements, an
order directing the Treasurer of the State
to subscribe, on behalf of the State, the
sum of two millions six hundred and sixty
six thousand dollars, and to issue bonds Ct
the State to that amount to the Western
Division of the Western North Carolina
Railroad Company, although the said W.
W. Holden, Governor as aforesaid. we'll
knew that the President of said Railroad
Company had not, as was required by law,
certified to said Board of Internal I'm
provements that "solvent individuals, cor
operations, companies or contractors" had
subscribed 10 the capital stock of said
Company sufficient amount to authorize
the issuing of said sum of two millions
six hundred and sixty-six Thousand dollars,
and that five per cent. thereof had been
paid in cash, as was required by Jaw
And the said William ". Holden, Gov
ernor as aforesaid, in further disregard of
his said oath of Office and the interests of
the people of the State, and conspiring
with one George ". Swepson and other
evil disposed persons to wrong and de-
fraud the State of North Carolina, did, as
President ca o1iciO OF the Board of Inter
nal improvements, sign and issue the Or
der to the Treasurer of the State directing
the sum of four million of dollars, and to
issue bonds of the State to that amount,
and deliver them to the President of the
Western Division of the Western North
Carolina Railroad Company, when the said
William W. Holden, Governor as afore-
said, well knew that the certificate made
to said Board of Internal Improvements
py George w. Swepson, President Of said
Road, "that one million, six hundred and
ninety-two Thousand dollars had been sub
scribed by solvent individuals, corpora
TONS" &C., to the capital stock of said
Railroad Company, and ''that five per cent.
thereof had been paid in cash. as required
by law, was false and fraudulent, and was
made by said G. W. Swepson, President
as aforesaid, in furtherance of the wicked
and unlawful designs of the said Ct. w.
ISwepson, W. W. Holden, Governor as
aforesaid, and others to wrong aud defraud
the good people of this State; whereby the
said William w. Holden, Governor as
aforesaid, has brought his said Office of
Governor into contempt, and was then and
there, in manner and form as aforesaid,
guilty of misconduct in Office and Of high
crimes and misdemeanors in Office against
the Constitution and laws of said State
and against the peace. dignity and inter
ests thereof.
air. Robinson offered resolution refer
ring the article 20 the Committee on Ar
ticles Of Impeachment, with power to send
for persons and papers.
The resolution and the article, accord
ing to the rules, were placed upon the cal
endar.
By Mr.. Justice: A bill to amend the act
in relation to Convention Of the people.
Referred.
Mr.. Robinson moved to suspend the
ralee and take up his resolution in refer
ence to the additional article of impeach-
ment. The yeas and nays were called and
the motion prevailed by vote OF yeas II,
nays %.
The resolution was then put upon its
passage and adopted by the following bal
lot:
Yeas, II nays, II.
IAmong the republicans who voted for
the resolution on its passage, but who vo-
ted against the motion to suspend the rules
to take it up, were Messrs. Hargrove and
Harris of Franklin.
On motion of Mr.. Houston. the bill reg
ulating the salaries and fees of State
officers was taken up on it's third reading.
Mr.. Goodwin offered section. to be
known as section 6, (Which had been
stricken out on the second readings of the
billy giving the Superintendent OF In
lstruction a salary of $500 and allowing
for travelling expenses and also allowing
him an assistant at salary of $1,000 with
travelling expenses.
Mr. Anderson offered substitute for the
section, giving the Superintendent salary
of $500 with no travelling expenses and
prohibiting the appointment of an assis-
tant, which was adopted, and the section
was then adopted.
Passed third reading.
CALENDAR.
Bill to render valid and biding the acts
1 At L. H.