Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-02-14
From the Raleigh News.
LEGISLATURE OF NORTH
CAROLINA.
SENATE.

The motion to reconsider the vote by
which the proposition for the county
of Gillian was indefinitely postponed
was laid on the table, on motion OF
Lyman, colored.
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS.
By Mr.. McCauley, a bill to amend
the charter of the town OF Monroe,
Union county.
By the same, bill declaring certain
acts of State officers misdemeanor.
By Mr.. Durham, bill to incorporate
the Cane Fear and Neuse River Steam
boat Company. Referred.
CALENDAR.
Senate resolution relieving W. w.
Holden of the political disquaifcations
imposed upon him by the High Court
of impeachment.
On the motion of Mr.. Murphy to
postpone the further consideration OF
the resolution till Monday next, and
be referred to the Judiciary Committee,
Mr.. Love called the previous question,
and upon this motion Mr.. Avera
demanded the yeas and nays.
The call for the previous question
was not sustained.
The motion of Mr.. Murphy to refer
to the Judiciary Committee, withdraw
ing the day named forts consideration,
prevailed.
SPECIAL ORDER,
At III o'clock, the Constitutional
Amendments were taken up and con-
sidered.
Mr.. Grandy occupied the floor in OPP
position, stating that he had been mis-
represented in the statement, that he
was opposed to Constitutional Amend
ments, but he was opposed to any
alterations or amendments to that
instrument at this time. It was not
important, and the people did not
demand a change. If there were
imperfections in the Constitution,
he would rather stand by them
than to "hy to evils he knew not OF, as
this bill proposes. He referred to the
clause in the Constitution providing
how it shall be changed or amended,
and argued that the eighteen bills now
offered were not in accordance there
with. He was here interrupted by
Mr.. Morehead, of Guilford, who asked
if he would vote for the original bill.
Mr.. Grandy-no, sir. He thought the
passage of the original bill was calcu-
lated to uproot the whole government
of the State. To support the amend
ments, as they appear, he thought
would be antagonistic to the law now
existing, and would necessarily lead to
revolution. A violation of one part
was violation of the whole, and he
counseled Senators to avoid the dam
gerous ground they were treading.
Mr.. Morehead, of Guilford, regret
ted to see that the Senator from Pas
quotank desired to make this a ques-
ton of party issue. He saw no reason
for it, and while he regretted it, yet, as a
partizan, he would prefer they would
make it a party issue. He called the
attention of the Senator to the Consti-
tuition to show that in Offering these
amendments that instrument had been
complied with strictly to the letter.
All had been done that the law con-
templated.
These amendments could be passed
by concurrent resolutions, and he
would refer him to the expressed
opinion of the best lawyer in the Re
publican party, Hon. S. F. Phillips on
the subject.
He did not believe the Senator's OBJ
jections to the amendments were
serious, but from the objections that
have been raised by men of his party
to oppose any Constitutional amend
ment at any time. He would say to
the gentlemen that the Republican
party i'll the East might oppose, in a
body, the Constitutional amendments.
but not so in the West. In his Sena-
tOrial District were many Republicans,
some of the best men in the District,
and he knew their sentiments in regard
to these questions, and he would again
say that as a partisan measure he
hoped every Republican on this floor
would vote against the proposed
amendments
The amendment now under consid-
Grafton is simply to strike out the
clause relating to the public debt. It
was discussed in the committee room,
and every Republican lawyer had ex-
pressed himself in favor Of it. It was
strictly legal, &C., &c.
Mr.. Grandy said his book of Consti-
buttons did not read as the Senator's
from Guilford He would ask if the
last General Assembly passed eighteen
bills? answered by the Senator from
Guilford. There we've eighteen amend
ments offered.) He could not see to
it. He was not here to make party
capital. If his people did not like
his course, and did not vote for
him again, he could remain at
home. It would be better for the
Republican party to sink than
for these constitutional amend
mont IN hoffay {horo ri, =
no party than revolution, and he
thought a revolution would inevitably
followif this sacred instrument the Con-
stitution, WAS tempered with. The pres
emit Constitution was as good one as
North Carolina ever had, and the peo-
pie enjoyed more rights and privileges
under 1t than ever before, and now to
change it would bring upon us another
revolution.
Mr.. Gudger said he was friend to
the bill, but opposed to the war. He
was satisfied with the one he had just
passed through, and if the gentlemen
(Mr. Grandy) could show the strength
of his argument, he would take pleas
ure in going with him, but he was not
to be frightened by this old Repubi-
can dodge of the cry of war. It was
the known policy Of the Republican
party to resort to these alarming sub
terfuges. He read from the Constitu-
ton to show that the amendments pro-
posed we're in strict accordance with
law. He was ready now and here to
lay violent (?) hands on this organic
law, and knew he would feel better in
doing SO.
Harris, COL, thought the matter
under discussion was one of great i'm
portance, and as he wanted to vote I'M
derstandingly, moved to have the
print d. He would say
that IN this matter he did not propose
to act as partisan, but for the best
of his country, and wanted
no more elections than we could pos
sibly get along with. If the passage of
the amendments required an election
next Summer, he would vote against
them.
Mr.. WEIGH said it was merely ouib-
bling for members to talk about print
ing the bill when nearly every news
paper In this State has kept them as
matter in their columns.
On motion of Mr.. Morehead, of
GuIIfOrd the fnrfher copaidorof;o,, &c