Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-07
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WEDNESDAY. Feb. &c, 1873.


On motion of Mr. Brown, of Neck
lenburg, the bill to prohibit the sale
Of Iquor in certain localities in various
counties was taken up.
On motion of Mr.. Goodwin, the
provisions relating to the sale of liquor
near the Fair Grounds of the Roanoke
ANA Tar River Agricultural Society
and Beulah Church, Halifax county,
vere stricken from the bib.
After tie adoption and rejection OF
humorous amendments, the bill passed
its several readings.
On motion OF Mr. Guythe1, his mo-
ton to reconsider the vote by which
the bill to alter the constitution in re-
gard TO the pay of members of General
Assembly failed to pass its first read
ing, made some days ago, was taken up
for consideration.
The motion to reconsider was put to
q vote and received by rs yeas and 81
nays.
4 point OF order was raised that it
required the same vote to reconsider
as it required to pass the bill, viz: two
thirds OF the representation of the
House. The Chair said that the matter
would be taken under advisement aud
q decision rendered on the poin of
order III short time.
The Senate bill for Amnesty and
Pardon came up as unfinished bust
ness.
Fir. lTcGehee occupied the floor. He
had no personal interest in the matter.
No drop OF his blood flowed in the
We rs OF any one who would be helped
OF hurt By the action of the House in
this matter. He did not regard this as
political issue. He had been invited
TO 20 caucus to consider the measure.
No one had ASKED .his>yiews upon the
matter. apds he. lsatreo1ght those of no
4oaa.> s~Eor days after the bill had been
introduced in the Senate he had kept
his lips sealed and communed within
his breast as to what his action should
be. He alluded to the false req ort, now
in circulation, as to T. A. Wiley. Of
Caswel county, having confessed to
one Hester, complicity in the Stephens
murder. At the time the gentleman
from Mitchell (Mr. Bowman) was on
ness and circumstantiality, the scene
enacted in the murder of this unfortu-
n#te man, he (Mr. McGehee,) had
proof in his pocket that the report was
false in every particular, &c.
mr.. McGehee then passed on to the
merits of the bill. He alluded to the
passions engendered by the war and
the unsettled and demoralized condi-
ton into which the country was plunged
st its termination. He alluded to the
numerous violations of the chastity of
ylrtuous females, the cold blooded
murder Of Col. Nethercutt, and others,
and to the burning of barns, dwell
Ings IN various localities. Was it strange
that men should have associated them
selves together to protect the honor of
their women, and guard their property
against the incendiaries' torch, and es-
pecialiy after it became we'll known in
to what stained condition the judicial
ermine had fallen. He mentioned some
Of the vindictive expressions that had
fallen from the lips of Judge Tourgee,
and drew para lei betu n that officer
and the bloody Judge Jetfries
MIR. McGehee then cited numerous
acts of amnesty in Europe, and said
shat the crime sought to he amnestied
by this bill was as the unit to The mil
lions, compared to the crimes covered
up by the celebrated act of amnesty of
William III, of England. He appealed
to both sides of the House to pass this
bill and bring peace and quiet to hun
dreds of firesides, and forever bury
t wounds and wrongs of the past.
He appealed to the Democratic party
to come up to the full measure of this
lofty mission of grace and pardon to
many not Intentionally or literally
criminal, and many who were hurried
into attractions of the law while smart
in under cruel wrongs and denials of
ju stice.
Mr.. Badger replied. He would favor
an act OF general amnesty whenever it
could be done, in his opinion, consist
emily with good order and public
safety. He did not think that that
time had yet come He continued at
great length urging objections to the
bill.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Ben
net to except willful murder, burglary
and arson from the provisions of the
Dill was next put to vote and adopted
yeas 50, nays IA.
A.naultitude of all sorts of amend
nents We're offered and rejected, when
The gbill, passed. its second reading by
the following vote:
YEAs-Messrs. Anderson, of Clay,
Ballard, Bennett, Blackwell, Brown, of
Mecklenburg, Bryson, Of jackson, Bry.