Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-01-31
LEGIsLAT0RE OF NORTH
CAROLINA.
SENATE.
SATURDAY, Jan. %, 1873.


Mr.. Troy, a bill to aid planters,
miners, mechanics, manufacturers and
others in the prosecution of their re-
spectlve ayOcations and business.
On motion of Mr.. Love the resolu-
ton praying for the continuance of the
bankrupt act of Congress was put upon
its passage.
Mr.. Avera moved to lay the resolu-
ton on the table. No. agreed to.
Mr.. Allen, in explanation of his vote
to lay on the table. said he had infor-
nation to the effect that the bill in
Congress to continue in force the
bankrupt act had been SO clogged by
odious discrimination against the
South as to compel Southern members,
out of self-respect, to vote for the
repeal Of the act.
sage of the resolution.
A question of order was raised,
that the hour for the special order
having arrived, that business was now
in order.
MIDLAND y. c. RAILROAD COMPANY.
The special order, the bill to incor-
porate the midland North Carolina
Railroad Company" was considered,
the bill being on its second reading.
By consent the bill was referred to
the committee on internal improve
ments.
AMNESTY AND rAHDON.
The bill for amnesty and pardon
was then taken up, the question being
upon its second reading. The COM
mittee on the Judiciary. to whom it had
been referred, reported it back without
amendment except as TO some surplus
words, which were to be stricken ont.
Mr.. Seymour verbally reported the
dissent of the minority of the commit
tee to the report.
Mr.. Seymour offered an amendment
exempting from amnesty and pardon
those charged with the crimes of MUIR
der, arson, rape and burglary.
Mr.. Allen said the ground taken by
Mr.. Seymour. when the bill was las,
up, that the Union Leagues had been
guilty of no crime against the law was
not tenable. He protested against the
assumption of Mr.. Seymour that every
person N the State was involved in the
societies or associations enumerated III
the bill. There were others than dem.
ccrats interested in the passage of the
| bill. He reminded Mr.. Seymour OF
the Nethercutt murder, the slaughter
of the Foscue family and other outra
ges in Jones county, known t. have
been committed by negroes, members
OF the Union League. He could moi
say these crimes had been committed
by orders of the Lengues The bill
! under consideration WAS introduced fol
| the purpose OF restoring peace to the
! country
! Mr.. Moreiead. of Guiifurd. thought
/ if it proposed To- grant amnesty il
should be general The proposed
amendment of Mr. Seymour would
strike ont all the advantages propos-
ed in the bill, contding it's operation
to offences requiring no amnesty
Mr.. Flenning was opposed to Mr.
| Seymour's amendment. He admitted
CRIME was committed by what was
known as ku-klux. The general gov
eminent had set the example in grant
ing general amnesty to all parties an6
to all conditions OF men for offences
growing out of the war. This mag
nanimitv had been characteristic OF al
nations of the earth on the close o,
revolutions. No people on the face OF
the earth had ever surrendered with 6
better grace than the Southern people
A time of peace had followed the war
but this was interrupted by the subse
quent action of Congress and its
officers. Still wise counsel prevailed
in thu States of the South and but few
/ acts of violence followed. The organ
izatlons of the Union Leagues were in
/ furtherance of the offensive federal
! treatment OF the people, and the coun-
( teractIng organizations followed. The
| character of none of these organ
izations could be known till they were
! joined. Abuses naturally succeeded
and what, perhaps, was originally in
t tended AS lawful became unlawful.
| Mr.. Flemming cited the history of
/ England, France, &e., to illustrate the
/ principle of the bill under considera-
/ ton, and he commended the spirit of
! the colored people i. taForing acts of
amnesty and pardon. He considered
it sacred duty of tl1e Legislature to
do all IN it's power TO allay i'll feeling
and to restore peace.
Mr.. Respass followed in a TRADE
, against the ku-klux. He denounced
the bill as - monstrous proposition.
| He spoke of the crimes of the Il. X
of the murders. SC, they. had commit
ted with impunity for the l.lare express
sion of political opinion. He would
not pardon any criminal. The ends
of the ku-klux having been accom-
plished, he said, this bill WIS intro
duced to get its members out of their
difficulties, &c. He believed the OBJ
ject of the bill to be not to relieve So
ciety from any threatened evils-none
were apprehended--but to go back
into the black future.
Mr.. Mcrrimon said that when the re-
construction of the South began, it was
found there WAS Il secret political asso-
ciatayl il. existence in this and every
other Southern k,ta;e pledged to the
odious measures then PROPOSED. There
could be 10 doubt of the numerous
crimes of the members of that society
yet unpIInished. Another organiza-
tion followed TO neutralize this. The
objects Of ho.ft arg said to have been
political, particularly TIE IA Hlu1, and
this being claimed, Dir, AZ. GouId not
understand why the Republicans could
not favor the Present bill, they profes-
sing to be clamOrous for oblivion for
all political offences.
The crimes committed by order of
i1csl, Gccrct political societies should
be parGone., 9hose committed outside
could still be PnnisstaeI by the State
courts. The simple auestiou Was, boy
long shall the present acrinonious
condition Ct affairs be permitted to
exist ? Why not cast oblivion over all
these political offences ? He had no
i'll the bill, nor did its proyis-
ions pertain to any one belonging to
hiu.
Harris, col. was personally favorable
to anything tending to peace and har-
mony, but he objected to the bill class
ing the Leagues and ku-Klux to-
gelhcs. Re denied that any charge of |
crilns coNlA te mage eqod sgainst the
Leagues. r', I
MIR. Murphy commended that h>~i ior |
he s4istence Of the Leagues the XII ;
kinx wppdd never i,aye been heard of.
The latter WAS 'iQtor'olisiy z counter
movement to the former. FAe objects
If both were unknown to the Oh side
world. Whatever the object of the
mo If pave birth tO tha othor II Woo