Wilmington journal., 1875-02-05

appointment of . Public Guardian 1,
each county. was considered and
| adopted.
Mr.. Linney's bill providing for de-
posit OF mortgage instead of money OF
land. Provides that Q party can civ.
q mortgage on his real estate and brins
suit on it instead Of on land. Passed
its third reading.
Bill to amend the charter of the city
OF Wilmington Was considered. II
proposes to divide the city into three
wards instead of five, according to the
valuation of the property.
Mr.. Kerr offered an amendment
changing the time of holding the cleo
tions of that city, which was adopted.
Mr.. Cantweu offered an amendment
placing the control of the city in the
hands of two separate governments.
that of the Aldermen and Select Coun-
cilmen, and defines the powers of the
Mayor and other officers. He was will
ing to grant the property holders of
Wilmington a fair control Of the gov
ernment of the city, but he opposed
the bill as introduced. His people
would suffer by its passage. He ar
gued that the bill was dangerous to
the interests of the people of the whole
State and against the fundamental
principles of Democracy it was q
thrust at civil liberty. He continued
his argument for the space of forty
five minutes, stating in the course of
his remarks that he joined the Repub-
lican party because Of the reconstruc-
tlon acts, and he warned the Senate
that this step might lead to blood
shed.
Mr.. French favored this bill. He
reviewed the workings of the recon-
struction acts, the evils it had infiict-
ed upon the people of the South, the
degradation it had brought to the
Anglo-Saxon race. to which thu SEN
ator from New Hanover belonged, and
the death blow it had given to civil
liberty, and asked if he who had gone
to the support of the Radical party
because Of these reconstruction acts
had any right to claim that he was
now the peculiar champion of civil
liberty. The gentleman had warned
the Senate that this step might lead to
bloodshed aud had even threatened
that the strong arm of the Federal
Government might be interposed, and
yet this Senator preached of civil liber-
fy. The Senate was not to be fright
ened from doing what it deemed it
had the Constitutional right to do. and
if blood was to be shed it could be
done only by the gentleman's own
party. The General Assembly had
the Constitutional right to grant,
amend or repeal all charters within
the State. and this Legislature had
the right to give the relief asked by
the down-trodden people of Whining
ton.
The bill p assed its second reading
by vote of "a to IL.
Mr.. French moved to suspend the
rules and place the bill upon its third
MADISON, colored. opposed the mo-
tion to suspend. He had heard Dem
ocrats in Wilmington assert that they
would have control of the city atiall
and he believed they were
prepared to execute this threat. The
passage of this bill would, in his opin-
ion, bring about bloodshed, notwith-
standing the Ku-Klux Klsn had been
done away with.
Mr.. Bell stated he didn't think any
body was frightened.
The rules were suspended and the
bill put upon it's third reading.
Mr.. French called the previous
question:
Mr.. Cantwen moved to adjourn.
Lost.
The bill passed it's third reading by
a vote of "a to IL.