Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-03-17
GENERAL cox AND THE R BE
SON COUNTY CASE-ANGTHER
POLITICAL PEfOSECUTI3H.

CnJS CITY, on tiIc dll1tdsiS VI L. ~ th'
Norment, one of the contestants before
the late Constitutional Convention for
a seat in that body as a delegate from
Robson county. The case IL set tor
a hearing on Friday next, 18th of this
month.
After recitipg the fact OF his citizen
ship, the occurrence of the election,
and the meeting of the county COMMITS
sioners to ascertain the result, DIR.
Moments affidavit reads as follows:
And deponent further swears, that
on that day and at that time and place,
returns from all the precincts of said
county, to-wit: From the preclncts OF
Saint Paul's, Lumber Bridge, Blue
Springs. Shoe Heel, Burnt Swamp
Back Swamp, Aifordsville, Ihomp-
sons, White House, Sterlngs', Mills,
BIRTHS, Howelville, Burnt Island,
T,nmberton and Smiths had been duly
and regularly signed, certified and re
turned TO the said County Com mission
ers by the Judges Of election in and
for the sever al precincts of said county
for that election, appointed by the said
form az required by law, and that the
votes of all the voters III the several
precincts aforesaid, were entitled to
be counted by the said Commissioners
upon the occasion. But this deponeEt
further swears that the Commissioners
wilfulIy, maliciously, deliberately and
corruptiy ,conspl1ng together, ana
with one William r. Cox, OF Wake
hn
di, ectly to deprive the citizens of the
said State and fthe United States. re-
siding in the precincts OF Blue
SCAMP Lun Der Bridge, Burnt
Springs and Blitt's aforesaid, of
the edual protection of the laws,
aud of their equal privileges and
immurities under the laws, and foI
the purpose of preventing and hinder
ing the constituted authorities of
the State, including the constitutional
from giving and receiving and secur-
ing to all persons within the five pre-
cincts above named, equal protection
of the laws, with the persons in the
other precincts Of said county of Rob
eson and the State, did arbitrarily,
unIawfully, wilfully and corruptly ex-
and the returns 50 made. all the votes
and all the returns made to them by
the Judges aforesaid from the four
precincts above named, whereby a.
this deponent further sweurs, the
votes i'll said precincts, to the number
OF eight hundred and nine, being ex-
cluded from the said election, We're
deprived of their rights and privileges
/, = 70 .,,,l Of q
United States, the result of the election
was changed, and two persons, to-w1t:
Duncan Sinclair aud Calvin A. Nc
Eachin, who were not elected to the
| SAID convention, but who were in fact
defeated at the said election, were
! falsely, wilfully md corruptly, certi-
fed by the said commissioners to have
been elected as delegates from the
| said county to the said convention
And this deponent further swears
that by this same act aud proceedings
| Of the said COMM ssIOners the result IN
the S'.te ut large WAS also affected
aud the Will of all the people and citizens
of the State up ~ the question of the
| asaembiage and continuance and ord
nauces Of the said convention were
misrepresented and made to appear
different from What they we're i'll point o.
fact. Aud, this deponent in particular
ly deprived by the said commissioner!
and the said William r. Cox, of lis
rights as citizen and as a delegate tt
sad convention, and the pubic vii
and law violated and defeated III sale
| election.
(Signed) r. NJ. NoRMENT.
Subscribed and sworn to before N
at Wilmington, North Carolina, thi
9th day of March, 1876.
(Signed) J. J. CAssIDEY,
Z. $. Commissioner.
That this prosecution is gotten u
purely for political effect is plain t
every one. The length of time tina
has been permitted TO elapse befor
demanding ii judicial investigation o
the matter Is of Itself sufficient t
throw the greatest suspicion upon til
action OF DR.. Norment.
But this is not the only suspicion
circumstance already app trent. Th
ready IeckIessness with which ID
Norment swears is strongly lncon
becoming in man who has Jus
called God to witness the truth c
his state nents. It will be observe
that DIR. Norment swears with equf
ease to matters of law as we'll as matter
of fact. He swears positively that til
commissioners of Robson wilfully an
corruptly conspired with Gen. Cox
not that he so believes Or has reason S.
to believe, but positively and af1irms
lively, that they SO conspired together
Rather square up swearing, we think
and uncquivocalIy, that the return
from all the precincts were duly an
regularly signed, certified and returne
to the county commissioners III mar
ner and form a required by law; an
further, that the votes of all the voter
in the several precincts of the sal
county were entitled to be connt
ed, thus disposing in what may b
mildly termed summary wa
of grave questions of law. To swear
through is rather u noval mode of dis
posing of legal question, but in spit
of it's novelty. DIR. Norment hesitate
not to use it. DR.. Norment is certain
ly All accomplished swearer.
We await the further development
of the case with some curiosity, to Sc
what testimony DIR. Norment Wi
bring forward i'll support of the state
ment positively sworn to by him upol
the Holy Evangolists of Almighty Co
that there WAS corrupt cOnsplrac
between General Cox and the Robesol
| County Commissioners. Thus far Their
is nothing to prove the charge saw
DIR. Moments comprehensive oath
! Sill then we defer further comment.
! Government officials must have
hard time at Washington. We pity
them. There is that poor man Quarter
| MASTER General Ingalls,. He has 8