Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-22
WASHINGTON AND LEE, Two of America's Greatest Men,
 Dishonored BY ACT OF THE LAWMAKERS Of the Lower House of North Carolina'S AsSembly-A
 Negro Honored.
BY ACT OF THE LAWMAKERS

RALEIGH, N. C., Feb. 21 A great sen. sation was created here today by the adop- | ton in the house of a resolution, intro- -duced by negro, that when the general l assembly does adjourn il adjourn in honor | of Frederick Douglass. =Ihe resolution was passed by vote of 34 to 20,i all the | democrats voting against it. resolution to adjourn on February 22 in honor of | Washington's birthday, which is q legal | holiday in the state, was voted down. The same body also refused to adjourn in honor | of General Lee on January 19. THE WHOLE HISTORY OF IT. The News and Observer will say editori- | ally tomorrow in regard to the action of the house of representatives today: "Several weeks ago proposition was made in the general assembly to adjourn in honor of Robert E. Lee on the occasion of his birthday This resolution was voted down, although by enactment of prior legislature General Lees birthday is a public holiday in the state, and the public buildings are closed on that day. "Yesterday a resolution was introduced to adjourn until 10 o'clock on Saturday to pay respect to the memory of George Wash ington, whose birthday is also legal hol- iday. This was voted down.
 'sAt the session the resolution to adjourn in honor of Washington was voted down
 
 by Crews, colored, of Granville, and adopted:
 departed this life on the 20th instant, and whereas we greatly deplore the same; now therefore be 1t
 "Resolved, That when this house ad- journs it adjourn in respect to the memory of the deceased.
 ssThese three dates--the birth of Lee, the birth of Washington and the death or Douglass--are compassed in one month. This general assembly deliberately, and after debate, voted down the resolutions to honor the memory of the father of his country and Robert E. Lee, WhoS with Grant, was among the heroes of Chepultepec and the commander of the armies of the south, but put on record in the journal of the house a resolution of ad- 1ourhment in respect to the memory of Frederick Douglass.' The action is equiv alent to saying: Washington, Lee, Douglass, these three, but the greatest of these is Douglass.
 ''This action more particularly than any other of the proceedings of this legislature sheWs the spirit of this body. Fusion is a martPge of two parties having no princf- pleslih common.
 ss,Ihe indorsement of the miscegenation leadef is the legitimate heir of this union.
 JRst before noon Representative Crews, nee&o from Granville, arose and sent up resolution, given elsewhere. The repub- licans and populists grew restless in their seats and semi-confuson ensued, in the midst of which another bill was reported by the clerk, but Crews insisted on the reading of his resolution and spoke to it, briefly referring to Douglass as the leader of hts race and to the appropriateness of ad- Journ naentsto his memory. The fusionists seemed to be paralyzed. viva voce vote was spasmodically put by the speaker and division was called. The fusionists came up almost under lash in body 10 the number of thirty three, democrats voting twenty-three against It.. These fity-six were about all the members present, the other half of the house having gone to the New Berne fair. The chair in a subdued voice announced the vote as carried, but would not give the vote until pressed per- sonaly by the house reporter of the News and Observer.
 ss1he affair created sensation in the whole city, and will be vital blow in the s state at tine fusionists, who knew this when they dared not to step aside from the trap set for them by the negro.
 tThey see it too late, while the citizens of all classes are simply astounded at the colossal impudence of the whole affair."