The news & observer., 1897-02-12

is an admission THAT they can be bribed."
Mr.. Mcneil said pass wouldn't buy
him.
Mr.. Ray: ''It is a stigma on the honesty
OF the people. An officers acts will show
whether he is honest or not"
Mr.. Sharp, OF Iredell: MY mind runs
back % years. l was a member Of the
House. Then every member received a
pass as a compliment. Every member
used it. There was no special legislation
pending. We were as honest then as
now since the great reform idea has
taken possession of the country"
Mr.. Smathers: There are two sides
to this question: A great deal Of abuse
has grown out of the issue Of passes. To
tie the railroads down would also be pro-
ductiye of considerable harm. A very
strong minded man would not be inhu-
enced by free passes, but some men would
be influenced The people Of the State
think the public officers ought not to be
tempted to do wrong | shall vote aye
Mr.. Clark, chairman of special com
mittee to investigate Mr.. Swinson's
statement in regard to the enrolling
clerks Office, sent forward the report of
said committee.
ITO the Senate of North Carolina, in
session: We, the undersigned members of
the investigating committee appointed TO
investigate the enrolling clerk S office and
statements made by him, beg leave to re-
port 10 your honorable body that We aave
complied with the instructions gwen us
and now file for your information the
evidence taken down by the stenographer,
the Auditors statement Of expenses Of
the enrolling clerks office for the years
1891 '93, and 80. together with the GER
tiicates of A. L. Swinson TO II. T.. King
clerk of the Senate"
The evidence OF Mr.. Swinson was to
the effect that ne did not make the state
ments as they appeared in the newspapers,
but that he did say that no negro should
work in his office as long as he (Swinson)
had charge of it, because he expected to-
wards the end of the session to have a
lady eopyist in his Office, and that he did
not propose to have himself pointed out
as n Populist that had negro assistants
| in his office, and that he did say that it
| had cost $50 per day to run his office,
| While he did not have use for the assis-
tants they were put there 10y the two
| political caucuses and he did not feel
| disposed to discharge them.
Mr. Parker (of Alamance), of the com
| mittee, filed the following minority re
port
I'm my opinion, from the evidence,
| there has been useless employment Of
| assistants and useless expenditure Of
money in their employment. That the
enrolling clerk SwinSon, Of his own mo-
| tive appointed only one OF the eight as
| sistant enrolling clerks, and that as to
| the other seven. he received them into
| his office by direction and nomination
| Of the caucuses Of the two political par
| ties ~ whom he was indebted for his own
| election. and in so receiving them, that
| he thought and had reason to think, that
| he was obeying the commands of the
/ two parties that had put him in the place
| he occupied. That the said enrolling
| clerk, Swinson. is not without blame, but
his blame consists largely in his yielding
| too readily and without protest to the
caucus demands and nominations Of the
aforesaid political parties as represented
| in the Legislature; that of the two la
| borers in his Office he appointed only one,
/ his son; that there was not at any time
| any suggestions to him to displace or
| discharge any Of the assistants he had
50 received into his office"
On motion the bin passed by the House
was taken up: To abolish the office of
/ enrolling clerk, if by law such Office ex-
/ lists. Mr.. MOye opposed the passage of
| this act; he did not believe in taking snap
| judgment against any one; that this bin
was only introduced to kick MIR. Swinson
| out Of office; he has been, ] will admit,
extravagant in his office, but he is not
| the only man employed by the State that
is extravagant in his office. The very
persons who are now trying to oust Mr..
l coSI ha+ b,,, s.,+
| two men they wanted they would with
l draw the bill. Mr. Smathers favored the
hill Mr.. Butler was in favor of not
/ judging Mr.. Swinson too harshly ;that it
was the understanding that the RepuhI-
cans and Populists should each name
three assistant enrolling clerks. and that
he had no idea but that Mr. Swinson
| thought he was carrying out the wishes
| of the caucus, and when he was ordered
/ to put on two more clerks he refused
| to do SO.
Mr. Parker (Alamance) offered a sub
stitute as follows: That the enrolling
clerk shall be charged with the duty and
responsibility for the prompt and proper
enrolment Of all bills and resolutions
| and other actions of the General AS
| sembly requiring enrolment, certified to
| him by the chief clerk Of the House or
| the chief clerk Of the Senate; that there
shall be two assistants selected by the
enrolling clerk and that the assistant
| enrolling clerks shall be under the direc-
| ti0n and subject to the orders of the en-
| rolling clerk; that when the enrolling
clerk requires more clerical help, he shall
secure the service Of a sufficient number
| of competent copyists and they shall be
paid ten cents a copy sheet for all work
done by them. That the joint committee
on enrolled bills shall promptly report to
the two houses any failure to promptly
and properly enroll bills and resolutions
or other actions OF the General Assem-
bly,, and that the enrolling clerk and as
sistants may be discharged by concurrent
resolution of the General Assembly, for
failure to discharge the duties required
of them; that the committee on enrolled
bills shall report to the Senate and House
the condition Of the enrolling clerks of
fee ut the first session on the first Mon
d9V of each waak and OftaDpr if rnouirad