The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-20

sideration that the present officers are
incompetent and a thorough hearing
had been given all sides in the matter,
He said there was danger of the school
fund being sQuandered- He said MIR.
Snipes came here as an accredited
agent Of 100 white men and Of 1,30O
negroes.
Mr.. Rountree, of New Hanover, said
the republican plea for flair treatment"
came with very poor grace from the.
representatives of the party which dur
ing the past four years had enacted
such Infamous legislation as that which
took charge of Wilmington. He said the
| people of the latter city had taken pretty
strong action in their own cases Zap
plause). He said the bill was in the
interest of the white people who pay
80 per cent, of Hertford's taxes and, the
question was whether these should be
| protected. He said the view of Smith,
| of Craven, in his opinion, was correct
and that Smiths opinion in this case
was of much more value than that Of
| Snipes.. Mr.. Rountree said the legiSla-
| ture proposed to GUST the negro school
! committeeman Of Hartford. He said
the white property owners. might be
| o6oAboS $4,000 "AAS SA NAN
misguided negroes.
Mr.. Petree, of Stokes, republican,
said he was unable to see the slightest
reason for asking for this legislation.
He declared the bill was in the spirit
of resentment. He said he had opposed
the Wilmington charter bill and other
bills of like character. He did not
think it proper to give the governor
c,,oh r, nc tho Will m IN ofon hill
gave. 1t was unjust, it was n of the
things which damned the republican
party in late campaign.
Mr.. Curtis, of Buncombe, ridiculed
Mr.. Snipes' speech. He said if he went
along with a negro to steal a hog he
would, when he got to fork of the road
say to the negro: mr.. Negro, this hog
is all mine" (great iaughter.) He said
Mr.. Snipes had yesterday told the com.
mittee that half the negroes In Hert.
ford had voted the democratic ticket
He also ridiculed Mr.. Petree for at
lacking so vigorously the acts of tn,
last legislature, and said it looked lik'
the other side was coming around Il
the democratic side. He declared tn,
people Of the west were determined t.
protect the white people, women an
children in the >ast and that he be
lieved Isaac Smith would say amen
to this (great laughter).
Mr.. Hampton, republican, demande
the yeas and nays. The bill passed
yeas IS, nays rs.
Mr.. McNeill, of Brunswick, vote
NO." saying he did not think the leg
islature had the right, under the con
stitution to thus take charge of a coun
tvs government.
l Mr.. Snipes sent up a protest signe
BY republican and populist members
which on motion of Mr.. Ray, of Macon
was referred to a special committee t
winnow from it the untruths which b
said were in it.
Mr.. Craig introduced a resolution
which was adopted raising a joint com
, mittee Of five to take into considerable
: the message of the governor as to tn
Wilson's (railway commissioners), in
| vestigate it thoroughly and have powe
to send for persons and papers.
Smith, of Craven, introduced a res
: olution asking congress to repay to tn
negro depositors of the Freeman
: saving bank, an institution chartere
{ by congress, the money Of which the
) were robbed by its collapse.