The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-10
REFUSES TO BE MUZZLEO
SAYS HE FAVORS DECENCY IN
GOVERNMENT.
oENoUNCEs SATURDAY NIGHTS CAUCUS
Begs His White Friends Not TO Charge Up to
the Negro the Mistakes Ct Gov Rus
s.II, Procer diOgs Of Foue.
important Bills
important Bills

The feature of the session of the
House yesterday was the speech of Isaac
II. Smith, (colored), the member from
Craven county, who was Saturday night
expelled from the Republican caucus
Immediately after the reading Of the
journal Smith rose to question Of per-
sonal privilege and said:
Mr. Speaker and gentlemen of this
General Assembly: am here as part
and parcel of this grand body, and l am
from a county where you find the homes
and the graves of good, honorable virtu-
GUS men. An attack on one member of
this body is an attack on the whole Cen
eral Assembly. An unwarranted attack
has been made on me by caucus Of peo-
pie calling themselves Republicans. This
malicious and unjust action they have
published to the world. They have read
me out of my own party, and declared
that / can no longer take part in its
councils.
II he very men who have done this
charged in the campaign that the Demo
Gratis would disfranchise the negro. And
yet before the Democrats have had eyen-
chance to disfranchise anybody these
very fellows go out and disfranchise the
only negro in this Legislature who has
acted in the true interest of his race.
They have denounced the only man of
them who has done what he has right
to do under the Constitution-vote as he
thinks just and proper. (Applause)
Il have voted as / thought right, and
thank God l have the courage to do it
again. l came here saying / was in
favor of good government and how else
can Il man prove that ne is in favor of
good government except by voting for
it. (Applause).
The Speaker is a good citizen and
worthy man. l voted for him, and they
read me out of the party
why not read President Mckinley
out! l am an original Mckinley man.
! brought him out two years before any
body else in North Carolina did, and /
spent more money to elect him than did
any other man in North Carolina And
yet he had hardly got well into office
before he appointed Mr.. Stevenson, the
Democratic ex-vice president, to good
office. Wouldn't it be well for this eau
Gus, while it is at it, to read him out,
too? Then there's Governor Russell.
He's appointing Democrats. Why not
read him out? The negroes elected him,
and he says, over his own signature.
that he has made 116 appointments and
only s of them are negroes. Hadn't we
better be out of politics? And yet all
that the Governor does that's wrong my
race is charged up with. God bless your
sweet souls. white gentlemen, l hope you
won't do it, (Applause)
'And when you adjourn you'll not be
able to go out and say that there is not
at least one Republican in here that has
tried to do his whole duty honestly and
for the hest interest of the State
"And | do hope you will not disfran-
elise us. l pray God that some sweet
night you may dream dream and give
MS one more chance at the ballot box.
"The Lieutenant Governor, who also
was elected by negro votes, presided at
this caucus, but / thank God there was
one good colored man in this body who
would take no part with them.
Until righteousness and truth kiss
each other; until stars and sun refuse to
shine; until my right hand shall lose its
cunning and my strong arm fall palsied
to my side; until my tongue shall cleave
to the roof of my mouth, | shall claim
the privilege of voting as l please,
right guaranteed to all good citizens,
regardless Of the party caucus lash"
(Applause)
Petree, white Republican from
Stokes also rose to a question Of per-
sondl privilege and said he introduced
the resolution regarding Smith in the
caucus, but denied that it was an at
tack ON good government. He declared
that the white Republicans of the West
favored white supremacy in North Caro-
lima, and he would not censure anyone
for favoring decency in government. He
added that he would have taken the
same steps with regard to any white Re
publican who had acted in the same
manner as did the member from Craven.