The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-14
Uhe Ulesselmu.


five working days 1--WE take it for
granted that the solons obeyed God,
setting a good example thereby, rested
from their labors on the Sundays If
they did not exactly keep" them
"holy") actually adopting some 1,300
public acts, thus beating the record"
the wonder is that they did SO well. 1t
is not surprising if regretful that they
failed signaily as TO some just and i'm
portant measures. 1t is very sure the
general assembly needs an omnibus bill
for hundreds of private measures. Long
g this writer urged this arrangement
of relief and economy, as the newspa-
per files will show.
The members-very many fresh IN
legislation-haye no doabt done what
they could for the good Of the old state
under the peculiar circumstances and
with the light before them. Some
failed their party and the interests of
the state in critical hours. They may
have to answer for this before their
constituents.
Speaker Conner and Lieutenant Gov
ernor Reynolds, the presiding officers
in the two houses, approve highly of
the work accomplished and bear earn
.est witness to the intelligence, zeal and
efficiency of the members, as a whole.
The Lieutenant governor is not a dem
---4 49, l. I--zo +I1 ,1np1hnr In,
no unmistakable words and says "he
could not imagine any better set OF rep
resentatives than the body tine senate)
before him"
We are disposed to bestow the bouquet
upon the house Of representatives as
the wiser and more faithfully demo-
cratic body. The house had the brains
and the senate perhaps more wisdom.
Speaker Conner certainly won golden
words of Endorsement and silvern man
i~festations of approval. That tea set
was a bright declaration of good will
and kind words. That he richly merit
ed all this is true for he is a model
6pCdhCl VIC may " uOuDNs IL W.
know him to be a model gentleman
pure, genuine, sincere, urbane, honest
and honorable. May his tribe in
crease"
In his farewell address to the house
he bore high evidence in behalf of the
body over which he has presided with
so much of dignity, fairnes and abili-
ty. Referring to the very important
suffrage question to be settled at the
polls by the adoption or rejection of
the proposed amendment to the con
stitution, Judge Conner said: :
"There were, of course, differences
s~of Onion in regard to the wisest and
hest n amer of dealing with this ques-
lion these differences have been dis
=. cussed ffulh.y, and mutual concessions
have been mcde, and, after long and
laborious efforts, the intensity of which
Hpzilllnever be known save by those VINO
anpared in them, a common position
was reached, resulting in a proposed
amendment to the constitution. That
II is not perfect none know better or
appreciate more fully than ourselves;
that it is the best possible outcome OF
the situation we believe to be true. we
also believe it is a basis upon which
we may be able to build a safe, STAPLE
and intelligent system OF suffrage III
this state. We submit it to the people
for their ratification
Let the white folks resolve come
veal or woe, come Pritchard or Rus
sell, that they will carry this amend
ment and save the state from confu-
sion. from lawlessness, from anarchy,
from negro rule, from demagogic boss
inc, from Pritchardism and Russelllsm
and conspiracies against the common
wealth henceforth and forever more.
Lock shields and swear upon the altar
of your state that no detriment sha
befall it at the hands of its enemies,
malignant, hungry, despairing.
Speaker Connor called attention to
the remarkable fact-a curious anoma-
-ly-that the legislature, the law max
.ers, had to sit as jurors in trying a case.
1t was not a case Of infection from
Russell. He played all roles, and yet
the Tennessee eulogist finds only ap-
plause and gush for him. Nothing
could be more undeserved and insin-
cere. Speaker Conner concluded in
this wise:
1--WE commit our work to the fair
and just consideration of the constit-
.uency who confided to us their highest
and best political interests. = For
reasons deemed wise to us, We have,
as the constitution provides we may
do, determined to adjourn to a day GER
tain. In accordance therefore with
the joint resolution Of the two houses,
L hereby declare this house adjourned
to the second Tuesday in June, 1900"
We hope and believe that the popu-
lists with fau aycantionS who voted