The news & observer., 1901-02-24
The Articles of Impeachment
Being Prepared.
A DRAMATIC SCENE IN THE SENATE
Full Text of the Official Notification
to the Senate. The Impeached
Judges to be Summoned to
tbn parof 4ha couatn
the Bar Of the Senate.

the Bar of the Senate.
The committee appointed by the House
OF Representatives to notify the Senate
OF the passage Of the impeachment reso-
lution and demand that it organize a
high court of impeachment for the trial
OF justices Furches and Douglas. on Tues
day performed that duty.
This committee was composed of the
following five members:
Mr. WINSTON. Of BERTHE. chairman
Air. ARDREY. OF Mecklenburg.
Mr. ZACHARY, of Transylvania.
Mr.. BLOUNT of Washington.
MIR CARLTON, of Duplin.
Ii was expected that they would wait
upon the Senate at noon. to discharge this
solemn duty. but by a resolution adopted
soon after lite House me-. tie houf Has
changed TO 1870 O'Clock
All the day the galleries and lobbios of
the Senate had been crowded with people
anxious TO witness this anus Ial proceed
ing.
At tile appointed hour lhe '.oorkceleI
of the Senate announced "a committee
from tho House of Representatives" " and
in response 10 an invitation from the
the clerks desk. Senators rising to re-
ceive them. Mr.. Winston came first. hold
ing in his hand the resolution Be-
hind him came the other members Of the
committee, two by two. Mr.. Ardrey and
Mr. Carlton, Mr. Zachary and Mi. Blount.
When the desk was reached they formed
IN line, two of them on either side Of
Mr. Winston and directly in front of the
President
The incident was a dramatic one, not
unlike u scene from some romance OF
old or page from unfamiliar history.
Perfect silence reigned throughout the
half. Men and women stood with half
bowed heads and nobody cared to speak.
The witchery Of unreality hung about it
al, SO unusual is such proceeding.
Now the silence is broken by the slow
measured tones Of Mr. Winston: I'VE
are directed 10 convey to you this mes
sage of great moment" All knew the
dread import of that message. and
shivcr seemed to run through the assem-
blage Then the names OF the impeached
Judges were called-how fearfully dis
tinctly they were pronounced,
I'VE now present to your honorable
body certain resolutions relating to such
impeachment" As Mr.. Winston pro-
uouneed these words Mr.. Audrey stepped
forward and handed the President the
resolutions.
Then the reading went cruelty but inn
rressivcly on In conclusion the House
Of Representatives through Us, its chosen
messengers. prays that the God of Eternal
Truth and Justice. may protect the tights
of the impeached and preserve unbroken
the Constitution of our fathers"
tl,< t4r1I Iaus
solemn and thrilling THE words 1T was
very tragic-the eternal tragedy of jus
tice. | turn over the pages of history
volume after yolume-and wonder at he
long suffering of the people and the bold
ness Of those who encroach upon their
rights But here and there at long inter-
walls the sword Of justice falls. A king is
heheaded. then a queen is dethroned;
here revolution breaks forth. there
constitutional right is wrested from the
ruling power This impeachment is dif-
ferent from these only in iegree, not in
kind
How. across the waste of years it. sum
mons those days of Republican extraya-
sapce. debauchery, almost ruia-more
than quarter Of century ago! That
party was then dethroned from power and
not till il came back in again did it be-
come necessary to once more use this ex-
ttraordinary proceeding. Truly, times
have not charged so much aftes all:
Mr. Winston has ceased speaking, the
Senate has adopted a resolution declar
ing that 1t has received the message and
will dulv consider it; the President has
scr;rallv announced tHis fact, and the
committee turns and leaves the hall in
the same order and impressive manner
that Il entered It.
Mr. Winston's speech read in notifying
Senators fthe passage OF the impeacA-
ment resolution and in delivering the
same to the Senate. was in full as fol-
lows:
Mr. President and Senator's; We are
directed by the House of Representatives
to convey to you this message of great
moment.
After long and patient consideration,
by pronounced majority, that branch OF
this General Assembly, declares that
David NJ. Furehes, late Associate Justice
and now Chief Justice. and Bobert N.
Douglas. Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court Of North Carolina. in violation OF
tho letter and spirit of the Constitution
sud in defiance of the plain statutory
law OF the State. have usurped powers
subversive of the rights Of the legisIa-
tive department OF our State Government
For this misconduct II declares that
these officers be impeached OF high crimes
and misdemeanors in office. Tn obedience
TO the duty imposed upon rs, we now
present to your honorable body certain
resolutions relating to such impeach-
meDt
Senators: As directed by the order OF
the House OF Representatives. and in the
name OF the whole people of North Car
olina whose constitution has been bro
ken. whose laws have been dedcd, whose