The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-01-17

Graham, of Granville, Hayes, of Chat
ham, Collins, of Haywood, and Robin
son, of Guilford, composed the COM
mittee.
SATURDAY JAN 18th.
(Morning Post.)
SENATE-Senator London intro
duced bill relative to the law of libel,
according to the action taken at the
last meeting OF the North Carolina
Press Association, aid it was referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
1t will be considered by the Judiciary
Committee next Monday, at which
time a number of State news paper
men are expected here-the day pre-
ceding the Inauguration ceremonies.
Following is the full text of the bill:
A Bill to Be Entitled an Act Relative
to the Law of Libel.
The General Assembly of North
Carolina do enact:
Section l. That before any proceed
ing, either civil or criminal, shall be
brought for the publication of libel,
the plaintiff or prosecutor shall at least
five days before initiating such pro-
ceedings, serve notice in writing on the
defendant or defendants, specifying the
article and the statements therein
which he alleges to be false and defam-
atory.
If it shall appear upon the trial
that said article was published in good
faith, that its falsity was due to mic
take or misapprehenslon of the facts,
or that there were reasonable grounds
for believing that the statements in
said article we're true, and that within
reasonable time after the service Of
said notice a full and fair correction
or retraction was published Or retrac-
ton was published in the same edi-
tons Or corresponding issues OF the
newspaper, or periodical in which said
article appeared, and in as conspicuous
place and type as was original, then
the plaintiff in such case, IT a civil
action, shall recover only actual DANA
ges, and if in criminal proceeding q
verdict of mot guilty" shall be render.
ed.
Sec. 2 That In every prosecution OF
action for libel the defendant may
show in his defence that the matter
complained of was published IN his
paper or periodical without his know.
ledge or fault, and against his wishes
by another who had no authority from
him to make the publication and
whose act was discovered by him as
soon as known.
Sec. 3. That any person who wilfully
states, delivers or transmits, by any
means whatever, to the manager, edi
tor, publisher or reporters Of any news
paper or periodical, for publication
therein, any false or libelous statement
concerning any person or corporation
and thereby secures the publication O.
the same, is hereby declared guilty oil
a misdemeanor.
Sec. 4. That no indictment or civil
action for libel contained in a news
paper or periodical published within
this State shall be instituted except il
the county where the newspaper o
periodical was published, or In tn,
county where the person llbeIed resid
ed when the offense was committed.
| Sec. 5. That this act shall be in forc'
from and after Its ratification.
| HOUSE.-The most of the time il
the House was taken up in discussin,
the bill to increase the Governors sal
airy from $1,000 to $4,000.
The final vote was postponed unit
Monday.
Monday Jan. 14th.
SENATE.-The Senate upo1
convenlng vacated the chamber for tn
electoral college to cast the vote TO
President.
After these proceedings were over tn
Senate reassembled. Among the bill
passed of interest to the readers Q
The COMMONWEALTH was bill pro
; viding for q graded school in Rock.
: Mount.
HOUSE.-The House also passed
bill authorizing Rocky Mount to issu
bonds for electric lights. The most O
the debate in the House was over tn
bill to increase the Governors salary
1t was finally passed by a vote of 55 t.
So, and it is now law.
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