The news & observer., 1901-03-14

on to show that sufficient votes to elect
Wilcox by a majority of 8 were impro-
perly rejected.
The minority report was an elaborate
document. going at length into legal
argument upon the rights of voters.
Mr.. Winston, chairman of the Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections, said that
the evidence before the committee showed
that Seawell had received 1892 votes, and
Wilcox 1920. He then went on to explain
the status of the contest.
Mr.. Thompson opened the debate. lie
said it was evident that the Ben Salem
precinct could not be counted, for it was
not known what it was. But if it had
been counted. Seawell would have still
had been elected. AS to red shirts, he
had never been one. but he had seen
them, and thev were always consrvators
of peace and order "The speeches here
are going to be an attack upon the elec-
tion law, and not upon the evidence. The
canvassing board were as liberal as they
could possibly be. As to the Ben Salem
precinct. they come now and ask us to
count that vote, after the contestant him
self, through his attorney, had moved
to reject those returns. AS to those
votes rejected, those negroes. were given
an opportunity to prove their identity,
and they did not take advantage of it. |
don't see why a negro should be allowed
to vote two or three times, and a white
man only once"
Mr.. Thompson took up one ny one the
cases of rejected votes, arguing that the
registrars had only done their duty.
Mr.. Ebbs said he had no desire to at
tack the previous election law OF North
Carolina or the present one. The facts
were with him, and there was no need
of anything else. In the township of
Ben Salem. the registrar was confronted
on his way home by five men in red
shirts, and the returns taken from him.
Were they Republicans or Democrats that
took these returns? He left that to the
House to decide. Mr.. Ebbs then con-
sidered the cases of those who had not
been allowed to register, declaring that
the reasons given were insufficient and
that the action was illegal
The Democrats East and West had de-
clared the election law was just one.
Now was their chance to prove it by
seating Mr. Wilcox. The law had not, he
declared been carried out,
After paying his respects to Mr.
Thompson, Mr.. Ebbs closed.
The question was upon the adoption of
the minority report. Mr. Blythe demand
ed the ayes and noes. Not sustained
The minority report was lost. and the
majority report adopted. Mr.. Blythe then
asked consent to withdraw the minority
report Mr.. Watts objected.
THE APPROPRIATIONS.
AT 1890, consideration of the appro-
priations bill was resumed at section
5, where it was left off on Tuesday
night.
Section was passed over for the
present, upon request of Judge Connor.
Section was then taken up. This ap-
propriates for the North Carolina College
of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, in ad-
dition to its standing appropriation of
$40, 600, sum of S17, 4SS.26 to pay in
debtedness contracted b- former ad-
ninlstration. AM s3 c33 s. for indah.ed-
ness incurred by present administration,
one-half in 1901. and one-half in 1902;
also $4,000 for each of the years 1901 and
1902 or for the erection Of a building for
a textile department.
Judge Connor said there could be no
question as to the wisdom of paying off
the Indebtedness. AS to the matter of