The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-06

office from them. l am glad the white
men of Eastern North Carolina took
their stand like a solid wall against ne
gro domination. If these Western Repub
licans were there, l suppose they would
be lined up with the negroes. | want to
know If they would be white men still il
they lived there.
1t is to the glory of North Carolina
chat we have a General Assembly, the
first since '6S in which not black face
is TO be seen. (Applause.) The Demo
Gratis have established white supremacy
and they mean to maintain it, in spite OF
frauds and misrepresentation of the Re-
publicans.
CONSISTENCY, THOU ART A JEWEL
Mr.. Whitaker, Of Forsyth: The gentle
man from Madison said that every negro
State was represented by Democrats. J
say North Carolina is not negro State.
MIR Ebbs interrupted to say that was
not eXactlg what he had said
Mr.. Whitaker: 1t was so understood
however. Now come from county
that is a white county. l am here be-
cause the white men of my county swore
that their will should not be overruled
by dead negroes and negroes that did not
live in the county.
The main point the gentleman from
Pennsylvania made was that q man who
held seat obtained by fraud so palpable
| that even many Republicans would not be
a party to it should set out TO be the
apostle of fair election laws was so abb
surd that it forced one to exclaim: 20
consistency, thou art a jewel"
! Mr.. White, of Halifax / was formerly
| in the election law might be needed, but
since I have heard the arguments on both
sides, / don't believe any change is
wanted. The gentlemen from the West
were elected under the new law, and they
have nothing to complain of. We people
OF the East are certainly well satisfied.
So 1t seems to me we had better stop with
what we have. CLaughter).
THE SPECIAL ORDER
| At u o'clock the special order of the
| day, the divorce bill, was taken up. The
original bill, introduced by MIR. Gather
repeats all divorce laws enacted since
1887. This, the Judiciary committee, re-
ported unfavorably. Mr. Crag's substi-
tute was recommended, providing that il
all cases of wilful, deliberate and perma-
nent abandonment and separation for
three years divorce might be granted, bu-
giving the Judge power to refuse TO grant
the same if there was evidence of collu-
sion or poor grounds
Judge Conner explained the bill. He
| said that the policy of North Carolina
| law makers had ever been to narrow the
causes for divorce Up to the time the
Code was revised there were only three
| causes. About that time one more cause
| I'D ha IF
added another cause that if man be
indicted for a felony and fee the State
and stay away for more than year then
his wife would be entitled to a divorce.
The speaker dwelt upon the great dan
ger of laxity in these matters, and point
ed to foreign countries, France for ex-
ample, where we see the result of loose
| ness in the marriage tie.
The condition of affairs at present is
pitiable, sad, sickening have known 26
divorce cases on the docket at one time.
In my county. in arranging the court
calendar. one day is generally set apart
for the hearing Of these cases.
See upon what slippery grounds we
would stand, if we pass this substitute.
The first question would be: Has he or
she been away for three years? Then Is
there any reasonable prospect of a recon
Citation?
Another section of the substitute is
that any husband wilfully abandoning a
wife or wife wlfully abandoning a hus-
band for three years is guilty of crime
and may be imprisoned. Here the law
seems 10 encourage a certain course OF
action, and then punish it by imprison-
ment.
Then the little children, l suppose they
would go to the poor-house and there
would be an end of that family
MR. STEWART FOR SUBSTITUTE.
Mr.. Stewart, of Harnett, said he favor
ed the substitute, partly because the Ju-
dietary committee recommended it, and
partly because we cannot legisIate morals
into the people. He pointed to England
in old times, with her strict laws on di-
vorce and lax morals. South Carolina
he said, boasts that there has not been
a divorce in the State since the Revolu-
ton. But she has not law on her
statutes against (. and a.
| Whose will are we here to represent?
The will of the people of North Carolina.
| think We ought to pass this substitute
because II C -" happy medium. 1t puts
such restrictions upon the abandonment
clause that it cannot injure anybody.
| CHuSl the reign OF queen victoria 3
law has been put upon the statutes allow
ing divorce for abandonment of two
years, and it is acknowledged that the
morality of England is improving.
Mr. Stewards speecr was a forcible ar
gument, ornamented with liberal illusions
to history. and the Bible.
Judge Graham moved that the bill be
printed and made the special order OF
business for Thursday at il o'clock. Car
ried.
Mr. Mclean, of Scotland, will have the
floor at that time
Messrs Hayes, of Chatham, and Smith.
of Gates, both sent forward amendments
which will be printed with the bill and
substitute.
THE JOURNAL.
The House was called to order by Speak
er Moore at 10 o'clock. and opened with
prayer by lev. DR.. l. Mex. u ttengc.
Rector of the Church of the Good Shep-
herd, this city.
The reading Of the preceding days Jour
nal was dispensed with, on motion of Mr..
| Zachary, of Pennsylvania.
A petition was sent In by Mr. Dean, OF
Macon, from citizens OF Orange county,