The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-19
THE IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION
WAS PASSED BY A Z TO | VOTE|
The Ballot Taken in the House at 2 O'clock
Showed Majority of % in Favor of
Impeaching the Judges.
FOR THE IMPEACHMENT q; AGAINST IT 81

certain how all the 9 absent
members would have voied,
though it is known that a ma
jority of them were for i'm
parchment.
The lightnings of great excitement
yesterday shot athwart the sky of the
North Carolina General Assembly and
the thunders thereof shook the very
dome of the capitol.
1t was the fourth and last day of the
debate in the House on the resolution
for impeachment of two Supreme court
judges. 1t ended--as all had seen for
days it must end-in adoption of the
resolution.
The vote was 60 to SO, and it's an
nouncement was greeted with a roar of
applause The hands on the clock
pointed to 2:15.
1t was history making day, the like
of which it is TO be hoped North Caro-
lima will not see again. Realizing that
to witness such an event was the OPP
portunity of a lifetime. people had
gone to the House early. Women folk
crowded the galleries, their gay dresses
making great splashes of color against
the white walls and pillars. In the lob
bies men elbowed each other and every
available seat on the floor of the House
was called into use.
Argument on the resolution began at
10 and the vote was 10 be taken al ,
o'clock. OF this time, the first two and
a half hours were allotted to the Re-
pubhcans. They spoke generally from
manuscript or notes, and were plainly
very guarded in their utterances Mr..
Ebbs made the principal argument; he
was followed by Messrs. Owen. Mcln-
tosh. Petree and Blythe
This exhausted their two and a half
hours.
The first speakers on the Democratic
side were Messrs. Alexander, White, of
Halifax, and Morphew, who consumed
five minutes each. Then Mr.. Craig, in
troducer of the resolution in the House.
was recognized to make the concluding
argument.
When he arose the hall was packed al
most to suffocation, but the stiffness of
death pervaded it, and every eye was
turned toward the speaker.
He began slowly, deliberately, telling
of the gravity of the question presented
to the House and awe with which he
approached it. Then he referred to the
solemnity of an impeachment proceed
ing. declared it the keystone of the con-
stitution, not put there as a scarecrow
but as a shield of the law. Already the
voice of the speaker had risen till he
could be heard in the farthest recesses
of the hall, his eyes began to gleam with
the fire of enthusiasm and roar of ap
plause swept over his audience when
he declared that today the majesty of
the law will lay it's great arm on these
judges and teach them that the high
as well as the low are amenable to it.
Now the speakers utterance became
more rapid, and self-consciouSneSS had
passed away, he had forgotten himself
in his subject. His words of denuncia-
tlon went Kissing across the hall like
hailStOnes in a storm: And, gentle
men. | say if there ever was a time
when the extraordinary power of i'm
peachment ought to be invoked it is
now. Go search the record of all judges
from the time Of Jeffries down to the
present and you'll find no example in
which judges usurped so much power as
these"
People in the lobbies crowded closer
and closer to the speaker, but the still1
ness was unbrozen and the speakers
words rang out more clear and more
scathing as he proceeded Old men who
had gone through the terrors of war
wept as he told how men had sacrificed
life and home and all for a constitu-
tonal principle, and finally, as he point
a ~ e
ed to those dumb, sweet lips to speak
and guide Alright the people that had so
loved to honor him." a perfect whirl-
wind of applause swept over floor and
gallery. lasting so long that Mr.. Craig
had to pause until he could be heard
again.
1T was a great speech, greatest Of this
memorable debate. High in thoughht,
broad in conception, convincing in ar
gument and terrible in denunciation,
but above all eloquent. Men were thrill
ed and swayed by it as only the true
orator and the thinker can thrill and
sway them.
Mr.. Craig spoke for an hour and five
minutes and when he ceased there was
a wild scene of applause lasting many
seconds. Members rushed forward to
congratulate him on his superb effort.
AS the vote was about to be taken
Mr.. Blythe sent forward a written pro-
test. but it was Immediately referred to
he committee on rules without being
read
Judge Allen then announced that un-
Ter an agreement the substitute OF Mr.
Whitaker, of Guilford, and his (Allen 81
amendment to Judge Connor's resolu-
ion were to be withdrawn. This was
lone and the question same up on adop-
sion On this Judge Connor called the
Ayes and Noes. and the roll call result
ed: Ayes, 12: noes, So.