The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-12-10

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formation as to military affairs, ana
we note that he was present at the
battle OF Camden Court House. In
1881 at the session Of the assembly
held at Wake Court House, he was
| again present as a member from the
town of New Bern, and on behalf OF
the House was appointed a commit
tee with Colonel Williams, Of the Sen
ate, to notify Governor Thomas Burke
OF his election. He was also a mem
her of the committee on the governors
message delivered two weeks later, on
July 9, to that same assembly, ana
three days later was elected First
Major Of Militia. On April Is, 1882,
he again represented the town OF New
Fern in the House Of Commons In
the assembly which met at Hillsboro,
and at which session he as placed
in nomination as a delegate to Con-
| gress, the successful candidates being
Abner Nash, William Blount, DR..
Hugh Williamson, and Benjamin
Hawkins, while he, with Thomas Per
SON., Joseph Jones, Archibald Mac
Arine, and Adlai Osborn, were also
voted for. Again on April IS, 1888,
| the assembly met at HillsbOro and we
find him the representative Of the
town Of New Bern, during the session
of which assembly he was appointed
by Governor Alexander Martin as a
delegate to the Continental Congress
to succeed Colonel William Blount,
resigned, which appointment he &C
cepted on May 9. He was reelected
by the assembly in 1888 and 1884, the
Congress sitting at Philadelphia In
1884 we find him selected as one Of
the trustees of the New Bern Acad-
envy. On November 10, 1875, the as
sembly met at New Bern, when he
with Abner Neale represented Craven
I county at which 0lCCiOn he was elect
ed speaker Of the House Of Com
mons. He was named as one Of the
original trustees OF the Kinston Acad-
envy, and that year resigned his seat
in the Continental Congress-
In 1886 he was a member OF the
House of Commons from Craven cOun-
ty in the assembly which met at Fay
etteville on November IS, where his
r his colleagues seat were contest
ed by John Allen and Albert Nixon,
which contest the committee dis
missed and affirmed Spaight's title
to his seat. In this as in other as
semblies we find him serving OF many
committees and generally on commit
tees considering governors messages
and other financial matters relating
to the State. He opposed the bill to
charter the Dismal Swamp Company
and urged its delay until the u
ceeding year. BY Chapter IS Of that
ear he, together with John Wright
Stanly, John Hawkes.. Spyers Single
ton, n Abner Neale, were the man
ayers Of a lottery, the proceeds of
in New Bern. .
The Constitutional Convention of
1887.
On January 4, 1897, the General
Assembly on joint ballot elected as
delegates to the convention to form
n ~ - loIl - DA:lN
delphia on the second Monday In May,
Governor Richard Caswell, General
Alexander Martin, General William
r. Davie and Colonel Richard Dobbs
Spaight and General Willie Jones'
Governor Caswell declined the po-
sition and William Blount, afterwards
United States Senator ron Tennessee,
was appointed April %. Also on
April 3 DR.. High Williamson was ap-
pointed in place ~ General Willie
Jones' h session of Congress met
Monday, May IA, but not until Friday
May rs, when the majority Of the New
Jersey delegates appeared. making
the number Of states then represent.
ed seven, did the convention ope1
for business h states represented
at hat time were New York, Penn
%sylvanio, Delaware, Virginia, NORTH
Carolina, and South Carolina. which
With New Jersey, made sever Three
days later Massachusetts, and Mary
t land appeared, and on the Goth Con
| necticut and Georgia were represent
r cd, and not until July 23 was tn
; state Of New Hampshire represented
8 this being after the majority Of tn
I New York delegates had withdrawn
i The state Of Rhode Island was no
3 represented.
We presume Colonel Spaight arrived
in Philadelphia on May 20, and w
find q letter from Governor Caswel
8 to John Grav Blount. ESQ, date
e April a, 1877, enclosing the com
\ mission Of William BlOunt as deput.
to the convention, and a warrant L
n favor Of Mr.. Spaieht which he sug
g gests may be forwarded TO Mr.. Will
& liam Blouht from Washington b
such conveyance as be nay thin
e proper or else that Mr.. Winston Cas-
= oil NAV take If 10 Spajoht at Ne1