The farmer and mechanic., 1913-12-02
NORTH CAROLINA CONVENTION
e, OF FIRST YEARS AFTER WAR
Passed Secession and Slavery Ordinance of Union
ism Mere Personal Hatred-"Conquered Rebel" Not
Bad-Convention To- Be Commended for Manv Things
1t Failed to Do.

turOance ana on the appointed dav
tie convention met An unofficial "a l.
Ces was held tho night before ard a
u OF taken TO determine v no should
be unanimously president OF one
hundred and three votes cast Judge
Edwin G. Reade of Person received
twenty-seven, eleven other candidates
neaded by Nathaniel Boyden of Row
an, dividing the rest, and was there
fore unanimously elected The tenn
pOrary occupant OF the chair was
Lewis Thompson Of Bertie. Judge
Reade had long been eminent at the
bar had served a term in Congress
where he won the distinction Of be
ing the only Southern member to vote
| to censure Keitt for his part in the
assault OF Brooks upon Summer, had
| been for short time q member OF |
the confederate Senate to fill the un-
expired term OF George Davis, had |
been elected to the Superior bench |
IN 1858, and was at the time a JUS |
| uce or the Supreme court under the |
provisional government. He was an |
! admirable choice for presiding officer. |
| Upon taking the chair he made a |
very eloquent address, particularly
notable for this which was widely
quoted throughout the United States:
Fellow Citizens, we are going home
Let painful reflections upon our late
separation and pleasant memories Of
our early union quicken our footsteps
toward the old mansion, that We may
grasp hard again the hand Of friend
ship which stands at the door, and
sheltered by the old homestead which
was built upon rock and has wealth
, cred the storm, enjoy together the
long, bright future which awaits us.
t Did Not Lack Power
AS a whole probably, the member
ship of this convention was less able
: than that Of 1861, but il was by no
means lacking in power. Three of its
: m embers had been delegates to the
convention Of 1885. These were
= ! Thomas l. Faison, Alfred Dockery,
: members Of the secession convention.
a These were John Berry, Bedford
Brown, r. p. Dick, George Howard.
{ Giles Mebane r. l.. Patterson, r. S.
!. Donnell, A. II. Joyce. +. J. Warren,
x D. H. Starbuck and w A. Smith
s Congress-E. G. Reade and G. w.
e Logan-and two had been Union
rangers. Among the members were
six Of Governor Holden's eight pro-
n visional judges, five OF his eight pro-
e visional solicitors, and two Of his per
y sonal military staff. A majority were
3 middle-aged. very few being very
& young or very old. The most prom
= inent member and probably the ables,
le was B. F. Moore of Wake. His rec
l. ord as Union sympathizer was un-
IF broken. although he was unable t6
r take the "iron-clad' oath, having beer
n q member Of the Board Of Claims
,e4 elected by the convention Of 1851
v Thomas Settle, Judge George How
Of ard, William Eaton. Jr., Nathanie
ii Boyden, Edward Conigland. Denni:
"a d. Ferebee, Judge M. E. Manly, an(
= Bedford Brown all took a prOminen
to part in the debates and may be callet
the leaders cOnVpption
e. Slavery Abolished.
III The governors message was yer.
VI brief, containing but one suggestion
~ namely, that the constitution shoult
j. ~ be amended so as to abolish slavery
n The work OF the convention wa
oi begun by the appointment of com
mittee to suggest business for tn
v body. The cornmittee consisted o
al b. +. Moore, P. II. Winston, William
Sc Eaton Jr.. S. +. Phillips, NJ E. Manly
as W. p Bynum. W. A. Wright, Alfre
he Docxery, and D. D. Ferebee. Its re
r. pert provided for the appointment Q
n eleven committees to consider the fol
ne lowing subjects: The ordinance Q
in secession the abolition OF slavery, re
no vision OF the constitution, the genera
IS assembly. amendments to the con
se stitution. justices Of the peace, act
OK Of the convention, legislature, an
as courts since 1861, re-diStricting tn
~. | OtGte. tue StlDlli4SSioH VI OINAIidECCS
the people. limitation of the legisla1
- ure in regard to the Indebtedness {
on | the State, and the treasurers repor
- | One Of these committees. that on re
40 vision OF the constitution. deserve
~, particular notice. It was compose
let Oi o. aoov'
+, Very early IN the session it becan
/; evident that there was a determine
,aS ton or the part of a considecab b
es- number of the delegates notably
+La f. Moore. to take advantage Of tn
re- oppoItei''e % -, .. .i.o - !, -. !.
me law, SaoiS ~ 49, o' o'''e'eH'. . IN
~. | conv ention OF 1851 had sought TO d
at 1t was. however. informally dete
~ mined that all matters of this SO
the should be delayed until the secoI
ant session which was planned from 4
hv beginning.