Year: 1868

Senator from Beaufort VIII hold MIN re-
sponsible for his action in this matter
They must have protection from the unseen
hand which will stab them to the heart in
tie dark. They want protection from the
landed aristocracy, who seek to deprive
them Of their legal rights. The poor
colored freedmen and the laboring white
men desire the right to vote according to
the dictates of their own conscience, and
will Senators on this floor take that right
from them. and leave them in the hands of
the landed aristocracy to crush them and
drive them out, &c, &c?


Mr.. Sweet was in favor of reconsidera-
ton, and read extensively from the old
militia law. attempting to show the slight
difference between the bill under con-
sideration and the document aforesaid
We cannot attempt to report his speech in
full, but were struck with the argument as
being very strong defence of the old
militia law.


Mr. Lassiter was opposed to the bill and
was not fully prepared to vote for the sub
stitute, but it was less Objectionable con-
sequently he supported it. He did not
think the bill was necessary. Let us lave
the old militia law, under which we lived
so long and happily. ] desire that bill or
something similar. He was opposed to
arming one class of citizens against the
other. He did not find any difficulty he
had gone all over his district during the
last campaign and urged universal negro
suffrage. There was not single breach
of the peace, or insult offered to him during
the whole time.


Mr.. Cook thought the Senate might take
up this bill and pass it, He was for stand
ing up to this thing. The time had come
to act, and if certain Senators on this floor
had the backbone, they would act in the
same manner We have Governor and
he should have the authority to punish the
bloody hordes who are opposing the gov
ernment. He closed by yielding the floor
to Galloway, from New Hanover.


Messrs. Barrow and Respass protested
against such action, as attempting to mo-
nopolize the time of the Senate entirely.


Galloway (negro) proceeded to make q
vehement speech IN favor of reconsider
alton.


Eppes (negro) read speech of some
length, which we will not attempt to re-
port. He favored the original bill and
urged a reconsideration.


Mr.. Wynne stated that it was not his i'll
tention to have said word upon this mat
ter to-day, but as Senators were disposed
to debate the question, he would say a few
words. 1t has become question with me,
Mr.. Speaker, whether [ am in attendance
in the Senate of North Carolina or gym
nasium, hear of wars and rumors Of wars,
threats and menaces. but it has been said
blessed are the peace-makers. and [ am
one of them. This original bill reads that
the Governor is hereby authorized and d.
rected to appoint, organize and equip it is
not left discretionary with him even,
whether he thinks it necessary or not, that
he shall equip them and put them on a
war footing. [ do not consider this neces-
sary. I will reiterate what / said, several
days ago, there are not five respectable
white men in the county of Franklin, who
voted the republican ticket. Let this bill
become law, and there are Lot ten white
men in said county who Will go into the
militia. What will be the result Will not
the passage of this bill bring about the re-
suit that you are seeking to avert ? The
whites of Franklin county do not sympa-
thize with me politically on the contrary
are bitter the other way, yet there was not
a solitary breach of the peace during the
canvass or at the polls.


Mr.. Wynne continued for some time, in
an able opposition to the measure.


Mr. Cook stated that he had been inform
ed that Senator on this floor, who was
opposing this measure. had been assailed
and fed before a mob in Louisburg, Frank
lin County.


Mr.. Wynne Do you allude to me sir 1?


Mr.. Cook [ did not call any name.


Mr.. Wynne Mr.. President, allow me to
say that the statement is a lie.


Mr.. Winstead was opposed to re-consid
ering the vote. Why reconsider It is
evident to Senators on this floor that it
cannot pass, and it should not pass. [ do
not desire Republicans to make any demon
stration of war.


Mr.. Lindsay was opposed to reconsidera-
ton. The opposite side talk about taking
up this bill now, and amending it so as to
make it more palatable to the people. Why
didn't they do it before :? They beg us to
give them more time, when they attempted d
to rush it through without giving US scarce
ly any warning. Mr.. Lindsay was earnest
and torcible in his remarks.


Mr.. Barrow opposed a reconsideration.
He said there could be no compromise be-
tween them. The original was for sus-
tanning this government by the bayonet,
the substitute by civil authority. He ap
pealed to Senators to stand to their posi-
tions and sustain the civil law. Vote
against reconsideration and the people
will stand by them.


Mr. Mclaughlin opposed the bill. He
knew Of no man who was disposed to throw
any impediment in the way of legal au-
thority. He had never drawn dlsunlon
breath or uttered disnnion sentiment
He fought secession from its infancy 70 its
death, and he was fighting Radicalism now
upon the same principle, and expected to
fight it until the day of his death. The
Senator from Currituck had said something
about certain men talking about war, who
had never smelt gun powder. He would
inform that Senator that he had served and
tonight under the old fac before the SeDa-
tor from Currituck was born.


Other Senators occupied time in discussing
the question.


On motion of Mr.. Barrow, the further
consideration of the matter was postponed
until Tuesday next at 10 o'clock, when the
question will recur on the motion to recon-
slider.


On motion the Senate adjourned.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE


BY UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.


SATURDAY, August s, 1868.


Mr.. Sinclair rose TO q DorSOnal eXDlaQl-