556 



KOETH CAKOLINA. 



illustrated in the series of resolutions which 

 follow. These were not adopted by a ma- 

 jority of either House. 



The General Assembly of North Carolina do resolve : 

 1. That we recognize the radical distinctions of color, 

 blood, physicial form, and peculiarities of intellect, 

 between the white and negro races, and all efforts to 

 destroy or abridge these distinctions are crimes not 

 only against society and civilization, but against God 

 himself. 



2. That the common rule, as well as the experience 

 of mankind, proves that the white race is superior to 

 the negro, in physical and intellectual endowment, 

 and that civilization and its future successful progress 

 are safe only in the hands of the white race. 



3. That the governments of the United States and 

 of the several States were instituted by white men, 

 have been administered by white men, and ought to 

 be administered by white men, forever hereafter. 



4. That it is the duty of this and all future General 

 Assemblies of North Carolina so to shape their le- 

 gislation as to secure the rights of life, property, and 

 liberty, to all -men residing in the State, without re- 

 gard to race, former condition or color, but at the 

 same tune to recognize the natural distinctions of 

 race. 



5. That, in carrying out their purposes, it is the duty 

 of this General Assembly, in providing for the estab- 

 lishment of a system of common schools for public 

 instruction, to provide especially for the education of 

 white children in schools separate from those pro- 

 vided for negro children. 



6. That, in forming a militia system, special provi- 

 sion shall be made for organizing the white militia 

 from the negro militia. 



7. That stringent provision shall be made, by ap- 

 propriate legislation, to prevent the intermarriage 

 of the white and negro races in this State, and to 

 punish the crime of miscegenation. 



8. That these resolutions embody principles and a 

 course of policy vital to the interests of the people of 

 this State and of the whole Union, as well as to the 

 interests of enlightened civilization and good and 

 stable government, and all efforts to avoid or prevent 

 a free, fair, and candid expression of opinion touch- 

 ing these principles ought to be, and will be, regarded 

 as unfriendly to the well-being of society. 



The subject of a system of public education 

 occupied considerable attention, but nothing 

 more was done than to adopt a resolution in- 

 structing the Board of Education to prepare 

 and report a plan and code of laws for the " or- 

 ganization, government, etc., of the public free 

 schools." 



The following are the leading provisions of 

 the militia act : 



Every person liable, is required to serve, un- 

 less he pays a yearly contribution of two dol- 

 lars, or is exempted under the certificate of a 

 physician. 



The Governor appoints and commissions all 

 officers. 



The white and colored militia are to be en- 

 rolled in separate companies, and "never be 

 compelled to serve in the same companies." 



The Governor is authorized to organize six 

 regiments of infantry, three battalions of caval- 

 ry, and one battery of artillery, to be appor- 

 tioned to three divisions into which the State 

 may be divided, each to constitute a major- 

 general's department. 



The Governor has authority to request any 

 five justices in a county to direct the colonel 



commanding therein to detail a " sufficient force 

 to preserve the peace and enforce the laws." 



" No man shall be an officer or private in the 

 detailed militia unless he be an elector of the 

 State, and first take and subscribe the consti- 

 tutional oath of office." 



"The said detailed militia shall be under the 

 command of the Governor and be subject to his 

 orders, and may be sent to any portion of the 

 State by him." 



"Any officer of said detailed militia shall 

 have power, and it shall be his duty, to use 

 such force as may be necessary, to overcome 

 resistance, in quelling riots or making arrests, 

 and not otherwise." 



" The white and colored members of the de- 

 tailed militia shall not be compelled to serve in 

 the same sections." 



SECTION 22. The detailed militia organized under 

 the provisions of this act shall not be used on any oc- 

 casion or under any pretext for any other purpose 

 than to execute the laws and to suppress resistance 

 to the same, and it may be called upon by any peace 

 officer for that purpose. And in case it be called into 

 service to preserve the peace in any election, the 

 force shall be used to secure a fair and untrammeled 

 vote of all electors without regard to their political 

 opinions, and no member of the force shall, while on 

 active duty, be allowed to endeavor to influence the 

 vote of any citizen, and any one offending against 

 the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of 

 a misdemeanor, and, on indictment and conviction 

 before any Superior Court, shall be fined or impris- 

 oned, at the discretion of the Court, and shall forfeit 

 any office or position that he may then hold under 

 the laws of this State. Every justice of the peace or 

 other peace-officer shall cause all offenders against 

 this act to be immediately arrested, and held to bail 

 to appear before the next succeeding Superior Court 

 of the County to answer such charge. 



The registration act regulates the appoint- 

 ment of registrars and judges of election, and 

 gives explicit directions regarding the methods 

 of proceeding. The following are the most im- 

 portant sections: 



SECTION 6. Every male person born in the United 

 States, and any male person who has been natural- 

 ized, twenty-one years old or upwards, who shall 

 have resided in the State twelve months next preced- 

 ing the election, and thirty days in the county in 

 which he offers to vote, shall be deemed an elector, 

 and shall be entitled to registration upon application. 



SEC. 7. Except in cases provided for in section 

 eleven, of this act, no person shall be allowed to vote 

 at any election unless his name shall be found upon 

 the registration books of the precinct in which he 

 offers to vote, unless he shall take and subscribe the 



following oath : " I, , do solemnly swear (or 



affirm) that I will support and maintain the Consti- 

 tution and laws of the United States, and the consti- 

 tution and laws of North Carolina not inconsistent 

 therewith ; that I have been a resident in the State 

 of North Carolina for twelve months, and in the. 



county of for thirty days, and that I have 



neither registered nor voted during this election in 

 any other precinct.' ' Such person, having taken this 

 oath, shall thereupon be registered. 



SEC. 8. It shall be the duty of the judge of elections 

 to keep the registration books for their precinct at 

 the place of holding the election during the day of 

 such election, and to register therein the name of any 

 legal voter, first administering the oath as provided 

 in the last section, before receiving the vote of any 

 elector not previously registered. 



