THE IMPEACHMENT OF GOVERNOR HOLDEN.
A. D. 1870 TO 1872.
The election of 1870 resulted in a great triumph for the
people. Opponents of the administration were elected to the
Legislature in overwhelming majorities, and a determination to
bring Governor Holden to trial for his crimes against the
Constitution and liberties of the people was at once apparent.
2. Nothing can be more important; in a civilized government than
protection to the liberties of the people. Nothing is truer than
that "eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," Even in the
royal government of England, for more than two centuries the King
has had no power to deprive a citizen of the right to be heard in
the courts, when restrained by legal process or otherwise.
Neither there nor in America could anything but foreign invasion
or positive insurrection justify even Parliament or Congress in
suspending the right to this palladium of civil liberty.
3. Upon motion in the House of Representatives, the Legislature
having assembled, a committee was appointed to inquire into the
facts, and soon, articles of impeachment were presented to the
Senate, charging the Governor of the State with the commission of
"high crimes and misdemeanors."
1871.
4. By the terms of the State Constitution, this worked a
disability in Governor Holden; and Tod R. Caldwell, of Burke,
then Lieutenant-Governor, assumed control of the Executive
Department.
5. In a court of impeachment in North Carolina, when the Governor
is on trial, the Chief-Justice is the president of the body. The
members of the Senate are triers and the House of Representatives
act as prosecutors in behalf of the people, and a two-thirds vote
is required to convict.
6. Thus, with Judge Pearson presiding, there was a long and
deliberate examination as to the charges made against the Chief-
Magistrate of North Carolina. After hearing the testimony
presented both by the accusers and by the respondent, Governor
Holden was convicted of the charges made against him, deprived of
his office, and declared incapable of holding any further honor
or dignity in the State.
7. Such a trial has been seen but in this single instance in all
the history of the State, and it attracted considerable attention
in its progress. It involved great and important issues, and was
happily followed by peace and quiet in every portion of the
State.
8. After eight years' absence, a delegation was again seen in the
Federal capital representing the State of North Carolina in the
Congress of the United States. For two years past her members of
Congress had been allowed to participate in the national
legislation, and thus an ignominious disability had at last been
removed from her Federal relations. A mighty convulsion, that
had stirred the nation to its depths, was being slowly hushed
into calm by the adoption of wiser and more peaceful methods. A
broader nationality was coming alike to the Northern and Southern
people, and the wounds of the war were fast healing in the lapse
of time.
9. The census of 1870 showed vast improvement in many departments
of human industry. North Carolina, in the many alterations
wrought by the war, was learning the wisdom of diversifying the
pursuits of the people. Slowly public attention was being turned
to the opening of new industries. The Western North Carolina,
the Raleigh & Augusta and the Carolina Central Railroads were
opening up a new era in the history of such interests in the Old
North State.
10. With a greatly extended area of production in cotton, there
was, besides, an enormous addition, of railroad profits from the
increase both of travel and freights. As the railway lines
lengthened to the west, it was found that they would repay the
cost of construction, and each of the rival political parties
pledged itself to the completion of the great Western Road which
was to pierce the extreme mountain barriers and find outlets into
Tennessee, both at Ducktown and the Warm Springs, in Madison
county.
11. Slowly this great dream of the wise men of the past
approaches the day of its accomplishment. A half century has
gone by since Dr. Joseph Caldwell and Governor Dudley first
impressed this scheme upon the public mind as a work of the
future.
QUESTIONS.
1. What was the result of the election of 1870? Upon what was
the Legislature determined?
2. Can you tell what is said about protection of the liberties of
the people?
3. What was done by the House of Representatives?
4. How did these charges affect the Governor? Who assumed
control of the Executive Department?
5. Who constitutes a court of impeachment in North Carolina, and
what vote does it take to convict?
6. Who presided at the trial of Governor Holden? How did the
trial terminate? What was the punishment?
7. What is said of this great trial? What did it involve? By
what was it followed?
8. What political changes were seen at Washington City? How was
the condition becoming better?
9. What is said of industrial pursuits in North Carolina? Of
railroads? Can you trace the route of these railroads on the
map?
10. How was the State being agitated upon the question of
internal improvements?
11. What is said of the accomplishment of these improvements?
How long has it been since this scheme was impressed upon the
public?