| 78th North Carolina General Assembly (18681869) | |
| Term: | 18681869 |
| Membership1: | 43 Senators |
| Control1: | Republican |
| Chamber1 Leader1 Type: | Lieutenant Governor/President of the Senate |
| Chamber1 Leader2 Type: | President pro tem |
| Chamber1 Leader3 Type: | Clerk |
| Chamber1 Leader3: | T. A. Brynes |
| Chamber1 Leader4 Type: | Clerk pro tem |
| Chamber1 Leader4: | William M. Barrow |
| Chamber1 Leader5 Type: | Doorkeeper |
| Chamber1 Leader5: | J. T. Ball |
| Membership2: | 120 Delegates |
| Control2: | Republican |
| Chamber2 Leader1 Type: | Speaker |
| Chamber2 Leader3 Type: | Clerk |
| Chamber2 Leader3: | John H. Bonner |
| Chamber2 Leader2 Type: | Speaker pro tem |
| Chamber2 Leader2: | Jacob W. Bowman |
| Chamber2 Leader4 Type: | Doorkeeper |
| Chamber2 Leader5 Type: | Assistant Doorkeeper |
| Session1 Start: | November 16, 1868 |
| Session1 End: | April 12, 1869 |
| Session2 Start: | July 1, 1868 |
| Session2 End: | August 24, 1868 |
The North Carolina General Assembly of 18681869 met in Raleigh from November 16, 1868, to April 12, 1869, with a special session from July 1, 1868, to August 24, 1868. This was the first assembly to meet after the approval of the new Constitution of North Carolina in 1868. As prescribed in this constitution, the assembly consisted of the 120 members in the North Carolina House of Representatives and 43 senators in the North Carolina Senate elected by the voters on August 6, 1868. This assembly was in control of the Republican Party and was dominated by reconstruction era politics.[1] [2] [3] [4]
The Constitution of North Carolina was rewritten at the North Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1868, which met in Raleigh from January 14 to March 17, 1868. The House of Commons was renamed the House of Representatives. The new constitution spelled out that the legislature would convene annually on the third Monday in November. The number of senators was set as 50. There would be one or two senators for each district composed of one or more counties. The boundaries of the districts would be re-evaluated in 1871 after the federal census. A state census was required every 10 years, beginning in 1875. This census would be used to re-evaluate the districts, so that an approximate equal number of residents would be included in each district. The House of Representatives was set at 120 members. Each county would have at least one representative and some counties would have up to four representatives, based on population. The population would not include non-taxed Indians or aliens. Elections would be held the first Thursday of August. The terms of the members of the house and senate would commence when elected and continue till the next election.[5]
The lieutenant governor was designated as the President of the Senate, albeit without a vote unless there was a tie vote. A president pro temp would be elected by the senators to serve in the absence of the lieutenant governor.[6]
The 1868 Constitution included provisions to establish public education for the first time, prohibit slavery, and adopt universal suffrage. It also provided for public welfare institutions for the first time: orphanages, public charities and a penitentiary.[7]
In January 1868, at the same time as the Constitutional Convention, a Black Caucus came together in Raleigh. Many of these members would be elected to the 1860 General Assembly.[8]
In April 1868, voters of North Carolina ratified the new constitution.[9]
This assembly met in regular session from November 16, 1868, to April 12, 1869. They met in an extra session from July 1, 1868, to August 24, 1868. The assembly ratified the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as required by the United States Congress, on July 4, 1868. Ratification of the Fourteenth amendment readmitted North Carolina to the United States. This assembly also ratified the Fifteenth Amendment. In anticipation of readmission to the U.S. Congress, on June 25, 1868, the assembly elected John Pool of Elizabeth City and Joseph Carter Abbott of Wilmington to the United States Senate. The state's first public school systems, one for blacks and one for whites, was created by this assembly. Funding for the first state penitentiary, Central Prison was authorized by this legislature.
Every Southern state subsidized railroads, which modernizers believed could haul the South out of isolation and poverty. Millions of dollars in bonds and subsidies were fraudulently pocketed. One ring in North Carolina spent $200,000 in bribing the legislature and obtained millions in state money for its railroads. Instead of building new track, however, it used the funds to speculate in bonds, reward friends with extravagant fees, and enjoy lavish trips to Europe.[10]
For additional details on legislation, see Legislative Documents.
This was the first assembly that Blacks were represented in the assembly, including three Black senators and 18 representatives in the House of Representatives.
The House of Representative delegates elected a speaker (Joseph W. Holden, William A. Moore), clerk, assistant clerk (John H. Boner), doorkeeper, and assistant doorkeeper. Alleghany, Clay, Mitchell, Polk, Transylvania, and Wilson counties sent delegates to the assembly for the first time. The following delegates to the House of Representatives were elected by the voters of North Carolina to represent each county and district:[11]
| County | No of County Delegates | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance | 1 | data-sort-value="Moore, John A." | John A. Moore | |
| Alexander | 1 | data-sort-value="Matheson, Robert P." | Robert P. Matheson | |
| Alleghany | 1 | data-sort-value="Smith, John L." | John L. Smith | |
| Anson | 1 | data-sort-value="Ingram, D." | D. Ingram | |
| Ashe | 1 | data-sort-value="Carson, Matthew" | Matthew Carson | |
| Beaufort | 1 | data-sort-value="Stilley, Hiram E." | Hiram E. Stilley | |
| Bertie | 1 | data-sort-value="Robbins, Parker David" | Parker David Robbins[12] | |
| Bladen | 1 | data-sort-value="Foster, F.W." | F. W. Foster | |
| Brunswick | 1 | data-sort-value="Morrell, B.T." | B. T. Morrell | |
| Buncombe | 1 | data-sort-value="Candler, William" | William Gaston Candler | |
| Burke | 1 | data-sort-value="Sudderth, John R." | John R. Sudderth | |
| Cabarrus | 1 | data-sort-value="Gibson, John P." | John P. Gibson | |
| Caldwell | 1 | data-sort-value="Harper, James C." | James C. Harper[13] | |
| Caldwell | 1 | data-sort-value="Malone, W. H." | W. H. Malone[14] | |
| Camden | 1 | data-sort-value="Ferebee, W.B." | W. B. Ferebee | |
| Carteret | 1 | data-sort-value="Davis, Joel Henry" | Joel Henry Davis | |
| Caswell | 2 | data-sort-value="Long, William" | William Long[15] | |
| Caswell | 2 | data-sort-value="Cary, Wilson " | Wilson Cary[16] | |
| Caswell | 2 | data-sort-value="Hodnett, Philip " | Philip Hodnett | |
| Catawba | 1 | data-sort-value="Ellis, James R." | James R. Ellis | |
| Chatham | 2 | data-sort-value="Gunter, William T." | William T. Gunter | |
| Chatham | 2 | data-sort-value="Long, James B." | James B. Long | |
| Cherokee | 1 | data-sort-value="Simonds, J.R." | J. R. Simonds | |
| Chowan | 1 | data-sort-value="Moore, William A." | William A. Moore | |
| Clay | 1 | data-sort-value="Hicks, John O." | John O. Hicks | |
| Cleveland | 1 | data-sort-value="Durham, Plato D" | Plato Durham | |
| Columbus | 2 | data-sort-value="High, Daniel P." | Daniel P. High | |
| Craven | 3 | data-sort-value="Morris, B.W." | B.W. Morris | |
| Craven | 3 | data-sort-value="Seymour, Augustus S." | Augustus S. Seymour | |
| Craven | 3 | data-sort-value="Stevens, A. W." | A. W. Stevens | |
| Cumberland | 2 | data-sort-value="Leary, John S." | John S. Leary | |
| Cumberland | 2 | data-sort-value="Sweat, Isham " | Isham Sweat | |
| Currituck | 1 | data-sort-value="Humphries, Thomas C." | Thomas C. Humphries | |
| Davidson | 2 | data-sort-value="Kinney, George " | George Kinney | |
| Davidson | 2 | data-sort-value="Mendenhall, Jabez Mendenhall" | Jabez Mendenhall | |
| Davie | 1 | data-sort-value="Kelley, James A." | James A. Kelley | |
| Duplin | 2 | data-sort-value="Armstrong, N.E." | N. E. Armstrong | |
| Duplin | 2 | data-sort-value="Kelly, Isaac B." | Isaac B. Kelly | |
| Edgecombe | 2 | data-sort-value="Cherry, Henry C." | Henry C. Cherry | |
| Edgecombe | 2 | data-sort-value="Peck, George " | George Peck | |
| Forsyth | 1 | data-sort-value="Vest, John P." | John P. Vest | |
| Franklin | 2 | data-sort-value="Harris, James T." | James T. Harris | |
| Franklin | 2 | data-sort-value="Williamson, John H." | John H. Williamson | |
| Gaston | 1 | data-sort-value="Hoffman, Jonas H" | Jonas Hoffman | |
| Gates | 1 | data-sort-value="Gatling, John Gatling" | John Gatling | |
| Granville | 3 | data-sort-value="Crawford, A.A." | A. A. Crawford | |
| Granville | 3 | data-sort-value="Mayo, Cuffie " | Cuffie Mayo | |
| Granville | 3 | data-sort-value="Ragland, J. W." | J. W. Ragland | |
| Greene | 1 | data-sort-value="Dixon, Joseph " | Joseph Dixon | |
| Guilford | 2 | data-sort-value="Hodgin, David H" | David Hodgin | |
| Guilford | 2 | data-sort-value=" Horney, Stephen G." | Stephen G. Horney | |
| Halifax | 3 | data-sort-value="Hayes, H.T. J." | H. T. J. Hayes | |
| Halifax | 3 | data-sort-value="Hutchings, Ivey" | Ivey Hutchings | |
| Halifax | 3 | data-sort-value="Renfrow, John H." | John H. Renfrow | |
| Harnett | 1 | data-sort-value="Stewart, Neill S." | Neill S. Stewart[17] | |
| Harnett | 1 | data-sort-value="Williams, B. C." | B. C. Williams[18] | |
| Haywood | 1 | data-sort-value="Brown, Walter " | Walter Brown[19] | |
| Haywood | 1 | data-sort-value="Welch, W. P." | W. P. Welch | |
| Henderson | 1 | data-sort-value="Justus, W.D." | W. D. Justus | |
| Hertford | 1 | data-sort-value="Snipes, Thomas " | Thomas Snipes | |
| Hyde | 1 | data-sort-value="Farrow, Tillman" | Tillman Farrow | |
| Iredell | 2 | data-sort-value="Davidson, George " | George Davidson | |
| Iredell | 2 | data-sort-value="Nicholson, T. A." | T. A. Nicholson | |
| Jackson | 1 | data-sort-value="Keener, Joseph " | Joseph Keener[20] | |
| Jackson | 1 | data-sort-value="Painter,E. M." | E. M. Painter[21] | |
| Johnston | 2 | data-sort-value="Hinnant, B.R." | B. R. Hinnant | |
| Johnston | 2 | data-sort-value="Pou, Edward W." | Edward W. Pou | |
| Jones | 1 | data-sort-value="Wilkie, L.D." | L. D. Wilkie | |
| Lenoir | 1 | data-sort-value="Ames, Wallace" | Wallace Ames | |
| Lincoln | 1 | data-sort-value="Wiswall, A.C." | A. C. Wiswall | |
| Macon | 1 | data-sort-value="Robinson, James L." | James L. Robinson | |
| Madison | 1 | data-sort-value="Gahagan, George W." | George W. Gahagan | |
| Martin | 1 | data-sort-value="Smith, Jesse J." | Jesse J. Smith | |
| McDowell | 1 | data-sort-value="Gilbert, W.W." | W. W. Gilbert | |
| Mecklenburg | 2 | data-sort-value="Grier, W." | W. Grier | |
| Mecklenburg | 2 | data-sort-value=" Whitley, Robert D." | Robert D. Whitley | |
| Mitchell | 1 | data-sort-value="Bowman, Jacob W." | Jacob W. Bowman | |
| Montgomery | 1 | data-sort-value="Graham, George A." | George A. Graham | |
| Moore | 1 | data-sort-value="Kelly, Abel" | Abel Kelly | |
| Nash | 1 | data-sort-value="Boddie, William W." | William W. Boddie | |
| New Hanover | 3 | data-sort-value="Abbott, Joseph C." | Joseph C. Abbott[22] | |
| New Hanover | 3 | data-sort-value=" French, George Z." | George Z. French | |
| New Hanover | 3 | data-sort-value="Estes, Llewellen G." | Llewellen G. Estes[23] | |
| New Hanover | 3 | data-sort-value="Parker, R. C." | R. C. Parker[24] | |
| New Hanover | 3 | data-sort-value="Eagles, John S. W." | John S. W. Eagles | |
| New Hanover | 3 | data-sort-value="Price, George W." | George W. Price | |
| Northampton | 2 | data-sort-value="Parker, Roswell C." | Roswell C. Parker | |
| Northampton | 2 | data-sort-value="Reynolds, John T." | John T. Reynolds | |
| Onslow | 1 | data-sort-value="Thompson, Franklin" | Franklin Thompson | |
| Orange | 2 | data-sort-value="Allison, J.J." | J.J. Allison[25] | |
| Orange | 2 | data-sort-value="Argo, Thomas M." | Thomas M. Argo[26] | |
| Orange | 2 | data-sort-value="Strudwick, Frederick N." | Frederick N. Strudwick | |
| Pasquotank | 1 | data-sort-value="Sykes, Thomas A." | Thomas A. Sykes | |
| Perquimans | 1 | data-sort-value="White, Jeptha " | Jeptha White | |
| Person | 1 | data-sort-value="Barnett, Samuel C." | Samuel C. Barnett | |
| Pitt | 2 | data-sort-value="Laflin, Byron" | Byron Laflin | |
| Pitt | 2 | data-sort-value="Short, Richard" | Richard Short | |
| Polk | 1 | data-sort-value="Waldrop, Ashbury" | Ashbury Waldrop | |
| Randolph | 2 | data-sort-value="Ashworth, Joel" | Joel Ashworth | |
| Randolph | 2 | data-sort-value="Blair, E. T." | E. T. Blair | |
| Richmond | 1 | data-sort-value="Long, Richmond T." | Richmond T. Long | |
| Robeson | 2 | data-sort-value="Proctor, Edward K." | Edward K. Proctor | |
| Robeson | 2 | data-sort-value="Sinclair, James" | James Sinclair | |
| Rockingham | 2 | data-sort-value="Barnes, Henry B." | Henry Barnes | |
| Rockingham | 2 | data-sort-value="Ellington, D. S." | D. S. Ellington | |
| Rowan | 2 | data-sort-value="Hawkins, Joseph " | Joseph Hawkins | |
| Rowan | 2 | data-sort-value=" Shaver, Isaac M." | Isaac M. Shaver | |
| Rutherford | 1 | data-sort-value="Justice, James M." | James M. Justice | |
| Sampson | 1 | data-sort-value="Williams, John C." | John C. Williams | |
| Stanly | 1 | data-sort-value="Green, Lafayette" | Lafayette Green | |
| Stokes | 1 | data-sort-value="McCanless, W.W." | W. W. McCanless | |
| Surry | 1 | data-sort-value="Hendricks, A.L." | A. L. Hendricks | |
| Transylvania | 1 | data-sort-value="Clayton, James W." | James W. Clayton | |
| Tyrrell | 1 | data-sort-value="Jarvis, Thomas Jordan" | Thomas Jordan Jarvis | |
| Union | 1 | data-sort-value="Downing, Hugh" | Hugh Downing | |
| Wake | 4 | data-sort-value="Holden, Joseph W." | Joseph W. Holden | |
| Wake | 4 | data-sort-value="Franklin, Stokes D." | Stokes D. Franklin | |
| Wake | 4 | data-sort-value="Moring, Fielding G." | Fielding G. Moring | |
| Wake | 4 | data-sort-value="Harris, James H." | James H. Harris | |
| Warren | 2 | data-sort-value="Cawthorn, William" | William Cawthorn | |
| Warren | 2 | data-sort-value="Falkner, Richard" | Richard Falkner | |
| Washington | 1 | data-sort-value="Rea, James J." | James J. Rea | |
| Watauga | 1 | data-sort-value="Banner, Lewis B." | Lewis B. Banner | |
| Wayne | 2 | data-sort-value="Person, John T." | John T. Person | |
| Wayne | 2 | data-sort-value="Smith, D. E." | D. E. Smith | |
| Wilkes | 1 | data-sort-value="Segrist, William B." | William B. Segrist | |
| Wilson | 1 | data-sort-value="Stanton, George W." | George W. Stanton | |
| Yadkin | 1 | data-sort-value="Vestal, J.M." | J. M. Vestal | |
| Yancey | 1 | data-sort-value="Proffitt, David P." | David Proffitt |
The lieutenant governor, Tod Robinson Caldwell, served as president of the Senate when it was in session. The senators elected a president pro tem (Charles S. Winstead), clerk (T. A. Brynes), assistant clerk (William M. Barrow), doorkeeper (J. T. Ball), and assistant doorkeeper (Francis W. Gibble). The following senators were elected by the voters of North Carolina to represent the numbered districts:[27]
| District | Counties | Senator | Home County | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Pasquotank, Perquimans | data-sort-value="White, Elihua A." | Elihu A. White | Perquimans | |
| 1 | Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Pasquotank, Perquimans | data-sort-value="Etheridge, Josepha W." | Joseph W. Etheridge | Currituck | |
| 2 | Martin, Tyrrell, Washington | data-sort-value="Martindale, Franklina G." | Franklin G. Martindale | Martin | |
| 3 | Beaufort, Hyde | data-sort-value="Respess, J. B." | J.B. Respess | Beaufort | |
| 4 | Northampton | data-sort-value="Barrow, William " | William Barrow | Northampton | |
| 5 | Bertie, Hertford | data-sort-value="Beasley, Jamesa W." | James W. Beasley | Bertie | |
| 6 | Halifax | data-sort-value="Epps, Henry" | Henry Epps | Halifax | |
| 7 | Edgecombe | data-sort-value="Bellamy, N. B." | N.B. Bellamy | Edgecombe | |
| 8 | Pitt | data-sort-value="Cherry, W. A." | W.A. Cherry | Pitt | |
| 9 | Nash, Wilson | data-sort-value="Barnes, Joshuaa Joshua B" | Joshua Barnes | Wilson | |
| 10 | Carteret, Craven | data-sort-value="Moore, W. A." | W.A. Moore | Carteret | |
| 10 | Carteret, Craven | data-sort-value="Sweet, W. S." | W.H.S. Sweet | Craven | |
| 11 | Jones, Lenoir | data-sort-value="Colgrove, D. D." | D.D. Colgrove | Jones | |
| 12 | Duplin, Onslow | data-sort-value="Allen, Williama A." | William A. Allen | Duplin | |
| 13 | Brunswick, New Hanover | data-sort-value="Galloway, Abraham H." | Abraham H. Galloway | New Hanover | |
| 13 | Brunswick, New Hanover | data-sort-value="Legg, Edwin" | Edwin Legg | Brunswick | |
| 14 | Bladen, Columbus | data-sort-value="Purdie, Johna W." | John W. Purdie | Bladen | |
| 15 | Robeson | data-sort-value="Hayes, O. S." | O.S. Hayes | Robeson | |
| 16 | Cumberland, Harnett, Sampson | data-sort-value="Harrington, Jamesa S." | James S. Harrington | Harnett | |
| 16 | Cumberland, Harnett, Sampson | data-sort-value="Hall, L. D." | L.D. Hall | Cumberland | |
| 17 | Johnston | data-sort-value="Cook, J. B." | J.B. Cook | Johnston | |
| 18 | Greene, Wayne | data-sort-value="Brogden, Curtisa H." | Curtis H. Brogden | Wayne | |
| 19 | Franklin, Wake | data-sort-value="Wynne, R. I." | R.I. Wynne | Wake | |
| 19 | Franklin, Wake | data-sort-value="Jones, Willie D." | Willie D. Jones | Wake | |
| 20 | Warren | data-sort-value="Hyman, John Adams" | John Adams Hyman | Warren | |
| 21 | Granville, Person | data-sort-value="Winstead, C. S." | Charles S. Winstead | Person | |
| 21 | Granville, Person | data-sort-value="Lassiter, R. W." | R.W. Lassiter | Granville | |
| 22 | Orange | data-sort-value="Turner, Josiah, Jr." | Josiah Turner, Jr. | Orange | |
| 23 | Chatham | data-sort-value="Burns, Silas" | Silas Burns | Chatham | |
| 24 | Caswell | data-sort-value="Brown, Bedford " | Bedford Brown | Caswell | |
| 25 | Rockingham | data-sort-value="Lindsay, Johna M." | John M. Lindsay | Rockingham | |
| 26 | Alamance, Guilford | data-sort-value="Welker, G. W." | G.W. Welker | Guilford | |
| 26 | Alamance, Guilford | data-sort-value="Shoffner, T. M." | T.M. Shoffner | Alamance | |
| 27 | Montgomery, Randolph | data-sort-value="Davis, John H." | John H. Davis | Montgomery | |
| 28 | Moore, Richmond | data-sort-value="Richardson, Williama B." | William B. Richardson | Moore | |
| 29 | Anson, Union | data-sort-value="Beeman, P. T." | P.T. Beeman | Anson | |
| 30 | Mecklenburg | data-sort-value="Osborne, James W." | James W. Osborne | Mecklenburg | |
| 31 | Cabarrus, Stanly | data-sort-value="Melchor, Christopher" | Christopher Melchor | Cabarrus | |
| 32 | Davie, Rowan | data-sort-value="Robbins, W. M." | W.M. Robbins | Rowan | |
| 33 | Davidson | data-sort-value="Long, P. A." | P.A. Long | Davidson | |
| 34 | Forsyth, Stokes | data-sort-value="Wilson, Peter A." | Peter A. Wilson | Forsyth | |
| 35 | Surry, Yadkin | data-sort-value="Forkner, Samuel" | Samuel Forkner | Surry | |
| 36 | Alexander, Iredell | data-sort-value="McLaughlin, J. H." | J.H. McLaughlin | Iredell | |
| 37 | Catawba, Gaston, Lincoln | data-sort-value="Mason, Lawson A." | Lawson A. Mason | Gaston | |
| 38 | Cleveland, Polk, Rutherford | data-sort-value="Eaves, J. B." | J.B. Eaves | Rutherford | |
| 39 | Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes | data-sort-value="Smith, Samuel P." | Samuel P. Smith | Wilkes | |
| 40 | Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania | data-sort-value="Blythe, James" | James Blythe | Henderson | |
| 41 | Burke, Caldwell, Watauga | data-sort-value="Jones, Edmund W." | Edmund W. Jones | Caldwell | |
| 42 | Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey | data-sort-value="Moore, William M." | William M. Moore | Yancey | |
| 43 | Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Jackson, Macon | data-sort-value="Love, W. Levi" | W. Levi Love | Macon |