THE SENATE (Researcherd and Transcribed by Myrtle Norton Bridges - April 11, 2016
Raleigh Register, and North-Carolina Weekly Advertiser (Raleigh, North Carolina), Tuesday, December 02, 1800; Issue 59. (598 words) IN SENATE On the 21st inst. the Committee of Elections reported on the memorial of West Harris, of Montgomery county, praying that the seat of Thomas Blewitt, from that county, be vacated, made a report that the documents adduced in support of the said memorial were insufficient to vacate the seat of Mr.Blewitt. On the 25th the said committee reported on the memorial of Robert Webb, of the county of Richmond praying that the seat of Duncan M'Farland, from that county, be vacated, on the ground, that during the last war, he took an active part against his country with the enemies thereof. The committee state that no evidence had been adduced to them of weight in this case, except the deposition of a certain Jeffe Freeman, of Chesterfield county, South-Carolina, who deposed, that the day before the Tories, under the command of Colonels Fanning and M'Neill, plundered the town of Hillsborough, he was made prisoner and carried there; where, after staying four or five hours, they left that place carrying with them as captives, amongst others, Governor Burke and Colonel Pierce: That this deponent was with them till the second night: That whilst he was with them he frequently heard the name of M'Farland called: That the said M'Farland was a middling sturdy, fresh-looking man, had a good voice, and spoke free and bold, which made this deponent believe that he was a man in authority amongst them: He further deposeth, that he believes the said M'Farland, whom he saw with the Tories, who had taken the Governor and Col. Pierce whilst he was with them, is the same Duncan M'Farland of the said county of Richmond, and who offered as a candidate for a seat in the Senate at the last August election: Wherefore they recommend the consideration of the case to the House generally The depositions presented to the Senate respecting D.M'Farland's character and conduct in general were very numerous. On a motion being made the D. M'Farland vacate his seat, Mr. Gaston said, he had come to the House strongly prejudiced against Mr. M'Farland; but whatever might be his character, he must consider the depositions on thetable, except that of Freeman, perfectly unconnected with the question under consideration; and that even this deposition was such as by no means to authorise a decision in favour of the present motion. Mr. Gaston said he was determined to resist every attempt to establish precedents unwarranted by the constitutions and laws of his country, and therefore was most decidedly opposed to the motion.
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