Newspapers / Fayetteville Observer [Semi-Weekly, 1851-1865] … / Jan. 6, 1859, edition 1 / Page 2
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•fw Business before tije Leotslature.—Re port o/1 fie ('omwiaxioners of the Sinhhi^ Fund. —At the liut‘session of the Lopalaturc, Judjre Ruffiii, Hon. I>avid L. Swain, and Hon. Weldon N. Edwards were appointed Comuiiasioners of the Sinking Fund, to cr^eate which there were apprt)- priated the dividends on railroad, turr\jiike, plank road and navijratiort stocks owned by the State. The tirst Report of the Board, dated 1 ftli, IVc., is an intji^resiting docuuieut of 10 paj^es. The receipts of the lioard have been 81^*0, viz: two dividends of the Raleigh A Gaston ro;d, 929,*2o0 each, and of interest on State bonds purchased with tho receipts, 'fhc entire n-ceipts (except a balance in hanl of ?2S;».) wore itmi-^ted, in State bon^s liaving years to run, of wliieh 8(>8,0O0 were pureha.sed at a cost oJ'SliO.lOo. The following is of so groat general iut*“rest as to demand insertion in the Observer:— a third is, that periodical purchases of the bonds by the comniissioners produces competition for them, and also withdraws considerable amounts from the market, so that.by both means the value of the stock will Be appreciated. It remains to l)e considered, what amount will fund, or the disjustrous couHequences of providing I none, or one,'which from its inadequacy and un- | certainty, is but little better than none., 'J'o the i undersigned the i’aith and credit of North Caro lina are very dear; but not more so, they arc sure, than to the (Jeneral A.ssembly. I'hey do not. and tending most probaldy Uj those fends, leaving | it'to the iitfgislature to adopt them, or in their wisdom to devise others which may apppoar more practfcal and suitable to the condition ofthec»)un- trv, and more etlective in the dischargt; of the debt ot the State.” “In obedieilto to the furthci- provision of tiie act, which*rtH|uire.s fli^oonimissioiiers ol the sink ing fund to-make “suck suggestittns as they deem best ior the increase of the fund and the jue.^erva- tion oi*lhe public credit,” the 'undersigned beg leave to submit the following observations, which, however, they do with diffidence, as the subject is one of di^cretion and appropriate for tlie Legisla ture itself: The undersigned take j>leasure in drawing the attention yf tlio (Jeneral .Vs.senibly, in thi tirst jilace. to the gratifying fact, that the stocks ol this State stand ils high as those of any other fkjuthern State, and it is believed, higher. 'I hey are nearly at ^>ar at home and in tli^; great n >rth- ern market's. That can arise only from eontidenee speak, witn j>rec see what additions may be made to the State debt either *at present or hereafter. lJut the principle is clear on whioh the iWea of this sinking fund ouiiht to be, and is ba.sed; whicii is, that a capital is to be crwited and fall into the sinking fund from year to year, which, by investment in 'interest- bearin>r Stocks, and by continued re-investments, u- . />•' of the interest, will at specitied j^teriods amount t) | '// t/m.s. 1*1 -.1 If -1 do. burnt l‘.*; do. e.xplosio an accumulated capital cMinal to nie debts oi the / i *i r * „ lv»: ' ... I, TV..1, -.11 , nuniK-r of lives lost bv tlKi.se liisa.sters, Ksti- i^tate to lall due at those periods. 1 hti &ums an- I i * i *i . cio>>i 11 .1 ....... . mated value ot iiToperty lost by the .same, b I,.»_4,- nuallv neces.sary tor that puriK,»se, nia\ he readil} , * i i * v i « >-. niHt 1 . „ c..«l, iHH). All avoraue to each l>oat ol about o-->,OUU. a.scertuned by anv person by cimiputation. Such j . • , i i • , ■ .•1**1 '* K. „-:fi, i {►iinii'r the ytTir some luindreds ol iTiinor acci- a sinking hind, created contemporaneous!} with r- . ,, ^ 1 , ,i_ (lents also occurred, mo.stly encounters with snags the authority to negotiate a loan, aiiords tlie best I , . , , , ,, , ,, i , i . i. Sieanib>atssiink, >ns !>. Ksfimatrf'd ruaranty t>f favorable terms in the negotiation; whi-h brok»' the hulls, ainl admitted water eiioiiuh ■ 1 1 . 1 ; . ,.v t to ( a naue the cartroes, but the boats were pre\eut- and, il raised, its stipulated, is the surest mode ol ' ■ , • i I, ax .... ‘ - > ' ed Ironi sinking by the active e.xt^rtions ot oHicers and crews. 'I lie amount of dama>:e by such acci- having in readiness at the day of payment the amount rtnjuired to make it. Ry thus dilhising through the whole term bifwecn tUe periods ol contnictinir and paying loans, the burden ot small annual contributions to the fund for tlie payment, that of vhe final lii|uidation is greatly lessened. The undersigned, therefore, would recommend in the strongest terms they are at liberty to use. that for the repayment of any loans, wiiich may for any purpo.'C lie authorized at the }ire.'>ent se.s- sion or any future se.ssions of the iiCgislature. a sinking fund may be created in the same statute adequate to the full di.scharge (d'thesum lK»rro\v- ed at the maturity of the ilebt, and that the faith in l.cr ability to pay and lu-r laiti, ii, (.ro- , ^ v,J>ni.. lor .he |,unMu»l ,»y.uent of the ,merest , „|-i, am'uully arni to a|.|.ro|.riat.' it upon her debt, as It may increase, ami 01 the prni- f n . » i i. ^ r. * . ^-1 - X- 1 ' callv to that purpose. 1 liat course iiiav also be cipal :it maturity, ^uch eontidenee is essential • i i .• i • • -i * n ‘i i ^ _ . i . , commended tor beiiiir. incuientallv, a wholesome to the credit of the State in respect either of her past or future loans, and it can be preserved only by the means which inspired it at Urst. tleuts, durint;’ l^^oS, would foot up about another millifUi of dollars. The miniber of deck-hands anl deck passengers oi’ ste:iniboats lost ov«'rboard :K cideiitally, on the .M i>sissi]>pl alone tills yi'ar, independent ot the two hundn'd and fil\y-iiine lost by accidents to the steamboats themselves, is not less than one thou sand. Arn'rn/s if Xi tr ) i>ri' Jroin Fi>ri'npt I^orfs i)i ls.‘>S.— i-'riixates 2; steaiiiers 'JlS; ships 7-8; barks 7-’>; briiis l,(l'^'2; schooners 785—total 8,4So— nil less than in l!^.’)?. The whole number ol' pa.s.sen^ers arrived from foreign )»orts for the year, are l*7,i8li; from ('ali- fornia —total —ilecrease .Murinf /.ir l.S;')X.—American ves.sels were lost in the past year. Valuation, ex clusive of cargoes, S1.47 I The Pecember losses were larirer than any other month: 87 vc.s- check «n hasty aitd imprudent e.vpcnditures and improvident loans. If this sugirestion ‘ihould 1 • , 1 • -j. ^ I. • i meet the favor of the iJeneral As.scniblv, the pav- The do not su,.,.o»e « to be r..,,,,- | ,,ill ^ij. ^ ^ '' 1 *1^ ^'*1 *^1* 1 eientlv iirovided lor; and it will remain onlv to ! '^els ol all classes, viz:—ships, 4 harks, 4 hrijrs, amount ot the several loans made by the Mate, • i ^ , . . ■ 1 .• • • X 1 consider ol a proper provision lor the existiiiir nor to their respective periods ot nuauritv because j . . , . ' / ' i /. 11 • .1 \ 1. - 1 *1,,, i tunded debts. As several years have elap.sed since some of those debts were contracted, the full information on those head^ is contained in the books of the I’ublic Treasurer, and in the reports of that officer to the l..egislature, it is, however, material to remark, that the agirregate of The \ari- ous debts is 8*),''7!*,o0o, and that there of will fall due in the next voar, and and lil schooners—valuation, exclusive of cargoes. ?r)8i,»,O0H. amount neces.sary to be raised annually is pro portioiiably larger than.if the process had been commenced earlier. That provided in the act of the last session, ereatimr the sinkinr fund, is lia- iwi-.i ■ 1 *1 . • i ble to the t\vo-lold objection of beinr inadeouate, thereol in the year l^hO; and that in the ve«r *. ■' . ' ,, TOO.) 1 • *^1 !• . iwvs. •* 1 ; as computation will V)rove, especially as .so small 1^83 and in each succeediiii; vcar to 1''^^ inclu- ‘ i • u • i • i , . X- II- 1 ' * n 1 1 a portion ot the stocks troni which it is derivetl sive, the amounts falling due will l*e so larj:e as . . * , . , . • to be much beyond the revenue which can be is productive; and. in tlie next place, of bein'; con tingent and uncertain. A sinking fund is reliable and effective tj the end {iroposed in its creation, only when it is, to some c»>nsiderable exti'iit at least, positively fixed in its amount, and the rais ing of it is made sure. Cajiitalists are sati.stied to make investments in pul.lic securities, and make them with eaueniess and to the credit and profit of the (Jovernnient, when the punctual payment t>f int*rest and principal is undoubtedly a.>«surcd by the public faith, and al.so by an actual pro vision of pecuniary means of a determinate and sufficient amount. They require to see such evi- raised in those year. by any .system of taxation that would not be injudicious and oppressive. It would be highly iniprovident to rely exclusively or mainly on new loans to suj.ply a «leticiency in the onlinary revenue to nuvt those payments. For besides the injurious burden of accumulating in debtedness, and the uncertainty of the money market at future and remote periods, there is al ways danger that a negligent and dilatory debtor, whether an individual or a government, will not be able to effect other large l(».ns, ^r, if* at all. can do so only on disadvantiigeous terms. Therefore, ; it is plainly the part of wisdom, and common foresight, to begin early to make sion for the payment of the principal, thouah due , at a di.stant day, as »ell a:, for the interest'inter-!;^ubject, the undersigned leeMxmnd, as j mediately. The creation of a sinking fund, as the f -suggestions m,uired of them, t.. recom- i means to' efiect such tinal pavinent: assures the -o.,,.....!, r-.,-. undersigned that the Legislature concurs with ^d hjr the ^>urpo-es ot the sinkin them in taking this view. To meet the sums due '“tion to Ttie prest^nt contingent in 1S51 and before specified, and any tem- 1 7’'“ sources enumerated in the act .f A.s.seiu- porarv loans to the treasury, or. a.s it is sometiiiies [ : rectinimtnd further, that the sum be levied in due prOjiortions by a tax on lands and on white and black ]>oIls. They are of* ttjtin- ioii, that a fund thus constituted will enalde them \>y the ]>urchases and exchanges of stocks, as be fore sujigested, to t^tke in all the existing de)»ts coinin': to maturity after the year l^^!0 up to the year l'‘7', without further aid from the treasury. Firis in t/ii f nifii/ .Stnfis for ISjiS.—2)j in November; loss .'?l’J,it.>4,l(lO. Less than in lS;j7 by ''.•• Ml. |[| this e.stimate all losses less than 61 •',>(••• are omitted. luii/r oi/ —()f a serious character ther»‘were in l''.’>s. l>y these ]»ersuns were s«‘riously injured. ;ind 1(8 killed. No uja- teii.ii variation from the previous year. fi\ riiKiii Iiiniiii/rutiDii.—Tile (German immi>rra- tion since I'-.'tJ has outnumltcred the Irish, and in 1''.^4 was more than twice as large. in less th;in eight years there have nearly StMtJKM) (ler- mans entered tin* j»ort of New York alone. ^'nlltornid iinhf f’roji.—It is stated that the amount of‘ trold shipped l>y steamers from .''an Francisco in was 71*,84 1, agaiii't 884,- in 1S")7. nifl'erence in favor of the past year ? 1 ,itr)*>,44M. Of the shipments of 1>^')7, indeed^ of ^ denee that the stocks will not depn-ciate on their , however, about ?l.tiMI,HilO was lost in the ('entral ake provi hands, but may be either held or disjtosed of at ' America, which is not included in the aggregate I. 1 their nominal value. After much con.-^ideration ' Jinitiunt for that year. fund porary called, the floating debt of the .''tate, there seems a probable necessity f»»r resortiug to new loans on long time. Indeed, that necessity will be certain, unless unexpected sums should be realized from other wmrces, as from *. bonus for bank charters, or some arrangement should be made with a new bank or banks for taking up the whole or a large part of these debts, as the sinking fund,'so recent- : ^ ^urplus then, which, by rej^ular accumu- ly established, is w^^olly inadequate to that pur- l»"inte.l out. will be pose. Rut by a Yeasonable income of that fund, 'ufhcieiii to j.ro\ide for the debt,-, due in !>>■. and judicious exchaage.s from tiuie to time with .»u j.»cquent jtiirs. I hat may depend ii Mie holders of the bonds which fall due between 1861 and lS7H inclusive, by giving for those bonds such others, held by the commissionei^ of the sink ing fund, gs are payabh* at later periods,'the bonds due in tlj^we years may be probably redeemed or got into the hands of the commissioners before or at their maturity. If it were practicable the Board would undoubtedly always take up their bonds which become due first; but it is not, be cause rtie holder.-f cannot jje coni[)elled n accept -payment before the bonds are payable, and because a losn of time in seeking such bonds for invest •8 in some degree on two circumstances: the one, the price the conimi.ssif)iiers may have to give for the stocks when appreciate*! in market by the oper ations of the .sinkinL' fund, a.s already explained; A* (/• Vnr/c S- htiuh.—TheSu]»erintendent’s annual report says that the whole number of scho lars in all the scIkmiIs is 18h,»7l?, and the average ;irten’ance 4H,172. At no precetling period have the ScnM)ls of the city, collectively considered, been ‘ . a more tlourishin>r condition. 'J'he finance comniitt*‘e in their annual report state that the sum total at the dispo>al of the board during the year was ^1 all of which had l*een ex- pcmled, remaining in bank. f inns ilistorii 'il Fart.— 1 hiring'the troubles in the rei'_'’ii of Charles I., a country girl came to London in .■search of a place :is a servant-maid; but not succeeding, she hired her.self to carry out betT from a brew-house, and was one of those called tiib-women. Tlie brewer observiiiir a good-l(M)k- ing girl in this low occupation, took her into his family as a .servant, and after a short time married her; but be diel w hile yet .she was a young woman anil left her the bulk of his fortune. The busi ness of the brewery was dropped, and the young and the f)ther, that more than is now expected , woman was rec(mimenled to .Nfr. Hyde :ls a skillful maybe derived from the contingent re.s..unes i lawyer to'arranirc her bu.band’s‘affairs. Hyde, ].rovided in the act, that is U> .say, the divi.lends ^ who was afterwards tlu^ great Karl of (’larendon’ b\ rou|^'and na\iiration companies, and the sale , finding tin* wi«low’s fortune verv consideraVile, of the stock of the State in those corp;rations. , 1,,.^ ( M’this marriage there was no other It iti jjrobaiile that those stocks will not lind pur- j issue than a daughter, who was af‘terwards the chasers at p.ir, at U'ast in anj rea.son.tbh“ time, i wile t>f dames 11., and mother of Marv anl Anne, and also that dividends may be received on some ; (jueens of Kntrland. ment, would nece.ssarily produce a loss of interest them, that may materially ail the sinking fund , and thereby impair the sinking fundand render it adef,uate in due time to meet the j -I /v/AW.—The Rostim Transcrij.t Therefore the Board deein»t it best to invest the difficulty in estima^ ; t'‘H tho following good story of an old federalist: fund, as received, in any of the bonds of the State, however di.stant the day of maturity, seeing that they can be yirobablT exchanged, as first suggest ed, without difficulty; since a well .secured six per cent, stock is more valuable as an investment in proportion to the lonrer number of years it has to run. The Roard proposes to make .such exchanges, for these reasons, and also liecau.se it is the most convenftMit i^ode, compatible with the accumula ing the probal?ility of that contingency, and it is ] A short time since, an elderly gentleman, whose huzanlous to rely on such an uncertain contingen- j niovements indicated that he was not an experi- cy. No evil will arise from j.lacing no reliance ! cnced traveler, was in the tlay train between Ros- on it fiTr the pn*.sent, or very little, and providinsr i ton and New York. After pa.ssinir Sprin^ifield, other resources in themselves adc(|uate, or nearly ! ami cro.S'ing the ('oiinecticut river, he made the adequate. For if the hope of protits from those intjuiry, whenever the cars stopped, “Is this llart- .«tocks should jirove delusive, the credit of the 1 tbrdy” At length that plea.saiit city was reachel. State would still be protected; and if it should be | ff'd tlie ik«-i;_dibors d‘ the old gentleman infbniH*d realized, the apjiiication of the wh(de fund thus ^ liii» d‘ the tact, presuming, iroiii tho inter(‘st he tiou of the sulking fund by Uay of inlerobt on its 'ficrea-sed, \\ould only purcha.se or pay the bonds ; had evinced about Hartford, that he intended to investnicnts for redeemin*^ t^ie stock.s earlii^.st due ' the State a little sooner. Or if the Li^^islature I ^top at that place, (q^uietly removing hi.s hat, he For tho.se debts will be'substantially redeemed, !fI fashioned federalist, and when got into the sinkiii'>- fund, to all intents, ex ! t''iug of .some of the bonds, or should wish at any ! wished to remain with liis head uncovered while cepting only, that after maturity the interest it willbecoin-I through Hartford, out of respect to the ought still ^j’be paid on them and’converted into 1political principles capital and re-invest«d in other bonds as a part of a certain and sufficient sum, and order the the sinking fund, so a.s to render il, by accumula- {‘'’'**'1'^^’’ the annual iticome of the fund, bey«md tion, finally adequate to the [layment of the whole that suni, to be repaid int> tlie public trea.sury as residue of the public debt. That the undersigned i ^ [•■'•ft ot the re\enue for the ordinary and current understand to have been the intention in the law | of government. It is much safer that creatin*; this fund. There are, indeed, various j sitiking fund should rather exceel its actual nece.ssities, according to an exact calculation (d‘ its possible accumulation, than fall short. For it maj be that investments cannot be made immediately after the income accrues, and a loss of interest a- ri.se for the time between the receipt and the in vestment, and to that extent reduce the fund be low what such a calculation wcmld show it ought to be. It is never to be forgotten, in c«msidering this subject, that the full payment of a public debt. modes of constituting such a fund and conducting its operations; but the act under consideration seems to imply plainly, that the duty of the commission ers is not to pay the debts as they shall fall due, so as h) extinguish them absolutely, but rather to invest all sums that may come in from any of the sources, specified in the statute, in securities bear ing interest and to re-invest interest received thereon in the like securities without delay, so as i by compound accretions to accumulate the fund as j becomes due, ought to be put beyond the means of ultimately paving the whole prinei- • |uestion or ca\ il. Fherefore the fund provid- pal ot the public delit, and couse.(juently, to pre- | that purpose ought to be both, certain and serve the sinking fund a.^ an integet, for the pur- j pose of paying the principal tinally. Supptising : It is, moreover, to con.stitut« a fund of that power of the Ijegislature, and it may please it to that they are already sutficiently burdened wdth make. The undersigned, however, conceive the ' taxation, and therefore not be inclined to increase policy of the act, as thus construed, to be sound, and that no change in that respect is nee4ed. Here it seems proper to state that as the act does not prescribe to the commissioners any sjiecial in- the taxes on them. On that point the undersigned do not presume to int?rpose. What they pro pose is, to devote the revenue raised from real estate and polls, (whatever it may be, within the vestments of the fund, but leaves that matter to j aum appropriated to the sinking fund,) to this their judgment, they deemed it best to make the ' purpose of paying the public debt, and let other investment in the bonds oi the State exclusively, j subjects of t;ixation be looked to for any deficiency althoujrh other securities, considered g(X)d, were j of the current revenue. That derived from land offered at low’er prices; and this for several reasons \ and polls fluctuates so little, that it can be esti- one is, that, as before mentioned, the purchase ; mated to a moral certainty for a series of years, of her bonds is virtually the payment of them, in i and thus would constitute that most valuable respect of the principal; a second is the material ■ characteristic of a sinking fund, namely, ita being consideration, that it tends to establish the credit ' permanent and not less than a fixed amount. It of the State, since it argues favorably for a debtor | is hardly possible to estimate too highly the ben to invest funds in hand in the debtor’s own obli-, eficial influence upon the credit and interests of gatious, not due, in prelerence to any others; and j the State which would result from such a sinking connected with the memorable conventi(jn held in that place December loth, 1S14.” Japaiirse Jlahifa.—“We have no idea (d‘ the sound common sense, and want of everything like pretension, peculiar to these people. Take the Kmperor himself, for instance. lie is, as you may suppose, very rich, and yet F am positive that liis table and clothing do not cost him S500 a year. Why, that sum would not more than pay for the gloves of a Rroadway dandy with us. You have dmbtless seen the thick, soft matting with which the flo(»rs of their houses are covered? \\ ell, the floors of the j;alace are covered in the same way, and this matting serves as the Em peror’s bed, as well as that of the poorest house serves jh the bed of his poorest subject. He stretches himself out, with a wooden pillow under his head, and sleeps a sleep rarely granted to his brother monarchs. To see a Japanese thus slec]iing, wdth his head abruptly raised five or six inches, you would predict a stiff neck or future spinal attection as a general result; and yet there is not a more healthy people living.” ^avul OjJicer's Ijrtter. SCOIVII ARGUMENT FOR MA’KUIAGE. Jenny is joor, and 1 am poor, ^ Yet we will wed—so, say no more! Anti should the hairnies to us come As few that wed but do have some No doubt that Heaven will stand our friend. And bread, as well as children, .send. So fare.s the hen in farmers yard; To live alone she finds it hard; • I've known her weary every claw In search of corn among the straw; But when in quest of nicest food. She chicks among her chirping brood. With joy we see the self-same hen That scratched for one. could scratch for ten. These are the thoughts that make me willing To take my girl without a shiUing; And tW the self-same cause, you see, Jenny resolved to marry me. EDUCATED FLEAS. Pas.sing up by 599 Broadway near Bleecker st., j last evening, our attention was arrested by a trans- , parency, upon which were depicted a number of j strange object.s, in shape and size not unlike rats, j engaged in tierce warfare with swords, and again j busy at pulling railway cars, and again tripping ■ upon the light fanta«tic toe. Curiosity prompt- ! ing us, we mounted the stairs and were bhi'wn into a small w^uare room, illuminated by gas, the win- j dow's being carefully clo.sed and drapel with black muslin to exclude the daylight. At one end of the r(H»m stands a counter, and uj*^>n. this cohnter are disjilayed about a dozen little toys—at least, such they appear at first to be—representing lit- ' tie villages, windmills, railways, landscapes, &c. These are the habitations and th(‘. spheres of duty | of a society of sixty small fleas. ' I*nd‘e.ssor Hartoletti, the great . floa ]iroprielor, , presides at this counter, and explains the varitjus flea feats exhibited. He first hands to the visiter a small microscope, seen through which, a minute flea becomes as larjre as a cockroach. The insect is fasteneil by a silver wire around his neck, like most ol his brethren in this exhibitiou, and spends his un!iap]>y existence in wriggling about. Every night he is relea.sed (an operation which re(|uires great care) and fed. 'J he unharnessing and feed ing d‘the members of this entonndogical trouite occupies some five hours, and as nineh time is oc- ; cupied the following morning in preparing tbt; members of the company for active service. After .sjitisfyiiig the eye with the microscope, the Piofe.ssor jiroceeds t«j exhibit the feats of the fleas. He holds a pair of pincers in his hand, with the mere clicking of which the insect is as familiar as a horse with the snapping of a whip. There is one flea who turns a windmill, by walk ing over a little cylinder, ami he dares lujt stoj» while bis master is near him. Another flea draws a railroad train of two hundred thou.sand times its own weight; another of aquatic tendenci»-s, serves as the motor to a steamboat; another pro pels a wheel-barrow with his head; and at a plea.s- ant rural retreat, we tind a number of indu.strioiis fleas, ready at the given click, to .set in motitn rotary swings and carousels. The belligerent as well as indu.strioiis propi.-nsi- ties of the performers are not forgotten, and near the miniature representation of the camp at Staten Island are a couple of these insects, in a pine thick et (the pines must be at least a tjuarter of an im h high), engaged in a tierce duel, bravely bramlish- itig with tiu-ir t»»re paws silver swords, consider ably longer than tbem.selves. .Sometimes the hon orable pair will become needle.ssly alarmed, sus pend hostilities and endeavor to take refuge in flight, thus confirming the scriptural a.'-sertion, “The wicked flee when no man j>ursucth; ' but they are unable to go very far, and at the s(.»und of the warning pincers’ click they rush with re newed vigor to the direful combat. Another scene represents an Itilian' landscape with an open air musical ami ballet performance. The flea orchestra is .seated iif a little balcony, the lejider wavinir his baton u In ./u//iin, whili- on a platform beneath, the entomological devo- i tees of Terpsichore indulire in the inspiring waltz j or exhilerating polka. 'I his gay and festive scene j was recently the hx-nh of a fearful cat-astrophe. j A smoking visiter carele.ssly jiermitted his cigar to I fall directly upon the platform, uj»setting the mu- j sicjans and burying the unfortunate dancers and I players in an avalanche ol cigar ashes, destroying I them as cympletely aS the l\>in]ieians were (ies- j tro}ed by the lava from Vesuvius. Kveii u sedate I elderly flea, who was juietly reading a newspapt*r j upon a .seat near by. and one or two dowairer lady I fleas, wh i were jihundly admiring: the dancers, I were involved in the .s;ime dread ruin, j At one end of the counter stands the Acaiemy ; where these gifted creaturer^ reccive their educa- I tiou—the very Alina Mater of flea-doin. it may j gratify those of our readers who intt^iid to uii- j dertake the training cd' these delightful in.sects, I to have a sj. llabus of the mode of instruction f>ur- ; sued by l’nde.ssor Hartoletti, of Flea Cidlege. j The first thing the l*rofe.s.«.*»r does is to catch his I flea, and to impri.son it in a small box with two I gkt>s windows, through which the little prisoner i tries in vain to escajie. He is taken out dail}' i to be fed, by being placed u|m>ii the Professor’s ; hand, a glass case or tufiibler inverted over him to ! prevent his flight. In the fourth or fifth week the flea gives up struggling ami resigns hiniself to imjirisonment. He is then taken out, fastened I to a little wire and left upon a miniature wharf, I by a miniature river. I’or some four or flve ! wt'eks he remains obstinately torpid, onlj- exhibit- I ing vitality when feeding time comes; at the end of this ]>eriod he L; attached to a little vessel or car, and, by an (K-casional twinge with the pincers, and the untiring eflwrts of the Professor, is soon tauLdit the way he sbouM go, and becomes thence forth a well ordered and industrious flea. , ^\. 1. EcrltilliJ Josf, loM. Afi W'dt/irr —The following happy allusion to the weather was made by Kdward Kverett, :ft his recent speech at Hirminghani:— “To speak seriously, 1 should be ashaniel of myself if it required any premeditation, any fore thought, to ]>our out the simple and honest ettusions of the heart on an occasion so interest ing as this. A giM.xl occasion, sir; a good day, sir, notwithstanding its commencement. I have heard from one friend and another this morning —kind enough to pay his respects to me, know'- ing on what errand 1 had come—I have heard from one and another the remark that he was sorry that we hadn’t a good day. It was, it is true, raining in the morning. liut it is a good day, notwithstanding the rain. The weather is good; all weather is good; sunshine is good; rain is good. Not good weather, sir? Ask the farmer in whose grains and roots there vet re mains some of its moisture, to be driven out V)y to-morrow’s sun. Ask the boatman, who is wait ing for his raft to go over the rapids. Ask the dairyman and grazier if the rain, even at this season of the year is not gt>od. Ask the lover of nature if it is not g(X)d w’eather when it rains. Sir, one may see in Europe artificial water works, cascades constructed by the skill of man, at enor mous expense—at (^’hatwworth, at Hesse (’assel, and the remains of magnificent water works at Marly, where Louis XIV. lavished uncounted millions of gold, and thus, according to some writers, laid the foundation of those depletions of the treasury which brought on the French Revolution. The traveller thinks ita great thing to see these artificial water works, where a little w'ater is pumped up by creaking machinery, or a panting steam engine, to be scattered in frothy spray; and do we tolk of its not being a good day when God’s great engine is exhibited to us. His imperial water works sending up the mist and vapors to the olouds, to be rained down again in comfort, and beauty, and plenty upon grateful and thirsty man? Sir, as a mere gratification of the taste, I know nothing in nature more sublime, more beautiful than these descending in abun dance and salubrity from the skies.” Washington Ahead.—The city marriage license clerk of Washington, D. C., iss\xed during the year just past, 949 “hymeneal permits.” The smallest number in any given month was issued in March, 43; and the greatest number in October, 112. Munijicient Beque$t,—The late Hon. Henry L. Ellsworth has bequeathed all of hia proper ty, except $100,000 to Yale College. It is esti mated that the College gets 8700,000. Oov. Inaugural Address. ] placed, within its reach. Frllmc Citizen* j enterprise of indivi«luals, scliools and coU*',' • o/ thi Sena te and Uouxe. of Commom: j instruction in the higher branches of lean,; i * ' The ceremony in which we are about to engage, j been established in almost e\ cry c juntv ' '| j, presents a fitting occasion to render our humble i fortunate and^ the afflicted, to have* acknowledgments to Almighty Uod, for the many | for; ai^d the Institution for the d. af social and fiolhical bles.sings that we have enjoyed j and the blind, and the Asylum f.,.r if,'.*''''* under his Providcnce. * j will prove enduring mimumenta of )h‘ This day we have as.sembled ai a free people, | charity and virtuous wi.sdom ol yuKr through our representatives, to witness a sueces-' i —- • • sion in the office of Chief Kxecutive Magistrate of Our educational system is but 'or.v 1* 1* • 1 to tl state ol religion and morals auiun- our the State: a succe.“sion which, like those preced-j Wb.may, without self-exaltation, tiuti our tT ing it, being eflected by the free action of the j ful hearts U.wards the Supreme iJein-r th- f,„,,..lar will, presents to the world a renewetl evi- growth has .sasignally prospered in denee, that, w ith us, “all political power is vested | are now in the full enjoyment of the rich* t in and derived from the peojde only.” j that free and universal religious tol«>r:ifi(,i, *^*^1'' "* Ha.sed upon this great principle, our ]>olifital | form.« a distijagui.shing feature of our u.,v • " ' organization, formed tboujrh it was in tlie most : and, instead of the jar»ing of coiiflietm., unprojiitious Innir of a doubtful revolution, has. have the harmonious action ot all denuiuii^^'' " under divine suj»erintendence, Jjeen sustained and 1 of Cfiristv^ns, in teaching the j;reat tmth.i ,,f"'** preserved, through almost an entire century; se- | tical rdigiun, and introducing that iiiunil tn curing to our pe»{>le the blessings of peace, and | among the people, which is an essential pre.s»'nting at stated periods, as jirescribed by law, | tion to their exercising properly flio fini. tj,, tate the spectacle wc are allowed to h>ok upon to-day. i self-government I'roiii the inauguratiou d‘ the government to the ' 'J he material progress of the present time, one Chief Magistrate after an'othcr | fully in unison with our intellectii;il ;,i,(] lias quietly dej)arted from office. u})on the expira- provementi# North Carolina hus nuw wnliin !' tion of his term, ami his sucee.s.sor has been duly iiniits a line of two tliou.sand miles of .-;af ' instiilled, without disturbance or commotion, and navigation,.adapted to the uses of eirli,.i- , ■ ■■ - . - -I ' - -^eHwhk-l, with su I, in actual operation, afford sailiiii^ railway market iiiil. . WMth the ready aciuiesceiice of a united people. 1 )iiring tlie same period almost all the nation:^ , ..n.uus c,,i,v of the earth,1ieyonl the circlw (d‘American States, market facilities to three-fourths uf her ' ’ ].o.s.sessing forms of government similar to our t»wn, , tion, spread over twfMhirds of ht'r tt rritory (lii liave been conviilsel by internal violence and dis- I public enterjri.ses, embracing in their de iuij ' entire Stite, are now in successful ],ro»^rcss \ alter all the expenditures fronithe puhlif necessjiry to the accomplishment of thi^o .,1,)','.!.? it is a fhct, as gratifying as it is true, that tL exi.sts amongst us, to-day. more imlividual public wealth than at any former peiicl Fpon all whom the people h,-.ve entrust,-,! vsnl power devolves the respon.sibility of fu.stc*rin'r • ! protectinj; these, the most vital interest^ „i‘u State. Happily for the public welfare uim,, voj .selves, with whom is all legislative iHjwtr.’ thi- cord. In many d‘ them revolution has rapidly succeeh>d revolution, and war has fidlowed fa.st in the footsteps of war, devouring with rapacity the filood and substance of their distracted ]ioo]>le. \\'hile these obvious truths of history incline our hearts with uratitude towards the Supreme llulor of the riiiver.se, that He ha* .‘^o controlled the affairs (d' men as to avert from this people the calamities that have befallen others, they ind\ice a pleasing contemplation uf those priiicijdes d’our ^•^overiiment that have been made the instruments, in the hands of Providence, of eftecting for us so , burthen principally rests—nowhere can tin ^r, di.stinuuisbin^' a ha}ij>ine.ss. interests of the State be so .safely rejxised it' W tj It is this government of the popular will, as as- j the representatives of the people, certained through the imulium of the ni:ijority, j Whenever Kxecutive action may be proj^^-r n that has secured to us this uniii* ’•ru])ted peace. J connection with these or any of the varied inur this unbroken repos»', w’ith all tl r attendant so- j ests of the State, it shall be directed with an o' cial and domestic blessings. Ind' d, it is difhcult ; ject. single to the public gxjd, and aeeor»lin.r j, to ].erceive how such a governm«n , long as the i those principles already announced by nu- t«i tl„ jieople tbem.selves cimtinue virtue us and intelli- i people u]»on \arious occasions, gent, ran ever bt; shaken by internal violence. * ....1..1.- Fouiideii in natural rea«'on, the will of the ma jority comim-nds itself to the jul.^ments of men, and receives a united sujiptirt, by diawiiig ai\er it, throiijih a conviction of its justice, the ijuiet ac quiescence i»f the minority. 4'here is :i moral force tlerived IVoHi the well ascertained ju'i rment of a majority d' intelliirent freemen, before which no resistance of faction can prA e dangerous, and ov‘r which no cause id’ rebellion can ever triiMuph. And it is a case not to be supp)sed, that an en lightened people would, at any tini(‘, rewtrt to the irregular means (d'for^e to eiTect a desired change in government, when the same might be acoum- plished by peaceful methods entirejy at their dis cretion. Well assured, then, are we of the ,«olid founda tions ujKin which rt'sts our domestic tranquility: And this peace at home is the mo&t reliable s;ife- ' guard against those external dangers to which na tions are liable, since under its gentle influences prosper most the great material intere.sis of the people which constitute that wealth, in which lies the strength of the State. Jiut the superiority O’ er othei-s of a government of the majority is not 1 sidercd after due reflection upon the want* ■•ftl,. alone manilested by our own succes.sful example. State, and our ability to construrt sm li wi-rk* a- or {he example of those States associated with us are indispensable to a development oldiir natural i'l the American Tnion. The common con.sent of resources; and after a careful 4'eview of tlieiii. i iiiankind furnishes a testimony in behalf ofpoj>u- j have no reason now to ofl'er for their niiMjiti.atini; lar government. We occu})y at the present time , Much as has been dme towards the ] hvdral a stand-j>oint ii> history, from which, hx)king back , develojiinentof the State, .some of our cliicfsiium - upon events that have pa.s.sed, and around as up- I of wealth have not yet been reached. It rnavaii j on those that are transpiring in the present, we | mit of doubt whether the iron interest fer exainj W, are enabled to measure the triumphant march of ; capable as it certainly is of expansion, i> in a iiioie j democratic principles in every land, and among flourishing condition now than when the limml- ! every people w here the lights of civilization have j ries of Lincoln forged cannon ball that were eii.'- reaclied. di,‘j.;olving as they progress those mists ployed in the battlgj of the revolution; while tui: that have hung around the minds of men, enchain- I measures of mineral t*t)al, a leading article in thv ing, for long ages, the Imman intellect in the | world’s commerce, hav^ only l^een sullicieiitlv c.\- ^ stnmg bo’nds d‘ prejudice, and illu.strating the j plored to manifest our neglected riches. An a;: beautiful consistency of the Creator’s wi.sdom, who, i ricultural rejkKjn, too, of undonbted capahilitik '. He holds men acc»untable for their actions, has : and eyibracing, jK-rhaps, a fourth part of our tt r not denied them the capacity for .self-government ; ritory, has thus far made but limited proirres;, li- at’d control. i causeof its exclusion froui the markets of the worlu The just powers of the people are no»’ being Due reflection upon facts like these, cuii wivv widely felt and acknowledged; and it is plain to j but little tloubt of the ptdicy which our true inti be seen that the current of governmental reforms, ' rests dictate. A great work has been more tliai) at least in civilized countries, is denu>cratic in its half accomplished—a vast enterprise, wisely } i - tendencies: and in all States like our own, where 1 jected with^a view' to a .«ystem of our own. Iki'. the mind has freedom of action, and men are left i after years of toil and the exj)endituic of .-MiVeral to follow the convictions of till* judgment, these | millions of money, been forwarded well ni,i:li i" tendencies are more decided and unecjuivocal in j completion; and the citizens of this genenitioii an- their character. i called upon to perform their share of this lakir. liolieving the democratic to be the true theory in which is centered the most cherished liO|»c> nl ■ of Lrovernmcnt, I shall ever regard an extension | the Sfkte, and for which we will have our eliitl , of its teachings amongst us as a public blessing, claim upon millions that will coiue after us. l"i Convinced of the truth of the principle ifinvol- | their gratitude and thanks. . .ves, I do not fear its universal application; and, j Thy stern requirements of a progressive c-iviii- i following principle would willingly see the popu- J zation impends to prosecute steadily ciiteri'ri>e' I lar will brought to bear directly, and without j like the.se, which are but such as liavc been ac- 1 tl\e intervention d‘ agents, upon all que.stions ; complished by other enlightened State.s, and at ^ touching the practical operations of our govern- j this day are regarded a^s essential to the -social aJ- meiit, where the same may not be rendered im- ; vanccment of a people. Standing, as we do. tiil! ' po.s.sible by the interjmsition of merely physical ' in the noon-day sun of the civilization of the nine- causes. ; teenth centurj-, we cannot, consistently with the Entertaining these sentiments, I can, with dignity of our own high position, abandon work' I indulge aii entire confidence that anv of mine to add tj the «®ciency and iiurea..c tli, usefulness of our .system of public educatiun h u be sustahied by the cordial and unaniinou.'' apjir., val of our people; so deeply are they iiii],r. vs,.,] with the beiiefUH w'b derive from it. ry„in thi- subject there is but one wish, and one desire. I'poll the subject of internal inii.ioveiu. nts there exists .some diversity of public .-entiintiit which fact is well calculate/! to give ri-e tn :lir expectatioy that I will make known, upun lb;- occasion, the view that I entj.*; tain, relative t-i further prosecution of our public work,', h j. ujfon que.stions where the people are diviiiv.l it, opinion above all others, that they have rea.-.i, t. expect an unreserved avowal of the .'t n;i!n i]t- entertained by the public .servants. I vhajl en. dcavor to acquit myself of thin duty with adiieci- ne.ss and explicitne-ss becoming thi.' snlenin mra .sion, and«tbe important question under eration. The views which I recently expressed relati’. to these enterprises,' upuu freijuent iiceasii>U':■ the j)ublic, were such as h;d been niaturelv eun the tirst time, }>ermitted to exercise the privilege j of free and universal suffrage; and certainly the ! result furnishes no circumstance calculated to : create apprehensions for the welfare of our poli- I tical institutions. In appearing before you to-day, gentlemen, to assume the responsibilifies of the high station to which 1 have been called, I must be indulged in an expression of my profound gratitude towards niy fellow-citizens for the signal mark of their eontidenee in selecting me to fill the first office in their gift—a ccjinplinient rendered the more flat tering because of the circumstance of their inti mate personal actjuaintance with me, acquired through years of public service on my part, in an important office, the duties of which'm ought me in almost daily association with them. Dittrustful of my own capacity to discharge to their satisfac tion the heavy duties appertaining to this jK)sition, I shall nevertheless, endeavor to make some re turn for their generous confidence, by maintaining the public honor and advancing the public wel fare, as far as my ability will admit. And I will feel strengthened and encouraged in the discliarge of duty, by a perfect assurance, derived from rfh intimate acquaintiince with the people of North Carolina, that honesty of purpose and rectitude of intention in a public officer are more prized by them than exalted talents, and are the surest pass ports to their confidence and esteem. 1 come gentlemen, to the discharge of these high duties at a most interesting period of our history. In the extraordinary social progress that charac terizes the age. North Carolina has borne her part, in.a manner gratifying to her citizens, who ever take pleasure in her moral and physical ad vancement. A well directed system of public education, es tablished by law, furnishes primary schools in all parts of our territory; so that, at this day, every child of the State has the means of education ful progress in the moral, social, and political e'«- dition of nations that, at any time, marks the his tory of the world. And yet, I would not counsel an incautloils e.y penditure of the public money, by euibarking in new enterprises “not urgently called for” by the tiecessities of the public. Indeed, upon the practio' of a rigid economy in all appropriations for ]iuhlic purposes, more than upon anv one circumstance, depends the successful prosecution of works alread\ commenced. A careful consideration of the •subject, contirui> me in the belief that, by the observance of a pru dent economy, our public works may be gradualK prosecuted to completion, without either cuiharas- sing the public treasury or materially increasing.' the burdens of taxation. A more detailed treatment of this subject would be incompatible with the general remarks which 1 propose to employ upon this occasion. Specibo recommendations will be reserved for a nion' ap propriate time. Upon a subject enlisting the hopes of so thousands of our people, and in wdiich is invohc* the material progress of the State, niay nut expectation be entertained that a co»cili«f‘”'} policy will be adopted, which will command t u approbation of our citizens generally? Ihere 's a peculiar propriety in harmonizing the of the*public upon this question, since our systeiu of improvements is designed to obliterate .xection- al distinctions, and produce a unity of inter est and feeling among the people. A compruini't policy, upon a fixed and medium ground, wou infuse vigor into the prosecution of these enter prises, by the confidence which its nioderati"i' and permanency would inspire; removing them at once from the arena of party politics, and placing them above mere sectional jealousies and the ma chinations of political factions. ., «In conunending a punctilious obeervauce of
Fayetteville Observer [Semi-Weekly, 1851-1865] (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 6, 1859, edition 1
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