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- ; tS FKOPORTION "AS TIM; STRlJCTCJtB 6 OOTIRJIUMT OIVES FORCE ,TO HJBIIC OflNION, IT IS
j ' ...... . t , j w-. ' .. - . ; , " " "" ' , ' ' ' - I'lmiMini m mi I
ESsEXTlAL THAT frBLIC OPIMOJ eHotrto nit
tea.
4
if -
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4
r f RIXTEO SVERY WBDFSOAT KORN1NO
- BY WILLIAM BI. IURTMAW - i ?
t FOR ARCHIBALD HACLAJSE HOOPER
' T&IMSThbek Dollars per year ia a4ance,
ADVEHTXSX2r.IE?TTS
' Wot exceeding bIxtkeH um (or one aqtiarpyhv
iwrted the first time, for ou Dollar, ami twenty Bve
. tsunl for every eucceeding publication. . Two dol
lars for insetting dvertMeiuiU of more thansixtdtn.
.lines aitd fot excooding two Bqaarcs, the first timc
; knd fifty rnta for every succeeding publication.--'
Thow of great length in proportion.-. Lbttsr to
thf proprietor must be pott, paid: ; ,' - x
t
OOVBUNOIVS MESSAGE.
Tbe followin;. Blesaa was received
from His Excdlcncyi'Goternoi: Owkx,
ly;iU private Secretary, Jonh, B. Muse
' Td the HonoriMe - .' ' " ' .', ' t
'-; iAe Gewrpl Assembly of Worth Carolina i
: 0NTLEXNf j.""';;
v. i ' ' -Yoyt havo again the: cnti-
blc privilego of, assembling yourselves
together aa-the Representatives freely
chosen of 4 sovereign Cand Sndependent
v : people to dcKberate upon' their concerns,
, and to fegislate for their benefit ; ahd pro
, " tably the benefictnee of Prpyidence fr
" not been more clearly manifested in anv
t of the political events of the age in which
, ' we live,1 than in imparling that wisdom to
t tlie framera, of -the Constitution under
'which yoa are assembled, arid by, which
f that happy form of Government was es
!l tablished, which preserves us equally free
from th tyranny of the 6ld world,and the
rnnfnsioH and licentiousness of some of
the nations in ' our ; owh hemisphere.
Trusting fot the succeaY'of your labours
; to Jh rectitude of your intentions, and
' . above all, caSting yourselves upon the fa
' , vor of that Being who is "the ; founder, , of
nations, and the builder of worlds," and
without whoso blessing all human efforts
. 'must-be exerted in vain," they must result
I . in the establishment of measures tending
to the advancement and exaltation of the
prosperity and character of our State, and
the happiness of its people. i ' f
. 1 The obiect of all our legislation the
hannindes of our citizens, arid in further
fanco of this obiect, I would particularly
invite vour attention to the education of
our youth-S-the : internal improvement of
the State ana tne reguiauouoi me cir-
culating medium, as the three great and
leading subjects firlnch should claun your
itpntinrt nt the Present session. - Other
ubject3 of importance wi suggest thera-
f elves W your xonsiuerauuu, ui, iiuiuc
nni ia reeAvp. particular attention in an
annual communication from the Executive,
' but of sufEcient importance not to escape
thft viorUance Of the Legislature; ,
. The importance1 of a general diffusion
of knowledge is unirersally admitted ; nor
1' IS l BUY : VJVlOXt UlCKIIUVU) . ""o
a unfWnrahlfi tn morals, or miunous to
. h hpfit interests of a nation-r-.On thedon
irarv. our6wn exDerierico as a nation, and
the history of the world, Throve to us,'that
' rnostof those who are condemned to the
'just punishment of malefactors, under the
. Ws of aChristian community, are the
. exceedingly ignorant; who have been hur
Vied Into acts of violence, or seduced into
excessj by the .example of a few, whose
situation from 'fortuitous circumstances
.'' afford" them a passport to luxury and, to
criminal indulgence. - ; - ,
. 1' If then it be truet that the vicei irreli
gidtti and consequent poverty and misery
of a large portion of o.ur fellow-citizens
' are 16 be attributed' to their intellectual
v fcondition, are : these not indispensable
considerations to the virtuous legislator I
The benevolent designs of the plulanthro-
pi?t, and the particqlar plana of the poli
tical economist to promote the general
diffusion, of education, are mere mstru
mentalpef!i-.-t3 in the hands of the 1q.J
" . gislator, and without the aid of the s trong
arm of government must fall "still born,"
and prove ineffectual for raising the igno
rant from their degraded condition. ' The
: obiect of education is to traia the young
to usefulness, and to nt tnem ior mat sta
tion which they are to assume in afterlife
amoncr freemen. Without a. proper cul
tivation of the moral and intellectual fac
ulties, this end can never be attained ;
these artificial helps have ever been found
to suffice. Whilst other members of this
great confederacy have been appropriat
1 ing millions for the general concern of li-
terature, and establishing Schools for the
education of their youth, thereby enabling
them to kcerrpace with the enlightened
age in which we lire, has there not been a
"manifest dereliction of duty on ; the; part
of those who who have been entrusted
' tvith the regulation of the political econo
my of North-Carolina, that in all its
bounds there never lias been established a
single institution for gratuitous iristrue-
; tion, even in the elementary branches of
education. Feaow-citizens or the Senate
andofthe House of Commons, should
this be so? and will .you permit it any
longer to be the case! Have we not re
sources approaching almost to . immensi
ty lavished upon usand if they are not
properly applied, is it not time to raise a
protesting voice against a species of econ-
emy, which has so long kerj the poor in
ignojance, and, the Slate in poverty T Ful
ly sensible of tho arduous nature . of the
duties wlilch devolve upon tlie LegUlalnre
--pf U0 difficulty of feconcilin the views
even of thos most friendly to the rft4b-
lishment of primary schools for the in
atructTon :more particolarry of the poor,
we may yet dc consoiea uy me renccuon,
that the path U not an i untried . one, but
has led other, legislators to, the happiest
results by ameliorating the condition of
society, establishing correct habits," lr
JuesV" morals and religion, . always under
the tlominion of education and thesd'are
me,oniy suro conservators; oi me govern
ment under' 'which we live, -' In ' the ar
cliives of the "State,1 you have abundant
materials from which to complete " a sys
tem for NorthjCarolina for the gratuitous
public instruction of the youth of the
State,'.' If infcuch a system it beecessa
ry to tat the ' wealthy for the benefit of
the poor,1 it is in the nature of things that
it should be so, and it should be recollec
ted that it js the latter .who are oftcner
called on to fight the battles of their coun-
The University of the State should, in
connection with , primary schoois, also
ciaim the fostering caje of the. Legisla
ture. 'For tliif Institution spacious" build
ings' have Deenrected--extensive and va
luable libraries have been collected-rcost-ly
chemical and philosophical apparatus
have been procured, by .which the Profes
sors are enabled - to communicate instruc
tion in the elevated branches of learning
and. science" with more ease ; and these
have been effected in no small '.degree by
private contribution. , After having strug
glcd'through many 1 years for a precari
ous existcnjcc, unui it nas atiainea to a
lofty, eminence among' the colleges of pur
country,, the Trustees are redu?ed to the
necessity of either, abandoning it altogeth
er; or of turning it over to the Legislature
of our country.: The last k alternative has
been adopted. -To you, many of, whom
have received your dearest and most val-
uapie inneritance witnin ua cuusctranu,
walls, they are about to surrender their
trust; and with that, this "chiid of the
Constitution" which, if cherished . as It
should be, must become the , great, moral
engine of supplying the halls of our Le
gislature, the Behch,the Pulpit,, and the
Bar,, with mat learning and talent, which,
without it will be looked for in vain from
other aartsrof tle State, and must be sup
plied fronr abroad. ' There can be no bet
ter, test of the-enlightened wisdom of a na
tion, than the extent and sufficiency of its
provision for the mental and moral in
struction of its children; and we can nev
er hope to establish for North-Carolina, an
elevated standard of education, or even of
social and national Virtue, until the " prin
ciples of correct education, and their in
fluence" upon society,; shall hate, been
known acknowledged, and - practised, a
mong ourselves. Is there not a constitu
tional iniunction on the subject of educa-
tiorij'and flns tod, founded on the. belief
(to use no stronger term) that a system of
genqrai cauccaionf is muispeusaoie io a
system of general morality, and that from
these alone, we can hope to perpetuate
the free institutions ' of our country.
To the Internal Improvement of the
State, the attention of the Legislature has
for tears been directed, without accom
plishing many very important objects,
For the improvement 6f our intercourse,
both personal and commercial, the live
liest interest has been evidenced in every
part of me State, and with much proprie
ty ; for by these alone can 'the rich boun
ties of nature, distributed over our territo
ry find a market, and a ready .exchange
for the varied products of other soils, and
the fruits of other climates yet this, how-
ever correct ana souna in principle, is iv
aJdbtr hurtful delays, and even utter fail
ure, when unaertaKen rwnn inaaequate
means, or managed by incompetent skill.
Manvof the most liberal and .well devi
sed plans for the internal improvement of
various parts ot the united states nave
been retarded, and in some instances have
proved unsuccessful from these very caus
es, and have contributed not a little to sink
into disrepute the whole system. . If an
appropriation adequate to some great
work of internal improvement cannot be
made, it is better to abandon the system
entirely for the present, to stop and ccon
omisc. untinour funds accumulate,- and
our resources -are- further developed by
individual enterprise, and no longer . to
fritter away our means by Bmall and inef
fectual appropriations, which require an
additional -amount-carlycquaJr to dis
burse them. " ' -
The Board of Internal Improvemen ts,
which has ever been distinguished for in
teiligcnce, and never more so than at the
present moment, is, nevertheless, witli the
Governor at their head as president ex
ojficioK 'deemed to be, for all the purposes
of their appointment, an inefficient body,
and, with great deference to the Legisla
ture', should be dispensed with.
The citizens Of the State, will not sep
arate the Executive from the President of
the Board, and that courtesy which they
are disposed to bestow on the former,
will produce the most hurtful delays in
- . '- - -
the transaction of business in everj' cxcor5
nion frum the seat of Government. It is
therefore respectfully- recommended, that
the Boarlp be discontinued, and. if any
w-oi-kft hf Internal Io'provcment shall
claim the attention1 of the Legislature o
as. to requiro an appropriation lor mcir
accomtdishinent, that Buperinlcndent
of Public Works be appointed, with a
competent salary, .who should be res-
SionsiblcT to UiO ijCgisiaiuro lor uie per
brmance of anv enterprise, and to whom
the Engineer should be responsible in turn,
for the eflect to be ' produced by his own
projects. Without such direct and well
founded rcsnbnaibilitT. nothing valuable
can be expected, and it Is certain this kind
ot responsiouiiy uov uw yuwi m uhx
present system. - .
- In mv last annual communication to
the General Assembly, I had the honor of
calling their attention to the re-opening a
communication from the Albemarle Sound
to the Atlantic Ocean.Vnd I cannot in jus
tice to my own feelings (much heighten
ed upon this subject by a recent examina
tion of the waters of thisxommodions bay
under an act of the late session) permit it
to pals without calling your attention to
it again. As much opposed as any one
to the constructive powers, oi mc ucnerai
Government, by which the right to make
appropriations from tho public funds for
purposes riot clearly and undeniably ; na
tional,. is claimed,, iUs nevertheless be
lieved to be an essential ingredient in the
general economy of the nation, no less as
regards her pursuits in peace, than a prep
aration.! for wav that , Congress should
have the right of cohstructfag harbots,
erectinsr light-houses : and designating
ship channels through dangerous bays.
S UlCll iif3 WVillfg UU bVI ' VVIII1I1U11IVH-
tion from this bay to,"the gitat highway
of nations," nqt a work undeniably nation
al inits character Are not "the profits of
commerce the dangers of shipwreck-
pursuit oy an enemy convenience
privateers and vessels of war," are these
not national objects, and of. sufficient im
portance to claim the attention of die
General Government t ' Then a harbour
constructed here, will, in the language of
their own most distinguished Engineer,
"be formed precisely in that part of the
coast where it is most needed." -
The good sense of the Legislature will
readily perceive the special benefit which
North-Carolina would secure to herself
ly such improved navigation yet, what
ever may be the peculiar ad vantages
which locality may give to her, as grow
ing out of this improvement, a strong con
viction must rest upon the mind of every
Attentive examiner of the subject, that the
general advantage to the whole, nation is
of sUch preponderating influence, as to
render t an object of peculiar advantage,
and to bring it within the pale of .consti
tutional appropriations for the General
Government. The citizens of - Norfolk,
with a liberality and a zeal " which , have
ever characterised the commonwealth of
Virginia, are still pressing on in an enter
prise, by which the rich and abundant
products of this important portion of our
State will inevitably be s drawn lrom us,
unless the course of commerce be diverted
by the energies of our citizens. If we are
then disposed to give the aid of Legisla
tive authority to. our Kepresentauves In
Congress, by which that influence; to which
the State is entitled in the councils pi the
Union shall be duly felt, nothing can more
effectually strengthen them in their efforts
at those measures, wmcn, m uie prosecu
tion of this business may be found needful.
: jThe : permanent 1 andj steady Rvalue of
property, ana me ceria.m rewarqa oi in
dustry in any, country, depend riot less
upon the uniform value of its circulating
medium; than upon the proper quantity
for its commeraijK(HJe indeed,
can the one be well maintained without
the other. An undue issue and employ
ment of currency, thereby imparting an
adventitious value to property,; have in
most of, the, Stated of the Union, produ
ced difficulties and embarrassments which
have seldom failed to overtake with ruin,
some of the enterprising, and many of the
most valuable of our citizens V -.
So great have been the evil produced
from this source, in most or uie western
and Southern States, that many are dis
posed to welcome the return of the pre
cious metals as the circtdating medium,
to the entire exclusion, of paper--this lafe
ter, however, has been rendered so popu
la? with most persons, and so indispensa
ble to merchants, for purposes of business,
and to the emigrating portion of out com
munity, m consequence of its convenience
for transportation beyond the mountains,
and in innumerable instances, its return
to the extensive owners of western lands
residing in our own State, mat its almost
indefinite augmentation was deemed at
one period of our history, not only as jus
tifiable, but the sure mean3 of advancing
the general interest. Yet as the science
of Banking" advanced, and redundancy
and speculation were no longer con
sidered as synonymous with prosperity,
but that the precious metals had there
by been driven-from us and the r u
reacy of the counttry so depredated as tn
have lost its exchangeable value, except at
so great a discount that the poor & middle
classes of the1 community In point of wealth
were not infrequently deprived of all
their property, without effecting pay
tnrnt of their debts and this will never
fail to be iht case in any community where
the representative of property is in h de
preciated state, for it is upon these clas
ses that the burden of such currency
must necessarily fall. The, defects of the
system under wnich wc have been prac
tisingits tendency to produce reckless
adventure, Improvidence and fraud, and
it certain influence and effect on (he mo
ral feelingi as well as the industry of the
country, arc considerations, wich should
keep the subject before the watchful vi
gilance of the legislature-and theje are
reasons to apprehend-that .the' present
moment is peculiarly appropriate, for its
examination for although the currency
of the country is now in as sound and
healthful a condition as fy can be made,
being uniform in Value with the precious
metals, and the quantity nbably equal J
to.the demands furnished bjrthe commer
cial operations of the State, yet it is with
in the knowledge of every member of the
Legislature, " that this amount is in a
course of such rapid diminution, that it
may produce such a sudden appreciation
in the value of money, . and consequent
depreciation in the value of property, as
will overwhelm the debtor part of the
community in ruin. The State Bank has
already discontinued" two of its branches,
and all ' the. local Banks have lessened
their circulation to a sum within one-third
of what it was a few years since and, by
a conventional regulation of these institu
tions with the State, .they are all com
pelled, soon to circumscribe their issues
within a scertain sum much below even
what it now is. , When to thse conside
rations is added the fact, that they have
all ceased to produce much profit to the
State, and less to individual Stockholders,
it is but reasonable to supposethat their
charters, if not surrendered, will certainly
not be extended by the Legislature.
The State of North-Carolina, will then
soon have the alternative presented to
her, of submitting to a circulating mcdi
urn furnished by the United States Bank
(the existence of which beyond its present
charter is certainly doubtful; or ol pro
viding for herself such a medium of ex
Change, as will best subserve the interest
pf her citizens, guarding equally against
ruinous excess, and sudden deficieney.--It
is therefore respectfully recommended,
that a Bank be established, somewhat up
on the principle of the United States
Bank, neither exclusively the prQperty of
the State, or exclusively of individuals
relyitfg neither on the prudence of Direc
tors alone,' nor yet committed entirely to
the management of the Legislature. The
firs V actuated by mercenary motives, &
regardless of a due limitation of the quan
tity of paper to the demands of commerce
might multiply the circulating medium
beyond all due bounds and the latter,
feeling only a community 6f interest in
such an institution with the other eitizens
of the State, and subject to annual change,
might require the excitement of individu
al interest to preserve in healthful con
dition, the affairs of a Bank. ' In such an
institution, restricted in their annual" di
vidends to a specific sum, and this, very
little, if any, beyond the legal interest of
money, it is believed that au innate check
would be provided, whose force and in
fluence, from its Very nature, would ope
rate on the directory at the moment when
loans were made; obviate the motive tocx
cess bf issues thereby insure? a uniformi
ty in thecurrency with the precious metals;
the primary object to be effected by all
Legislative "enactments on this important
branch. oirVf;calecoriomy--and if
for such a.chaTter, or any other which
the Slate may v grant, a compensation
should be required, it should be paid,
not in an annual tax, but at the expira
tion of its charter, and out of the surplus
profits of the Bank. For this modifica-
tion of the system of Banking, now proposed-
and recommended to the adoption
of, the Legislature, I am indebted to the
simultaneous suggestion : of two of the
most distinguished citizens of the State,
who have commanded almost an unequal
share of the public confidence, which will,
I doubt not, ensure for it the respect
ful consideration of the Legislature. .
The Congress of the United Stales, at
their last session, passed a law, common
ly called the " Indian Bill,' : by which
the President of the United States is au
thorised to have so much of the territory
belonging to the United States west of the
Mississippi, and not included in any Slate
divided into 2 suitable number of districts
for the reception of such tribes or nations
of Indians as may choose to exchange for
them the lands where they now reside
and making an ample appropriation for
their transportation y and subsistence tor
on year. -
This measure, emanating no less from
humanity than from wu-dom, is the only
Practicable means of effecting the Tolun
tiibfs still to be tad in the SoBtherft!to
tary eimgrauon oi uiff-remnant vi tpuiaii l
States ind itsffonsuminatin was de
voutly to be wUhed for. Cvrteinly the
fricndii of this measure had nO right to
expect the systematic opposition wlucb it - ,
has received, knowing that it had beerl y 1
approved and recommended by successive :
Prcfcidcnts of the United SialeiH eTer since "
territory proposed to te exrhanved . ; l
had teen acquireu fer the country. -Th , r ;
unsocccusful attempt tri the present iuos- -
trious Chief Magistrate to carry .this law , :
into effect, so far as re erk the Cherokee t f
Indians, is believed to have reol(c4 from
base adviser many of whbm, having M ' . 4"' f '
from the just punishment wmcn iwimq . .
them' in the communities of which lhiy '
were once members, had become lutru-, ? a .
dcr? among these people", more Ignottnt, -;;! . ;
vt-i mnro rfrtuous than themsrlves. It li
therefore respectfully recommeridcrf; that w. i t
th laws of 'North-Carol' be cxtendetl ". , f
Over that oortion of its tv.iitory occupied, !
by (he' remnant of Cherbkecs whohavrt -remained
witiiin the State; regarding thoscr f ;,
who have sustained a good character a ; . f
of citizenshio. not inconsistent with tho '- '
spirit of our laws, arid, 'guarding also , - '
gainst its violation, joy sucn sccunty as ,:
the Legislature may aeem it expeaiepi ia. , .
require..; ' -'. '. :-l -''' "('fk
t. The tariff, of dutiea imposed by v the j
Congress of the -Upited Sutes upon im ,
ports, has ever been deemed not onlv on
wise,' but unconstitutional and call at
this time for vour dSlemn protests Whilst v
agriculture, comiricTce and rnaritifactures, ;
rrrriTil rnnal enenbracrcment from :tho
General - GoveromcnCrall; parts of theso
numerous Republics were animated by m :
oner was a tu
sposi ' Y
ofan, .'f -'
tion to foster one. at the expense
othcri manifested, than the violence ahi V-
animosi0es of party spirit whichhad been
appeased, begin ;to. threaten the separa r"
tion of the Union, which1 wbukl be ihn
tiling less than the overthrow- of the, roost .
kind has ever erected. , During the deep ' "
excitement which has prevailed on this k
subject in the South, North-Carolina ha . , 1 1
evidenced a magnanimous forbearance un '('ff I
der the heaviest burdens she has eter been - " '
called on to sustain and are wc yet ri ' .
quired to manifest a patience which can v; . ,
never ,be exhausted, and a. " mceknesy
which shall bear all things ?" If it'snp' ,v
posed that our feelings re but the nm y'p 'f
bering embers of" discontent wbich require " f
only art opportunity to be blown" into e .
flame I Ifavo, not recent occurrences in
ourownncighborhood,frbmwhich wehav i "
kept aloof proved that these; are not the "
feelings which have actuated us It- Very t
little is the clmracter of our Stite under- , ,
stood, if it is believed that her patience r - t '
and submission- tinder wrongs inflicted by
the General Government, are the effect of -
servile fear, or a consciousness of inse !
curity within herself. Interest is the pomt r
upon which she, with all the other State
of the confederacy, formed their Union,
and to suppose that the" principles of out
Government were founded upon any pther
estimate and particularly upon ahy cs- y
timale of human character which admiw
of no. alloy, would argue a want of ex
perience in the framers of our constitution - ;
which our own understandings and -our
own experience, uiscam aayrisionary. -A
common Treasury, without derivin s
a common benefit from it, and a common
contribution ttnreplcnish it, jti as, unjust as K
a community of goods, without a toimriu J
mty of toil--it discourages all energy by
destroying the rewards of, labour, and!
makes one portion of the country'alepen-
dant upon and subservient to anoihcrT-it .
counteracts the very principles upon 4
which our government was formed,, viz,
the common defence and . general icel ,
art, . : , ; , r , ; t
..1 transmit to tho Legislatures copy of ;
an incendiary publication which has been
circulated Very extensively in the South
Lent country, the design and rciscbicyouf
tendency of which, cannot be mistaken .
The discovery of this inflammatory pro"
d nction in Virginia, South-CaroIina,Gcor
gia and'Looisiana, and mdre recently in r
our own State, can leave no doubt upoa
any rational mind, that at systematic at" .
tempt is making by some reckless person,
some too, who under the (joter-of piou -exertion
to enlighten the ignorant, and
lead them from sensualizing darkness, are '
willing to sow sedition among our slaves;
and this book, artfully distorting, ' the
peaceful doctrines of the Bible, is inten
ded,, and well calculated to prepare the
minds of that portion of our population, '
for any measure, however desperate, i. -
It is fruitless to complain of the relatioa
between master arid servant, and It wpul4
be criminal in the Legislature to attempt
to avoid any responsibility growing out of .
this relation (inherent in the political con
dition of the Southern country, by which
either the security of property.orits valmV
may be effected for in the name propor ,
tion as these are secured, -will the general
protection and comfort of the $feve be re
garded. 4 .
As it has bcmCjSti5factori!y ascertain. .
cd, that some, of ibefree persons of eo!oujf
itt tlie Slltr, haTc'perruitfcd lh-rnselvcs
-V"f' -?fu,.
r