72io Soatflora Homo:
i.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY
7. b. Mcdowell.
Devoted to the vindication of the truth of
onthern History, to the preservation of
Southern Characteristics, to the develop
tnent .of Southern Resources, under the
hanged relations of the Labor System, and
the advancement of Southern Interests in
Agriculture, Mining, Manufacturing and the
Mechanic Arts.
noun or sotjthkxh hoki
One sopy, one year, in advance,
Five copies, one year, : : :
fen, eqpi , one year, : : -
$100
l(V0O
20.00
The remlttjmoes In every case must be by
Dx'fflfrtK Order, Qr Registered Letter.
" To Advkbtiskks. The Southern Borne,
laving now the largest circulation of any
; taper west of- Raleigh affords a fine advert
ising medium. Terms moderate.
-4 CHARLOTTE:
"FBIHAY, JANUARY' 1 7, 1879.
P. BREVARD McDOWELL, Editob.
THB'SENATQRIAL question set'
TLED.
In U -nocratio-: caucus on: Wednes
day Gig "-., rOv Teac wire uumiuwfcod rj
' 11' .7V r- i s United Slates Senator, an d
liI ' .T''tti'Mr Morlcg, the nomin ation
was made unanimous. Mr Marrimon bad
written a letter of withdrawal a few days
before, and 80 Got Vance bad do opposi
tion. .While we rejoice at the selection
of Gov Vance, we cannot but feel a regret
at the retirement of Judge Merrimon,
who baa nude such a faithful and attentive
Senator. Got Vance" was- our choice
above all others in the State, and will
stand as the peer of any Senator in the
broad Union.
North Carolina and the entire South,
are gratified at hia additional elevation, and
will watob bis course witb the keenest inter-
. A ......
est. He already ranks as oue of tbe most
powerful and effective debaters in tbe na
tion, and we predict for him a career of
unnsaal success and splendor. No man
ever bora in North Carolina, has bad
. mora or greater honors i showered upon
him, and public expectation will be dim
cult no doubt to fill. Of one thing we
feel sure, and we say it with State pride,
that North Carolina has now the two
most thrilling speakers and brilliant
Senators of ' any- commonwealth in the
land. The election will formally take
place next Tuesday.
f Joe Turner bolted and refused to vote
for Moring who was the caucus nominee
for Speaker. Tbe Democrats then turn
ed him out of the caucus, by a vote of 50
to 29. Trrer iae.de a two hours
f jietob, od j "taecDsbiA to suppose
he osa . . Yu 'Jv.y "o jibs words" with
in that putu '"
; . ', . Igh, one of
"Tt-f. r -x'-.- i v s. recently
died in Baltimore where be had gone to
receive medical attention. . Within only
a few weeks tbe citizens of Raleigh have
borne to their last resting places, Bat
Moore, Seaton Gales and D M Carter,
three of tbe purest and most distinguibh
ed patriots of North Carolina.
The message of Governor Vance to the
Legislature is an able and valuable State
document. The language is plain and to
tbe point, and tbe suggestions will no
doubt have great influence upon tbe Le
gislature, His remarks upon tbe State
debt, particularly, are most admirable.
. ; m i . -
-Judge Aehe has been quite ill at his
home, in Wadesboro', but is now conva
lescing, and it is hoped can soon be pres
ent at tbe session of the Supreme Court,
u ... . mt a
Col Jcbk L Bbgwh Mr Brown, of
Mecklenburg, on the 9th inst., introduced
a resolution on the State debt question.
It haS appeared in several exchanges in
etvtral forms, more or less, unlike the
tine one, and in order to put him correct
ly on tbe record we print the resolution :
"Resolved by the House of Representa
tives, tbe Senate concurring. That a
committee of eight upon tbe part of the
House and five on tbe part of tbe Senate,
be appointed to which shall be referred
all resolutions and bills in regard to tbe
public debt"
The resolution simply raises a commit
tee to facilitate the consideration of tbe
mass of bills and resolutions that are al
ways introduced on tbis subject. Raleigh
Observer. i
iawaruy Maaarsrow TrTirtTlK tjt YyTth-
saAWAL. Raleigh, Jan 1st 1879
To the Democratic Caucus .- My friends
bave atcertained that whatever may be
the popular desire for my re-election to
the Senate of the United States, causes
and it. licences bsve been brought to bear,
tlfat will prevent my re-election.
; 1 bave no desire to disturb the quiet of
the Democratic party by further contest
over the Senatorsbfp, and hence, beg my
friends not to mention my name farther
now in that oonneetion.
I beg to express my most grateful
thanks to friends in and out of the Leg
islature who have so generously and ear
nestly manifested interest in my behalf.
I can never cease to remember .them
witb feelings of gratitude . and deepest
pressure, and I venture to trust that
tbey will not have occasion to regret the
confidence that tbey bave reposed in me.
AS Mkbjlimon.
Raleigh Observer.
As Merrimon has withdrawn, and he
has no other opponent worthy the name,
we have no doubt that by tbis time, Zeb
Vance has onoe more been elected Uni
ted States Senator from North Carolina.
Tbis time be will go through, as he is no
longer disabled, but a "loyal and true"
American, and the peer, of any man in
the Senate.' Richmond (Va) State.
It is not surprising tb at bo many con
gressmen are ill. The ventilation of the
House would kill a mule in six months.
Besides, the. whisky is bad. Memphis
Avalanche. ,
" I've got it at last," said the person
who bad bsen coughing for months and
who found tbe cough subdued by a bot
tle of Pr Bull's Cough Syrup. 2$ ctB.
To tht Honorable, the General Assembly
of North Carolina.
In compliance with tbe constitution and
time honored custom of my predecessors,
I have the honor to greet you asHbet
representatives Qt'-lb'pUple and to con
fer with you iu regard to the state of our
Commonwealth. . lj an" 'executive desi
roue of eeryiog well hi' State, the met
inrg of tbe General Aeeembfy is always
tbe occasion of rtjjioing, as it not .only
brings to his aid the wise counsels of
Legislators fresh from tbeir constituents, -but
relieves him of much embarrassing
responsibility ; j therefore welcome you
to tbe capital and promise to co operate
most heartily with you in devising
means to promote tbe public good.
It is known to you that owing to
causes whieh I need not here attempt to
elucidate, tbe people of the United States
and in a great measure of tbe civilized
world have been for ' some years past,
and still are, passing through a period ol
most remarkable financial trouble, pro
ducing everywhere much distress and
even disaster. Of course North Caroli
nes shared these calamities and' her
prosperity has been retarded, as that of
others. - Bat I believe I can truthfully
say that she has suffrered as little, if not
less by these hard times than her Bisters.
Looking at tr boU State and compar
ing her condit io wita ch;A., t u-n
absadact reason to be tivat k f a vl w i
ouuragw ut t. y : V''1' ; TT
! The crops oi th& las' i?o ejons bave
been excel It jV ard tbe Hit-hie of eabs.st
ence have i.tr bstu mure abundant
and cheap. The industry of our people
has been totally increased and diversifi
ed ; their farms, stock, and agricultural
implements show considerable, improve
ment r and while the production of our
cash staples has steadily enlarged, the
amount of breadstuff purchased abroad,
has visibly diminished.
Remembering that North Carolina is
pre-eminently an agiioultural State,
your legislation should be directs to
wards tbe improvement of that interest
mainly. In tbis connection I beg to call
yonr attention to the fact that tbe first
and perhaps tbe greatest need of an ag
ricultural people, thinly scattered over a
wide extent of territory, is that of good .
highways and easy transportation for
persons and products. As a general rule
irom the lowland belt westward the
highways of our State are as bad, if not
worse, than any to be foand in the
Atlantic States. The old system, of lo
cating them and keeping them iD repair,
adopted by our fathers more than a hun
dred years ago, is still in use, though its
utter inefficiency for nearly that length
of time has been apparent. Of tbe in
convenience, cost and depressing tenden
cy upon all industry which such roads
occasion, I need not stop to remind you ;
I shall only beg your earnest attention
to tbe necessity for a change, and ex
press my decided opinion that no perma
nent prosperity need be expected unless
this grievous evil is remedied. Certain
great leading thoroughfares through the
most convenient centres, and all pouring
into the nearest railroad lines, might be
cheaply and thorongly constructed by
convict labor, tbe counties through
which they paas supporting the con
victs.
I am happy to be able to state that an
increased interest is anifestedj&$noDg all
classes in popular eatfoatum. "TEks is I
believe, mainly due to tbe action of the
last Legislature in appri&ting money, for
the establishment of normal schools. In
accordance with the law, the board of
education established one for the whites
at toe University, und decided to locate
one for the blacks at ' Fayetteville, in a
building tendered by the colored people
oftbat place. Tbey were established on I
somewhat different systems, regard be-'
ing bad to the circumstances of- each
race. It was considered thai the white
race bad already many educated teach
ers who simply needed instruction in the
art of teaohing, -while tbe blacks needed
teachers instructed in both tbe elements
of learning aud the art of teaching. For
the one' therefore, a six weeks school was
held at Chapel Hill, during tbe summer
vacation, and for the other a permanent
school was established in Fayetteville.
LBoth have been remarkably successful.
I sincerely hope tbe appropriation for
both schools may be renewed, and tbe
law be made to embrace both sexes.
For. though females have attended both
schools by permission, yet tbe board 6f
education did not feel at liberty to ex
pend any State money in their aid, which
appeared a little ungallant for so Christ
ian a people as ours, who are so weil
aware that as a general rule our female
teachers are better than the male.
Board of Agriculture. The establish
ment by tbe last Legislature, in pursu
ance of the constitution, of a department
of agriculture, was a very important step
indeed to tbe welfare of tbis State. As
was to have been expected the law has
in some respects proven defeotiVe, and
will require some amending at your
hands, but in the main it is an admirable
one. It is the first special effort ever
made in the direct interest of agriculture
and has been bailed by our farming peo
pie witb great satisfaction. So far, tbis
tnrreaTThasTJoer tfci7ple
tax on the license to sell fertilisers hav
ing yielded sufficient revenue for all its
purposes.
Special attention has been given to
tbe analyzing and classification of fer
tilizers, including marls; to the re stock
ing of our rivers witb fish, and tbe prep
aration ofa band book of information
concerning tbe State and its resources.
Much good bas been effected I am sure,
and an interest excited that will lead to
still more. A serious drawback to. fish
propagation is the numerous dams and
obstructions of the streams; and public
sentiment is in many places prevented
from bearing upon tbe owners of these
obstructions by tbe' sneers of tbe igno
rant and incredulous. Tbis will disap
pear when the results are seen and tbe
laws passed in aid of this important mat
ter will then be helped in their execu
tion by a wiser popular opinion.
As to the work of the agricultural
bureau, I deBire to call your attention to
the subject of our" forests. Depleted &b
they are, our forests are to day, perhaps
worth more intrinsically, properly man
aged, than the lands t hey stand upon ;
whilst tbe value of those, especially
which shadow the' highlands round about
the souroes of our river is simply incal
culable considered with reference to rain
falls, destructive floods, &o. The proof
of this is plain to any one ; who has ob
served tbe condition of those .'valleys,
whose hillsides have been entirely trip-,
ped of timber, and' converted into' Hhat
shame of Southern agriculture old fields;
and yet, in the face of the increasing val
ue of timber, and tbe decreasing value of
the lands from which' it is ruthlessly
swept, the destruction goes (m. wMany
counties already feel the evil, keenly,-and
not many years hence, if some remedy
be not applied, tbe outcry will be gener
al. I confess I do not see my way clear
to that remedy. I am aware of tbe dif
ficulty and the danger of interfering
with tbe owner's legal right to do wbat
he pleases witb bis own.. If he sees
proper to cut down ail bis timber, dry
up tbe springs which feed our streams,
and precipitate bis soil into their chan
nels, changing their currents and delu
ging all tbe low lands below him, and im
poverisbing himself and bis children, I
can't see bow be is to be hindered. But
tbe people of other nations are finding
means by bonuses, exempt-ion from tax
ation and other devices to restore the
forests and denuded lands ; and many of
our counties are adopting laws wth - re
gard to inclosing tbe lands, the effect
which is to reduce the expenditure of
timber. As guardians of tbe interest of
an agricultural people, I commend this
whole subject to your serious attention.
I call your specihl attention to the re
port of L)r Ledoux,: director of the fertil
izer central station. It is' gratifying in
the extreme, yott will perceive, that the
quality of tbe fertilizers sold in the State
bas steadily improved, and tbe marked
value of the improvement amounts to
more than $100,000 in two years 1 This
is caused obviously by tbe fact thaW
knowing tbeir wares were, to be su eject
to a rigid scientific test, the dealers were
careful to make them come, up to the
mark, and many -others .have quit the
market altogether,. . - ' " -
JBwi aiiu ruMKauy XUHUUUdOeg. I
am happy to say that the affairs of : the
penitentiary and the two asylums have
been well managed by tbeir respective
boards, and are in a satisfactory condi
tion. The Deaf and Dumb and Blind
Asylum makes perhaps a more satisfac
tory exhibit than it bas ever done since
its establishment. With a large increase
of pupils there has been a decrease of 16
per cent, in the total of expenses. As you
will see by the superintendent's report,
with a reduced appropriation from former
years, the board of tbis institution bave
saved $15,056,12 out of tbe amount, with
which they bave erected an elegant and
much needed addition to tbe main build
ing, at a cost of $7,576.55, and bave still
to their credit in tbe Treasury 97,489 57.
Though results have not been quite so
saLsfactory with tbe Insane Asylum, yet,
on the whole, it has done well. Notwith
standing the number of inmates have in
creased, and some extraordinary and cost
ly improvements bave been made, expen
sos have been kept down, and it has lived
within its appropriation. I recommend
that tbe board be authorized to build on
the grounds a separate residence for the
superintendent, and that his pay be fixed
in cash, as are the salaries of all the other
principal officers of tbe various institu
tions of the State. I also recommend the
repeal of section 29, chapter 6, of Bat
tle's revision, under wbicb tbe State pays
for transporting all patients to and from
the asylum, to whom the clerks of the Su
perior Courts will give certificate that
they have not property sufficient to pay
their own expenses. Under that act tbe
Slate is often imposed upon shamefully.
It is the nature of public charities to: in
vite such abuses, custom legitimizes them,
and they become a base for still greater
abuses The only safe 'way is to use th
knife-promptly on their first appearanc.-.
Tbe work on the Western Insane Asy
lum has been fully commensurate wk
the "approprUtiona. . Toe report of t ?
commissioners, ttill cive all tha ptitj
lars.r JNo work ever undertaken for t
State has been done better or more chee
ly, and when finished, all its surroundings
considered, it will, in tbe opinion of many,
be tbe most desirable institution, of the
kiad in tbe United States.,1 I trust that a
sufficient appropriation will be made to
finish the wing now so near completion,
and furniBh it for the reception of pa
tients. -This can be done at an early pe
riod of the summer of 1880, and will give
much relief to many 1 distressing cases
which cannot find room in the asylum at
Raleigh.
The Penitentiary. The penitentiary
system Of dealing with our criminals is
comparatively new in this State, and as it
is now by far the most costly of all our
institutions, and is almost daily becoming
more so, everything pertaining to it is
deserving of your earnest attention. Tbe
main idea of such a system is to punish
offenders with hard labor, either to re
form or deter them and others from tbe
commission of crime. The economic
problem is to make this labor support tbe
institution, Toe plan adopted at present
is much more than doing this if the work
being done by the convicts was paid for
in cash. The number of convicts now on
hand and their distribution is. shown by
the report of the very competent and en
ergetic board of . directors and superin
tendent, sent herewith. The able force
kept iu tbe enclosure bas been constantly
employed upon the walls and boildinge,
and by placing cash valuation upon the
work done, it will be seen that they bave
earned handsome wages over and beyond
their keep. The returns from those en
gaged on the various railroads show great
er wages, valuing tbeir work by engineers'
estimates. Tnese estimates are very lib
eral toward the comoanv for whom the
work is done, yet it will be seen that tbe
convicts bave earned more than four times
the minimum fixed by tbe Legislature at
wkieh be eOflpaniea ahould be charged.
Value of Convict Labor. From tbis we
may draw some valuable conclusions :
1. . That convict labor is almost-if not
quite as valuable for road construction as
hired labor. . i
' 2. That convict labor is
used in this kind of work
at trades and mechanical
more valuable
than employed
work iu ' close
confinement.
3. That the health and general tone of
tbe convicts is better in outdoor work.
Influenced by these considerations, I am
induced to say that, it is our ' policy to
provide labor for them on public works
altogether, after the completion of tbe
penitentiary buildings, leaving within its
walls only such as from feebleness or the
nature of tbeir crimes cannot be sent out
side. In addition to tbe completion of
the roads begun by the - State, and to
Which labor has been already assigned,
there are a number of local railroads and
turnpikes greatly desired in many parts
of the S:ate, and valuable swamp lands to
be drained, at wbiob convicts might be
employed with great profit to tbe State,
the counties or communities supporting
tbe convicts. I think that whenever any
county pr community will obtain a charter
for building a railroad or a turnpike, or
draining a swamp or dyking a river, and
will' undertake to support the bands tbey
should be given tbe convict labor. There
are many JertSle valleys of greater Or less
Spttent, remote , from, railroad facilities,
such as the' great . yallBy of. the Yadkin
from Salisbury to 'Patterson where-, wejl-f
to-do farmers I would be induced
to attempt the-'building of narrow gauge
railroads if tbey were given the necessary
labor; and many " excellent ; turnpikes
would be constructed as feeders to our
railroads, and many rioh swamps might
be drained in.ibe .same manner. In tbis
way tbe increasing eost of the penitentia
ry would be kept dof n, and a vast benefit
to the people be accomplished. ,
Bailroads The ' public works have
been pushed lorwari with energy and
economy. I regret exceedingly that tbe
management has not been able to have
tbe ears on tha Western North Carolina
Biilroad running "across the Blue Bidge
by this time, as was confidently expected
when yonr predeesfora adjourned. No
energy or determination has been Grant
ing, but insuperable obstacles vere found
in the nature of tb country and the in
sufficiency of funds Naked labor can
.make little progress in such work as cut
ting a railroad tract through our Vfet
tern mquutuinA, uded by all, the mod
ern appliances; and j material now used in,
such operations, aid which cost more
money than the company could command.
Owing to 1 tha geoUgical peculiarities of
the formations through which the track is
cut, vast slides Of eaith and rock; some of
them as great as fifteen acres of surface,
have been continually falling into 'the
track as fast as ft cqald be removed. But
the work is now aluLst done, daylight is
nearly through the great tunnel. In a
few weeks frooqf thii day tbe engine will
pass tbe , shmmit iad the track can be
completed to jAsUville , eaaily by mid
summer. . .,lf--"-2' "
trstsury
amount of
ru' law to
1 U1C DOu pllli t;,F.-
iron wbicn I wa
r- i
i. vaoie
i.crizad
buy. thcoerb; 'g';-.ll w-nrted to do ao b
tbe la
exirr
About
Darcht . the Oct. cf in uo.o iinr l
tbe oot c! lbt
little o ' i t5.Oi0. The remainder jf the
appropni wsil U'siub tb" y-n Jces
sary to reach ALfci"l -jLJiU- 'h buld
rise greui it si' ' Ij nuo re
ports of Maj Wilson; president, it will be
seen that the earnings, by his estimates as
engineer, of 427 hand9 (about the average
number furnished him)' have been nearly
$100,000 per annum, or $200,000 for tbe
years 1877-78, being about $236.00 per
annum, per hand gross. The cost of sup
porting, guarding ind overseeing them
bas been for tbe saaelime about $98,000
Their health has been excellent. As near
ly as can be ascertained tbeir net earnings j
deducting everything and including the
sick, the women axri Hl others not at
work on the road from any cause, is
12150 per hand. '
' On the whole the experiment of con
structing that road y the coovict labor
has been a success." Ii hope it will be con
tinued, the number fept np and every
necessary step taken! by yoUr body to
finish tbe road to its Western connections
as heretofore agreed pon,
. The squad of hand employed on tbe
Georgia and North C rolina Bailroad bas
finished grading to t s town of Murphy,
in Cherokee county. I have received no
official report of the i ork.
Col L C Jones," pr Hdent of the Wes
tern Bailroad, maket a very flattering re
port of tbe progress 0f the work done by
tbe convicts on his fine. Having deter
mined to extend it jia the direction of
Greensboro, the-fcoindany - began work at
or near Egypt in lla? h, 1878, witb 100
convicts, and thera is good - prospect of
soon .seeing thigh : )ad completed to
Greensboro. It will c en out a fine sec
tion and be a great bttefit to the country
nab
to jyeit3Til!e
3d V
hands on laic.
ua xvauroad. Fron that point to JLenoir,
the greater part of the grading is done,
and tbe work is bung pushed with ener
gy. Tbey have bee furnished . with fifty
convicts, and the mmber has been kept
up. I cordially Co&rnend this enterprise
to your iavor.
It is reaching out ii a direction per
bapa more importint to the welfare of the
btate than that Of any other railroad, ex
cept tbe Western North Carolina. It not
only points towards tiie most remarkable
and extensive iron aid copper mines in
the South tJramberrv and tbe Ore Knob
but also tbe salt,' lime and plaster de-
posits oi rvasningtoa county, Virginia,
the cheap importation of which would
probably do more to renovate the agri
culture oi our state thin anything which
could perhaps be devised. I regret to
say that work oo the Spartanburg &
Asheville Railroad his been suspended,
just as it has attaiaed the crossing at tbe
Blue Bidge into the beautiful valley of the
French Broad. Ttio hundred hands had
oeen Kept witn tnu company under a
contract made beforf I came into office,' at
a small hue, wbicl contract was respeo
ted by my board) until last September,
when finding the oompany in a failing
condition, and uiable to pay,, tbe bauds
were withdrawn,) nd placed on the Wee-
tern Worth Carolina woik, beyond the
ridge. j
The Atlantic North Carolina Bail
road bas been mvironed with difficulties
ever since my accession to office, some of
which were called to the attention of the
last Legislature! a suit began in the State
courts to" impeach the validity of tbe
mortgage bonis, on the ground of usury
was followed by a counter suit m tbe
Federal r.or t . Krt-a'
and sell :t- . " , "Xl"-
been co. -j' e. . a'. -.- .
thought- " !- -h r ji
meet iU .i-.t .... :
accama. 'nc' ii;t-r- - !-.
' ie mortgage
re at length
which it is
i and8
Uxt the
A i
to
terea:
landed, j and
time of
ders su
ue boodhol-
bondsT and
coupon : r
NaviKuiw
gratifying to
see that the general! government has be
gun to take an interest in tbe improve
ment of oar navigable waters. Surveys
i tne in e use, the Xtfdkin and tbe Cataw-
ba are in progress or j contemplation; and
if reported upon favorably, I would sug
gest that a resolution of your honorable
body in this ' behalf would materially
strengthen tbe hands of oar repreeenta-
tives in Congress in ebtaimng the neoes
sary appropriations.!
xinancial. Tbe treasurer' report will
engage your earnest attention, You will
see that whilst, the .utmost economy has
beeu practiced, vet the funds rn his hands
bave not been soffijient to 'meet all tbe
objects provided by law. . The reason is
simply that the: last Legislature increased
tbe appropriations' without increasing tbe
taxes. iut little of tr half of the 9140,000
appropriated to buy iron for tho Western
norm Carolina Jgaufoad bas been ex
pended, none of toe; $20,000 appropriated
to tbe colored insane asylum, whilst $15,
000 of the sum given ta the Western in
sane asylum was paid oat, of : this year's
taxes. All other small items which could
ue bo postponed, have been , carried, over
into this year's account in order thai the
treasurer should not be compelled ta bor
row. , This deficiency, it will ie noted, is
Jnly in regard to, the; special; appropria-s
uons, and is to soma - axtent-attributable
o the lengthening of the.fisoal year from
Uotober to January. It is to be regret
ted, and 1 have no doubt is very sur
prising to the finance committee of. the
last General Assembly Who, thought the
m vield sufficient revenue;
X,D",Jr:onld.".nd moreunder a beUer
-lament. I cannot conceive
It ooesible to devise one which would op
uallv.' unjustly or prtiu-
Tc trnrjr The rule for
every county, town and township is differ
ent, and tbe values ot property situated m
the same locality and of the same charac
ter are as variant and unequal as r the
avoided arbitrary, and often indifferent
opinions of the assessors may chance to
be Yery little property is assessed to
anywhere within the neighborhood of its
vafne Dut that does not matter; tbe es
sential idea is to have the assessment bear
the same uniform proportion to the true
value ef tbe property taxed. Unless this
is secured, One man pays a vastly higher
tax than his neighbor, and one township
or county than the adjoining township or
county, and it is in the power-and often
happens in practice of the oounty ' as
sessors and commissioners to ' defeat the
will of the Legislature .by. lowering the
assessments. ' It becomes also a heavy tax
on honesty, and : tiOmpels the conscien
tious man to pay sometimes double or tre
ble tbe tax paid by Bis less scrupulous
neighbor. A remedy for i this evil is de
manded alike by justice and good policy.
Wbat that remedy shall be, your wisdom
must devise. We do not want an in""".-.
of taxes but an equalities fci-a
a faithful collf moa of tbo&c win t.t
levied,: My o-vn ..opinion is fch&f tte
treasurer, audi? or, or other Suts .ciact-ra,
asSessors, with pomae sopervtsit -
equalize tbe asfeisfccietit of tbe coanty Ou. -Oiala
whose listd should be siibn-iUed'io
it; and it should bav anthontj to
mon witnesses, hear estimocy, A , una u
tbe county asset -Hors ?ert c-woen by this
State board it bc o to me we would al
most have a guaranty that uniformity
could be secured.
Public Debt The public debt, it will
be seen by tbe treasurer's report, amounts
to $16,960,045 principal and $10,160,182.-
25 interest. This is known as tbe recog
nized debt, as contradistinguished from
the special tax bonds. What shall be
done witb it is a question that deserves
your best consideration. It is out of the
question for us to attempt to pay it at its
face value. Indeed I do not conceive that
there is any moral obligation on us to do
so : nor do our creditors exDect it of us.
Quite one balfdf our property upon which
our bonds Were based was wantonly de
stroyed by consent of a large majority of
those wbo held them,- and no court of
conscience upon tbe earth would permit a
creditor to destroy one-half of his securi
ty aud cla,im full payment Out of tbe re
mainder. But we can and should pay
something. Tbe resolution of last ses
sion constituting the Governor, Treasurer
and Attorney General, a committee to
confer with our creditors, gave no power
to make or accept any proposition what
ever; and so an invitation to -visit New
York to confer, with the holders of our
bonds was declined as tbe accompanying
correspondence' will show. Besides tbis
no attempt to open negotiations with us
has been made. But I bave grounds to
believe that very reasonable terms indeed
can be ob'"al if we evince a determisa-
tion to Be
; ...-c'. u a?Vbe done
(:.('- 3 o what is
..gmtcd' fU.bt. So far
;.-. , ' . ,rp concerned,
with it.
known ai
as tbe sp
my opini
cessors,
3- I your prede-
ir-that they
are not -
; w . or . rood
morals, r.
a very sman
fractior ?rnei.v .t , . -i-pr; ted to the
State's i i ivpted by. her. For
one l vow my r-wi ? vo co-operate
with you to the lull extent or my power
in. devising the method and bearing tbe
burthens of an honorable adjustment of
all our indebtedness, as something which
sooner or later will have to be done alike
for tbe sake of our good name and our
future prosperity. . .
Federal Interference with State Courts.
I also call your attention to certain
matters which have occurred since your
last session, and which give rise to ques
tions of difficulty and grave importance.
involving a serious conflict between the
laws of the United states and those of the
State. ,
At tne lall term, l7b. ot the Superior
Court oi (Juilford oounty, one Moskms
and two others were indicted for an as
sault and battery upon Levi Humble. In
Marcn 1877 the defendants haying been
arrested, filed in the office of the Circuit
Court of the United States for the West
ern district of North Carolina, their peti
tion under oatb, in which they set forth
that tbey were officers of tbe internal
revenue department of tbe United States,
and that the acts charged agaicBt them
them in the bill of indictment I bave
mentioned were committed under color
of their office : tbey therefore prayed
that tbe prosecution against tbemshould
be removed from the State court to the
Circuit court, in pursuance of an act of
Congreea now embodied in section 643 of
tne revisea statutes ot tne United states,
which provides that criminal prosecu
tions oammeuced in any court of a State
against any officer acting by authority of
any revenue law oi tbe United states,
on account of any aot done under color
of bis office, may at any time before trial
be removed for trial into the Circuit
1bere 8ttcl pWcutiQnA-ara. (linLlii!! f 'f"001
Pyer pr ne petition having . oeen ferT"' m bllD P
granted. aooDV of. the order nmainr I vlow 0. fall .nita-havily W
Court next to be, holden in the district
graoLea, a copy oi : tne .. order , remeving
tbe case. was. on the fifth of March. 18-
77, served upon the clerk of the -Superior
Court , of Guilford county, and when at
the ensuing spring term of that Court,
the case was called, the defendants ob
jected to further proceedings in the State
uourt, upon tbe grounds that, the court
no longer has Jurisdiction of the case.
I Upon argument before the Hon Wm R
Cox, then holding tbe Guilford, Superior
uourt. tnat omcer was oi the opinion
that be could proceed no further in the
matter, and so decided. From his decis
ion tbe Sohccitor for the- State appealed
to tne oupreme court.- xtecognising the
important ana aeucate nature ot the
qnestiop presented, l deemed it my duty
.a
!. assist, the deliberations of the Su-
preme Court with argument from conn
eel learned in the law. I accordingly em
ployed; counsel to aid the Attorney Gen
erai in presenting io tne court the views
entertained by the government of the
State. After a full discussion bv oonnsel
tbe supreme Uourt, with one dissenting
voice, affirmed the "opinion , and judg-
ment.oi tha lower, court, and dismissed
the appeal.,-! The same queation was ore
sented to the Supreme Court at the same
time in the oase, of the --State, against
Wm Deaver. appealed at tha. soring term
in f tt ot tne superior Uourt , of, Rather-
ford county, from the judgment pf,,. the
uon uonn at uiouov the Judge presiding.
Beaver and another had , been indicted
for a coBepiraey to extort , , monew frdm
one uenry , ORmmitt, and bad obtained
from tbe Circuit Court of the United
states an order, ot removal similar, to
that of Hoekios.
The deoisiop of the Supreme Court was
tae samp iq pom casas, ; , .
Li.
body to decide whether I shall further
prosecute the cases now "-s
t .u f.. 5t y rour BOuoraoie
the Supreme Court of KM r um 21 'SS W?
dignity and gravity of the ques ion, that
vou should instruct your Senators and
request - your . Bepresen tattles in Con
griseto call the attention of tbat bonora
ble body to tbe fact that persona ' Rioted
under the criminal law. of this State are
seeking and obtainini? immunity from
prosecution, under a Federal law enacted
for the only purpose of protecting tbe
collections of the internal revenue of tbe
United States. .... .
State
Prosecutions. An inaicimen
inaugurated by
Governor uaiaweii m
Wake county superior
Court in 1B74,
. ir a Tr . . I -
.;n. a w s.Anaon. ana ju o untie-
field having been tried, as was alleged,
before Jndge Watts io 1875, and taken
by certiorari to the Supreme Court and
being continued there until August last,
was then decided upon and oase remand
ed for t new trial. The circumstances
are all set out with . particularity in said
deoisions, reported in 79 N C, to .which
you are referred. - Under a resolution of
k. i.oIiiim i-fttitiad on the 16th of
February, 1874 I Employed counsel to as- Bowers. Wm N Bell, W t b2.S
sist auki ad bill against both de- Caldwell, Sallie Diamonds DtAiiM
. . wap tuuod (or obtaininar- money er, Andv nniiv -da
i8e pretences, ana tne case now i Hudgins
s;aaa Jor tnai. xi
is aiiegea : cowever, i 80n, Mrs J
iht a cotaprociise
was made between I rvj Fred erf
-- um' " v . I UvUdlUf v V
w atcn bv im
to p.-osec-ate. x uia not wish in p
s 'Med ihc right, to take the responsibili
ty f deciding whether it does or wheth-
t- i i : i .ars n.a
er it does not, ana so reiasea to ln.enere
witb tbe due course of law. 1 respect
fully ask your will in tbe premises, and
forbear further remarks as manifestly
improper upon a case now before tbe
courts.
State Property Held by Tbe Unite
States. Tbe property of tbe State, onoe
called tbe Confederate Hospital, now
known as tbe United States barracks, in
this citv. has been occupied by tbe Uni-
ted Slates, ever since IBbo ; ana aitnougu uaDie ana. never aisappoiou.
tbe troops bave long since been removed
possession or payment lor us use nave
both been refused oontrary, as it seems
to me, to both law and pubho comity.
In accordance with a resolution oi the
last General Assbmbiy, 1 also applied to
the Secretary of War to restore tbe offi
oial letter books of the executive office of
this State, taken by military authority
in 1865, or to permit me to make a copy
to supply tbe place of the original in
ibis office. Both requests were refused.
Tne correspondence between tbe Secre
tary of War and myself in relation to
tbe barrack and the letter books, is
herewith feu omitted. My opinion in re
gard to the&e matters being intimated in I In Union county, on the 5th insUsLk
the correspondence itself, I make no fur. E S Harkness, Esq, Mr A DBroosk
ther comment,
Slate Geologist The State geological
survey having been made a co-worker
with tbe board of agriculture, its useful
ness bas been thereby greatly increased
to the people. In order that it may be
made still more useful to meet the pop
ular needs, T. recommend that, it be
placed under the direction of the board
ot agriculture, ot which the state geol
ogist is ex-offioio a' member, instead of
the board of education, as at present. I
am. satisued that the dissatisfaction
wbik has for a long while existed with I inst, by Bav T Meser, Mr J rA Good i
a poruQnpt.our .people tow am Sethis I anaTuisa.i fenuie jncna?!. aXD
most lmportait and valuable Work, has f u WMiohaeL . -1
. ... . j a mm-. mm w t ...
arisen from a failure or the latter, board
to direct tbe labors of tbe geologist in
those channels in wbiob the majority of
the publio feel most immediate interest.
The board of agriculture, constituted as
it is, can surely da tbis : and if so, good
results may be anticipated.
Tbe University. The success which
has attended tbe efforts to revive tbe I
university is gratifying in the extreme.
The number of students is constantly in
creasing, a large proportion of whom re
ceive tuition free the course of study is
practical and thorough, the oorps'of pro
fessors is ample and excellent, and tbe
administration of President Battle has
proven able and untiring- I commend
most heartily to your favor this cherish
ed memorial of the wisdom and patriot
ism of our fathers.
Militia. To the unceasing energy and
perseverance of Adjutant General Jones
we are indebted for tbe nucleus of an ex
cellent -volunteer militia organization
the State Guards. Two brigades of
white and eleven companies of colored
guards have been already organized ; the
former consisting ot thirty two compa
nies, uniformed at their own expense,
and armed and equipped by tbe allow-
ance from the general government. The
great majority of tbem are exoellent, in
dustrious young men, tbe flower of the
communities where tbe live, and not
likely to sympathise in any way with
lawlessness and riot In case of emer
gency they would be invaluable for main
taining order and . enforcing tbe laws.
To all appearances the colored comna-
nies are equally well disposed and deser- !
viog of encouragement. I earnestly call
your attention to the memorial from tbe
officers of tbis organization suggesting
tbe means of supporting it and promo
its efficiency. The cost of Uniforms, loss
tbem-
parades, te-
Proviatona tso,w. -i- vt made for
speedy and cheap,- enrollment of the mili
tia by the tax-listers, or otherwise, and a
small aam levied as an equivalent for ex
emption from duty for the benefit of tbe
school fund, as provided in tbe constitu
tion, i .
Executive Clemency. Much criticism
has been made upon this and preceding
administrations in regard to tbe exercise
of executive clemency toward criminal
In accordance with law, I herewith sub
mit a list of thos to, whom clemency has I . , . r . . - .rI
been extended bjf me,, with a brief state- P SSIE Jemt snaj-w-
ment of the reasons - which influenced my
1 . -r . ... .
action in each case- tt win De seen that
tbe number . amounts in all to 106, of
which 13 were , commutations and 3 were
simply respite., Counting those in con
finement at tbe.spsgioning pf my term,
and those convicted of offences during tbe
past two years, the whole number of . of
fenders cannot, fall short of 3,000, , of
wbiob those pardoned and commuted
wonld be one and one-half per cent, per
annum. It is aaite possible that in some
vbovo a ureueea imuueeu , upon, , inougu 1 il sugar. moiassesjsj'WFi T-rs wi
in most oases of, importance T have made starch, meats, lard. hamstfloui, 9
it a rnlao consult both judge and soUci- tlZl'Z trade" & w?
torudV hei aproVal Audit iS
yielded to the importunity of friends
human nature 00 old scarcely avoid this in
a government Jike ours but in the vast
majority of tha cases acted on. I exer-
tne coiwcu sovereignty, of the people, WOT.t?
.wnu a sincere assire 10 promote ine puD-1-r? At- iir'-r.'' ; ;C ; . tf
ww. t . .u. irul tent of thelawv 1 T roAow'
lie good, and in,, the fear of that God who
is to pardon our ..transgressions, as we
nuau 4oe suuisct 01 tne proper exeroise
of this prerogative is so grave, the respon-1
BiDiiity-i-especially in capital cases is 10
great, that the
quainted
with the facts i.010
as well as
the I trary to ludgmont ur
tried to avoid this: bnt ;,e?C4
the balance even amid sbJO
clamor. If error ther.
doubtedly there was
some-.!
believe that it was on
And now.gentlemenThVCT
Bwed the condiUon of tffJ N,
viewed
Spirit of all Wisdom, bra, H
labors may bo such as will
ill L.k
is tt
great pronls
vants we are. , i"
if tk.
a?
Very respectfnlly, ' 3 s J
. Yoa"ellowitittn
List of UtterT"
Remaining in the Poet OfR- .
lotte,. Meckjenburg Count? xS
week ndiosr ahnarv n.'kt
Louisa Artie, Thomas Ander' Jn ,i
el F Barnes, David Bryant, JK
wa Mnasn M . . T Witt'
'6
an
aid you in tbe performance iftjfi
portant duties, I eomm. Xsru
d the . Wea. I t aH. U
a i' Marsh, s c ,
?. -c"",rsca
S Stevenson, Ur
Jno Thompson, H
Thomason, Prvj
wn -I 1-
JVaggert, weorgo tmra, ,.
B Waddill, Monroe William.
WUta I
Walker, Catherine Williami,
VnnUn.
When any of the above letteuu,
ed for, please say "advertised."
, W. W. JENKIN8,F,1
Do not stupefy your Baby with OtfJ
or Morphia mixtures, but meDiCi
baby Syrup which is always ufjJ
BlPORTMfT
rpHE Winter season beins; nowkr
X vanced, Messrs. E D .LatU a Bro, !
pose makiDg a. "clearance sale" of all
goods, and I am prepared to offer J
great wivwiuikbs w uijr irieuus. tu adj
URAL
janl71w
G. JOHNSTON.
Hiss M S Haywood
On the 17th ult, by Bey E F Bockvi
Mr uaieo u carrier and Miss Ids h
Ball, all of Iredell eounty.
Io taia city, on the 8tb init. by Bar!
Whitfield, D D, Miss Sallie K Baroetti
Charlotte, and Mr B B Glass, of Coht
bia, S O.
In Cabarrus county, December 114
by Bev Mr Cone, Mr Henry Glut Uw
Sophia Patterson; also, oa the 2nd t
by M T Walters, Esq, Mr Abraham
mon and Miss Edna Keith. On tlx
In Stanly county, recently, Tbi
Shank, of Cabarrus county, and Mni1
lie Adams, of Stanly county.
In Cabarrus county, Mount Plew
by Esq. Bangle, Mr Thompson uifi
liowder, both of Stanly county.
In Raleigh, Mr Wm F Craig, larar
Representative from McDowell oomqi
the Legislature, and Miss Sat Putt
daughter of P F Pescud, Esq.
In Monroe, on the 9th inst, MrHr
C Asbcraft and Miss Alios BobbitduS
ter of Bev W H Babbit, DD, of toll!
Chnreh. .- .
In this county, oh the 18th Dtetink
bv A W Lawinsr. Esa. Mr Alexia
thy. of Lincoln conntv. and Misilii
MoOorkle, of Paw Creek township.
Tn ShAlhi- nn tha ZrA init. Iffl f i
Hoke, wife of P P Hoxe, Esq,
years. . -.
At TTnntAMvilla tfAnlrUn hnrtf WW
January 7th, of oroup, Wiflie A. sos (
John B and Alice J IS Woodsias, ii
una sanrl A tvinnflisi
In Conoord, at the residence of
Allison. Jannarv lQth. Rohert lOSOl!1
and E B White, aged 13 yeara ,
In Bo Wan county, on the 24th
cember, Susan Wiloox, wife of ths
Moses H Overman, aged 63 yean- .
In this eounty, January 24, Mt'
Stinson, wife of Mr Jonathan Stij -the
59 yeacof her age.
W. P. BY Jf ITHY
ATT0ENEY AT LA
OffleeBpilngaXorner, up Btij
janl7 lni;
-4
Vl corn; 1000 bushel pure elayPj
ERTIUZEHG
XXT
& will, as usual, be prepared to
V first
Mam fertilizers at
prices.
janl7
BURWELLA
In the Market.
u;u i i -m. . in
flour. Give us a call before wno- gf
- j u a, f w v v
' ,00 : " - 'is"
Burwell
i GROCERS AKD
.... ' J.,..-. : -. , : I'
PROVISION DBA
. . . . .fV.1 0 . ..
1 a r tr. aiawa in irara a
a stoc .i-
buyer. - I
v,;, POSTED ND3-
THE undersigned tUvinf w pH
.Matthews rStotibn, warn jr
against trapping, flahlng.or an
B M Matthews,
f T. R
Yxt, a Koles,
SB 8mlth,. ; l-i TaGribbia,
Jan 10 Im
ODOo t u u . j .1 . I ii ' .... mccen-LJ
- ,
IllM , im 1 MW. ! E .BB-BBB-(