THE ROANOKE NEWS. r A PEaCOCHATIO' TT E -B k L T NEWS PATER. , ? PUBLISHED BJ ? L M. i! O K G A W.V. HA1I. One Yer, is advance, (SIS Months, " f broe Month, " - J2 no ; 1 00 75 cts,. PROFESSIONAL CARDS, j ATTOUMEY AT I.VW, i QARTSBURQ, N. C. - i Practices In the courts of Northampton and ndjoinlmr countios, also in tho Fedoral ad Supreme courts, ! June 8-tf. ' fit SI. i I It- 2 ' v u V i.i II V SX w 1 Tl I M WELDON; N. C, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1870. J03, B. BA.TCQELOR. ATTORNEY AT LAW, RALEIGH, N. C. ; PrunticBs In the courts of the 8lh Lidl ilnl Dlstrlot and in tlvW Federal and Hu rtm Courts. M-iylltf. K H. IITCII1X. I T V urn w. A. nrys. D V H S , ATTIIUKVi 0 iH MCI.I. R AT LAW, x.c. 8f jMni.l IVpc'i, JJulilux Co " I'rtnti"" in 111.) Hour's of Halifax n'd 4oiMug nmt'tt-iw, q.l. In the H.inrome sud Fee.nr.il Court, jmiiu-tf &(t.uiray at t.nw, HALIFAX, N. O. Prae-tina i" ll-ilifax mid adjoiufmr bounties and FSdnral and Supreme Court. Will bo at So otlatid Neck, once every tertuight. Auk. 28 a Yf. H. DAT, A I 7. W. Ham.. HALL ATTOHNEYS AT LAW, WEiiDos, nr. c. '"practice In the courts nf Tvillfax and Wijolninir counties, and In tan Supreme iad Fulcra! courts. ' Clair collected In any part of North (Carolina. " jun 20 1 Q ATTORNEY AT LAV. f:(, ", ;. a teaser,.' ;k. a, Y , Practices In tbe Court cf Fcr'.hsmpton and adjoiBlDBCouiifea. at: r; i. r n a 3 ',.' ATTOHKEY A7. LA.W . "5; H ALU AH, X. 0, rnt!neiln the ecarts cf Hcllftx and adjoining oounties, aud ia t'aa liaprouio ...1 tfariArnl Cni'rU. Claims collected iu t.11 parts cf North Carolina. Ofiioe la tk Court Eocno. J -'7 R ATTORNEY AT LAV, HALIFAX, r. C. Vriii tn the Courts of Halifax Caaaty, and Counties aillolnliiff. In the rinrt af tin Ktite, aud in tbe Federal Courts. wtiii . ai-nil attenhc.i to tho collec tiaa af olalms.and to adjustiB the acaonnta diaa. dec-15-tf J. G U A B D,' ATTOR?JCY A" LAV, HALIFAX, II. 0. aM In the Cot' rt Itoir;n. Ptrlot R'.Mn ;u. n'n.i to all 1-Ki.eho; of tl a alaa. en 12-1 o E. ATTORNEY AT Fraitlee in the Cmmlien f Ealif-ix C.k B il :-.a m h i mud Us ui. r.i'iuii,,,,. lai.ia in ull snrt of the SHU. Jn 12-8 i THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. Assam- AUKS il A K A, ATTORNEY AT LAW, EXFIELD, S. C. TraotlneH In the CountlM of Hilifax, IdK'coMhe and Na.sli. Iu the Supreme Court af tits K'-ata aud m tbo i'odt'ral Caarts. Collantlons aaade in anv r"rt ' ,he tat. Will attend at the Court Tlouse In Salhax aa Monday and Friday of each waolc. ' jau 12-1 c A X D B K f J. BURTON, ATTOB5TET AT IiW, , WELDON.W. C. Prantlnas In tha flanrt'lof IlalilaX, War raa and Northaiaptsrrcolntiea aud in the Uaprema and Federal Co lrta. Claiaaa ooUectad in anf part of North .Caraliaa. ( ;uno J0UH A. MOOBE, MOORE ATTORNEYS AT LAW. naiirux, if. c. Practice In the Counties of ftalifax NorthamDton. Kdeaoomba. Flttarirl' Mar- tie In tha Hunreme Court of tho NtaW a in the FeUorul Courts ol'tho KaMteiu Diatriot. ! . ... , Colleotlona made la any part of North Carolina. j Jan 1-1 o To the HononMe the General b'y of Nurtli CaroUna : In compliance with the constitutiua and the time-honored custom of my pre decessors, I have the honor to greet you as the representatives of the people and to cooler with you in regard to the state of our commonwealth. To ah Executive desirous of serving well his State, the meeting of the (Jeneral As sembly is always the occasion of rejoic ing, as it not only lirinps to his aid the wise counsel of legislators fresh from their cimituents, but rtlievrj him !' much emharnisiiiii' resnoasibilitT. I therefore f lad I v welcome you to' this iitol, ami promise to c i-'mcrato m ist 'dirtily th )'u in devising means to promote the pilhlic good, It; is know.' to you that owiui' to causes whicli I i.ecd not here n'.Umpt to luci'J te, the pfople of the United 'it, ji;;d great lutasure of the ci. ii;aul worU h ive tit en for soma ii s past, aud still are, passing ihrtiiili pnio;! of- wosf remarkiiblo fimncial iublo, pruduvioo ovury where uiiico istrt's iiKtl t!vcn disaster. Of course N -rth Carolina lids shared these ca- nniiiii's anil li- r prosn'irv lias b'ten rc- .uduil as has that of others. Dot I he- eve I ca'i trothluhv sav that she has iffiToil as little, if n it lcsj, by tbe.,e ir 1 t'nies than her sistfrs. Looking at the wImIo State and coinparii:jj our conditi'in with others, wo hate uuuiiilaiit reasuii to t: thnnkful imd take courao for the futaro. The public health has never been bettor, whilst the pelilence lus play i'd with pitiloss fury among the bodies and plcusant places of our South ern and Western neighbors especially of our great daughtur Tennessee tha prnfouiidost quiet and most reverential obedience to leal authority have pre vailed throughout our borders whilst riatitij, robbing and defiant lawlessness have disturbed (ha peace ot many States, North aud West of ur, accom panied both by arson and bloodshed. 1 ho crops af tha last tw o seasons have bocn excellent and tbe menus of sub sistence have nater been more abun dant nod cheap. The industry of our people has besu notably increased and diversified, their farms, stock and 'ag ricultural implements shoiv considerable improvements; arid whilst the cash staples have steadily enlarged, the amount of breadstuff purchased abroad lias visibly diminished. This is an un doubted evidence of progress, but man ufacturing enterprises and the larger class of speculation requiring more cap ital have not equally advanced, owing to tbe financial derangement relet red to, in oeoseqaeuca s I', which there has been distress among our mechanical population and prices of all products, including laber, hay ruled low. Kemcaiberiog that JNorth Carolina is pre-cmineutly an agricultural State, yeur legislation should be directed to ward the improvement ot that interest mainly. Iu this connection, I bug to call ysur attention to the fact that tha first aud perhaps greatest need ot an agricultural people, thinly scattered over a wide extent of territory, is that of good highways and easy transportation lor persons and products. As a genet a1 rule, fria tha lowland belt westward, the highways of our State are as bad, if not worse, that any to be lound in tbe At lantic States. The old system of loca ting them and keeping theai iu repair, adopted by our fathers more than a hundred ye us ao, is litill in use, though its utter ieeflisieucy for nearly that L'.ii'Ui of tiuio lias beci appuieut. Of the inconvenience, cost and distressing tendency upon nil industry wnich such roads occasi v, I need not stop -to re mind you I shall etnly bej your ear nest attention to the necessity of change ai.d exrvess my decided opinion thai no permanent prosperity need be' expected unless this grious evil is remedied. Certain great leading thoroughfares through the most convenient centres, and all pouring into the nearest railroad I'mes, might bu cheaply and thoroughly . . . i . i constructed oy convict moor, me louii ties throiii-'i whic'i they piss supporting the convicts: and as to the other roads dischartti'i" into th. n I advise that ome other method for tWir construc tion and repairing be devised. I am haiiov to ba able to state that an mere iseil interest is nnniursvcu Tins I believe niairty due to the action of the last Legislati re in appropriating mosey for the etaV,lislinneut ol formal ichooh. In nciinrdinco with tbn law, the Hoard f Education established one for the whites at the University and decided to locate one for the blacks at I'ayettaiille, in a building tendered by the colored people of that place. They were established on somewhat ddljrent ystenis, regard bsing had to the cir- curajlauces ol cash race, it wns cn lidcred that tbe while race had already many educated teachers who simply needed Instruction in the art of teach ing, whilst the blacks needed teachers Instructed in both the elements f teach ing and the arts of learning. For the one, therefore, n six weeks school was luld at Chapel Hill during the summer vacation", and for the other ft perma nent school was established in Fayette tille. lioth have been remarkably suc cessfulat the first session of the white school 2 '5 teachers attended, aud at t tie second one." tha past summer, more than '100 teachers were present, repre. sr-nt'iiif about sixty counties. An excel lent corps of instructor wis employed. The University give tho se ot in ouua inos, Us libraries, laboratories and op paratus. The railroads very generous ly pave reduced rafts.' The agent of tho Psabody fund supplemented the ap propriation with . a handsome donation, had every dollar that' could be spared was used to equalize the benefits of the S'ate's bounty by paying the trailing expense's of the more indigent ; Ivctures by distinguished citizins of the Siate nn popular tlienifis were delivered almost d.iily with the best results. The un doubted effect of the whole was to urousa an e' thusiastic interest iu behalf f popular education among a largo por tion of or people, and to excite a spirit uf bonest pride in ISiejr, culling among all the teachers present which will, it is beped, do much good. The accom panying rp irt of I'isident llattla II re ferred to for particulars. . Th colored Normal school nt Kiy eitcville was put in charge of Mr. Hub ert Harris, a native colored man of excellen t character and cJp jcity, nper .vised by a board of local ir.anao.crs se lc:i te.l Iroio the be t busineh cinz -im of the town, who took u great interest in its welfare. It has been managed wiih uiifxpected success. The past sessiou opuued with OS pupils, ah-mt 40 of whom have received certifijnti'S ns teachers, siiine of high grades; the second vear began with 71 pupils and is now in progress. Tne same donation was nude to this school by the l'eabndy fond as to the wlii'e school, nod iho same scheme adopted to cquiliz-i its henelits. , The report of Mr. ILuris, to which you aro referred, will be as sur prising as I am sure it will be pleasing to all who desire the real weiiaru o! ar colored cilix -ns. I sincerely hope the appropriation for both schools may ba Renewed and the law be wade to embrace both sexes. For though females have attend 'd b-itli schools by penniss'mn, yet the li ianl of Education did not feel at liberty to ex pend any St its money i:i their ui.l, which was a little Uiigull.iiit foir s chititlrous a people as our.s, who are si well a aro that as a general rule our female teach, crs are bette.' than the iiialei. The ex cellently worded memorial of the tench ers themselves, which acoi'ipanies the report of lof. ! ittle, is especially com mended to your favor. r.o.vr.D ov Aiiitici'i.Tt iti:. The establishment by the last Legis lature, in pursuance- of the constitution, of a lii'rartmeiit of Agriculture, was a very important step indeed t i the wel fare of this Statu. As was to have been expected, tho law has in some respects proven defective, aud will require s.ttuc amending at your hand!), but in the main it is an admirable one. It is th first step ever made in the (Tired inter est of agriculture and has bee a hinUd by our fanning people with great satis f.icti.in. So fur, this berei.j has cost the people nothing, the t:ix on licenses to sell fertilizers having- yiclJoJ sullijicrit reveuuo lor all its purposes. ' As soon us passible after the passagn of tho laiv in 1S77. the orcauizuion oi tho lioara tl Agriculture was completed by the elec tion of t .vo intelligent fur men who now occupy seals ia it; a Commissi oner was elected, ' Secretary and Treasurer chosen add work began iuimeJiatily. For tha results of the first two ycarf, 1 refer you to tlie accompanying report of the Commissioner, Col. L L. Folk, which sets nut everything in detail. I regard the beginning us excellent. The 'chief difficulty in the way of doing any new thing among a people so conserve lie ns ours is. iu seem ing their prompt co-operation. It was found very difiicull al fust to awaken an active interest in the oper.it'wns nt tho bureau, but the impression once produced is la,tiag and enlarging. Speei il attention h is bc ui given to lite ai.alw.ing inul classification ol feitiiizers, including niai'.s, to the re stocking ot our rivers wiul fish, anJ the nreo.iiiitiou of a handbook of laloa.ia- tion couceruing the State aud its re sources. Much gO'-d has been elfectud am sure, and an interest excited that will lead to st II more. A serious draw back to fish propagation is tha numer ous dims and obstructions of the strcims ; and public sentiment is in ciai'iy places prevented Irom bnaring upon the owners of these obstructions by the snceis uf the ignorant and uiiscrupuloos. Tiiis will disippear wbe i result are seen, and the laws passed in ni l of this iiu- poitint matter will then be helped lu their execution by a wisur popular opin io? The trouble to the r rfr'"""' "' "f a popular b.uidoook has been the actual imp 'ssihility of getting dtalistics. The duties required uf tax listers under the (Ith section of the net establisiiiug this Hcnartiiient, have ben in suven cass out often evaded, or openly nod cloii nntly rlused; additional leg islation is needed to make this law effectual, nnd in this connection, I beg permission to remark generally that the vital defects of our laws lies in the nvachniery provided for their execution. The general tenor of our legislation is excellent, ns nil who will philosophically examiuo our statutes for a bundled years passed r'll confess ; but a largo portion of them, oi ( a of a most beneficent char acter, lio dsrmiint nnd inoperative. There is oo power given to tho Chief Executive or any head ot a department, to quicken the diligence or rebuke the criminal neglect of bis subordinates; and many of our best laws take the chance of tho local favor or disfavor with which they may be regarded nnd are alive or dead ns that may bo. Proof of this is found in the ' rew num ber of the statutes in relatioo to sub jects cenoernine which excellent ones are already in existonce. It is not good tb'yig or a healthy sign, perhaps, for a people to multiply greatly their list of criminal olTences, but for the curing of this serious defect iu the administra tion of our laws, I can see no better way than the imposition of heavy penal ties for the omission or refusal, on the part of any public ollicer, to perform any du'v whidi he is required to per form. It h s not only b-'en found im possible to get tho stnti-tics required under the act establishing the l!,atd of Agriculture ns before remarked, and also to get nrnper and timely returns from the County School 1! mrds nnd Managers, whilst several counties in the last election for Cougiessiueii failed to send full and proper returns of the votes cast and s nun oven failed to return any at nil. and so on through the list. It is to the last dt'gren discouraging to lliiisu who earnestly desiro to d some thing for the public good to find that those whoso special duty it is ta help, will not d so, and can refuse t' do eo with impunity as ceroiain to tho work of the Agricultural Hurt an. I desire to call your attention to the subject of our forests. I will nut undertake to -point out the many and most important func tions which they fulfill in tho economy of nature and which the investigations of scientific men fire bringing every day to the attention of the world, but will con tort myself with referring t them ns a source of wealth, health and fertility, and to the 1 ict of their rapid and waste ful liestnictKio. Depleted as they are, our fores' s to-day are worth more intrinsically, properly managed, than the lands they stan 1 upon, whilst the value of those especially which shadow the highlands rouuJ ubout the source of our streams is simply incil culahle, considered with reference to rainfall, destructive Hoods, &.C. The proof of this is plain to any one who has observe.! the condition of those valleys whose hillsides have been en tirely stripped of timber and canverted into toat shauic ot southern agriculture old fields and vet in the face of the increasing value of timber and the dc creasio" valun of the lands froui which it is ruthlessly swept, the destruc tio goes on. Mauy counties already feci the evil keenly, and not many .years hence if some reinedv be not npplied the outcry will be general. I confess I ilo not see my way clear to that r nuody, I am aware of Uc dilliculty nnd the danger of intcrlVriun with tho owners l:-al ri --'lit to il i what ho pleases with his own. If he sous proper to cut down all his limber, dry up the sprite's which feed our streams and precipitate his soil into llmir channel changing their cur rents and deluging all tho low Uilds below hi.ti, and iiiiDovishiug himself and his children, I can't see how he is to be hindered. But tho people of other nations are fiading menn, by bonuses, exemption from taxition and other deiicestoresti.ro tl.e forests on de nuded lands and many of our counties are adopting lavs with regard to enclos ing their hods, the ellect ol which is to reduce the expenditure of timber for lbs fai uii-ig purposes to the minimum. As gu.irdi.i;.s i.f tha interests of an cgri cultural people, I commend this whole subject to your serious attention, I am rtq-icsteJ by the F m.l of Agriculture to say that they concur in tho recent nundations of the Commissioner, I call your iitlontioo to the report of Dr. Ls.l ohx, Director of the Fertilizer C-ji.tr al St itiou. It is gratifying in the extreme, yt i will perceive, that the (1'ialily of the Fertilizers sold in the State has steadily impioved, and the marko value uf the improvement amounts to moio limn $100,000 in two years. This is caused obviously by the fact thai, knowing their wares were to he subj.'it to a rr;id i-cinnlilio test, the dealers were c.uoful to make them erne un to the in.uk, and many others have quit toe ujikj. auoguer. Ttli: l'KN lTKNTl.U'.Y. The l'eniteniiarv system of dealing with our criminals is comparatively new i i this S: ili-, a id as it is now by far the mi.t cosily of all our institutions and is ulninst daily b -c tilling more so, every i tiim iierl.iinir.o- to it is deserving of vour enrnest attention. The main idan of such n SYstem is-to punish offenders iri'h hud labour, either to reform or (liter them niul others from the com uii-sion of criuio. Th i economic prob lem is to make this labor support tho iustitut'iJU. Tho plan ndoptcd nt prcs ent is much more thin doing this if tho work leiii" done by the c rtivicts was paid for in cash. The number of cob vicis tio.v mi hand and their distribution is shown by the report of tbo very com netent and energetic Hoard of directors and Superintendent, snt herewith. The able force kept in the enclosuro bns heim constantly employed upon the walls and buildings, and by placing cash valuatiitu upon tbe work done, will be secu that they bavo earned hanisonie wages over and beyond their kcp. The returns Irom tlujse cugaged ., .1. -,:u 0U ttlO various ranruuus sun,, iiiii greater wages valuing their work by rnoinccrs' estimates. These estimates are very liberal toward tha company for whom the work is done, yet it will be toco thu couvicts have earned more than four times tho minimum fixed by tho Legislature at which the companies shuuld be charged. vai.uk ot" convict i.Anoit. From this we may draw some valua ble conclusions : 1st. That convict labor is almost if nut quite as valuablo lor road construction as hired labor, 2J. That convict labor is more valuable used in this kind f work than employed confinement. That tbe health and general tone of the convicts is better in out-door werk. Influenced by these considerations, I am induced to siy that in my opinion it is our policy to provide labor for them on public works, alto gether, after th completion of tbe Peni tentiary buildings, leaving within in walls only such as from lee lioness, and the nature of their criii cs, cannot be sent nn' side. In addition 1 1 the com pletion of the roads begun by the Sate, to which labor has been already as signed, there are a number ol local railroads and turnpikes greatly desired in many parts of Ibo State, and valuable swamp lands to be druinud, at which convict might be employed with (mit profit to tho State, the counties or com munities supporting the convicts. I think that whenever any county or com munity will obtain a charter for building a railroad or a turnpike, draining u swamp or dvking a river, and will under take to support the hands, they should be given the cuuvicts labor. There are many fertile valleys of creater or less extent, remote from railroad facili ties, such as tbe great valley of the Yadkin from Salisbury - to Patterson, where wcll-t-dit farmer, I lira sure, would be induced to attempt the build in!' of narrow-au?o railroads, if thev were given the necessary labor ; nnd many excellent turnpikes would ba con structed ns feeders to our railroads, and many rich swamps might be drained in the same manner. To this way the in creasing cost of the Penitentiary would be kept down and a vast bsucfi: to the people be accomplished. DYKES FOIt TUT. no.W'OI-ti. DhI'kvi, in li.tstwn to Newton, ioi i ii.! th it paint 'o I, the t'a lini! is d in NO. 17. cointv, ai.d ll'fl grilling V. N. ('.It K. IVoin iioir. Ill,' "lenlfr part ol and the woik is bmng THE ROANOKE NEWS ADVKIiTISINO RATES.'. SFACK i itio Souai , Two Siiinrtit, Three .iiiiiiri-M, l"'our Siu:in's, Koorlli t'oi'n, II lit Column, vVtinlc Column, 8 00 I ft i,0 ti no I in mi I i.r on t;o oo ! I h no I in no lf 00 i s no :;o no One Yer, I 5 M tl 20 00 'Mi 10 :oi oo -I!) 0 tl ot l I o tf I M 4u e K b (t ti tt 74 As a further Illustration of this idea, I be" leave to call your attention to the situation of that rich aui once produc- tice region the Roanoke country below Weldon. At one time tho Egypt of our State and a source of great wealth to our people, those splendid and 'inex haustible lands are fast becoming a wilderness by reason of the destruc tion of the levees which confined the lloanoke within its banks. In tlio de moralized state of labor thero and the reduced condition Af the planters, it has bee found impossible to replace them, and tho wholo region will bo lost to the State for generations if something is list done to reclaim it. If the counties or citizens interested, well undertake to support the convicts unci tbeir guard. I recommend that sufficient force be furnished ihem to rebuild those levees a iiu thus rescue ttini important poruou of our State from ruin, and enable the citizen thereof to recover their, pros perity ud increase greatly tho public wealth. Il is entirely practicable, as 1 am informed. . hau.riuhs. The public vt rks hive been pushed lor- aril with rnerev and rrnniomy. 1 repwt exceadinejy that the ui-oiio-io nt Inn not been able to hnve the cars on thu v . Iv U U. running acuiss the Itlim Kid .'i by this time, a wis cunli lently expuctr l. when your prode vmh-b adjourned. No energy or dutciiuiusiion has been want- ili, but lusiiperatslo elistsc ti wn louml in the nature of the country and thu in (luftcieiicy of lun.is. Naked labor ran niskc little pronrom, in such H work as cutting a iHiHmiil traok luroiili our Western mountains, until. led ov ail I in modem appliances an I unieri il now umd in iue.li oporatioua, and which cost more iBoucy tliuu tho tanipany eoui.I coni in ind. tw;n4 to the ccoluairnl peculiar. itm ot the lormatiuna through whuli tho track if cut, vast slidi s ol earth and toek some ol thfin as great ns lilteen ncr-i ol uilncc, have ltrn cniitinually tailing into the tiuek as last as it could b leuioved. But the walk is now almott done, (lav. 1 1 lit ii nearly through the gtuit tunnel. In a lew weeks Irom this day the nt(iiie will past the lUiaiuil. mi l the tr-i'k can bu cuniuloted to Asheviil easily by mid summer. Owing to tho condition nf Hie Trenury, I did ti at purchase tha vvhohr aoionn. ol iron winch 1 was autliuriz.-d by law to buy, tlniugh greatly ti inpti d to do ao by the lo.v pricu lor nhieh it was o!fru l. Abuut 13 miles ol rails cnlv vveru pur- nased, the cost, of t ie wh-ilu b.-ioij little over Jio.O'.lO. Tiiu l-j.nu.nder ul the appropria'ion will lurnivh thu iron n.iei'i sary t' rniich Aslieville mile. it plieuli rise jrcatly )n market. Liy tin report ol Mj. Wilson, Prusiilunt, it will be seen thai, the c.iroini,'S, by hit e-tmoiUs m enuinerr, ol il hands (shout the uverst;u nuin'jer lunithhu him) nave been ne.rly JIOU.OJD per aiiiiU'ii or 2JD.0:)J lor tha years 1S77 '7 being nboul J2;!ij.l)j per iionuui per huod, giois. The io-t ol s ip paiung, uuiinung, and ov-rsocina thiol has been tor tho a. ma tune annul t'.isiiuu Their health haabnon exeelltnt. As nvai.y is ran be ascerta'ncil, tlitur tu t ciiriuni.., catluctiltf evi'Viiiini, nno inc u-iiii'; ine lick, tbe weiuou an. I ud ethers not at ivml, ou the read Irom any c.Use, id $121 it) per hand. Oa the, whole, tha experiment ol con itruotine; that road by the cooviet Jahor has been a eucceis. I hope il will bu c n tmod, the number kept up and every neueassry step taken by your body to finish, the road to ita VYenturn conuuetious at heratofora ngrced upon. The iquad of huudi employed nn the Ganrgi aud North Carolina It. K. has finished grading to the town ol Murphy, in Cherokue County. I have ttciivcd uo u 'li ds! report (if the woilc. . Col. L. C. Jenrs, Proaidtnl of the Wu tern Uailrad, makes a yory llatterni! re pott of th progress l tho woik done by loavicts ou his liu. Having (Ute'ininai to extend it in tha diroction ol Qrucnsbnrj, th canpanv heean work at or near t'gvpt in Match, 187U, with 100 convicts, aud there it good prospect of inon seeing this toad completed to Grccmboro. It will open cut a lino eecttou, in I Iiu a great ben clll t tha country through which it pamee, to Fayuttcvilla nd to Wilmington. Tlie hands on this ro id have e li ned net abeut $ per head. The Chester and Lenisir Nairnw Guago ;ios!n-il wilii c-t'iil . I iiey Imvh i,eeil tu: niihed with 3-1 cuuviels imd the iiunih. r bus been kent up. I rordi.illy commend this enterprise to jour biv.ir. It I reieiiiii" out in n diiie'iin perhap mnii' important til Mis we'Mr? ul 'he Sls e loan tua'. ol any ohat riu!; exee 't the W. N. (J. It I not only poiuta to Ilia niv)t ri-tn:irkublu ail' I ex! luive iron mid e-Mipur miii" io tlui SjuiIi Ci iniierry a -id the ' Drii Knnh also tint silt Ionian) plaa'er deposit of Waibingtoa eoitniv, Virgin'.S. tlin cheap inipoit I'lon nt w'.ip'.h would P"rh:qn do more t rsn v t'e th" i lenl lure ol our State thin nnnlii'i.: which eoudl perhaps Ini ilabed. 1 tegii-l t il that woik on tlio rSpirlanburu and A'ii' vnie I ,' i I bin baun su'iieu led, jn-t a- it had atiaiiied tho Crnfsill r ot tlin I! ue Hi. Id i ii I o thu beautiful va.h'y rl the I' uch Uro'id. Twe bun I red hands ha I bei"i kept with that coitipiny uiuler a coii . ict made bdoro I eaiu into otli- e, i.t a m II hire, wliieh rnutra-t was r. spr ('.! by mv l.'.nrd Until Saatenii'e.', when lijd ing Iha I'd in puny io a lai'.in:; i. nioinoii and unable to psv the lnisiU, men were wuli d awn niul pl.ii'.i-d ou the V. N. C. tviiik, bevood tlie llulite. Thi) Atlantic nod K irtli (,' irolina It i;l road has been ciivir.in-l with diili unties ever since my ai cession to olliee, some o! rt cli werae.illud to the attention ol the 1: .1 i,e;;ilaturu. A nut begun iu trie tf.at : con, is to impeach tiic validity ol the ni'rt-;; bonds oil the ground of iis'irv, wns 1.,'ilowid by n couuier suit in the Fed eral C-iur i to f..rcl e he tnotlgng aud i II the nm I, Tin .e hav.i nt Icnijth been coioiiioniisfd n t"rms which it u thought Will unable thu read to live anJ meet Its intcie.'t promptly liirealter, the acciinu 'ned interest bein;; lir.'.de.l na I time nt pauuent ex'ended, tin bond hold -rs ur rendering 0.00 1) nl bonds and coupon to be cancelled. When it camo to the hands ot the pre'-ent Hoard it was appar ently in the lat extrfini'y of exhaustion. Its loiidb I, track ami bridges were win o out and aussle, its rnliini: stwck run tlewii, its employees unpaid, lis interest nearly twelve mouths in delimit aud a l'.uU'.i deli' of aiout iJJ7 80J ilue. Ail thu has beim changed. The roadbed, briilijes and rniliuf t- ek arc now much improved, thu fl-tatiu 4 debt has all Ijojii paid, euiployvcs are naid nil week I v. arrangement in i !e in a I ; lit its boiuled debt, nn ol.l tax debt ilu tho L'ni'ed States, com promised h iO.Si)J. is bemt: p,i I at thu iaie ot foOO per inoiilh. l.oOO beine ulrt-idy paid; urn the Pievidenl reports tJlO O'J'J in tlio tress ttry on the 1st ft January io meet interest when the. ti.'-it ins'.a'l.lleu". comes due in .Tn'.v next. Its ctroii receipts lor 1377 were ahout 10 per cant, greater tl'.r.n the year previor,., und u t date ! report were fliil .i cater (or Tho-o i. ra certainly verv uralifvitiic results, ami pive positive ainiii Alice That tho toad cnu take cue ol iKtdf if run en business principles and by business vn. Ir is a nonree f much ri vret te me tint tho nlan adopted by th Hoard, aonroveil by me to reach Ihii end came l niueh local opposiiiun, and snh ieeied all concerned to l he imputation that tlie :;reat desire ol the lio.u-l aad myajlt to save tin- S'.atrs "iropaiiy was uC'tued without due regard to pnvs'.a interests. I believe in. I earnestly bopn that when ie sul'. an semi tlicse unjust iuiprcsiuiia will ba remove I. a ten on rAV. It is nl.'o a r-nuireol regret that- the werk ol cutting a canal t!i'oii.;li Angnt.i l',y was not uiole'taUeii as provided by law. The Uiard were ready to do.io at my ra qucst aad o'.IVred l he ceny.ct-i, but lound it praeileillv nupossib'e to tin till wtk. nwiag to the oiiiisn.ui of the act to provide the neeessiry means lor in execution, there lining authority for neither a survey Io be made, overseer to bo employed . nor im- plmeu!s to ba luimslie) by iha l'.sarl. A liitlsi aiiiendineiH to the law iu thu reepeoi will enable the work to bj dnau pro.nptly. NAVtil Vr.l.F. WATMIS. It is trra'itvirnr t i "C that th" gi'errnl l'ov-miaeut ha beetnu to tnke nil interest in t l.) ininroveiiiuot of oir naii:ul nateis Surveys ol I lie Neu.-ie. tl.e Yadkin '!' the Cutawl'C. 'e in ptngru cr cob lemp! ilien.aiiAil miottui upon lav.irably. I would snu'iti'.t that n resolutt.in nl your l,.iirab!e body io this behalf would in ite- "i-iPy stre-.'!i.-'i thu ban U ci entr rear. si'iit .tiv in V ini'rcss in obtaining the nece-mry appropriatiotu. KINANl'lAU The Treasurer' report will enitnce yout ennie.a alter.; inn. 1 ou will see tllat whil-t ibfl utmost eeonnniy 1ml been practiced, yet fie lunda iu his hands have not been nl licit-lit in meet ad the nbj-vts provided by law. Tlin revon is simply Hist Urn list l.e-ialature in r ' is( .1 tb-j aoiirisoriation vs itli. nit lucrn-iii'! the li.vs. 1'.,;' li'.ll ovr hall the if l-ID 0 )0 appr.spriati-d to bu iioa lor th i W. N. t' U K, Ina b i rx nende.i. na.ie ol the CO'J lKI. atintopiiHt. to Ihe colore. I Io.i.io A v!uio. vvhiUt OJO ol thorn;. u i;'-Yi';i tithn nc-tern lii....ne Asylum wis naid out t-f tow year tales. alt otnor i irnt items wincu rnai-i ii postpour I li7e lirt i rarrie.l rn'i r into th" ir . arcftint, in ot Icr that thu lreasurer Ph'".i!d not N co'tipi'lled to lorrow. 1 ins dflie.ieney , il will bj noted, i only In re g I'll to the sp 'ciil apprnpiiti i -mi and it t- 'o.ne ex'ent atlributab e to the Isn-tlii-enioi; ot the I'isr.l tear, from October lo January. It is to be regretted, and I have no doubt ii very surprising, to tho Finnnc Committi'e ot the last (Jeneral Assemblv, who thouetit the tax hill would vicld sutii- cient revtnuo, aa I so it wulduil more, at trades and mechanical work iu close I Hailrosl Company his llu'uhvd its linu to under a be.tter scheme nf assessuietit, I cm not conceive it possible to devin one which would oprralo more unequally, un justly or prepadiclally to th 1 leasnry; the lule for every county, town and township, ic itisrent, and the values of property sit uated in thii lame locality anrijit the lame character, aro ns variant and niunu-d as the unaided, in bilrary and, open imlilfuretit nuiiuiH, ol tlie as.easisrs may chancu to bu. Very little praperiy is assessed to anywhere within the ufictibnrlioo I f' its value, tuit that do8 not matter ; thn essential idea is tn have the aiseistueul bear the siuni nut form proportion t- the trite value of tho property taxed. Unlms this Is seenreil, on man payi a va'tly higher tax than Ins neighbor, and eno lewiship or county than tho adjoinlug lowniliip or cuunty. And it ie in tho p.iwer, and nlten h ippcns in ptactic, of tho rotiaty assessors and tjui' uilssion.'rs te defeat the will ol the Lis latuie by lowering the a"essmcDti. It b conies ...si a heavy tax en bonetty ami compels tha conieicntiona man to pay fonic'.'uucs double or treble the tas paid by bis le-i scrupulous neijthbor. A remedy lor thu evil demanded alike by ine'.iee and gitnd pnlioy. Wnut tint remedy shstl bo your wuJ.ioi must devise. Te Uo not wiint an Ineressu of taxes but an enulix tmn u! t lies and a Uithtul cnlleciion ot ihos" which are levied. My own opinion that the Treasurer, Auditor, r other Statu elie-en, be ntiihonz-ed to tct al a Rio llnard ol Ase'?ori, with power t np-rvi-e aii'l eiinai n the assessments oi the cminly ullieinU whoso list! should be ti t, in 1 1 1 c tl to it, nail it should have author ity io sin mi i n on wilnesias, hear testnnnny, a 1 il the county assessors were ehesea by the .S ale Hoard it seem! to me we wouiil almost Imvo a cuaranty that mi i fur .-is i ( v cu d bo neured. So, too.ioiv.e disposition ehonld be marie I'istive 10 llio lands lold for taxes and o-iitlit in fir the State. For tea years tin u l iruls havo been accumulating until, ns thu report of the Secretary of State in - onus inn, theic are now in olliee bberiut feeds lor 17j0 tracts HTid lots of real es tate, representing taxes, t the mouit cf nearly 17.000. on which tbe tine ler re- lemption has expired aud the State's title is nl: olute. lu most cases the owner cmtinue happily in pssscssion while their uelault noes to swell tho taxes nl their nei hbor3. I relcr to tlio Tiesauret'a report tr a report ol tho btato debt, and in amuiint ol expenditures of tbe government, both ol which are io closoly set lortb as to ;ee. I co coiLiiient Irom me. ft'Bf.IC UKKT. Tin public d ib', it will be seen by the Treasurer'! ripurt, ninaunU to flO.960,. Olo-OD-nrineipa', and $10,1G0,180.25 in terest. This is known s the recognized debt, as contradistinguished frm th special tax bonus. What shall be don vi i t ti it u a question that deserves your best, consideration. It is out af the quels tion lor us to attempt to pay it at its lac v.luo. Indeed I do not conceive that there is any moral obligation upon ui te ilj so; nor do our creditors expect it of ui. Qiitu nie-balf of our property uuen which our bndi were based vas wantonly ristrouJ by consent ol a large majority f those who held Ulemi and no canrt ot iiiicit'iice upon ttieearlh waulil permit editor to dostiuy one half ot Ii in security n d c.'.tim full payment eut of tbo re niaieder. lint we ran ni should pay i oiimtfcieg. The resolution ef last teiiion cen!itutini; the Oovernor, Treasarer and Attorney Unneral a committee to calr with eur Cieditors gave na pwr to make or accept any proposition whatever; and so an invitation to visit New York to con fer w ith the holders el our bonds was de clined, as tbn aecninpsnying correspond ilecce- will show, iS:,idts thin no attempt te open negotiations with us bai been, niiule. Hut i have grsunda to bslioy that vc! y rea-oiublu tenni indeed can b ob tain. ! if we evince a detctaiinatioa to settle the iuer.tio and be done with it, I reler exelusively ts what ia known ai th "K co'ii.zed" liobt. tin far as thaoecil tax builds aro rnuecrnad. my opiLios II expressed to yonr predecessors remains un- '.mngi.d, that tbey ar not binding either aw or gi)i d oiora I unless it may be as o a very small fraction honestly approprl- 1 to tho State s use tod accepteri by her. 'otonc, I avow my rcaitincsi to c oprato wiiti you to the lull rxtimt of tny power in leVi..:n : toe luethods and beanns th lurth uHotan honest adjustment of all our in lubte lixss, as samulhing looner or will have to bo done alike lor the fake ol our goad uauie aud our future irospei ity. KI.'! -KAI. l.NTICltl'KIHNCi WITU 8TATI COIHI'S. I call yiur atteutiun to certain matteil whieh hv oi curre l sine your last ie- aion, nod which give rise to question! af lit'iculty mid eravn i.apartanca. luvolynj a sieining con.l-ct Between tne laws al tne Unite -I Sistet and those of th State, At the Fall Term, 1S7G, of the B ipenor Court nl Guilford county, on llasklo and two iithvra were indicted for an alleged assault and battery upon Levi liumble. In .March, 1S7S, thu detemUnt bavin; been nrrsMed. li-ed in tha olli o ol th Cir. cutt Court nf tho United States for th Western 1). strict ol North Carolina, their petition under oatu. 1 which they set ioith tli.it Hay were officers of the Internal Revenue Depa-tmeiit of th United States ay I that the sell charged against them in the lr.l ot uiilictuieut 1 have mentianett woi c'imuiiiuj under color ot their olliee; tin y thereto: prayed that tbe prosecution against them should be removed from th Suite Court tu the Circuit Court ia pursu ance ot an act ot Coojrree-s now embodied inseetioii RU ot the UuvixeJ Statutes af th: Units.) states, in, d which provide! that criminal pto.iecutioai commenced In any court ol A State against any alTwer nciieg by autiiority ol toy Uevenu law id tli e UuitrJ States, on aecouut ot any act done under color al Ins olliee, may at any timi helore trial, be renuved for trial Into the (1 reiiit Court rvxt to be holdm In th iinuiii wiiuia siieii prosecutian art peuO ing. The ntaver nt th petition bavine liuen gra'itid, a ropy ot th otd r remov nor the case was, on tho 5;h ol March, lSi'7, served up in the Clerk ol the Suiieriar Court ol ijutltord ciiintv, and when at lb erisiiini! S,irink' term of that Court the case was caned, the ilelen.lauts objeetej tj tur- llmr procc"d:ngi In the Stat Cuirt upon tha ground thai tite c mrt ni loafer had jurisdiction of th case. Upon augment bcloro trio II in. WilliAtn K. Cox, then b iidiiig tho li nllord Superior Court, that uU'i.ier was ol the opinion that ha could ptocei I no lii'ther iu the matter, nnd so di'tiilcd. From hi.s dec a ion the Solicitor for th tMate npfalc.l to the Supreme; Court. K-ji-ogn;?iiw the Important and delicate tia'ure of the q lestiou presented I lic'incd it in bo my ciaiy to anist th de lili tatiomoC the Suoreiua Court with ar giuiient from counsel learned In lb law. I a cordingly cnpiaye 1 ciunsel t- aid the Attorney Ceueral in presenting to the conit the opinion eutertuiutd by the Government of the (state. Altera lull diicuislan by counsel, the Supreme Court, with one di iiitin voice, alHimed th opinio ud judgment ot ihe lower court, nd dismiss ed the appeal. The earae question u prcseutrd to the Supreme Court at the ssme tlmti In the case of the Bute against William D.-sver appealed at tbe Spring lerm l 1M77 ol the Superior Caurt of liuiherlord county from th judgment of (l OSTINCKO OS F.ri'TU PA03.) .

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