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.) .