Newspapers / The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, … / Feb. 10, 1843, edition 1 / Page 2
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'4 V ft. v. t v 4 i4 . :' "f. ,-, 4 V . 'V :. -v ... 5'.: - V 't "V -0 NT ,.-TS-i. I,IAJ6RITY.:JJINpIlITy jiiJ.mueh cX 0oVeraory f Ttt tirt of tbt Bliiia of.Gorerrior referred that Charter v". -Via crcntsd t r-'.s a Turnpike RoaCfrcn ths V v Cit? f f Rai-' ' point Westward,' t be f ebclai with '.3W to iu ulUmata conti'auiace. "pULIjr recocainr-i the c6ntiiiiii.nce, of the lame Turrpike Eat, tj brr diwn m AVaynetborotxghV i TO'T"- T"4 ' vITfectfullr Submitted,, v: r .v '- r ----- . 0 'lad ta miLj ft Tcrnpiisiroia;Fayettef ilia tohe KJ , P'Yadiia Rhr f tad here; ire aretyren touiw &rstand,ti w. LTs Iload, car i fn, inerBauTr -J acrosi the CaU.. -a ' Riref VVcit. it in rftcommendc J that a Survey 4- . -;ito be fconti tLall be oMsred to ascertain opracUcabilityt of v 1 unitir'' .iiabef and Cat) Fear Rivers py a good rrr:-iL CaaaL'with a view.fas yobr Commit-" tea typpose.) hereafUc to construct thia-Canaltt ?l W.- Inlet, and the connection of Pamlieo Soundv byVa v. w vv ' ejjjp channel with C.'aofort haVboor, are-apecial wks oimtneilie importance iapd tjie Cfener-" b al Governminti 'tccorcj to the au'arzestSons of .s'i:ztt?Ci are to be jre-eutrf ited to undertake . and td.accomplieh them, as national works. . The istdature has, from time to time,eranted away, -TLs &LJature has. from' time'to time, granted c.v- KS AiiTera jDI riorm aroiinavi ana now me J-V caTir- tribute money to Narintion Corboratioaav r ' in'l'I-iJ raa&ner, exclusir prrrilegee to Rail Road Ccaaies, JintU theyve beentsUmulaJed to: " Vbejinsuch enterprises ; andM after.;.exhau6ting ' v 'i i .their, own means, these Rail tRoad Companies 'Vnvf;jia.ve procured the cred of the State,jind finally 5 infolTe!d the-people in a debt of more than a mil-CV-tv, ; lion of dollars ; though, in the outset, the CapiuW ' -yVv Kt who asked for the Chartef, professed to ask l T nthino tmt the rurbt ot soenainer tneir own monev for these works, r - Uad ther Hbroved profitable. -the Peonle at lanre would eniov'no riffht but the beneEt, ,ot;payinylribute."to these Corporations, tor carrying them 6r their produce from home to a market 1 but, as soon at they proved to be a I probably fall upon the State Treasury; The State. f had'little pr n:har vbf ' the profit.'.as lonw u there was any .hope tL profit yet the , State ts (o bear the kea,-Wv?i t-i;v.vv -- Your Committee have good reason .to appre- ' hend, thai the same beginning of Turnpikes, by -. Corporation Charters, will terminate in a sftrtnarj way to North Carolina indeed, your uommittee . greatly raisappteheDd '.the Message Referred to , them; if it doea not shadow forth this ry usual ; J second step in their Charters, .when it is re com mended to give to these Turnpikes such aid . (s the' condition of the Public treasury may justify! l:L Ywr Committee Report further that they do ,! ' "t . 'iliot think the condition of the treasury justifies our t giving any aid at all 19 these 'schemes of Internal - ' Improvement, or to anv 0 them ; and it Seems ; Z. ''to ie Committee a'oseless waste of time and la. ; borr to be investigating the' -value and cost of - iiirnpikes acrosa more than one bailor the State, . ' when it ia known the State owns no funds thatcan e applied in, aid of their construction and,it is on. ' ' ceded; we 00 jht not to raise money for such expen- . ditures by taxation, and when it is admitted, we tQgh t not to borrow money for; the purpose, if .we v touM do it,and probably could not do it if we woplL V ,.The Report of the. board of Internal Improve. ??nt, referred to your . Qommitteev shows, that SVVery yearly the -whole amount of that fundeoo- sluts of Bonds owioop by"" people in. the extreme West; these amotint to h?s than three hundred thouiand dollars. he. Governor's Message and. ; the Ajrentvipr the State-- concur , in the opinion, that, if the payment of this debjt were rigidly ex- 'acted? the result , wpuld be1,: iq many instances, K ruin to the debtor and loss to the State. "V VVith- r out collecting, this deVthe State Improvement tit" there are no funds with which theaidthat is . : : jrc Commended can be given. v .Would it relieve' uivi zuui& ? ui uiT. csw tuxaci. payment 01 they wbjjld covet such favors at our hands 1 Q But th Bonds, were they'all collected, are umcieat 10 uipcnargri ane-mira!or me oenc con tracted for Rail Roads Vnd itiyould.. be absurd, .to say, we are f gainst Taxation, and against Re pud'iatiottrfaoi against loansi and then forthwith, to spend all themoneyJn the Treasury upon new rojects?ieaving .Vdebt , :unp$ id , that, must be itheY discharged or repsdiatel, or;a new loan 4aken.to txwtDoha the evil dav.- i,. " r "1 Tand amounts to about forty-faur thousand doK i. - lifs, One :half of which I loaned out upon Bonds, . Q.f'kdt it! is not been "alreaapprojaTed. Hence, V 'v.'j 9. 'Committee laVe tKti4ea.4a their, statement, 'these Bondsafifhe hazard of praising them, in :;K.::. crdetto expend itlp aid pf a Turnpike; beginning t? ; -:-at Raleigh J3oe.s any one for a moment believe : ". ' YbcCommittee are hostile to Repudiation, as wellut practice, as in theory, nd they are oppp- r sed to heaping neve taxes upon, the people, espec - ." ially in these fimes of distress for money and, because they art jiv they do not concur in devts ii r i : log new plans of spending the funds at present in the Treasury, when the mevitaHe consequence ' .1 . wasteing them in'rt be, to supply , their(place ; .hereafter ,by extracting jusV so mubh more taxes vioni the people 's- pockets? :rV: r j. ' These hard times, your Committee thmk; call ; loudly upon the legislature to; spend, as little v as possible; to take pood care oY what then k in ' .) - the Treasurv. and hnahnnd nil n wiEAtin-Mi VvVmg.rfMonoY and Credit of North Carolina- ; Wimoui jresu uxea; aodi as far is possible, with: out encroaching on.tAeund that hie beeusatred- . . ay aeaicaiea 10 the cause of TidncaUcA. ; - ; ra mth proposes v thadier General Government r should be strain entreated to oneo Ilmnoka-Inlet. 'r- : '. "Niod Opn a iShb Channel between Pamlieo Stramt . ' ''nd Beaufort' lIarborr ybuir Committee ' do not t-- i. - f wwBric necessary to saj:Agreat deaL Were f " i v,lt rranted. thaVCon?re MMaessea the eonstitu. - al1 power to mike Ir.;emal ImprovementsTm ' "lrh C:roII? it may t--eto-remarkv that the : rJiiU'r.-'X Treasury 'js cxhausted-he General 'Cover.. er..ent is .tlreadr in ' debt to a very large f, -y fj; "The inniA nf It " 4minfoiM9ifkn f K?.v2I Ul4n u rttmet tlis United States , are ooli-red to borrow : .and Uw-rhakers, and Would H be patrioUc or be coming in North Carolina, at lueh a time, to' pre." r-, seut areyjdeRre Congress; to beg for whit the v fv1. wuia i oe nonora -Allt R,.A I m!.1.4.. . - 1 . .. . . t vm www ac 'unamiB ui aeciare mat in . J : r"fypetid m North Caro ...i; hoa, though we will drawnp largerschemes, of improvement to be dor- in our border. nA I2 treat prjnstruct Co- both to borrm n 1 v'i(ui W?,VT Z'"TrZv '0?r. wcouut, unlessthrough toe , Emitting that it wenlJ and Gaston .Rail i Ui r ,U cf the General GovernmerftJ r. tcutivillcc-: ' ou tt 1. ,rc.?r.-r - t tlie't -tim' t. ' ::rtair.Lj thej '"' thsir solamu i cron tlbrsavsRj tab jecu referred to teir . .. .. . . . arCommittee tsk to be Is? : pot qF THE MINORITY. tetntl lm. 1 prpvemeni havt yead, yrithttnU the Report of I the toliority of the Commit: 4 ono much of the Movernorc leasaras rciaw w mo uuupay yi Internal Improvement ,vThe pcopejand lendeacjr of e Reporti'f?.e:dea ii-; to tender odiotri. the Message in rehtio to this subject, to ;!raw injo discredit and disrr puts the works of In. jternal . Improvement already 'established in V the btate, a&4 to prejudice the public mind against ill and every approvement,! which may now coh (tem;!ated' or .hereafter devised. Ta aecomplish this purpose, the majority Report fromcareless ness or inadvertence, has assumed facta and haz arded assertions! many: of which are altogether groundless, and utterly unauthorized," as the mi nority will now attempt to demonstrate The Re-, port commences with a concise review of the' va rious recommendations in relation tqlnternal lm- prorsmem, couiainea in un yorernor iu.esic,. and then proceeds.' with the': following "assertion : tJyTheXegwlaturi Yak &on time 'to timeto lime granted away to. associated wealth, in the shape of Corporations, the Rivers oY North Carolina, and now the people cannot carry a boat load tomar ket,'withoutspajing ttibute moey to NavigaUpn Corporations.wM Is this true'? T The slightest en- euiry or the least investigation would have satis, j fied the maidntyVnhat',thta assertion is ..entire?: wunoui lounoauuiw a ue , principal xviv?r ut uio State, are the Roanoke, Chowan,Cape Fear,Neuse' Pasquotank, TaV, Cashie and Treh on-not one of which except Cape Fear, is a : cent of toll levied, or anthorrzed la be levied on.the .transportation of proauce oeiowine raiis .inereoi. sna uut on one of them aboye)the 'Falls, to wit, the 'Roanoke, where the Navigation has been5 opened and im proved at an expense of four; hundred thousand dollars by a Joint Stock; Company, created by Acta of the GenerayAssemblies of North Carolina and ViTginiaThe i Report: of the majorityroceeds Apf asserts, that tho tegislature nas, from time to time, granted inlikef manner, exclusive privi leges to Rail Road Companies, until they have I been stimulated to begin such enterprises ; and afterexhausting their own means, these Kail Koad Companies hayeprocured the credit of the State, and finally involved the people in a debt of more 4han a million of dollars ; though, q the outset, the Uapitalists who asked for the Charter, profess ed to ask nothing but the right of spending Iheir own money for these works. : Had they proved profitable, people at large would enjoy no right but the benefit of paying; tribute to these Corpo- rations, for carrying them or their produce from home to a market ; but, so soon as they proved to be a losing concern, by little and little, the loss must 'probably fall upon the State Treasury. The State had little or no chance of the profit, as Jong as there was any hope of profit, yet the State is to j bear the loss." , A more uncandid, disingenuous and wcorrectlaragraph, has beenrarely,:if ever witnessed ra any paper whatever; and more espe- dally, oner emanating from an important Commit- tee, appointed to consider : subjects deeply inter- esting to the people of the State. The first as- sertionin the paragraph, is M that the Legislature , has from time to time granted in like manner, ex clusive privilege, to Rail Road Companies. Has any exclusive privilege been granted to Rail Road Companies as. asserted, or has any individ- I ual, or set of individuals, by the Acts of Assembly I incorporating such Companies, been deprived of any privilege previously, enjoyed ! . None, what- ever. - The. leading privilege granted to these- Companies, is to transport on their Roads persons and produce at a moderate rate of compensation, 1 and for this purpose, to become common carriers m their corporate capacity. Is any individual, or set of individuals, who may. choose to associate er, prohibited from carrying persons and pro-1 duce whithersoever he or they may please 1- Are not persons daily and hourly thus employed in every direction and in every part of the Ste 1 I JNo one is bound or obliged to use Kail Roads or avail himself of their advantages, unless at his win ana pleasure, tree and untrammelled. i ne brmer mode of transportation.of persons and pro-1 ducts by Stages and Wagons or private convey - ancey is left free and unincumbered, and none need resort to Rail Roads unless they find their lowresi promoiea oj ooing so. vermin 11 is, uai unless this mode of tiansportation by Rail Roads is cheaper and better than the former method, they will not be employed, and that they are so employed, affords, the most conclusive and satisfactory evi - dence of the great benefits' and advantages resulting from this mode of conveyance-The Report of thetoa - jonty proceeds: And after exhausting their wn rty.! means, uiese iLaiiruaa isoropanies nave procurea us 1 uiucu eauuea u m iosienng care 01 ine Juegis credit of the State, and finally infolved the people i lature as any ether, portion of theoeople : in the in adebtof mere than a miton of dollars; though, in the outset, the Capitalist stho asked for the Charter, professed tdfskt nothing but the right of spending tneir own money for these works." . The fact is notorious, and it ought to have been, if it is not, vunm uie Jtpowieage or jne majority, inai me people at present are . not involved -iq. a debt of mare than one million of dollars for the Rail Road Companies, or indeed, for any other suni , J Itii trae, the Wilmuigton . and Raleigh. Rail Road Company, have obtained, the, credit of the State as Security, for two hundred and fifty thou sand dollars, for which liability, the State has the most abundant and ample 'Security.; To secure the State against loss, a mortgage has been exe cuted, under authority of JLaw, on the Rail Road, .the construction of which cost between one mil. lion .five hundred thousand and two millions of dol lars, and whose annual income, under the present disastrous and discouraging Estate of things, after paying' all the ordinary expenses; of the 1 Road, amounts Jto about sixty thousand dbjlars. Nor is thisall. The'toortgage also includesall the prop. oieamboats, Wharfs,' Ware- estimate, in dependent of the Rail Road, at least fifty per ct most unwise and now see how the State s Cabiliryl noaa tympany, - v. f -.Under an Act of the. General Aasemblv tinsMr i r - - J . r BonJa.cf th Raleighand Gaston Rail RoadConv more than,' and perhaps double, the-amount for whic tbe' State is Security. ; It hi thenabsolute I ly certain, tr ?t the State can sustain no' loss on i 2" "-r. ; 2...,'ii'-tLa': tr.bu-t pf jfiohundrtdtiiGcrizl I ilia fctalerrcr, cr .tier? btoo.xnrcli car- j to; ? p "1 stj dolllrvby MLIcS the Eibexame Secafif fbr ;j prehend the iidiiaitr'rercltkTJ rncc?--I thit sank To i -"Va lha Srsis sirairiossi r -7 of iudiciora works cf Ciierrl lm; :T2l3nt nwrtJ Jftaia'bf iCoi oq ta JliiJl Road, and all h fjropeVty of. the Cmany wbi cc-t mqre this million and half of dpliirs, anid thiSj.was' cornered at the time; and is nc?s deemed to U'ample aanityi But'tha State has other'and ao!ditional Securityl fAt 'the'C's ion of 1840, the liguuature 'areedj -that 'tae Bond ef the Company should ie endorsed by the Public Treasurer or ; the further sum of thteX hundred thousand dollars,providedthe Stocah ers of the Company' would 'give" their' individual BofldSi'with good Security, to aecure the Btate against loss for the five hundred thousand dollars endorsed by the 'tiV''a. and another mortgage on their Rail Road and'all the other property of the Company ; which condi tion has been strictly ! complied, with, as we are informed by the Governor in hi annual message to the General Assembly; r It 'trill thnate aeen, thit, although" the. State is security for the? Raleigh and Gaston Raill Road Compan iforthiTsum o( eight hundred thousand dollars, yeV to indemnify and save harmless the State, a mortgage has been executed for the .whole of the Rail Road and other property" thVGompany, . which cost about dou ble this sum, and the State haa the further seca ritv4 of ie45onds of individdalsl Vith good Secui Crity, for five hundred thousand" donars. -With 'what justice, and proprwi.can it then be assert ed, that the people are 'involved in a debt for the Ruil RoadMunonnting to more than one million hot dollars! In reference to so much of the tna jority Report as - declares that when the. Stock holders of the Rail Road Companies asked for the. Charters they; rofeesedVtaask fbrywkhlb the ( right of-spending their, own" monryfortiiese works, there is surely some misapprehension at least in relat ion to the Stockholders in the Wil-; mington and Raleigh Rail Road Company for al though no aid was granted by the State to effect the Work at the time the first Charter was grant ed, the Stockholders always looked to the State for assistance, jby -wiy of subscription to the Stock of the Company; which was obtained at thd Ses sion of4 1838. , Again says the majority .'report lit Had they (the Rail .Roads,) proved profitable; the people at large would enjoy no right e but the. benefit of paying tribute to these CJcratioug, for carrying them or their produce from home to: a market ; .but, as soon ai thej proved to be t1qip concern, by little and litte, the loss, must proha bly fall upon the Sute Treasury. The State had little, or - no chance of the profit, as long as there was ajrf-hepe of prefit, yet the State is to bear the Jpasv This is another glaring example LUIiaywood, Jun, . Beverly Daniel, Win. Mc of disingrmc': osJL for wliich the majority report f Pheeters, ,Thos. G. Scott, Thos. J. Lemay, Alex. J; is particularly imarkablc. ' If the State contri butes nothing' to wardo the construction' of Rail Roads, and those works are effected at the ex- Pnse of individuals, wnat ouio nenent can tne peopb or SUte who contribute nothing to the worxs, expect to derive irom mem, otner man w have their person and produce transported to market at a moderate 'rate t He that sows not neither shall he reap. And upon what principle of equity or justice, can those, who stand aloof and husband their resources, unwilling to aid in accomplishing a great public work of acknowledged ntuity, expect to derive profit from the same in 'f'?Cyf,miai in5omf " ' ; In proportion to the interest which' the State has taken In lha Rail-Roads, (and only in one of them has she' any direct interest,) she enjoys an equal chance of profit in proportion to her sub- scnption, as other stockholders and more than this she cannot expect In regard to the other Rail-Road if the work had turned out to be a profitable investment, the State having subscribed nothing to construct the Road, could rightfully expect no profit except the general benefits and advantages resulting from cheaper'and more ex peditious transportation to market Whether the loss of making the Rail Roads in this State is likely to fall upon the State Treasury, has been already abundantly disproved. The majority Rc I port further sets forth, that "your (committee have I good reason to apprehend that the same begin- ning of Turnpikes, by corporation charters, will terfhinate in a similar way to North Carolina. I Indeed, your Committee greatly misapprehend the I Message referred to them, if it does not shadow I forth this very usual second step in their charters, I when it is recommended to give these Turnpikes I such aiL&c as the condition of the Public Treas- 1 ury may lusuiy." suppose, iot ine saiie 01 argu- ment, it should turn out that the money expended 1 for the construction of the Rail Roads in this State 1 is a bad investment of capital, which the minority I of the Committee hope presently to prove is di- 1 recuv ouierwise, uoes 11 uecessaruy iouow,.uiu Turnpike Roads,' the utility and 'mdvant?es of which have been tested and experienced by eye- ry Wtate in the union, A'orth of this JState, nor 1 any other project of, Internal Improvement, is. 1 ever to be again attempted within our borders! J Hopeless indeed, would be the condition of our Western brethren, who are, unquestionably, as State, if this is to be the fixed and settled policy for our future government. It is a policy, wholly and absolutely' opposed to the "enlightened age in I which we live the present ' advancement in civ. ! llization and improvement throughout the civilized I wono Ana uiieriy inconsistent witn me prosper- lty and happiness of the people of the State. If I the principles of the majority Report are to govern 4 the future, policy and destiny of the State; most degraded and miserable will be the condition, of 1 her people, in comparison with those of oiher States. - With resources uncrippled,, and an ener gy; ' unsubdned, North 'Carofina will,- iii a' few years, become the bye-word of reproach and con tumeJy throughout the length and breadth of our: extended country. But a few years ago, and there was scarcely an enlightened and liberal man in' the State who was opposed toa judicious system of Internal Improvement iWhat great and mon strous error hal been committed on this subject within this Statei.1...; W'ifbolish-astefuVr'm extravasant expenditure of rmblic monev has oc ! curred, to reduce aid lower the - tone of public sentiment in relation to "Internal Improvement 1 The minority of the"; Committee : know " of,' none whatever ; and tf the pubhe feeling has under gone any material'change on this subject, it mus be referred to other and different causes. It the misfortune of the" age In which we live, that every thing, however Wful and valuable, no way connected with federal politics, must be mixed up with the wretched party squabbles of the diy, and nothing, howeyerlmpbrtant to. the welfare of the; state, n allowed , to scane this miserabie con- t,m;nifvm . Ami. in tK?-i..; it U mUn' I .- mmwmw mam., mis' IVfiSlwi mm. mm m mwsssv lago, and the people nu.t rouse tad east off ba baen toy fait andckiiowlw5d by; liostj ightenedX and patriotic men of both the xreat political parties which noiv divide' the Statef They have seen and felt thu great necessity, and luve-from time to time urged "upon he GehiHl AssemDjy toe adoption of needful measures to im- prove tne condition of the tstate. it tnere do any thiflg froneous'or witmgfal hi this, it is arong' or an error common to both parties, and for which either, is alone responsible, y t-'" w Attempts have bn made, over and over a gain, on , the ev ef elections; and at other times, to" casUhe whole blame, if blame there be, on the . Vyhig party! To disabuse the pbliemlh;anH; thai eacli party may have and enjoy that dps kdet gree ofsjcredit J or 'blame,- Which' properly results from, thenr conduct on this ubjecVit is necessary to look a little into the'p:to':f;'.8tate; and to eali up reminifcencesV which many would gladly bury in eternal oblivion. ; In this retrospec tion, nothing than be extenuated, nor, aught , set down in malice, j It .'will be done with no! view. to censure a single individual, for no censUre s be lieved to be due 'to anyone for the part:he may have taken in the transactions proposed to be ex amined. 'Now, about ten years ago, during the shting of the Supreme Court, many eminent citiw sens, were assembled in the City of Raleigh. The time fixed for laying the corner stone of the splen did Capitol, which -is now the pride and ornament 01 the State, was near at hand. ' it was, foreseen, that many of the most distinguished citizens, from every part of the State, would be present on the occasion, to witness' this mteresting ceremonyH ana it was considered a mospraitable opportunity at which to call public attention to the subject of nternal Improvement To ascertain public sen timent in relation to, the " various projects which had been -seggested on the subject, - m various j parts of the State, it was prbposed,thatan Inter nal j;Iqrovement Convention should be held in Raleigh, on that occasion. The invitation to hold such a Convention," was published in the News- apers, and was signed by as enlightened and patriotic men, asever "did honor to any State. It will be seen, 'that - this invitation was signed by Whigs. Democrats, and Nullifiers, without party distinction ; for at this time party political strifes had not been permitted to intermingle with, and oaistuTD tne great cause of interaalimpiwement. t was signed by the following gentlemen, viz : David U Swain, Henry Seawell, William a Mhoon, Duncan Cameron, William HilV James Grant, Willis Whitaker, Parker Rand, William Lawrence, Theophilus Hunter, Charles Manly, Thomas Cobb, Vm." Boylan, Romulus M.' Saun ders, James Iredell, L. Henderson, Thomas Ruf- fin, Joseph J. Daniel, Peter Brown, Alfred Jones, Charles Dewey. E. P. Guion, Charles L. Hinton, David W.Stone, Geo. E. Badger, John Beck with. Nath. G. Rand, Wm. Gaston, Daniel Li Barrin- ger, Thos. P. Deveroux, Johnston Busbee. : , Pursuant to this invitation, an Internal Improve ment Convention was held in the City of Raleigh, on the 4th of July, 1833, and it was one of the most enlightened bodies that ever assembled in this or any other, State. It was composed of men. who, for learning, intelligence, and worth of char acter, would do honor to any period or nation of the civilized world. Twenty Counties were repre sented, and one hundred and thirteen delegates attended! As before remarked, it was no party question then ; men of all parties vied with each other in sustaining this great cause, in which all believed the best interests of the State were in volved. - The Convention being duly organized, Mr. Wm. H. -Haywood, Jr. submitted the follow ing Resolution ; Resolved, That the present condition of North Carolina is, in the opinion of this Convention, highly discouraging and mortifying to her citizens; thut her trade is languishing, her agriculture fall ing into neglect her population forsaking her, her political strength withering, her public and pri vate wealth declining, insomuch, if these evils are not arrested in their course, she must sneedilv link into ruin and contempt : that they owe their existence mainly to a want of State pride, concert of opinion and action among her citizens, the diffi culties of internal transportation; and the want of the existence or support of primary markets with in her own bosom ; that for the remedy of these inischiefs the active and zealous co-operative ex ertions of all her citizens are imperiously demand ed; tney areurgad to . put -them forth by every consideration 'of public spirit and private interest; that the improvement of our means of internal transportation, and the provision of primary marts within the State, should constitute the first grand object of these exertions : that hi this aocomplislK ment they may, with great propriety, invoke ths. aid or the acate Treasury, and this Convention further beUeve,that without free and liberal aid from that source, for the furtherance of these ob jects, the StSte will soon cease to have a Treas-1 ury worthy of care or preservation. . They are however of opinion, that whatever benefit might accrue to some ot the citizens of the State, the State as a whole cannot with propriety be asked to commit an act so suicidal as to lend her resour ces to the accomplishment of any work, the direct tendency of which wduld be to carry any portion of her produce for a primary market, without be fore she has done what is in her power to effect towards improvement within her own limits, and betore proper-exertions have been made to bring every section to her own markets. - ; ' Therefore Resolved, a the opinion of this Con vention, that for the foundation of a new system of Internal Improvements in this State, the means : . T . 1 i . . v m oi me otaie, aiaea py pnvaie Buoscnpnon, enuuiu ba concentrated in the constructioo of a rail-way from some North Carolina sea-port Town to the interior of the' State. $JJJ ; ; . Resolved, as the opinion of this Convention, thai the Legislature of this State ought to provide by law for raising such a sum by loan (or the faith of the State if necessary; as will give substantial as sistance in the 'prosecution of . Internal Improve ments in this State.' w :-' 1 ' i Resolved, as the opinion of this Convention, that the most practicable and equitable mode of meet ing the loan will be by an annual tax on lands eqaal to the interest on the loarvand one-twentieth of the sum borfdwed, so as to pay it off in 20 years. Resolved,, ai the opinion of this Convention, that It will be right and expedient, that the State should extend this first improvement as well by a con tinuance of said rail-way, as by the construction of others and by other modes of improvement : and the profitable result o the first work will increase J uu spini ox enterprise, ana me means or the plate. I JteofredV aathe further opinion of this Conven ton, lha-in designating the route of said road, the first consideration i is, that it should be certoihrv practicable, because an unsuccessful. t:empt Would be disastrous ; Jut next, it shall alao pos- sess the character, of genera usefulness to the o a e, so as to unite as many interests as possible in its erection.': Raolced ftfrther, as the opinion of. this Cbnyen .MTW-.-i't I n auioauic iut me liegiBiature- r u. jiv w uaeiesw u. uivesugaiQ me. value and: The amoont of frekla ihen paid on , to pass a law, providing, with proper restrictions cost vof Turnpikes" acapsa-roore than half the f . -prodaee fwm Norh Carolina. and that tbs Couatiaa of this State,' as such, and the , St2, when it is known, the State hast no- 'Fuadj ' . sepphes'ieeeivedla return, will be - Cc: rXzssti cf . the inctfporat: 4 towns rjf tfc: j Sr3,mi scllcriho "fotock in L-y .incorporated Cv- any'forl-Intercal Improve.; its to such ah anoant na majority af the JusV.:"i or Commis. sTogers, as ticase majr- be shall crderf that to payrthe slme, the State will issua scripir scrips for tL3 amount subscribed, redeemable in twenty years, and bearing annterest of five per cent, shal) ti tie property of the Ceunties and Towns respectivelirSDscribir: it j and to meet the debt 5COntraCted by the State, en the ecrip by her Is sued, the lands of the County prTowri -subscyl. bing, shall be taxed annually, a'sum equal to fbe Interest and one-twentieth of the subscription aforesaid and the cost of collecting it, which tax shall be collected and paid as other taxes are, into the Treasury of? the' State.' and thd County payinz it credited accordingly against the debt aforesaid .wThe foregoing ReeoluUonvwim various other propositions favorable to Intercal Improvetnentsj offered Dy Whigs arid Dec: . -rats, were referred! to'large GmLmifi&ct which pmmittee,' Un Wmv '6JinM:tp pbteChairma T Committed; having'duly considered, the Resolutions referred to them, tnde, a Beport througlk theiiainnan-of a Preamble and ten Resolutions in favor of Internal Improve ments, which having' been amended in Conven tion' were finally adopted, 1 the most material of which were as follows V-K 'u f '"'J '' , Whekeas, while . most of the other States of the Union are rapidly advancing in the career of prosperity and distinct'ion, North CarcSna remains iner pr at best stationary-her trade languishing her agriculture without ; improvement many of he most valaable citizens abandoning her bor ders, and her relative wealth and strength fast de elmTlierefeev u'i' ,. ? 'Resohed, That in the opinion' of this Conven- tToUr the; condition of the State of North Carolina, requires that a liberal system of Internal Improve ments. should be immediately, organits'd'and p'rouslyrosecuted. ' "''sj .; - ' ' ''"r" f Resolved, That in - the opinion of this Conyen; tion, the General Assembly ought to provide by loan or otherwise, a fund that will enable the State to Contribute substantial assistance in the prose cQtion of works of Internal Improvement Resohed, That in the iepinion of this Conven tion, true , policy requires, that the funds of the Stateought in the firstlnstance, to be employed exclusively in providirig.the nieans' of internal transportation, and in creating and improving mar ketaithin bur own limits. TV ; "ijtZtsdIxxd, That in the opinion of this Conven tionf it is the duty of the State, to aid and encour age the enterprize of ' her citizens, and this Con vention doth therefore respectfully recommend, that provision be made by law, for the State's sub scribing two-fifths of the Stock, in any Company hereafter incorporated for the purpose of Internal improvement whenever, the other three-fifths shall be paid or secured to be paid by individuals. Before the adjournment ofthw Convention, a Committee was 'appointed to draw up and publish .an Address to the people of this State, on the sub ject of internal improvement The Address of the Committee, was a composition of surpassing beau ty, power and eloquence. Even at this day,it is rrioet vivifying and refreehmg.torecurtotheenlighteri ed, liberal, patriotic and just sentiments embodied in that productionin contrast with the tone and tendency of the majority Report It was signed by the following able and distinguished gentlemen ; William Gaston, as Chairman, Geo. E. Badger John H. Bryan, Wm.' Boylan, Isaac Croom; John Owen, James Somervell, Joseph J. Daniel, Louis D. Henry, John Huske, Wm. H. Haywood, Jun. Joseph A. Hil),Sam'L F. Patterson, Robert Strange, James Iredell, John p. Jones, Cad. Jones, Wm. B. Meares, Frederick Nash, Henry SeawelL It will be thus seen that gentlemen of the bigfc est order of talents, & the mwt distinguished worth of character, of all parties, united together to sus tain the great cause of Internal Improvement Passing by the -Conventions held subsequently at Fayetteville and Salisbury for a similar pur pose, which the minority have not time to$iotlce, let us now enquire how this matter" stood at a much later period m 1838. ' At this time, ano ther f nternal Improvement Convention met in Raleigh during the Session of thp General As sembly of that year. : It lvas numerously attended by delegates from al most every part f the State, and was composed of gentlemen of great intelli- Smce and influence in Society, both Whigs and emocrats. After several , days of anxious deli Deration, the results of . its labors were summed up in. an Address to the General Assembly then in Session, in which The following works of Inter nal Improvement were urged upon the Legisla ture in an able and elaborate Address, viz : - 1st A guarantee by the State of five hundred thousand dollars to the Raleigh and Gaston Rail Road Company in other and i plainer . words, a loan of the credit of the State for that amount . 2nd. A subscription by the State of four-fifths of the capital stock of the Fayetteville and Yad-i km Kail Koad.- v ... ..V ' ' 3d. The incorporation of a Company for the opening of an Inlet at the foot of Albemarle Sound, at or near Nag's Head, and a subscription on the part of the StatQ of three-fifths of the capital stock of the Company. ; . '; -7- . ; 4th. The payment of the balance of one hun dred and fifty thousand dollars, due on the State's subscription to the stock of the wumingtonand Raleigh Rail Rpad Company. , . ? 5 Ji. The survey of Tar and Neuse rivers, with! the view to Steam-Boat Navigation, and that, the Board of Internal Improvements be authorized to contract tor enecung mese. iinproveiueuis.-. - 6th. A survey from-Raleigh, by.the way of HiTls borougbr to Greensbord', with a view to a McAd amized Turnpike Road, and incorporating a Com pany for that purpose, with a subscription of two fifths of the capital stock on the part of the State.. To accomplish me foregoing ; works, it was re commended to the General Assembly, that a loan of three fmOlions of dollars should be authorized by the Statelp meet her portion of the expense. And now let us see by whom this Address was drawn up aud published. ' It is signed by Romu lus Saunders, Chairman, John ' ll.i Bryan, Hugh McQueen, T .!'; Clingman, Lou:s VD. Henry, Lewis H. Marsteller, James Allen. . The minority' of the Committee again disclaim any, the slightest purpose, of easting blame or cen sure on the gentlemen who dre w up the Address; or participated in the proceedings of the Conven tionTheir purpose was doubtiass, praiseworthy And comjmendable,!.bemg the advancement of the welfare and prosperity of the State. : The minor ity only desire to show t6 those who are opposed to all Internal Improvement; that if in the eyes of such persons,; blame should : attach to -the -pro,, ceedings and recommendations of the Convention that 'such blame shouM rest on no' particular party; but should be borne -by both Whigs andi crate without distinction: fit is weH knowritbat no other part of the recommendation of the last ivonveniion was adopted by the lieg siaturpex-' cept the loan of the credit of the State to the Ral eigh aild Gaston Rail Road for five hundred thon: sand dollar arid authorizing the payment'of the 1 balance , due on the State's subscnption.' to v the Wilmington and Raleigh Bil Road Company;: The targer portien of the remainder of the ma. joritr Report is devoted to building ep a . roan of j straw of their own creation;' that they might have - vanopTOrtunityofexhibitingthairskill tnddexteritr 1 in toppling it to the ground. TL us th-i majority I assert, that the Treasury is ' in no -condition tot thatxaril)e .applied In aid "of weirvconstractiditn , And furthermore; that' the Legislature' ought f" nor- to tax taa people,4 er bwrow: money for.this touv vuuig iuo pcuptc uiu uurrowing money .IS St -entirely gratuUousi ; Tin iH .saagie of the Goy- U J ernori contains no' such recommendation, but on .' i the .contrary, it expresfil rdvisea the General As-. aembly, that, whatever schemes 6ft expenditure you may embark in, that you -keep iim'm the W means" at the command tff . the-State & otherwise, the-f cople i must be .taxed ': more, heavily j or iS'l i State .must contract i T loaiut The pressure of the, times forbids me' former Uar tarnished hon- -H or ot-some of ; the Stas,. should make us for the 'Tresenv decline thelattec.", jAlthough he has recommendedthat cerUin Companies be 'in. ft corpprated to make Turrimke Roads, which sr f ' greatly needed to- the ;.Westy and v4rtuld most esaetotiially promote the public welfare j yetVths . assistance, .which be. suggesteinay be given to such -improvements at present; should be -confined to te means already, set apart for InternsJ ' Improvement, and which under existing laws can V be applied1: to no ; otherbject These means 1 cohsi8tof a Cash. balance on hand, and some bonds, tf which the majority sUtes to amount to forty-four z t thousand 'dollars, and bonds piVen for the nnr- i f chase of Cherokee lands, amounting to somethine tSi less marf mree nunarea mousana dollars; making me, aggregate sum of about three .hundred and forty thousand dollars. . Thiv Fund, - sooner or later, or a considerable portion of it must be ap. plied to the making of a Turnpike Road or Roads to the West, in -aid of individual means and exer tions, in some just proportion, perhaps on the two fifths principle, or eomeother iust ratio, between the -State ' and individuals. - A portion of these bonds applied towards me construction of Turn. pike Roads in the 'weetern part of the State, when .united with individual oapitat; would, like Heaven-born charity, blesi " both giVerl and re ceiver, it would enable the obligors to . these bonds; who gave more than double the -value of the lands they : purchased, to redeem them by the . contribution of labor to make the Raids. and at the t same time, afford : a fair return. of profit in the'shape of tolls, on the' investment No time whatever, could be more propitious than the present to en?a?e in such M-orkft bnt for the fact that in the present general distress and embarrassment, individuals could not nowTaise then portion of me means necessary - to accom plish this desirable improvement ; an J merefore, for a time, it must( be postponed. The- expen diture of two orf three hundred. thousandTdollars in the Western portion of the State in the way suggested, where there is how existing ah unex ernpled scarcity of hipney, would produce bene fits, jand be "attended with advantageous results, which can hardly be described.1; But the minori ty have not time to enlarge upon them and muat hasten to a conclusion. . . . 'vi5!w?v: It has been a matter of. much .mortJfication and surprise, to witness the senseless and in considerate clamor which has been raised against Kail Koads, m' almost every part of the.. Stats They have been' denounced 'as only calculated to benefit the rich, at ! the expense cf the poor; that their construction has occasioned-a heavy loss teethe State, without 'anyadequate return; ana mat, conaequenuy,,mey. neserve- nor me jos tering care of the public. These charges and de nunciations have been made and believed for the want of better information, and ibe minority will now undertake to disabuse the ublic'mind from the decept ions and impositions Under which it has labored. The 'first strik ing advantage ' resulting from Rail Roads, is seen in-the certainty and de spatch with which persons and produce are con veyed oa them. ; Persons,-travel on them, at the rate of one hundred and fiftv- totwp hundred miles in twelve hbursi . with as muchr.safety , as by' any oiher mode of conveyance, and at a great f aving of time arid expense. : The transportation of prp duce on. them, although not quite: so expeditious as the conveyance of persons, is yet fivetunes more so than by waggons, v This speedy trani portatiori always advantageous,; is frequently of the .utmost importance. .' A. rise in the price of produce often; takes place, which continues but for a 'short time, and it is very material that far mers and merchants should be in'a' ait nation' to avail themselves of such rise. . A single example will sufficiently illustrate this advantage.During the last fall, the price of wheat in Petersburg open ed at 91 12 per bushel; In these times of low rates for all articles, -this price was considered very good, and every ?one felt desirous of proht- ing by'it for it was foreseen that it could continue ' but for a few. weeks. . r A farmer and 'merchant in Granville, promptly, availed himself pf he Rail Road in his neighbjOrhood, hastened Jiis wheat' to market, and obtainel Tor it the price before men- l-l tioned; whereas, those who had to depend on the 4 more tardy transportation by waggons, generally ' sold at but seventy-five cents per bushels . But a " still more striking and conclusive advantage, re- -: aulte from the great reduction effected in tie ex- ' h pense of carrying produce to markets Previous iJ to the construction of Rail Roada in the neighbor- f i hood of the falls of Roanoke River,, tlie price of f V waggoning cotton and other articles to Petersburg, was from seventy-five cents, tp. one dollar per hun dred. The price noV by Rail Roads, is twenty five cents per hundred, so that the saving to the grower of produce is, at the lowest estimate, twice as rauchsas the freight per hundred on the Rail Road.- Again, a merchant, of much intelligence, in 'Raleigh, has furnished the minority with a statement showing the rates formerly paid on the 1 transportation of produce, by waggons, to Peters burg,., and the "rates now paid by the Rail Koad. From this statement it ernears, that the orice br waggons was from one to two dollars per hundred, the average ' being onedollar and ftyccnu, . The price now paid by the Rail. Road for the same : H articles, is seventy cents, being a saving of more than one-half of the forrner rate' By waggons, the price 'paid on salt was two dollars per sack ; V the price now, paid by tha Rail Road ori the same 1 1 article, is sixty-five cents,1 beihg a' saving of dou- I f. We the. amount oqvi paid by the Rail Rpad. The saving to the growers cf, produce, who send to Hr market by sthe7ilmlron and Raleigh Rail & xvoaa,aiia u9jroix9moumana-t9noKe nau svuau, has, also been .very great'. These facts? furnish some data, on which to estimate the amount of saving to the agricultural interest in this,. State. Darius the tast ye' wceipts on -:ht.:-the-Rsletgb and GastotfRall Boad,?. ' aauMinMMl io, in found nauabett, $66,0Qf;; Deduct oj3ltf of this sum, suppo , . : sed to bare been paid, by paneo : r -fJ", -- S3 000 tt - ,'r .vw- -i - And there will be left for freights on ; - t The receipts on the Wilmington and nan. i ..vow, wmw AI.Khv one-ff un pari to have, been re vtived fat freLliti on orulitue. iT i : K .V': The receipts on ibe Piebur2 Rait ' 4 V Roadi for die me period, were; 1,74,000' Suptosing the . reoeipis on 'prodoce ' I: oo Ihs Road , sent fion Nonb Ca-.: j ,-' jS,-y-;.rolina, 'boi included in,he amoVr v v srDt va thai Road from the Ka t iJ leigh and Gasuni 'Road, to have , . - been equal ia ooe-urtIiof the - . . y. vWnole rueeiptSv nd we bavethe , r 'Sttia of I- .,'JV'; '1,'5W'" The.teceiptaon ile Portsmouth and 'Roanoke Rail Road, far ill same v V.'.. , , ' - mhm AAA-'- ' 'SBi. ' 4 u portion collected' tor ureiguta on produce Crotn North,: Carolina, is, eathnated ai one-ibuHb- pact, and , will give the sum' ef - 1T.500 I I 5-, f 140,000 If; M Mi J 4 4; in 1 J r: l v I' P - i. " i V. 4 K 1 :.!
The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 10, 1843, edition 1
2
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