Newspapers / The Era (Raleigh, N.C.) / Nov. 21, 1872, edition 1 / Page 3
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5 of inhabitant, excluding aliens and Indians not taxed, and shall remain unaltered witil the return of another enumeration, and shall at all times ronsUt of contiguous territory." In the present apportionment tnis unmistakable provision, of the Con dilution is palpably disregarded. Two distinct elements are required to enter into the formation of VSVi- nt nixfrirfjt" First. Ih.. "ahnTI contain as near as may be., nn equal number of inhabitants." ; Secondly. inpv annii nx. mi Tim ft fnnattt nr I contiguous territory." x The first requirement is disre garded in the present apportionment to an extent tnatcoula not possibly have been inadvertently done. By it thousands of the people are with " out due and lawful representation in the Senate, and are virtually dis franchised. It is difficult to ex press, in becoming language, what every honest man in the State must fel, when he considers the facts and circumstances attending so plain a disregard, not only of the Constitu tion itself, but of the right of the people to fair and impartial repre sentation. I deem it my impera tive duiyr without reserve, to lay the matter before you in detail, that the reproach may rest where it properly belongs, and in the confi dent hope, and belief, that this Gen eral Assembly will, by prompt ac tion, show to the country its appre ciation of what is just and proper, and givefujl and rightful weight to the manifest voice and ill of the people. The entire population of the State, by the Census of 1870, is one million, seventy-one thousand, four hundred and fifty making twenty-one thou sand, four h undred and ticenfy-n ine inhabitants the exact number each Senate District should contain, if perf.-t exactness could be obtained. Dut the Constitution does not re quire perfect exactness. It requi res an approximation 44 as nearly as maybe." This approximation can in all cases be very nearly attained by grouping counties together, and when some of the more populous count i.tj must be embrace! in a District, by making it large enough to take more than one Senator, thus equalizing and giving weight to every large excess in. a county. Eight of the Districts in the present apportionment have allotted to them two Senators each, instead of one. But this appears not to hae leen done in scarcely a single local ity, where it was necessary to secure an approximation to equality in the number of inhabitants. The Con vention, which ordained the form er apportionment, had only the Census of 18C0 for at guide. The changes wrought by the war, in the relative population of the counties and sections of the State, rendered the data of the Census of 1SG0 unre liable. In consequence of this, some inequality occurred which was dis closed by the Census of 1870. To correct this inequality was the only plausible reason alleged for hasten ing, under doubtful authority, a new apportionment. It is remark able that the new apportionment, undertaken for such reason, should le made more unequal and un fair than the one it was 'intended to correct. Having the Census of 1870 before them; it i diflienlt to conceive how it was possible for the last .Legislature to mistake so gross ly and to fail so entirely in respect ing the constitutional provision, designed to protect the most essen tial and fundamental of all popular rights that of equal representa tion. I will, for preciseness of demon stration, call attention to a few of the very many glaring instances that may be found throughout the new apportionment.. I select for this purpose, ten of the forty-two Districts. In this ten, are included three of the eight double Districts, in order to show that they were not made double for the purpose of ap- Broximating equality in population, learinsr in mind that 21,429 is the ratio of population, required by the Constitution to be approximated 44 as nearly as may be," the startling violation of this requirement may be seen at a glance. -There is allotted to the Popula lation. 50,015 33.6S6 33,610 35,617 . 15,703 27,978 16,436 27,699 16,897 . 17,414 Sena tors. 1st District, 10th 44 2lth 44 2 18th 23d 12th 14th :kl 17th 31st By grouping these Districts in va rious ways, the total disregard of the ratio of population, viz: 21,42, which the Constitution requires to be approximated "as nearly as may be," becomes still more glaring. There is allotted to the Popula- Se na tion. tore. 1st District, 3d 12th 44 ISth 44 50,015 . 2 27.6TO 1 27,978 1 35,617 1 Total pop'l'n, 141,309 Popula tion. o Sena tors. o 1 1 1 10th District, 14th 44 17th 23d 44 24th 44 31st 33,6S6 16,436 16,S07 15,703 33,610 17,414 Total pop'l'n, 133,751 . 8 Thus it appears that a population jf 141.309 is allotted but Jive Sena tors while another population of only 133,751 is allotted eight Sena tors. The ratio for the Jive is 28,261, while the ratio for the eight is only 16,719. According to the ratio re quired by the Constitution to be approximated, the five Senators would be increased to six, with an -excess of 12,735 population, while the eight would be reduced to six with an excess of only 5,177. There is allotted to the Popula Sena tors. ;i . - : 3 : Sena tbrs. V : It ' tion. 3d District, 12th 44 27,699 27,978 35,617 18th Total pop'l'n, 91,2W Popula tion. District, 17 V1 16,430 16,897 15,703 Total popTn, 49,041 . VJ Thus it appears that i population of 91,294 is allotted but three Sena tors, while another population of only 49,011 is also allotted three. The ratio for the first three is 30.431, while the ratio for the other threeis onlu 16,337. According to the ratio, required by the Constitution t6 be approximated, the first three would be increased to four with an excess of 6,572 population while the ther three would be reduced to twoiyitn an excess of 6,183. The .rati&ap plied to the three representing -;the 49,641 population would,1 if applied to the other three, increase theui to five with an excess of 9,609. .T-here is aiioueu to tne Popula tion. Sena tors. JOtli District, L'lth 44 33,CSG 33,G10 ;0 Total popM'n, 67,290 Popula tion. 27,978 35,617 Sena tors. n 12th District, 18th 44 Total pop'l'n, 63,595 Thus it appears that a nonulktion of 63,595 is allotted but two Senators, while another population of Vonly 67,296 is allotted four. The ratio for the two is 31,797, while thc.ratio for the four is only 16,824J Accord ing to the ratio required byjHhe Constitution to be approximated, the two would be increased txrtfiree with a deficiency of only 1 692 popu lation, whi'3 the four would e re duced to three with an excels of 3.00U. Iff ' There is allotted to the lSijjlDis trict, population 35,617, 1 Sector. There is allotted to the j 23rd- Pis trict, population 15,708, 1 Seijtor. According to the ratio applied to the 23rd District, the 18th; woaid be entitled to two Senators and&liave an excess ol 4,199 population, 1 i In the history of the government, u nas sometimes occurred, inanore than one of the States, that: in the midst of high party excitcriient. the laying off of Districts for repre sentatives lias been more or? less unfairly done. But such unfairness consisted in grouping together; ter ritory, and forming Districts in gro tesque shapes, for the purposejoT se curing the vote of party majorities, supposed to exist in certain local ities. The palpable disregard o!n the amount of population, in j violation of express law and the consequent disfranchisement of thousands of the people, has seldom, if ever, before been ventured upon anywhere: Heretofore, this unfairness ha been confined to Congressional I Districts, laid off under the requirements of acts of Congress. While jail Haws, both State and national, should be strictly observed, the requirements of the Constitution, which Legisla tors take a solemn oath, In no re spect to violate, might be: supposed to be too sacred to be wilfultyidis regarded, however high andyiitter party excitement might run-, ' ? The requirement, that eacrj jSen ate District shall "consist pf contig uous territory" has been technically complied with in the neiv appor tionment. But it can hardily be said that the spirit of the! laivyjhas been observed In several instances some of the counties, composing the Districts, only touch at "4 f heir corners, such an evasion of thV'evi dent intent and policy of jthe! Con stitution, ought to be avoidedin all cases. The new apportionment for the House of llepresentativeg is, m many respects, though in 1G5S de gree, subject to the same, animad version as that for Senators, pjut I refrain from details, because! the facts are within your reach; ai(l at tention having been called . to ; the one inquiry will necessarily be aroused as to the other. j N . Viewed in a party aspect, the re sult of the unlawful and unfair ap portionment has been to gir$one (arty a large majority in the JLiegis ature, at an election in which the other party, in the popular vote of the State, had a majority I of thou sands not only in the vote for State otneers, out greater still in the agT gregate for Senators and RepHsen-, a "S1" pianiey. ana uitivesin our Legislature! adl for! -?ttere f be found in the 66th vol members of Congress. Thilj cir- "meofthe ISorth Carolina Reports cumstanee has given prbjriiiifrnce, not only in the State, but i ;the whole nation, to that whidn i we must all regret, and which will blur the history of the Stat'dJwith reproach. j ; I recommend that the Legislature take such action on this subject as shall remove this scandal from our statutes, and make the apportion ment conform to the requirements of the Constitution. j if CONGRESSIONAL, APPORTIONMENT. The disregard of equality?! and fairness in the new apportionment for members of Congress, undpr the cmsus of 1870, is little less striking than that for members ofj thej 4Leg islature. With a population of 1,071,450, North Carolina is afiowed eight members of Congressf! The ratio which should be approxi mated as nearly as possible forjeach Congressional District is 133,1V1 in habitants. I .'. : 4 -; In the present apportionment the 1st District has 122,811 in labiumts. 2d 150,936 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th K tt tt 143,564 139,786 T22,831 139,003 119,318 133,201 B : M - m it tt tt tt it- it will be observed that ths Sec ond District has 31,618 more inhab- Hants than the fereath, and has an excess of 17.005 over tho regular ratio. The extraordinary, incon venient and most grotesque shape of this Second District precludes all pretence that convenience of terri tory entered, in inesiigniest degree, into the motive for disfranchising 17.000 of its people. The same may be said of nearly all the other Dis tricts. Their shape cannot be char- acterized, otnerwise man as aosuru and ridiculous. The Second District has an excess of 17.005: the Third District an ex cess of 9.633 : the Fourth, an excess of 5.855. and the Sixth an excess of 5,072. The First District has a de ficiency of 11,120; the Fifth a defi ciency of 11,100; the Seventh a de ficiency of 14,613. A mere glance at the map of the State is sufficient to convince any one that no consid eration of contiguity or compactness of form could possibly have entered into the motive for creating in stances of such unprecedented excess and deficiency in the population of the Districts." Under this apportionment, one party has elected five members out of eight, when the other party, in the aggregate vote for members, had a popular majority of over three thousand. This flagrant re sult shows how little the will of the people has been respected and how much their rights have been denied. Taken in connection with the dis parity in population, and the ridic ulous forms ln;whlch the Districts had to be laid off to produce it, the result is doubtless sufficient to chal lenge the prompt and corrective at tention of this General Assembly. But it has attracted the attention of the whole country oy the grossness of the outrage upon popular rights, and has given weight to the im pression that demoralization, law lessness and dishonesty, pervades the government of some of the Southern States, no matter what party may chance to have the as cendency for the time being. It is hoped, for the character ot JNortn Carolina, that tie present Legisla ture will be able and willing to re move such impression, so far as regards this State, by fairness, mod eration, and a strict observance of whatever is just and right and be coming the representatives oi a free and virtuous people. . PENITENTIARY. It is not within my power to lay before you any official information with regard to the State Prison, for the reason that those who have it in charge have not deemed it necessary to make any report of their trans actions to me.! I take it for granted, however, that they will undertake to inform your honorable body o the progress of the work and of the management and condition of the institution. I deem it my impera tive duty, nevertheless, to state that rumors, to which 1 cannot turn a deaf ear, because of the frequency o their repetition and the sources whence they emanate, are in cir culation to the effect that the treat ment of some of the convicts has been inhuman and that punish ments have been inflicted which tvere both cruel and unusual, and which call for a rigid and searching invest oration, i It is needless to specify instances of barbarous treat ment or to srive the names of the unfortunate . victimst , ?ts.it .. would only tend to bring reproach upon the State and make our neighbors wonder that such cruelties could have been committed or tolerated in a civilized or christian land. If the Legislature shall deem it proper and expedient to institute an en quiry as to the truth or falsity of these rumors, so as to apply a cor rective if needed, it will afford me pleasure to give such information, as l have upon-the subject to a proper committee and to furnish it with such reputed facts as have been furnished to me. DEAF AND DUMB AND THE BLIND. The management of the Institu tion for these unfortunate classes of our citizens, has lor the last twelve months been ! under the direction and control of a Board of Trustees appointed by the General Assembly, ana not by the Executive of the State. Believing it to be my duty. under the Constitution to appoint the custodians of this institution, and being satisfied that the Legisla ture, by making the appointment of Trustees, had usurped powers not delegated nor intended to be dele gated to it, but had encroached up on tne duties, rights and powers of the Executive Department of the fState, and being established in that belief, by a solemn decision of our Supreme Court in the case of Clark land others against Stanley and discharged what I believed, and still believe, I to be my bouuden duty, by appointing a Board toake charge of this . Institution. The persons appointed by me endeavored to get the control and with that view made a demand upon those in possession for the keys, property and effects and upon their refusal to surrender, brought suit in the Su perior Court of Wake County to determine conflicting rights. This suit was decided at the last term of said Superior Court adversely to the Legislative appointees and has gone up by appeal to the Supreme Court of the State, and is there awaiting a final determination. If the party in possession of this Institution shall deem it proper to report to your honorable body through the Execu tive of the State, it will give me pleasure to transmit their report, without thereby recognizing, or in tending to recognize, the legality or validity of their right to occupy the places they now hold, or to admin ister the offices they now claim. In making appointments of agents to take charge of the refor matory and charitable institutions and also of the public works in which the State owns an interest, I earnestly desired and endeavored to remove them j out of the arena of politics by placing good men of dif ferent political persuasions upon the various boards; but it grieves rae to inform the Legislature that this effort at reconciliation did not meet with the favour it merited and which I still believe it ought to have secured. The peopl e never i n tended that our Rail Roads and charitable and penal Institutions should be made subservient to party interests, and much to my mortification I have been made to appear as using them in the interest of one party only because my proff ers to another party were repelled by those upon whom I . sought to confer a portion of the honor and re sponsibility of administering these public Institutions. In whatever aspect the matter may be viewed I have the satisiacuon to Know tnat vi i my conscience is easy unu assures me that no censure can rignuuiiy attach to me. INSANE ASYLUM. The annual report of Dr. Eugene Grissom, the worthy .and. efficient Superintendent, .shows the opera tions at the Insane Asylum to have been conducted with marked sue- a 1 tij rr cess and unusuai aoiuiy. ine whole number of patients treated is considerably in excess of most for mer years and the Institution has been crowded to its utmost capacity, and notwithstanding every effort to oxtend its benefits to as many of our unfortunates as possible, numbers have necessarily been turned away for the want of room; it is estima ted that there are miite us tnany in sane persons within tne state oat side of the Asylum in need of im mediate care and treatment as. are within enjoying its benefits and ad vantairos. This afflicted and de pendent class of our population are upon the prmciplcsoi christian char ity as well as by the provisions o our State Constitution, recognized as the wards of the State whose duty it is, not only as a matter of philan thropv, but also of, political econo my, to provide for their early treat ment and speed v restoration to health and usefulness. This can only be done by an increase of at commodations, and to secure that end, I recommend the establish ment of a branch Asylum-at some accessible point in the Western por tion of the State where pure air and ffood water abounds, and where the necessaries of life are to be found in profusion, and at a low price. The finances of the Institution, according to the report, have .been managed with a proper regard to economy. The appropriation for the present fiscal year was less than usual and will not be sufficient to meet the necessary expenditures. commend the report of the Super intendent to your (Careful considera tion for the information it imparts relative to the subject of insanity, and refer you to it for a detailed statement of the affairs and man agement of the Institution. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. Although our debt is so great, and our finances in such a deplorable condition, yet I cannot refrain from recommending the Legislature to extend its kindly aid to the work known as the 44 Marion and Ashe ville Turnpike," (traversing: the counties of McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey, Buncombe, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Caldwell,) already , chartered and partially completed. Tne counties, through wmcii uie line oi uus roau is loca ted, embrace as fine a region as can be found in North Carolina. The soil is rich and fertile .he water power unsurpassed in America the climate salubrious and healthy it stands unrivalled for fruit the grass es spring spontaneously from the earth, affording pastorage for herds upon every hill and in every dale and it is peopled by as hardy, as hos pitable and as true a population as can be found under the sun. Compara tively little has been done for this people, and they now come before you and ask only a small boon at your hands the completion of the high way which your predecessors prom ised them should be built. They do not ask millions for a railroad ; they know you are not able to give that, but they do ask, Rye demand, that you appropriate a few thousand dollars to enable them to transport their produce to market and afford them an outlet from their mountain fast nesses to the commercial marts of the world. If this road should be speedily finished, it will so increase the resources, and so enhance the value of property in the counties through which it passes that in an incredibly short time, thousands of dollars will flow into the public treasury where now only hundred are realized, and during the hot and sickly season our people, living in localities less favored for health. will flock to the beautiful moun tain country and spend their time and their money among our own people, rather than resort to a dis tant" land, at a much heavier ex pense and to a climate less'benefi- cial to the sufferim: invalid. For these considerations, and for many others which might be enumerated, I earnestly urge upon you the great propriety, I may say absolute ne cessity, of making a liberal appro priation to this work. SWAMPLANDS. There are probably half a mil lion of acres of swamp lands yet re maining in possession of the Board of Education. No new sales have been effected, but the Board has contracted with a company for the development of one of the largest bodies of these lands, (White Oak Swamp, about 85,000 acres in ex tent) on such conditions as it is hop ed will bring it into market; and tne success of this enterprise, of which there is a good prospect, will it is believed, lead to others of a similar character and to the speedy utilization of this valuable, but hitherto unavailable resource of the educational fund. THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. For the progress of this work, its rqode of operations and results, you are reierred to the accompanvinsr report of the State Geologist, and especially to the more compendious report now in press and which will soon be laid before you. The pul lication of these reports is awaited with much interest by the immigrant-and capitalist, who are de pendent upon them for that exact and detailed knowledge of the re sources and capabilities of the State upon which all their calculations and procedure are based, and noth-. ing can more effectually and imme diately promote the influx of popu lation and capital than the aevefop- A a ments of the survey as its progress reveals, its growing collections illustrate, and its official reports authenticate to the world the exis tence of extensive mineral resour ces, which are everywhere in de mand as the essential materials of the most important industries, and oithe broadest agricultural capa bilities and climatic adaptions. It is a matter of encouragement and congratulation that the dissemina tion of such information! is already producing important results in the recent settlement amonsrst us of many intelligent and enterprising strangers, and in the setting on foot of several extensive undertakings which are likely to result in the early development of some ot our most valuable mineral; deposites and m the inauguration of new manufacturing industries on a large scale. But the most immediate and important bearing of the work of the survey is exerted upon the agricultural interests of our people, and it is in this view, especially, that it deserves every encourage ment at your hands, and it prac ticable an enlargement of the scope of its operations, as upon the im provement of our agriculturo man ifestly depends all solid and sub stantial progress and prosperity of the btate, and no one recognizes more clearly than the intelligent farmer the necessity of more effec tive methods of applying their in dustry to the soil and to the utiliza tion of such means of improving it, as intelligence, experience and ad vanced science may bring: to light and render available. IMMIGRATION. I have but little to add to what was said in my last annual message, on the subject of immigration and beg to reer you to it as containing my present views. I cannot, how ever, pass the subject by without insisting that early and efficient measures be adopted to induce a portion at least of the great tide of immigrants to locate in North Car olina. There is no part of the habi table globe more inviting to those seeking a home. Heretofore, many have been deterred froni settling among us by feelings of insecurity to their persons and property, in stilled into their minds, by reports of the unsettled condition of the State, the result of the bitter politi cal animosities which existed and prevailed to an alarming extent among our own people. JThis un happy state of affairs, I am rejoiced to believe, is fast passing away, and the good messenger of Peace is once more spreading his balmy wings over our stricken State. May God speed the day , when we shall all dwell together ia unity and love and 44 un warped bv party rage live like brothers. It is surprising to sse how much has been accomplished in the way of inducing strangers to settle in our State, by a few enterprising in dividuals, having no means at their command except such as was fur nished from their own purses. They deserve all praise for their industry and perseverance in this laudable and patriotic enterprise, and are entitled to receive liberal aid and encouragement from the State whose prosperity and glory they are striv ing to build up and perpetuate. I deem it necessary only jto direct your attention to this subject in order to insure your co-operation and to secure material aid for its advancement and success. DIGEST OF PUBLIC STATUTES. The General Assembly! at its last session appointed Hon. William H. Battle, a commissioner to collate, digest and compile all the public statute laws of the State and to dis tribute them under such; titles, di visions and sections as he may think proper. He accepted the appoint ment and has performed the duty assigned him, with signal ability and care, and I hcrewithsubmit to you the result of his labors. It has been out of my power to give the work. a thorough examination, but in looking over it cursorily it ap pears to me to have been -faithfully executed. A revisal of the pubiie statutes is much needed at the present time, and I hope and be- leve that the present compilation will meet the public expectation and favor. The change which was made in our fundamental law by he adoption of the constitution of 1868; the abolition of the distinc tions between actions at law and suits in equity, and of the forms of such actions and suits, and the re duction of them into one form of action, besides the adoption of an entire new code of civil procedure, and the many statutes which have been enacted to carry these changes into effect, have necessarily tended to produce more or less of confusion in our statute law. iv. well executed revisal must have the effect to re move this difficulty and make the statute law more plain and easy to be understood. ; The report which the1 commiss ioner has made to me and which I herewith transmit to you will show he plan upon which he has pro- ceded in making his revival, and how he has executed it. ! I recom mend its adoption with such amend ments as you may think! proper to make, and then to order its publica tion at as early a day as practicable. The last section of the statute under which the commissioner has acted provides that he shall be al- owed until this meeting of the General Assembly to complete the duties assigned him, and as a com pensation for his services that he shall be entitled to sell copies of the work, until he shall be paid fifteen I hundred dollars. This postpones hU pay for aev ices already render ed, uiiiil an additional and most important part of the work, to wit, the preparation of it for publication shall have been completed. Con sidering that he has performed all the duties which can be performed on the work until your body shall make provision for its publication, I recommend such a1 change in the law as to allow a fair and liberal compensation to him and his clerk for their services, to be paid out of any money in the treas- J ury not otherwise appropriated. INSURANCE COMPANIES. The business ol' Insurance, Fire and Life, has reached such vast pro portions, covering over $7,000,000,- 000 of fare risks in the united States, and over $4,000,000,000 of life risks that i?i my opinion it is the duty of t oe .-;.! re to exercise over them some j;-iViMry authority. Such im i.ieiisc auuis are paid by our citizens annually, causing quite a drain in the resources of the State, that it appears to me protection to policy holders should be provided by law not only should an efficient remedy exist to force insuring com panies to a prompt fulfillment of their obligations but they should be Compelled to furnish to the pub lic reliable information as to their financial condition. In many, perhaps most, of the States provision is made for pro tecting their citizens. Annual statements are required, showing the capital stock, assets, liabilities, income, investments, receipts, ex penditures, policies in force and expired, Ac, &c., in fine every item needed to show the actual condition of the company effecting insurances. lower is given to stop the opera tions of any company which is shown not to be in a healthy condi tion. An officer is charged with the duty of enforcing these provis ions. In some States the duty is imposed in the Auditor, Secretary of JState, or other existing officer, but generally a special office is cre ated, the expenses of which are de frayed by the companies. The .Na tional Insurance Convention of the United States, held in New York in 1871, composed of delegates from almost every State, of those most conversant in the science of Insur ance, have recommended the pas sage of a general Insurance law a copy of which, prepared with great care and at some length, is herewith submitted for the information of t he General Assembly. If the As sembly declines to go into general Legislation on the subject, I recom mend that attention should at least be griven to the consideration ot a law authorizing policy holders to bring defendant companies into court by an easily available pro cess. Certainly our citizens should not be compelled to resort to the tribunals of distant States in case redress is refused them. The exercise of state supervision over Insurance companies has been attended with the happiest results. They have been stimulated and forced thereby to greater careful ness in action, to more sedulous study of the principles of the sci ence; unsafe and fraudulent com panies have been, exposed and. crushed, and the vast benefits flow ing from these beneficent institu tions have been wonderfully ex tended among all classes. RAILROADS, CANALS, AC. ;No reports have yet been made to me relative to the management, condition or finances of any of the Railroads and Canals in which the State owns an interest, conseouentlv Z T -' am unable to impart any official information which will be of prac tical value or which will materially aid in any legislation that may be deemed necessary with regard to them, I hope it may be in my pow er to get such information soon as Will enable me to address a special message to you on this subject. In the mean time, 1 think it advisable to call your attention to a rumor, which has obtained somecirculation, but concerning which I have no re liable information, to the effect that it is contemplated by the company having possession of the North Carolina Railroad to alter its gauge from Charlotte to Greensboro, so as to make it conform to that of the Richmond and Danville Road, and different from that of the other 'North Carolina, Roads. If this contemplated change be made, it will, in my opinion, be detrimental to the interests of the.Stateand will injuriously affect the people for whose benefit the road was built, and may make it a Virginia, rather than a North Carolina highway. There will necessarily be a tranship ment of passengers and freight go ing from one portion of our State to another, at considerable inconven ience and expense, while passengers and freights going out or coming into the State will not be subjected to either additional expense or trouble. As a North Carolinian, I protest against having our interests or comforts made secondary or sub-'- servient to those of any other State or people Let us first accommodate Our own people, who have been taxed to build our roads, and then be as obliging to others as circum stances will permit, j I therefore respectfully suggest that this matter be looked into, and that you so legislate as to prevent any hurt to North Carolina. MILITIA. I desire to reiterate to you, what I said twelve months ago to the General Assembly, upon the subject of the militia. I consider it a re proach to the State that we have no. well regulated militia, nor any law on our statute book under which it can be organized and made effect ive. In the event of invasion or in surrection we are powerless and at the mercy of the invaders and in surgents; in fact we are not in con dition, nor can we be, with the present mijitia law, to even quell a riot, stop a rout, or disperse an un lawful assemblage! of any con siderable number . of persons. I again, respectfully, j but earnestly urge that pome efficient steps bo taken to put the State in a better condition for defense anl :fof tho surer protection of the people..; The attention of your honorable body Is invited to the report of our worthy Adjutant General, and his recommendations and ' suggestions are commended to your, favorable consideration. To properly organ ize the militia will require much time and labor, and the service of one skilled in military affairs will be needed. It Is not to be expected that any one, fit for the work, will undertake it for the inadequate sal ary now attached 'to the office, and I therefore recommend a fair and reasonable com iK?nsation be allowed the Adjutant General, at lea.st until the militia is fully and thoroughly organized. '".-. RESIGNATIONS AND A PPOl NT- MENTS. On the. 17th day of April, 1S72, Hon. C. C. Pool tendered his resig nation as Judsre of the FiM Judi cial District, which was accepted. and Hon. Jonathan W. Albertson was appointed on the 18th of April to succeed him. " Jonathan V. Albertson, Esq., Solicitor for the First Judicial Dis trict, resigned said office on the 18th day of April, 1872, and on the 19th Willis Bagley, Li.v was apixuntod his successor. " Hon. Robert I. Dick, an associate Justice of the Supreme Court, re signed his office, on tho 20th day of .June, 187. Ko one has as vet been appointed to fflf the vaairtcyr jonn a. Richardson, ivq.. Solici tor for the Fourth Judicial District. died in June, 1872, and Ldward Cantwell, Esq., was appointed in his stead on the 20th of August fol lowing. . . : : ; Stephen Lassiter, 13u., member elect to the House "of Representa tives from the couuty of Lenoir, died on the lGth of September. An election to fill the vacancy was or dered and held on the 5th day of. November. Harrison Frazier, Esq., -member elect to the House of Representa tives from Randolph county, died on the nth of October. An elec tion to supply the vacancy was or dered and held on the 5th of No vember. It may not be inappropriate, nor out of place in this connection, to notify the General Assembly of tho great loss the State has sustained by the recent demise of the Rev. James Reid, who was chosen at the August election as Superintendent of 1'ublic Tncf rnttinn HHia horoatrotnonf. will be, deeply felt and sincerely deplor ed by a large circle of .personal friends, of all parties and both races, throughout the State. Those who knew mm best will most keenly feel the sad affliction. It may be truly said of him, , that a warm friend, a genial companion, a good man, and anf exemplary christian has gone to rest. ' REPORTS. Herewith are transmittal the re ports of the heads of the various State Departments and others, to which your attention is, most re spectfully invited, and the sugges tions therein continued are com mended to your serious and patient consideration. i . PARDONS AND COMMUTATIONS. In an appendix attached; to this" communication, will be found the pardons, reprieves and commuta tions of punishment, wnicn nave been granted si nee my last annual message, with the reasons luny set forth which prompted the exercise I 1. a! 1 i oi executive clemency in eacn case. CONCLUSION. Having discharged the duty im- fosed upon me by the Constitution, hope in a manner partially, if not entirely acceptable, to your honora ble body, 1 take leave of you for the present by offering to you the assurance that every effort on your part to build up the resources of our State, and increase her prosperity, and perpetuate her good name, shall receive my most hearty co-operation. . TOD. R. CALDWELL. Executive Department, Raleigh, 18th Nov. 1872. ' Note. Since writing that por tion of the foregoing message which pertains to the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, a report has been made to me of its condition, &c., which is herewith transmitted. . T. It. C. LOTTERY. Kentucky State Lottery, legalized by an act of tho Legislature. The -most Liberal Lottery ever drawn. Only 7,140 Tickets and 3,080 Trues! To bo drawn Nov. 50th. 1872. :'ln Cov ington, Ky. . . j , One Capital Prize of $25,000, Prize of do do. . do !; $5,000 2,150 1,900 ; 500 13 Prizes or $250 30 do ' m do ' 20 2.GI0 . - do : (J 3,080' Prizes, amounting to I - $04,200 Tickets, 012. Halves, $1. Quarters, 3. . SrOur Lotteriw are chartered by the State, and drawn at the time named, under the supervision of sworn Com missioners. . . .; ,s The drawings will bo publifchod in the New York, Chicago and Louis ville papers. ? r-We will draw a similar scheme the last Saturday of every month during the years 1872 and. 1873.., Remit at our risk by Post-bttice Money Order, Registered Letter, Draft, or Express. ( ' r-Send fir a Circular. ': Address ' " '" - SMITH, SIMMONS A CO.. , . . Box 827; Covington; Ky, Noy. 11, 1872. : L 75 ol3in.
The Era (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 21, 1872, edition 1
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