North Carolina Newspapers

V i WEEKTT ERA. THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 1873. Won't Pay tlio Working-man. This Democratic Legislature of "all the wealth, virtue and Intelli gence" of the State, declines to pay Mr. J. C Brewster, a working-man, a few paltry dollars for necessary repairs to the State House, whereby the State was saved thousands of dollars, and our noble Capitol build ing preserved from injury and de cay. This conduct is characteristic of a party which cherishes a traditional hatred for the mechanic and the working-man ; and no comment is necessary. Ignorant Men for Educators. For the first time in the history of letters objection Is made to the proposition that the head of a pub lic school system should be a thor oughly educated man. It has come under the observation of this writer, that teachers of pub lic schools were presenting claims for teaching, who could not sign their names, intelligently, to the receipts and VQUchers. In a State where such school-masters are , abroad in the land it is not remark- The Usury Law-Repeal It. , On Saturday Mr. Gorman, of this county, introdutd a bill to repeal the usury law. This Is a move in the right direction. Money is pro pertyIt is a commodity that must be kept in circulation ; and unless the laws permit parties who loan and borrow, to regulate rates of in terest according to what money is worth, to a considerable extent money will not only be locked up, but it will be sent to other States for investment, where the rates of interest are regulated by the supply and demand, and according to ,the security offered by the borrower. The usury law has prevented thousands of dollars from seeking investment in this and other States. Those who have money to loan will not loan it in this "State for eight per cent, when they can ob tain twelve per cent, in Virginia, and still higher rates in other States where there is no usury law. Neither will capitalists loan their money for ruinous rates, and risk loosing the entire interest, If the borrower refuse usury. It Is high time that laws of this character were repealed. If rates of interest are left to be determined by the parties, every man who has The Western! North; Carolina Railroad To the Editor oj, the Era Since your Article a few days since in reference to the sale of this road, I have obtained the follow ing facts : During the administra tion of Dr. Mptt as President of the road, by order cf his board of Directors, after nature deliberation, the road was Imortgaged for one million four hundred thousand -dollars, and under fhat mortgage bonds were issued to that" amount. The road being incomplete, these bonds could not le sold. By order of the board of Directors, Dr. IMott, to complete the road from Morgan ton to Old Fort, i borrowed I in New York about $1,000, and pledged one million i iil fifty-seven thou sand dollars ot these bonds as col lateral security' for the loan. This move may no,v be considered by some as iil-adised on the part of Dr. Mott and his board, yet when wo consider the universal cry of "on to Asheville with the road," Dr Mott and his Aboard would have: been universally denounced if they had failed to press on the road; and besides, at that time, the State had made liberal appropriations for the commeuon oi me v esteru-uivisiou, and every one anticipated the early able that prejudice should be found surplus money, will bo ready to to exist against a university or learning, and the graduates of high schools generally. to uav and nlead completion of the road. jWith the - i .... ... ...i- i comDietion oi mo roau mere wouiu have been no -difficulty in selling the bonds and paying this debt. The credit of iTSorth Carolina bav in:? been prostrated and the roa( not completed, Dr.'Mott was unable to sell his bonds. To prevent the sale of the bonds he was : forced to Our State Debt. loau on irood security. The contin uance of the usury law on our stat ute books, limits the places where money can be borrowed to the Banks alone. As soon as the supply of money exceeds the demand, rates of interest will decline. The pres ent law prevents capital from seek ing this State, and also, drives capi tal from the State. Money is re- A very intelligent and well in formed correspondent who has given much patient attention to the sub ject, and fctudied all the statistics ' bearinz on the matter, occupies the correspondence Department of the garded as property the world over Era to-day on the subject of the it is against the progress of the age State debt. to throw obstructions in the way of It is a disgrace to the State that its circulation and investment in no practical effort has yet been accordance with such contracts as made to adjust the public debt of may be entered into by the parties North Carolina, and the cry that wno loan and borrow. If money is we "can't do it" is simply con- borrowed from a NationalBank.it temptible. A State with the re- n,ust, of necessity, be on" personal sources and futureof North Carolina security, because such Banks has no excuse for delaying the ar rangement of a debt of thirty-five millions, on paper, when the credi tor nr ready, willing and anxious to compromise on the liberal terms ours have already manifested. Our legislators are neither dispos ed to do their duty nor equal to the task before them, and yet we have a Democratic Legislature represent ing " all the tcealth, virtue ami intel ligence of the State.1 Particular attention is invited to the letter of " Tax Payer." are not allowed to loan on mortgage. Repeal the usury law, and money can be obtained from any and all persons who have money to loan. Several ineffectual attempts have heretofore been made to repeal the usury law. The people are awak ing to the importance of repealing this law ; and sooner or later, it will be repealed. We believe, with Mr. Bennett, of Anson, "that there would be no hope of reform in any The Party of Wealth, Intelli gence and Virtue. Governor CaldwclPs Action on the Western North Carol! Railroad. Illinois I supposed to have as Intelli gent m population as can bo found eLe wbere. Of that population the Judical party ha an overwhelming majority. Democratic Iiper. The above declaration is rank treason, and indicates early decay among " the friends of good gov ernment." What can the party of "ail the wealth, virtue and intelligence" in North Carolina say to the above? "THE RADICAL. PARTY HAS AN OVERWHELMING MA JORITY" of the "POPULA TION" of "ILLINOIS" which, the organ of the Missouri Democ racy says is " AS INTELLIGENT A POPULATION AS CAN BE FOUND ELSEWHERE!" : And yet we hear of no taT SO CIAL OSTRACISM 'XBi where the Republican party has an "over whelming majority" of "as intel ligent a population as can le found" anywhere in the United States. The wonder is, and the wonder grows, how such an "intelligent population" can adhere to the Re publican party ! Do they live there in Illinois on the passions of hatred, malice and revenge for the South ; pa.sions characteristic of the low, vulgar and ignorant? The Raleigh Daily News must at tend to this matter. To the Editor of the Era . Our eople an; taking you to ta.sk for advocating the sale cf our road, though no one impugns your motives. We are satisfied that the sale will be ruinous, and is the pro ject of a few individuals who desire to build dishonest fortunes on hon est men's ruins. The entire man agement of the road for the past few years, has aroused the virtuous indignation of the whole Western people. When the matter is fully investigated we will find that some few, whom the world regard as up right and honest, have sucked the borrow money from his friends, anci use all of the scanty income of his road to pay interest on this debt in New York. By reason of this he was unable to pity hit contractors at home, and they, becoming dissatis fied, re-organized the company, and UoJ. rate was elected i-resiuent. uvi Tate bing known in 'New Yorl and North Carolina as an old finan cier. it was fondly hoped that ho would bj enabled to extricate the road. Col. Tate was unable to do more than Dr;Mott had done, to wit : borrow money from his friends and use the scanty income ot the road to pay interest on the debt in New York. Nothing couid be realized to pay contractors who had waited so patiently, many o whom were pressed by executions. Col. Tate communicated this last Winter to the Governor and the Governor sent the communication to the Legislature. The bankers in New York in the mean time notified Tate that unless the debt was paid the bonds would' be fold. This was brought to the attention of the Leg islature.- A bill was introduced in the Legislature to enable the State to advance the money to pay the debt in New York and take the bonds as collateral. This would have given the State entire control of the of the matter. The Legislature after mature deliberation refused to lend the road, in which the State was larsrelv interested, the isum of $210,000. On the same collaterals (to-wit: one million and fifty-seven thousand dollars of mortgage bonds) on which the bankers in New York had loned the road the amount. This of course alarmed the ban kers in New York and they be came more clamorous f'r pay. The credit of the road was.-o embarrass ed the interest of this debt could not be paid. The bank ;s getting neither interest nor principal refused to wait longer, and the bonds were duly advertised and sold, and pur chased by Hiram Sibley of Roches ter, New York, a party in no way connected with the Security Coin- f any or the Pennsylvania -Central, n the mean time creditors at home became clamorous for pay. Numer ous creditors had obtained judg ments and the road in all of the counties through which it passes was sold by the Sheriffs; in most of the counties two; to three times. In fact from the month of October, 1871, until January, 1S72; every sale day in each county, the road was sold under us many as six or eight judgments the road of course bringing nominal sums, as it was supposed to be covered by a large mortgage. 1 lie fctate and private stockholders staid bv and saw all of these sales, neither the- State nor private stockholders being willing even to pay a nominal sum for the road or to pay judgment creditors, and these judgments to-day remain not satisfied. From what we can learn, the Legislature was not to blame for not Ioanin for several reasons reason, ana a very powerful the State did not have thp The Only the Rich to be Educated. A prominent member of the Democratic party and whose posi tion in the party in the late cam paign would have given him first Influence in our State affairs, had the State government been Demo cratic, was heard to declare the chief excellence of Bingham's school in Alamance county to consist in this, thai it is a school in tchich rich men only can hare their tons edu cated ; and that it is a great blessing that a poor man carinot get his chil dren into that school. Now here Is high Democratic au thority, declaring, in effect, that only the children jof rich men ought to be educated, and, that, as far as private influence can exert itself, the children of the poor men of North Carolina shall not be edu cated. The poor people of this State were well aware that this was the policy . of the Democratic party, and they cannot too earnestly congratulate themselves that they escaped last August from the clutches of "the WEALTH, respectability and intelligence" of North Carolina, which had decreed that only the sons of rich men should be edu cated. . Republicans! think of this, and swear by the memory of your fath ers that political ostracism shall not ceaso in North Carolina eo long a the power of the Republican party Is potent to protract it. very life blood of this road. There is no legend of tradition as dark and mysterious as the management of this road from the time of issuing the bonds till the present. The re ports of its officials are always gracefully written ; they have such a musical, rythmical flow such a melody of arrangement, that, in stead of regarding them as business, you are forced to exclaim that the authors are "warblers of poetic nroP '' Itllr nirr hlva fi ri.?K I mnnnv eu muling these elaborate, mique first documents, you are as ignorant of one: the affairs of the road as you were the money, and had no credit before you began. They remind to borrow it; in addition to you of some grand old Gothic tern- this, it was known to theLegisIa pie, itssplendcd columns, its spires, ture,that, in addition tothis debt the and au the decorations which art road was shingled over with judg can furnish, still unfinished some- merits mud suits amounting to over thing like Coleridge's Chrystabel. $500,000 in addition to debt in New The ieople of this section are York. The income of the road was truly proud of the course which not sufficient to pay the interest on Governor Caldwell has taken in the debt, much less principal, the this matter, and will certainly sus- road being liable; at any day to be tain him. He has acted wise and placed in bankruptcy. The Leg well. He is unwilling to sec seven islature well knew the State had millions of property sacrificed to a no means of completing the road if foreign corporation a grindingmc- the debts could be paid. We learn nopolv. There are more men than that Gov. Caldwell, as it is his duty, McAuen who desire the sale of the will again refer the matter to the road, but haven't the courage to Legislature. These questions will speak their sentiments just now. arise for the consideration of the Reports say he is to be largely ben- Legislature, first, provided the ques- etitted by its sale be assured he is tion of title can be settled. After not the only one. It is to be so many sales can the State raise I hoped that the Legislature will the money to relieve the road? And make some move to ferret out a more important: question ; if the the cororation which has marked road is relieved of debt, can the the manipulation of this Road. State build it ? It will require two The blood-suckers along its line millions of dollars in cash to build would be pleased to see it under the the road. Cau the State raise this uaiuiucr, uut x trust, us uu wno money in addition to tifo money have an interest in our section do, necessary to relieve the road of debt? that Gov. Caldwell will be successful Should the State be able to relieve and deprive them of the shameless the road of debt, but still unable to pleasure of glorying in ill-gotten build it, would it be good policy in gains. We will make no charges the State to litigate the matter, and. umra uii-j we nue uiereioro we uunng litigation, tei me" road iro mentioning some down, and thereby' shut the great ing tho Western road than this road. The State has more at stake, the individual stockholder morel the road is much longer and the in come much larger than the Western road, and it will take les3 than a million to complete it. The ques tions here present themselves can the State relieve this road? If re lieved can she build it? If the State cannot build it, should she litigate and postpone the building, and thereby, as it were, paralyse a great channel of trade and injure a large section of the StatP ? There is one thing in connection-with this last named road tho SLe can do, and this we have reason to believe Gov ernor Caldwell will do, and that is, that, when the bondholders take this road, the State shall be released from her endorsement on the mil lion of bonds. This we learn the bondholders are willing to do,.and they should be required at once to agree to do so before it is too late. Let the Legislature look to all of these questions, not in a party spir it, but with a view to the future interest and prospects of the State, and by its action, if the old State is too poor herself to aid her chil dren, let it not be said the great in ternal improvement interest . of North Carolina was paralysed by in the manger policy. Catawba. a dog The State Iebt. To the Editor of the Era: Mv attention has just been called to an article in the Weekly News of the 2Gth December, upon the subject of the State debt. I agree with the ereneral views expressed by the edi tor of that paper in regard to the ruinous consequences ot repudia tion, and to the importance of re storing the credit of the State. His plan of compromise, however, is not feasible, and a brief review of statistics may throw some light upon this troublesome question. The people of North Carolina de sire to see the credit of the State placed upon a secure basis- They see the necessity for the building of railroads and the development of its vast resources. They appreciate the importance of immigration, and they know, that immigration will not come to us, so long as the pres ent heavy burdens rest upon us. They are willing to pay any reason able amount of taxation, for the purpose of restoring our credit, and of opening the way to immigration and capital. Let us then, by the light of statistics, inquire how much taxation the people of North Caro lina can stand, without detriment to their material interests. The assessed value of property, in lSGo, was $120,000,000 ; for 1870, $130,378,-Gl!-. The census valuation in 1870 w:is $2t0,7o9,2 14. The census valu ation is less than one-half the real value, as will appear by reference to the vield per acre, and the value of the cotton crop of the present year. The average' yield, per acre, is lib pounds or nut cotton, worth 17J cents per pound. This amounts to $30 per acre. W hat is the cost of production ? The average amount cultivated by each laborer is 12 acres. The value of the amount raised by each laborer, $ The hire of laborer, $120 00 The board of " 50 00 All other expenses, 10-3 00 t A virago profit on cost of labor, $100 00 Clear rofi t per acre, $3 00 Land which will yield this profit is worth at least $133.33 per acre ; for real estate, which will yield a profit of six per cent, is the best possible investment. The average yield in New England is two per cent, and, in New York, it is not 00 275 00 more :ihan three percent. JNorth Carolina contains 32,450,500 acres of and, or 2,308,000 acres more than he State of New ork. If all this and were cleared and cultivated in cotton, the value of our real estate would reach the enormous sum of $4,320,708,000, or about double the debt of the United States. Now, making due allowance, it is fair to say, that one-tenth ot the folate will yield cotton profitably. If then, we say, that nine-tenths of the State is worthless, the balance of our land would be worth $i32,G70,800. All other property would raise this sum to five hundred millions. . I do not think this an .over-estimate of the value of property in North Caro lina. Again, the value of the products in North Carolina in 18G8 was 37 millions. In 1871, it was 57 mil lions. From estimates now in, it is probable, that the value of the cropoflS72 will reach $07,000,000. Ifit.took 30 millions to feed and: clothe our people in 18G3, it did not i the Weekly Aeics, and examine his proposition. He says, Issue seven millions for the purpose of taking up the old sixes (except $3,500,000 issued to the N. C. R. It.,) and the funded GG's and OS's. He places the rate of compromise at 50 cents for one class, and 30 cents for the oth er. Why make any -difference? They both represent the same debt exactly. The funded bonds consist entirely of old sixes, which had fal len due, and the accumulated in terest upon them." They are clearly as obligatory upon the people of the State as the old sixes themselves. The Xeics proposes to leave out the bonds issued by the Convention of 1SGS, upon the ground -of unconsti tutionality. Shite Conventions; ac cording to the theory of our govern ment, are omnipotent. They have absolute power, restrained only by the Federal Constitution. I think the Convention had a right to issue them. But suppose it did not These bonds were sold to bona fide purchasers, at from 6G to 40 cents in the "dollar. The proceeds were honestly applied to the buildings of our Railroads. Good faith and common honesty require a fai compromise of these bonds. Again the JVeics makes no provision for the two millions of bonds, issued in 1806, under acts passed before the war. These too were honestly ap plied and ougnt to be paid. Again the JVews omits the bonds issued dur ing the war, amounting to nearly two millions more, lhese bonds ough certainly to be compromised on the most liberal basis. They have the words "Confederate States" upon them, and are consequently unsala ble in the markets ot the world They are nearly all held at home, by our own people. They were re cognized by the Convention of 18G5-'6Gand, subject tothescale-law they are certainly of equal dignity with old sixes. Again, the specia tax bonds are left out of the esti mate of the News. So much has been said in regard to frauds com mitted with this class of bonds, that it is unnecessary to refer to them hore. But there is one point in correction with them to which public attention ougnt to be direct ed. Nearly two millions of dollars, resulting from the sale of these bonds, were applied faithfully to the grading of our Railroads. It is fair, that we should pay back what we received ; for whether the State now has any interest in these roads or not, or whether it ever will have any, does not aheet the question. The fact is, and the history of Hail roads in this country will bear me out in the assertion, that State stocks in railroads have alwavs been regarded rather as a gratuity, than as an investment. The North Caro lina Railroad and one or two others have iMiid some dividends to the State; but these are only exceptions to the general rule. Hie commonly received opinion is, that indepen dent of the stock in railroads held by the State, the development of the country through which they pass, and the consequent apprecia tion of taxable property,. amply re pays the Slate for any interest it may have in such roads. In trying to compromise our State debt, two facts ought to be borne in mind: 1. That if we do not provide for a compromise of the whole debt, the new bonds which we may issue will be worth but little more than the old; for whatever our own views may be, the outstanding Governor's Message Relative Brancli Asylum For Insane. !lThe :N. C. Legislature. refrain from names which we expect to men tion in a subsequent letter. If friends or foes, Radicals or Demo crats have been guilty of breaking down this great commercial arte ry, and improperly appropriating money intended for its construction, the people must and shall know them. This much , we do know, that some men have made fortunes out of this bankrupt corporation. Gov. Caldwell's action in this matter meets the hearty approval of his warmest opponents, of whom I am one, and has made for him a' most as many friends as the perfidy of his late opponent made enemies for him. Yours truly, Burke. est out from the only hope for a road, and deprive North Carolina from being the great highway of theSouthcrn Pacific Road, bringing, as it will, the immense freights and trade via Memphis, Morristown, Asheville, Salisbury, Greensboro' and Raleigh. Vf; learn that the Wilmington, Charlotte &( Ruther ford Road, completed 180 miles-, with a gross income of .$350,000 a year, j Carolina are able to pay a Statp tny has been unable tq pay her interest, of one-half of one per cent upon the and proceedings have been com- census valuation (which is their menced to foreclose mortgage, and , own) of their property. This would the road is now ia the hands of a yield a revenue of one million receiver. The State has invested 4 three hundred thousand ; or a little seven millions in this road, itnd in more than four dollars in the hun addition is endorsefononeniillion of died of their nett profits. . i t.'-'r, wn. -iucDja , lliese siausucs oeiore us uu ueuer reason ior uie &rai's neip- 1 iet us come back to the article take more than 37 millions in 1872 This would leave enough profit, realized in one year, to pay within seven millions of the State debt, as it now stands. In view of this state, of facts, I think it a question worthy of consideration, whether it would not pay the people of North Caro lina to (ievote tne pronts or one year to a settlement of their public debt. It is certain that if North Carolina owed no debt, property would be enhanced in value, at least twenty-five per cent. But I do not advocate anything of this kind. Our erditors do not require it, nor would our own people be willing to it. How much taxation can the peo ple stand? They s-ay, they are worth more than $260,000,000. The statistics show, that their clear profits are about twelve per cent upon this sum. Five per cent upon their profits would yield a revenue to the State of one million five hundred thousad dollars. Can tho people pay it; without inconven ience? In 1870, when the products of the State were worth twenty millions less than they are now, they actually paid a State tax of one million, one hundred and sixty thousand, four hundred and thir teen dollars. They were able to pay it then. The increased pro ducts and the greater amount of prosperity, the following year, show that their interests did not suffer from this drain. If they were able to pay it then, they are much bet ter able to pay it now. 1 believe, that the people of North in bonds of the State now, if they be special taxes, will always be re garded as a debt, which the State must one day assume. The swindle perpetrated upon the people of North Carolina by corrupt railroad officials is not the first example of the kind in the history of the United States. Indiana was cheated out of nine millions in very much the same way ; and Illinois lost a much larger sum. One of these States actually repudiated this part of its debt. What was the result? After the lapse of a few years, it found it necessary to restore State credit. Both of these States went to work and paid the whole amount of both principle and interest. Can North Carolina hope to do wetter? His tory is constantly repeating' itself. No State and no man can get along, in this ae, without credit; and unless North Carolina provides now for a settlement of the whole debt. the time it not distant, when a compromise would not be accepted at all, and when the whole of the present debt will have to be assum ed. What then should be dono ? The Neivs says, make the ; debt seven millions and let the North Carolina Railroad take care of $3,500.000. This would be $10,500,000," and there would be in addition more than twenty millions of debt outstand ing. I propose to isseie fifteen mil lions, and take in the whole debt of every description. Tho debt can not be compromised for less ; for we must bear the fact. in mind, that when we issue our bonds, the loss of credit, which the State has sus tained, cannot be returned at once and, at the very first, our. new bonds when issued, even if all the present debt should be taken in by them, would be worth but little more than fifty cents in the dollar for many years. This was the case with Missouri, and has been the case with all the Southern States, since the war. If we had the mon ey, we could compromise .'on terms much more favorable than we can upon a long credit. We do not think, that more than six hundred thousand dollars, or a tax of little more than one-hfth of one per cent upon the census valuation of prop erty, ou:ht to be laid now, for this purpose. If we only raise this amount, it will necessitate the pay ing of four per 'Cent instead of six, for the first four years. A bond drawing less than four 'per cent would hardly be admitted upon the stock board at all, and would have no market value. If we can reduce the debt to fif teen millions of dollars, and lift the mortgage from the North Carolina Railroad, we shall have an annual product from that road of $180,000, and taxation will gradually dimin ish, instead of increase, as the high er rates of interest have to be paid : upon our debt. For, at whatever 1 rate we start the interest, it must be 1 so graduated as to average six per ! cent. I have thrown out these sugges-; tions in the hope that the patriotic i editor of tho Nctcs, after having his i attention called to certain facts, j which seem to have escaped his at tention, may lend his great influ-! ence to the restoration of the credit of the State. t Taxpayer. Executive Department, lialeigh, Jan. liMh, 1S73. ? To the Honorable. 1 - , i the General Assembly : I have the honor to transmit here with a memorial numerously signed by citizens of Burke county pray ing for the establishment and erec tion of a branch of the Insane Asy lanrat or near Morganton. It is doubtless conceded by every one, at all familiar with the subject, that there is not sufficient room for the accommodation of the Insane of the State at the Dix Asylum loca ted at the seat of government, and that unless other provision is made for them many of these unfortunates must languish, and suffer, and die in a horrible manner and most des titute condition. Recurring to the annual report of the able and worthy Superinten dent of the Insane Asylum, it will be seen that he strongly urges that larger accommodation be provided for this unfortunate class of our fellow-beings ; and in my annual mes sage to the General Assembly at the commencement of your session, I took occasion to call your atten tion to this subject, and recom mended the establishment of a branch Asylum at some accessible point in Western North Carolina. It affords me pleasure to recall that recommendation to your attention, and to unite .with the people of my native county in assuring your honorable body that there is no locality within the bor ders of our State, more suitable for an Institution of this character tnan Morganton. This village is in as healthy a region as can be found under the sun. The soil brings forth in great profusion all products which can be raised any where in the same latitude. Build ing materials of every kind abound on every hand. Labor can be read ily secured at a low price. Provis ions are plenty and to be procured at an exceedingly cheap rate. The place is of easy access, and imme diately on the line of tho Western North Carolina Railroad. The peo ple are kind and hospitable. The climate unsurpassed for salubrity, and health infusing vigor. The water unrivalled for purity and ex cellence, and the scenery the most beautiful and romantic to be louud in this Switzerland of America. Taken all-together, and in a word, Morgan ton is of all places in North Carolina the most suitable for a branch of the Insane Asylum. I, therefore, most cordially com mend the memorial of the petition ers to your favorable consideration. 1 have the honor to be, Very respectfully, Your ob't. ser't. Tod R. Caldwell, Gov. Russ and Harris Reply to Mur ray ami liryant. ' Mr. Brvan. rif l!f.r',.,. r the bill. ' 'JUV"1 II. t I , A. ' . I r. iiuu.noii moved that tl and amendment Jxi referred to Judiciary Committi 1 .1 mi t!.e Mr. Batlger supjxried to refer, and thought t Li. aud amendment.' should' , acted on until the Coinmi'ii jAiucauon couki con it !? of 1- ui M. ' t: 1 10 US K O V KHPKESjETATlVns TiriRTiETlI DAY. - Thursday, Jan. 10, 1S72. House met at 10 o'clock. Speaker in the Chair. Journal of yesterday read, sl!cr!t-i iy corrected, and approved. PETITION'S. I Mr. Waugh presented a petition from certain citizens of Surry coun ty asking aid to complete a road through .-Thompson's Gap, in that county, llcferred. Mr. Joyner presented a 1 petition from certain citizens of; Boon Hill, actment of a law prohibiting the marks recently made, had re. ;,., sale of spirituous Jiuuors within one "v uiycci ; mile of the corporate, limits of that town. Referred- 1 Mr. Blythe presented a 'petition from certain citizens of Polk county praying a change of the! line be new Supeiintcndent struction. Mr. Houston was allow d to w; draw lu's motion -to refer. ' ihe amendment of Mr adopted. . I Mr. Houston renewed to refer the bill to the on Education. w Air. jiadger lnl-. Ills Ij; A4, i . stilted 'h.hiiiUt. t hi! i, in the fut' in the 1 Mr. . iv, and , or ;.!;': nl toedi:. tlwk...t. ..1 i.'ll amen i lUcTSOU, Of (.'UtV. lih.v, e motion to n the Comniitl.-o iVr 1 Oil In To the Editor of The Era: The public may think thiscorres pondence protracted to an unneces sary extent. The card of J. B. Bryant surprises me, as it does Jir. Harris, it is very evident that Quarter-Master Murray has been tampering with my wit ness, and found the "joke " in the peas after the tampering ; and as proof ot it 1 publish the lollowing card from Mr. J. T. Harris. Respectfully, J. P. H. RU2-S. 17, 1873. Raleigh Jan. Raleigh, N. C, Jan. 10, 1873. To the Editor of The Era : In a card signed by J. B. Bryant to D. C. Murray, Jan. 14th, it would ead the public to believe that the card signed by Bryant and Harris of Jan. 9th was written by either Col. Russ or J. T. Harris, when in fact J. B. Bryant wrote and signed the card, and asked me if I would sign it. I told him if he said the facts set forth in the card were true I would sign it. Further, he says Col. Russ promised not to publish the card. Col. Rus3 in my presence promised no such thing, but told 11m that he could see no harm to him, as the truth ought to be told. And, furthermore, J. B. Bryant says in his card fie considered the proposition from the gentleman irom tne country as a joKe. 1 never heard him say he considered it a joke, until that day, and we had had many conversations about it. Very Respectfully, J. T. Harris. Card From Physician to I'eni- tentiary. To the Editor of The Era : fAs your article in relation to " Vaccination in the Penitentiary ;," is inadvertently erroneous in one particular, and liable to misappre hension in another, you will doubt less cheerfully allow the following correction: r You state for me " that the Board had ordered the convicts to be vac cinated some days since." This should have read "some weeks since." In the second paragraph you say that " the omission to have the con victs vaccinated as they enter was an error in the first Board." The error of omission in this matter is more properly chargeable to the Physician of the Penitentiary it being his duty to make suggestions to the Board in relation to all need ful sanitary regulations. Making these statements in justice to the Directors of the Penitentiary both old and new, I am Very respectfully, Wm. G. Hill, M. D., Physician to Penitentiary. Raleigh, Jan. 17, 1S73. tween Polk aud Henderson coun ties. Referred. j Mr. Trivett presented a! petition from certain citizens of Ashe coun ty, praying the enactment; of a law to prevent the felling of trees in ei ther branch of Horse Creek in that county. Referred. The Speaker-presented a petition from certain citizens : of Macon county protesting against tjie repeal of the law to prevent thcj reckless killing of deer. Referred.; The Speaker also presented an other petition prayii'g that the Agency of vacant lands in Macon county be transferred to the office of Register of 'Deeds. Referred. Mr. Reid presented a jetitioii from certain citizens of Mecklenburg county, praying the enactment of a fence law. Referred. . j . Mr. Blythe presented a j petition from certain citizens of Henderson ville, praying the enactment of a law prohibiting the sale of spiritu ous liquors within three miles of Judson Female College. Referred Mr. Moring presented a report from the Committee on Engrossed bills. j j Mr. Brown of Mecklenburg, pre sented reports from the Committee on Propositions and Grievances. Placed on calendar. I Mr. Dudley introduced a resolu tion instructing the Committee on Immigration to report a bill toror ganize a bureau of statistics and im migration in the office of Secretary of State. Calendar. Mr. Mabson introduced a resolu tion relative to employing a- stenog rapher. Calendar. 1 1 Mr. Wheeler introduced a 'solu tion providing that each f the proposed amendments to -tho Con stitution shall be voted 011 by the Legislature separate, and that they be submitted to the people in the same manner. Calendar. 2lr. Blythe introduced a bill to prevent the sale of spirituous liquors within three jiniles of ! Jiidson Fe- Mr. Broun, of Davidson, intro duced a bill relative to the 01'iice of Register of Deeds of Davidson county. Referred. ' Mr. Trivett introduced a bill to prevent the felling of trees in either branch of Horse Creek. Referred. Mr. Bennett, a bill to amend sec tion 34, chapter 113, laws of 1SGS'-G9. Referred. ; Mr. Abbott, a bill to enable the Young Men's Intelligent and Enter prising Association to increase their capital stock. Referred. Mr. Morrison, a bill to amend sec tions 221 and 229,'codef civil proce dure. Referred. Mr. Brown, of Davidson, a bill to suspend the writ of mandamus in Davidson county, so far as it relates to the Board ot County Commis sioners, j Referred. 1 Mr. Dudley, a bill to incorporate the iViechanics 5c .Laborers Mutual Jl,: ferrii-e ciary. Mr. Brown, of Davidson, ot,.,,, , the reference of the bill. 4 Mr. Lucky favored the n f,,--to tho 'Committee on Kduen-i,,,,1. Mr. Waugh thought-no i l coum arise oy passing the U'l the Committee on Education nothing to do with the hill, teachers had earned their m, and they ought hi be paid. Mr. Bean thought the llox fully acquainted with theprovi of the bill,- and that it .should immediately. - Mr. Fletcher urged the pa. ., .,. of the bill ; and stated the gi a v;u, ( s of tho teachers of tho county .'f Richmond; tlutjthe money r,.i, not be paid out without the i;isv,'.,. of this bill. ! Mr. Moss stated' that he was iu,i opposed to paying these tench: t.'J iinj uuii-i luuorer wno Had j:! lie Ml II tt . i... 'll;(. ""'. ' u'".s ' I as. oU.ii-.t earneu any sum 01 monev thought the present law Was cient. 1 Mr. Mclaurin favored the sage of the bill. He Mated there are several thousand d now in me Treasury of Aev(U;11. over county, ami (owing to the con struction of the ftw, that the iiiuiu.v could not be paid! out without tlio passage of this bill. Mr. Brown bf Meekh nou.-.-moved to reconsider the amendment ouereu uy Jir. uuia, and iidonh'l. carried. On motion of Mr. Trivtlt t.V t he iiil word "District" m theametuhu, v.t, was stricken out and the word Township" inserted. The amendme nt -was lost. Mr. Jones, of Caldwell, read sec tions (31 aud '.'17 of the present school' law, bearing indirectly upon ?., question. . Mr. Brown,, of Mecklenburg", e.ul cd the previous oucstioii; '1 he call was sustained ; House refused to refer, and tla patsed us third reading.: 4 A message v.Wri'ireived from V.w Senate transmitting several 1 ;;is 'passed by that body, and a-ki;,-the concurrence of the House. of which were nfctd firt time ;o.,i referred. A message was received U;,-,n the S( nate informing the I loin-that-' Mr. Dunham constitutes tin Senate braifch of the Joint Conj mittee to cancel; vouchers in the State Treasury. (Also n ines:i.'c informing the House that u quorum of Senators were present, and tl;.,t the Senate was organized for har ness. ' ' j ; The bill tot amend the (icucrul Incorporation (Act, was, 011 motion' of Mr. Jones, of Caldwell, hd.en from the Committee on Con ora tions, and placed oh its passage. Mr. Jones, of Caldwell,! explain-! the provisions of thf' hill, alter which, the question Was1 taken on its passage, and tho bill failed to .-.it .. nassi a nuorum not vntimr aiu oocieiy 01 ivortn Carolina. te- w. .1 , , ,. , ,-T ferred ' vauh said he did not vo T,r. i.:n 4... oeeauso no was out 01 ins niaee.anu Bo n Hill, in Johnston county, to Mr. change Hie Princeton, and to prohibit the sale of spirituous liemors therein. Re ferred. Mr. Craige introduced a bill to confer jurisdiction upon Justices of the Peace to issue proceedings sup plementary te execution. Referred. Mr. Byrd introeluced a bill to pre vent the traffic in county! claims. Referred. j Mr. McGehee introduced a bill in relation to a fence law providing that in any county which' may adopt the provisions of this! act, the boundary fine between landowners. shall be a lawful fence, and stock shall not be allowed to go at lanre. Referretl. j Mr. Mabson introduced a bill to alter section 45, chapter 181), school aws. iteierred. i - Mr. Jones, of Orange, introduced a bill to repeal the law concerning fences in certain townships!'. Re-j lerred. i 1 Mr. Ballard was announced as being sick at his room. , . A message from His Exiellencv the Governor, was read, transmit ting a memorial from many'citizens of Burke county praying the estab lishment of a branch Asvlum for the Insane in the town of Morgan ton. On motion of Mr. Waugh a mes sage was sent to therSenate trans mitting the i memorial relative to the branch Asylum for the Insane. Mr. Ellison introduced a resolu tion instructing the-iCommittee on Penal institutions. Calendar. t&" Old Doctor November of Chapel Hill, just before his death, had a conversation with a-correspondent to the Presbyterian, who was wondering at the old "doctor" for having just pro fessed religion during the lst Fall, as old a man as he was : "I know it, I know it," he said " I can't do anything for God ray time is gone but I believe he'll take ino safe the Lord Jesus is mighty I trust myself to him." In one of my last conversations with him, while expressing his hope of heaven unfalteringry, he said with ani mation, ' and when I get there I shall seeU the old Faculty. I mean f4Jook for f hem old master,'; and Gov. Swain, and your lather, and Dr. Mitchell. They 'll all be there I know." to CALEXDAK. A resolution concerning soldiers of 1812, who cannot estabii-h their loyany. to tne u. . Government by reason -of havinir irivcn aid tut? ouumtjj 11 iuiHoueraev iiunnr tne late war, and are not allowed pensions, praying that the law be amended ho as to give these soldiers pensions, was read and passed sev eral readings. j 1 Senate bill to amend the General Incorporation Act, was recommit ted to the Committee on Corpora tions. 1 Senate bill for the relief of' teach ers, was read. This bill provides for the payment of teachers who performed services prior to the pas sage of the present school law, and who have not been paid. ; Mr. Moss thought the bill unnec essary. The county aim m issioners have entire control of the matter Messrs. Brown of Mecklenburg, ?,ndiX.augh favor?d the passage of the bill. . 0 Mr. l)ula introduced the follow ing amendment to the bill : : That the teachers be paid out of the school fund belonging to the wuerein tne sncool taught. ,f WitS did not know what was House. i Mr. Jones, of Caldwell,' expbiiml the provisions of the bill a seco:: ! time. ' j Mr. Anderson, of Clay, urged the passage of the bill. 1 The bill passed second and thin! readings. j On motion of Mr. Badger.t lie ruin were suspended, and Senate bill lo amend an act empowering the I ui ted States government to purihii' and hold land for the Durnos f erecting light-houses, Ac, so s-t; enf power tho United States gV eminent to purchase land for tlx purpose of establishing light-hoiiv keepers' dwelling, buoy and coal de pots, and building? connected there with, was taken up. Mr. Badger explained the provi sions of the bill, and the bill pu.v.l' second and third readings. Senate resolution concerning ir ishable property remaining in the State Arsenal, authorizing the Ad jutant General to advertise and s-il such'property now in the Am nv.l and itav the funds arison? from .sun sale into the State Treasury to ! placed to tho credit of the H.-ho! fund, was re?d. ! j ' i 1 Mr. Johnston offered a substitute for the bill, authorizing j the Alj tant General to turn over Ihe per ishable property in the Arsenal U) the President of tho Board of J rectors of the Penitentiary. Mr. Badger suggested that it was ' not proper to turn over to the Peni tentiary U. S. uniforms, now in the Arsenal, a3 they would be oi' no u-; to that institution. i Mr. Brown, of Meekleiiburg, ; posed the substitute. Mr. Jones, of Caldwell, w;n -nosed to the convicts in the !' : - tentiary being disgraced- ly v. far ing uniforms once worfi by .Kir' and his-men. He hop!d t'lic .-institute would not be adopted. Mr. Guyther favored the miI;.-:.;-tute. The substitute was adopted, and the bill, as amended, failed to pa-s its second reading. On motion of Mr. Ellison, a reso lution instructing the Joint- Com mittee on Penal Institutions ;o report a bill for tho better govern ment of the jails and work hon.-c of the different counties, wa taken up and adopted. ; Mr. Houston moved to reconsider the vote whereby the bill to sell the perishable property now in the State Arsenal, failed to pass iK second reading. The motion to re consider was adopted. Mr. Standrord thought that there was a disposition to post pone every thing and do nothing. It seems as if gentlemen are preparing to re main here until Spring.) Ve far mers want to get home. This is the third or fourth time this bill has