North Carolina Newspapers

THE ERA AND EXAMINER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1S74. nesolutionPof "Confidence and Support Senate Chamber, Raleigh, N. C. Feb. 3rd, 187-L At a republican caucus, held on the 3rd of February, 1S74, the following res olutions were unanimously adopted: Resolved, 1. That this caucus recom mend The Daily Examiner and Weekly Era an-1 Examiner to the republican party of this State, as a paper worthy of its confidence and support. Resolved, 2. That all republican mem bers of this general assembly be re quested to subscribe to this paper and use all of the ir influence in giving it circulation and support. (Signed.) SQUIRE TRIVETT, Edward R. Dcmjey. SecreUryT Card From lion. W. A. Smith. To the Members of the G aural Assembly : Sins : I propose to address to you a few plain parting words ere you sink into merited oblivion. Mercy prompts me to silence as you slink from the public gaze, but a penseof duty impels me to point to you, or hold you up in your true colors, that .those who are to come after you may learn a lesson and shun the disgrace you have brought upon yourselves. My remarks shall he confined to such of you as are responsible for this expose by reason of your gross attacks upon me, personally, without regard to color or previous condition of party servitude. I need not say I have the highest re gard for many members of your body. here are good, clever gen- t.lpmen amnno you Cunningham A Call. x IL4XiapJJaFeb. 5th, 1S74. . A caucus at fh leading republicans of th SUta, toft ptirbers of the legis lature Is eXled to meet In this city on Thursday erening, the 12th instant, at 7i'p. m., In th6 senate chamber, for the purpose of advising the republican State executive committee as to whether that committee shall issue a call for a State convention, aod to. consider of such other questions ss may, arise concern ing the approaching campaign. Republicans tjwm every county are requested to attfen3; those who can not attend are requested to give their views iaivrlAng, that they may be read before tho a Cans. Should X8e legislature not adjourn hStiatit-, (of which there is OVi!ptafcility) there will be an acjyameeting on Thursday, the 19th't&roich representative republi- cans'of all parts of the Stafearo invited. SQUIRE TRIVETT, f, . .Pres't. Repub. Caucus. Ch.-fpTem. Rep. Stato Ex. Com. Ths Republican press are requested to copy. ' Goyernor Vance is in town and is reported as saying that he smelt the dead and poirid carcass of this dem ocratic legislature all the way from Charlotte to Raleigh. Divide the amount of money in the State treasury by. twelve hun dred dollars, (the cost of each day's legislative sessions) and the divi dend will show the number of days this defunct democratic legisla ture will remain in session. Letter on the Claims Commls . sion. A republican residing in the Yad kin valley publishes a letter in this issue of the Exam iner see first page touching up the Southern claims commission. In hisnrivate note to the editor ho says! Prespoctfully ask yon to publish the enclosed communication. If it does not meet with your approbation I shall regret it, still I must insist upon its publication. You can make any ex ceptions you may deem proper in your editorial character. I may feel it my duty to refer to other matters in the fu ture. Beside the shameful decisions in the property cases, the authority of tho COTernn?ent is sadly impaired in the Internal revenue service, the re- suit OX Inefficient or corrupt officials in. jxlaoy section. The enemies of the adroinUtratiou are defying all law, making and selling blockade whiskey. oQirupting and making drunkards of the j-ouths of the country to an alarm Ing $Xk6Pl, Alas, what a pity? b 62Uor has no exceptions of his own to make to the above. lie knows nothing of the facts in the case. The columns of the Examiner are -open, however, to any gentle roan holding opposite views on the subject. . A Vagabond and an Outcast. The Honorable William A.Smith has branded the Honorable Josiah Turner as a vagabond. The demo crats of this legislature see Smith, and go him one better, by making the editor of the Sentinel an outcast. On Thursday last, at the instance of the editor of the Sentinel, a joint conservative-democratic caucus was called-to incet.JuthQhal 1 of the no use oi represemauvw and n half o'clock. The self-imjHjsetl gene-al mana ger of the legislature the aforesaid editor was promptly on hand to ply the party lash, and lecture the democrats on impeachment and the public printing. His first proposition was that the legislature aid him, in some way, to take the public printing suit out of the supreme court of the State, and transfer it to the federal court. As soon as the democrats of this caucus ascertained the object the editor of the sentinel had in calling them there as soon as they found in fact, it was he who called them they promptly expelled him put him out sent him forth, a vagabond and an outcast, to wan der, at will, up and down the deserted passages of the capitol building ; to sound his deep base -voice of impotent rage and ex ploded vengeance down the cold chcerkis corridors of Carolina's pride. Senator Avera said if there was anything he loved next to the chris tian religion, it was the democratic party; but he and other democrats did not propose to be longer dic tated to and lectured by Jo. Turner on Impeachment and public print ing. Senator Waring also went for the man of em quads and letter m's and the caucus adjourned without appealing to the federal court, or making any new move on the chess board of Impeachment. Perhaps if the democrats had not dealt so summarily with this pimp of vinegar hill, he might have in troduced them to those lady friends of his with could name but they are power less in a mob of mere numerical strength. Right-thinking men regard you as an imbecile, eraceless set. The annals of the Stato will be searched in vam to find your like as a legis lative body. The famous "terra pin legislature," in comparison with, you, beeomess a respect a ble. ditrnined body. You are unique in your littleness and mean ness you stink in the public nos trils. Language is inadequate to Elcture you. You will be remem ered In years to come as profligate economists, destructive reiormers, mock statesmen, blind or corrupt judges, hypocritical patriots, faith lefts servants the orth Carolina "Barebones-Parliament." You went into power on a plat form of economy, and you have run riot in squandering the peoples' money. During your term of olhce you have raised no monument to the honor or profit of the State ; on the contrary, have torn down and laid waste, and you can point only, as the results of your labors, to such deeds as the establishment of cross roads grogshops and the in corporation of petty towns and sing- mer-schools. Yourstatesmanship has been of the Peter-Funk order you promise I to enact beneficial public laws and vou have deceived the people. You have undertaken, in the lit tleness and bitterness of your souls, to destroy my private character and to break me down In the estima tion of the people, because you are afraid of me, and you condemn me without a trial and without evi dence. Your patriotism is a hollow pre text, and you have shown it to be purchasable with a deadhead ticket on a railroad. You have, in everything that con corned them, deceived the people. You are a scurvy set a veritable " Barebones" legislature I have said you attempted to de stroy my character and break me down, and in doincr this you have shown yourselves to be blind or cor rupt judges, iou were blind in supposing you could break down any man ol even ordinary character. The voice of the people, as they flocked around me on the occasion of mv recent visit to rrfy home, where I am best known, and at the depots along the lino from Gold-bo ro to Greensbro, the young and old, the democrat as well as t he republi can. and aged ministers of the gos pel, attested your blindness, as they appealed tome to become their next Governor, or. if I would not, to do something bv means of which you could be driven from the capitol into your obscure holes. Or you were corrupt in condemning me without a hearing and without a witness, refusing me a right eon ceded to the meanest criminal. You took an oath on assuming the posi tion you have disgraced to support the constitution ot thebtate, and in doing vour best to bann me, to dis able me of a right guaranteed by that constitution, you foreswore yourselves, and are therefore, as I am advised, perjured men. Your predecessors caused Jo Turner to be irietl anil COiiVJCieu uy uuv ut uieir committees, for defrauding the State of over three thousand dollars, in overcharging for the public printing. Now you attempt to force him in'.o public confidence by re-electing him public printer. This act you did with all the facts before your eyes, and you thus con stituted yourselves accessories after the fact. In your blindness or cor ruption you seem to have forgotten that the people remember these things. You attempted to bann me for the alleged reason that I refused to &uawcr.ccrtain (picstioiis put to me tee, and you did that knowing, as vou must have known, that the legation was f.n-e. ou knew to answer their questions, as you knew, because I did not recognize their right to investigate the per sonal affairs of any man, and not, as you knew, because of the charac ter of the questions asked. If the committee had authority to ques tion me they had the power to make me answer. But the fat chairman did not desire answers, his object being to manufacture capital for his campaign for treasurer a campaign which enabled the people of his own county to show their estimate of him by voting him to the bottom of his own ticket. What now becomes of your pre text for the dastardly attempt to bann me? Was it not your real purpose to destroy my political m- nueuee in the State, and in a cow ardly, covert manner to defeat the Western North Carolina road, and N it not your purpose to disable all men in tavor of that work ? Would not a guarantee of deadhead tickets XT be done, and that quickly. Suits are being brought to enforce the Sayment of - claims against the tate. The railroads of the State, if well managed, can save the State in time; but legislation must be taken out of the hands of imbe ciles and be conducted with brains and enterprise. W. A. Smith. - Since the foregoing was writ ten, I learn it was sleepy-headed Jim Morehead who introduced this amendment. Well, that reminds me of an anecdote. On one occa sion, in the mountains, a man "was before a 'squire charged with larce ny. "Squire," he plead, "a great many people steal on the credit of our family." "And the credit of the family is damned good for it," replied the 'squire. W. A. S. Washington, D. C, Feb. 5, 1874. THE CiENEItALi ASSEMBLY. But enough of this. I might single you out and at tempt individual portraits of hid eousness, for some of you are worse than others some bigger fools, others greater knaves, and still others with strikingly mixed mean characters, but I dislike invidious- ness. I might instance Merrimon, the flea-bitten fice of Buncombe, who is ever aiming at something smart because ho has a big brother, and whose tact.in making everybody he comes in contact with hate him, is about to consign him to the mud hills of Georgia, and he leaves his country for his country's good. Alas, poor Georgia I Dr. J. M. Worth, the "William Pitt" of llandolph. might bo se lected by reason of his wonderful financial powers. Financial ability runs in tne blood ot the w orths as long ears in that of the ass. But I could not do that subject justice. Ihe Moreheads would be worthy of a sketch. Of all the self-styled great men of' the legislature the most conspicuous is the little fellow who goes by the name of "More- head of ltockingham," though ".Less-head" would be a more ap propriate name. He is a small souled, flat-headed, adder kind of a fellow, ever striking at those around him. He is a frac tious little cuss and puts on airs and demands passes over railroads by reason of his being a director on a dirt road. He is, too, an avaricieus varment. One would think ho would be satisfied with what he has already received from the public works of North Carolina. Col. Whitford, ex-president of the At lantic and North Carolina road, can tell whether the Mcreheads are en titled to that last hundred thousand dollars they got out of that poverty stricken work. It is safe to say that but for the railroads and public buildings of North Carolina, Turner Morehead and his brother John would to-day be plowing a steer at eight dollars per mouth. And these are the men who hate me because 1 will not say they are big men, and Turner the spiteful little soul, votes to bann me. John Morehead was one of Jo Turner's directors who voted the scrip dividend which put the North Carolina road $210,000 deeper in debt: and after it wis issued he went round buying up the scrip of mall stockholders at from sixty- five to seventy cents in the dollar. Having strong affection for the teat which has yielded them so much naD.-the Morehcads desire to grab the North Carolina road Therefore Turner the senator from the Virginia line offered an amendment to the consoli dation bill, giving the pri vate stockholders seven direc tors, ami the State, which has three million dollars in the work, live. I sunuoso he and John, or rather a a John himself, had talked the mat ter over with Mahouc, who promis ed, if that amendment ould be sliuned in. and he get the whole .' " - . road for ix),000, to make John president. Is not this worse than inv remsingio answer me imperti nent questions of fat John? But Turner is a More head and a little head, and buttermilk Jo pats him on the bacK, and says: "uo it. " fri 1 7 lib imm - FBK8SY.iB. 187 Senate met at 11 o'clock. Lieut. Governor Brogden in the chair. REPOKTS OP STANDING COMMIT TEES. Mr. Cunningham frohi education Mr. Murray, from engrossed bills Mr. Avery, from propositions and grievances ; Messrs. . Alien, . Toaa, Flemming and Love from proposi tions and grievances: Mr-John ston from enrolled bills. . v - little one; I'll say nothing about vour tricKS, because you stoou oy me in my em quad game on the State treasury, by which I came within one of getting over three thousand dollars. I'll stand by you as long as you sranu oy me on me quad em." The smooth-laced, I'lymouth- rock-looking fellow, McGehee, of Person, would require a large sized picture to do him justice, lie thinks every man dishonest who has ener gy enough to make a living, and jiseabove him without friends, allegation was i.n-c that in H71 the diricfors of the North Carolina railroad leased that work to the Richmond and Dan ville railroad company. As presi dent of the road you knew I had no vote on any question before the hoard except in the case of a tie. Vou knew that every director pres ent, four ot whom were democrats, the remaindtr republicans, voted lor the lease. You knew that in thisl had no vote ; yet I was charg ed by Buttermilk Jo with doing the whole thing, and that bribery and corruption were in it. You knew that at the first annual meet ing after the road was leased the stockholders, nearly all democrats, voted to confirm the lease, few ob jecting save Jo Turner and Tom Webb, who each desired again to become president and run down the road and waste its income upon themselves. You knew that at that meeting the foul Turner charges were brought up by Tkiu Webb, and that I there and then denounc ed We.b, or anyone else that re peated them, as a liar and coward. You knew that 1 there asked for a committee to investigate these charges, Webb to be made its chair man, and the convention refused to appoint that committee. You knew that I then called upon the presi dent of the Richmond and Danville company, who leased the road, to state to that convention whether his company had paid or otFered to piy or had promised at :.ny future time to pay me anything lor the part I took in leiing the North Carolina road to his company. In answer, you knew that Col. Buford said his company had not paid or promised to pay any otlicer or em ployee of the North Carolina rail road company one cent to consum mate the lease. All this you knew, and yet you attempted to bann me and to disable me from holding a ublic office because, as you allege, had refused to answer certain other little-heads, he would blast my character without giving me a trial. Not content with undermining the men of his own party who stand be tween him and a seat in congress, he strikes at me because he has heard that, like other great men, am about to move to Greensboro to make that district republican Poor little Mac! elevate down. energy f questions touching this very mat- whose names be paraded j f?r propounded to me by Fat John so mucn apparent pleasure T .OQ and evident pride in his paper of Thursday morning last. tee, of which Graham and Dr. Worth were members. I refused i ou can never yourself bv pulling others But you hate brains and and progress, Mac. You hate especially every man who has sprung from the mass of the people by his own exertions and become your superior. Your donkey-looking dignity .does not cover your smallness. Men designed by na ture to be great are beyond the reach of your puny shafts andean smile at the malice of such as you, the flea-bitten chap of Buncombe and the Pitt of Randolph. Go on with your banning amendments. Such acts carry with them a com pliment grateful to me,'but unob served by you, for they show that you are fully convinced that extra ordinary means are requisite to put me down. Do not stop, I warn you, at disabling me lrom being president of a mere railroad. Be fore you turn loose the peoples' purse and go home, see to it that I am crippled in evi ry thing else ; for with such yelping at my heels, I may be induced to take rapid strides from where I now am to the chair of .State, thence to the United States Senate, perhaps to the presidency of the nation. Look to it, 1 ree.it. 1 am not to be trilled wkh, -anyone of these additional steps would break your hearts. And now, sirs, adjourn sine die and go home, and for once gratify the people. I have asked nothing, I want nothing from you. Begone, 1 say, and may the Lord have mer cy upon you, for you are damned in the estimation of the honest people. If the West want their road fin ished they must send republicans to the legislature. If the people of the State generally desire their debt arranged and provided for, they must put progressive repub licans in power. Daddy Graham's party will never do anything for North Carolina. Something must INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. Bv Mr. Davis, bill authorizing the county commissioners to levy a special tax to build a county tail. By Mr. DLunham, Dill in relation to the county of iranklin. Bv Mr. ..Flemming, bill to incor porate the North Carolina God Hill mining company, iteierred to com mittee on corporations. By Mr. Worth, bill to Incorporate the town of Bush Hill. Rules were suspended and the bill passed its several readings. By Mr. Waring, bill to establish a bureau ol agriculture, iteierrra to committe on agriculture. Bv Mr. Merrimon, bill to allow the sales of reversion with the con sent of the owners of the home stead. Referred to committee on judiciary. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. On motion of Mr. Morehead, of Gnilford, rules were suspended, and bill providing for the meeting of board of trustees for the univer sity on the 18th inst., passed its several readings. On motion of Mr. Cramer, rules were suspended and the bill to re- anact sections 5, 6 and 7, chapter 104, revised code, passed its sever al readings and was ordered to be immediately engrossed and trans mitted to the house. On motion of Mr. Gudger, rules were suspended and the bili to in corporate the pleople's building loan association m the town of Mor gan ton, passed its several readings and ordered to be immediately en rolled. On motion of Troy, rules were suspended and tne oui to cnange the dividing lines between the county of Cumberland, and Bladen was taken up. Mr. Hill opposed the bill and asked its postponement. Mr. Troy advocated the passage of the bill, stating that the people in the proposed territory were in favor of the change. ' Mr. Ellis, of Columbus, stated that he had been requested by prom inent citizens of the county of Bla den to say they did not want this change, and were unwilling to have a portion of the county cut off and tacked on to the county or cumber land. He hoped the bill would not pass. The bill passed its second reading, when, upon motion of Mr. Hill, the further consideration of the bill was postponed until Wednesday even next. ! On motion of Mr. Cowlas, the rules were suspended and, and the bill to allow insolvent prisoners to take the oath of insolvency In twen ty days, instead of sixty days, as now required by law, was taken up. Mr. Dunham moved that the bill be re-committed. Mr. Cowles opposed the motion recommit. Mr. Cramer said if the Senate' could not decide the merits of this bill upon the floor. He hoped the Senate would adjourn and go home, md hoped the bill would not be recommitted. The motion to recommit did not revail. Mr. Gudger opposed tho passage J 1 1 A t t . A. oi me dui, anu tnougm n woma not be wisdom on the part of the Senate to pass it. - Mr. Malison rpnnrrpfl in all that Lad bel'U bald bA' th j.4 Yadkin. He recited instances In the city of Wilmington, where women with babes at their breast. ships so complaining, was valued at a valuation exceeding the valuation of property of like kind in other townsnips in me saia county, and therefore not equitable, to order the said township board of trustees to re-vlue the " lands and real prop erty" of the said township, and ab stract lists of the same and make return as provided for by section 15 of this act. And the valuation so made shall be annually fixed to such 44 lands and real property until a new valuation is made. It shall then be the further duty of the county commissioners of said county, to compare the said list with the list for the preceding year, and wherein it shall appear that excessive valuations were made, correct the same, and calculate the amount of tax paid on such over valuation, and credit the amount thus over paid on the face of the tax receipts against the listers of the said property, to be allowed in set tlement of taxes for the year one ty-iour." Mr. Worth opposed the amend ment upon the ground - that he thought the remedy sufficient in the next section of the bill. Mr. King opposed the amend ment. Mr. Cramer said he offered this amendment in justice to the people of-his township in 'the county of -WV mi A. A . M a .uaviason. xnat tne property m said township was raised one third last year, which was not uniform throughout .the county. That it was, 6imply a matter of justice, to remedy a wrong in the past. The Senate refused to adopt the amendment. Bill passed its several reading. SPECIAL ORDER NO. 2. Bill to amend chapter 83 of Bat tie Revisal, entitled "Criminal Proceedings." The object of this bill is to increase the jurisdiction of magistrates. Mr. Merrimon said he was not in favor of the bill and regarded it as an innovation upon the , present system. Mr. Allen said the object of the bill was simply to make an addition to ' the duties of the magistrate's court and to allow them fanal juris diction in petty larceny, and he hoped the bill would pass. , Mr. Dunham opposed the bill because it gave to magistrates power that they, in many instances, were entirely incompetent to exer cise.. , Mr. Love was willing that the counties1 that the senators from Buncombe and Wilson represented should bo exempted from the pro visions of the bill. Mr. FTcniming advocated the bill. giving many excellent reasons why the bill should pass. v Without further action on the bill, on motion of Mr. Gudger, the senate adjourned. t HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Mr. Speaker Robinson called the House to order at 10 a. m. Journal of yesterday read and ap proved. , PETITIONS. Mr. Trivett, a petition from citi zens of Alleghany and Ashe against the prohibition of the sale of liquor within three miles of Ore lvnob, ana, asking that one mile be sub stituted. Mr. Stanford, a petition from cit izens of Dunlin, askiner the estab- nsnmof'ineoiar usury law. i l3HPIetcher; a petition from cit izejhsofiHichmond against the pro posed new county from a portion of Ulch mond and liobeson counties. REPORTS OF STANDING COM MITTED. Messrs. Marler, from the commit tee on enrolled bills ; Mr. Freeman, from the committee on postoffices, post roads and turnpikes; Mr. Mo- ring, Kom the committee on en grossed bills ; Mr. Brown, Of Meck lenburg, from the committee on propositions and grievances ; Mr. Wiley, from the committee on cor porations, and Mr. Bennett, from the judiciary committee, submitted reports. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. terably opposed to the whole busi ness. Mr. Dudley sustained Mr. Nor ment and was opposed in toto any change of gauge on this great road. Mr. Bowman said this was a bill allowing the North Carolina rail road to buy out the Western North Carolina railroad and complete it on through the mountains. If you build the road on, when you get to Morristown, Tenn, withoutachange of gauge, you will accomplish but little, for without it the Virginia and Tennessee road being of the same gauge, the competition of our road, with a different gauge, will be no competition at all. This question of gauge should be under the control of the corporation. He hoped that the amendment of Mr. Johnston striking out would pre vail. Mr. Johnston asked Mr. Nor ment if there was any restriction as to gauge in the Carolina Central railroad. Mr. Nerment replied no. ited was to be allowed tu Have . Mr. Trivett, an act amending an act in reference to the sale of liquor near Ore Knob. ' ! Mr. Watson, a bill to allow con stables of Bingham township to coir lect arrears of taxes. Mr. Reid, an act amending the charter of Trinity college. 1 BILLS UPON SECOND READING. An act to charter the bank ofl Wilson, with amendment of the committee on banking, passed its final readings. ; Upon motion of Mr. Jones, of Caldwell, the bill- chartering the Neuse River Ferry Company, was tokenjupjread and gassj its final wanted was to be the same thing. Mr. Robinson thought the gentle man, Mr. Norment, was going too far with his proposition in going back and placing them under the charter of 1848-'49, restricting them from ever having a change of gauge He new refuses to grant the privil eges granted by this legislature be fore the recess. He is coming in too late in the day and he has made his unfortunate discovery too late for nay people's welfare. I do hope that the amendment ef the gentle man from Buncombe, Mr. John ston, will prevail. The question being upon the amendment of Mr. Johnston on striking out the vote. resulted in favor of the amendment. Yeays 55, nays 35. Mr. Trivett, an amendment strik ing out that portion of tho bill which prevents any one who has refused to testify before any inves tigating committee, because of criminating himself from holding office Sbc; republicans voting to strikeout. Did not prevail. Yeas 39, nays 51. Mr. Gorman offered as an amend- menl, "Nor any one that has re ceived a fee of $20 for defending a senator in a contested election case.' Not adopted. Mr. Bennett moved to strike out sec. 9 : "That this road shall have all the privileges and rights of the most favored," which motion pre vailedyeas 50; nays 39. Mr. Wheeler, an amendment after the word Cherokee 4 'for the purpose of building a road from Winston to the Tennessee line, and from Winston .to Danbury." Not adopted. The question being upon the pass age of the bill, its third reading.the yeas and nays were demanded and the vote resulted yeas GO; nays 38. Mr. Trivett, of Ashe, here gave notice of a protest he and his re publican brethren, who had voted for the bill, desired to offer as to that portion of section eleven they had endeavored to have stricken out ; it being the clause, by inuendo, reflecting on the Hon. W. A. Smith, and by implication impeaching the character and official integrity of Tod R. Caldwell, governor of North Carolina. Protest will be signed and offered to-morrow (Saturday) morning. Uy consent, Mr, Bennett, a resolution- asking the opinion of the supreme court touching upon the legality of tho election, of two judges. f der county was taken up and passed its final reading. LTpon motion, the house, at 2 p. mj, adjourned. Note. The name of Mr. Gorman heads the remarks in our proceed ings of the house in yesterday's is sue, when Mr. Bowman's should occupy that place, being his remarks on the Asheville and Marion turn pike, i The Southern Claims Commis sionAn Outrage on our People and the! Government. To the Editor of the Examiner : Gentlemen : Having been a sub scriber to your paper since its estab lishment, I -ask the publication of this article in your columns, as a republican and steadfast supporter of the groat and essential principles and policy of General Grant's ad ministration. Living in Western North Carolina, holding no office, charge of vTitrvrxralTinrJ hear especially as it is mv purpose to write in behalf of the poorer class of republicans, that class who are relied upon to do the voting and sustain the party in power at the ballot box. While! say this much i in advance, I disclaim any and ai intention to urge any claims for any class on account of their politi cal status not founded upon dis tinct principles df justice, nor to withhold from any body their legal and Just rights under the laws of the United Slates but to the point ! Two or more years ago Congress passed a law creating a commission under the appointment of the Fresi dent, whose duty it is to receive examine and adjudicate the claims of all loyal citizens of the late re bellious States. I propose to refer and comment upon the report lately published and sent out by the afore said commissioners upon the appli cation ef citizens of the Southern States, for property taken by the officers and soldiers of the Federa Armies for the support of the same, and in doing so 1 will speak in re ference only, to such matters as am personally acquainted with, either from sight or the most re liable information from others. I The raid or 'cavalry invasion o North Carolina by General Stone- wian, late in the month of March 1865, is a memorable event in the minds as well as the pockets of those who live in the valley o the Yadkin, in the counties of Caldwell, Wilkes, Yadkin &e General Stoneman, after organ izing his army at Knoxville, Ten nessee, by rapid marches through and across the Alleghany or Blue Ridge mountains, plunged his cav airy, broken and exhausted by hard marches over desperate roads.upon the quiet citizens of the valley then commenced an indiscriminate taking of horses, mules and provis ions lor man and beast. This was to be expected, and his right to do so is inot questioned, as according to the rules of war, he was technically in the enemies' country and enti tied to support.- But subsequent to peace the government of the United States has generously agreed to compensate certain classes of those whose property was taken, based upon loyalty to the government of the United KLajes, and involuntary service to the rebellion. Under that offer a number of our citizens haw? preferred fcir accounts worn tofand sustained by the I fear the length of this article mayjbe irksome to some of your readers, but it is written in i behalf of loyal claimants whoso rights I verily believe to ho ignored by the agents of the government in defi ance of the just and legitinnito rules and application of testimony, , that the few cases where com pen-1 sation is allowed in North Caroli na, are more like ""decoy ducks "to lure poor men to pay high fees to special commissioners, and feed the horde of officials at the expense of many who are very ill able to af ford the cost of sending up tes timony. I am not sure Mr. Editor, if it would, not be wise in congress to repeal the law-entirely, since it is very evident that much more dis satisfaction does and will always hereafter prevail as the law is ad ministered, than if it did not exist. The par; in power is always held, responsible for all laws as well as the mode and manner of their application - and enforcement. U truly nnfnrfnnntn for tho AMNESTY AND PARDON. Upon motion of Mr. Brown, of Davidson, the bill in relation to amnesty and pardon, after a vote of reconsideration, was taken up, but upon further motion of Mr. McGe hee, was made the special order for Tuesday uext at 12 o'clock, and the bill ordered to be printed. Upon motion of Mr. Turner, a bill incorporating the Hominy Hill camp ground, Iredell county, was taken up and passed its final read ing. SPECIAL ORDER. were incarcerated in the jail for six ty days as now provided bylaw; but to pass this bill would shorten the term to twenty days-, and the county thereby saved two-thirds of the cost for these imprisonments. Mr. Norwood favored the passage of the bill. The bill then passed its several readings. On motion of Mr. McCabe, rules were suspended and bill to amend chapter 0(5 and 212 laws of 1831-'32-'4G-M7, was taken up and passed its several readings. By Mr. Mabson, resolution of instruction to senators and repre sentatives in congress. Lays over one day under the rules. SPECIAL ORDER NO. 1. Bill known as the 44 machinery act " for the raising of revenue. Mr. Love moved to amend by inserting in line 3, section 13, after the words money, 44to be ascertain ed upon the oath of the owner." Mr. Worth said tne amendment was not necessary, as the bill am- piv provioeu ior mat, ior the rea son that everybody upon giving in his list was required to make oath to the same. Mr. Love said his object wa3 to make everybody, when they go up to give in, state there, upoji oath, what is the true value of his land, Mr. Morehead, of Rockingham, opposed the adoption of the amend ment and said it would not effect the object intended by the senator from Jackson. Mr. King said the senator froua Jackson was generally right, but in this instance he was mistaken. By consent Mr. Love withdrew his amendment. Mr. Cramer offered the following amendment to section 15. 44 It shall be the duty of the county commissioners, upon com plaint having been made before them by the township board of trustees in said county, that the valuation for the preceedirig year was not uniform throuerhout the said county, and that the "lands and real property" of the town- "'Upon motion of Mr. Moring, the bill amending an act chartering the New River Canal Company, was taken up and passed itsnnai read ing. Upon motion of Mr. Miller, the hul incorporating the Tedee Manu fact u ring Company, in Richmond county, was taicen up, and passed its final readings. , By leave, Mr. Carson, a bill au tfiorizing the county of Alexander county to levy a special tax. Upon motiOn of Mr. Mizell, the inll chartering the Jamesville and AVashington Railroad Company, ratified 1869, with a supplemental act thereto, was taken up and pass ed its several readings. ( Upon motion of Mr. Dula, the bill amending an act chapter o, pri vate laws of 1871-2, was taken up It amends an act chartering a bridge company in the county ot Wilkes) and passed its final reading. Upon motion ol Mr. craige, tne rules were suspended and the 4'elec tion bill" was recommitted to the committee on the judiciary. SPECIAL ORDER. A bill amending the charter of the North Carolina railroad, known as the consolidation bill. Mr. Craige, offered an amend ment preventing a change of the line or the gauge ol the road. lie had heard that Salisbury might be cut off by tearing up the Western road from Statesville and going to Charlotte. Mr. Johnston, an amendment striking out in section 15, after the following, to wit: "but shall not have power to change the gauge of said road except upon tnat part from Paint Rock to Asheville." This latter was incorporated in the bill on yesterday by an amendment introduced by Mr. Norment and which was adopted by the house, ,Mr. .Norment, defended his amendment. He was opposed to any change of gauge ; he believed it was all talk, that the gauge along the whole line would be changed; he thought it would only change the gauge from Greensboro to Char- lotte, tnat wouia carry everytning to Virginia ports. He was unal- A bill establishing a new county by the name of Jura, taken from the counties of Robeson and Richmond. A petition from citizens of Rich mond county, in opposition, was read. Mr. Fletcher stated that as far as he was individually concerned, he had no feeling in the matter. This thing had sprung up since the as sembling of this legislature. If the citizens who desire this new county were to submit this ques tion to the people of the two coun ties concerned, he would support the bill. He thought, in all fair ness, trie people should have a say n the matter. The debt of the id.andittt'onld be.welUto hold on until tnat" complished, then, he thought, they could depart in peace. Mr. McNeill spoke at length in favor of the bill, detailing the mer its of the proposed new county; of the people who Jived there, and the great inconvenience of distance of county seats froir them. With the relief asked, no one will be over sixteen miles from the county seat ; it will have a population of about 12,000, with some two thousand voters. Many new counties have been formed with Taxless population.- He had received petitions from at least 1,800 good citizens praying for the relief. During the gentleman's remarks, h paid a glowing tribute to the Scotch-Irish people who principally composed his section of the State. There is no community of feeling among the people, on accouut of t.heir great distance apart. His county was the largest in area, with bne exception, (Davidson) in the State. Mr. Fletcher, an amendment that the question be submitted to a vote of the people of the two coun ties concerned, which, if adopted, would be agreeable to him and the citizens of his county. Alter fur ther remarks by Mr. Fletcher it was adopted. Yeas 51, nays 39 the question now being on the passage ol the bin on its second reading, it was defeated. Upon motion of Mr. Lutterioh, a bill in reference to changing civil suits from one judicial district to another was taken up, with a sub stitute from the committee, which was adopted, and the bill then passed its final reading. upon motion oi Mr. uickey, a bill in regard to certain vacant lots in Cherokee, Clay and Graham. After full explanation by Mr. Dickey, it passed its final reading. Bv consent. Mr. Bennett intro duced a resolution in favor of Josiah Turner, Jr. Upon motion of Mr. itichardson, an act incorporating me iowu ui Cerro Gordo,- in Columbus county, t ifl..Ql was taKen up anu passeu ius uum reading. Uton motion oi Jir. uarson, au act to relieve the sheriff of Alexan- testimonyl ol others disinterested persons. Of course the commissioners estab lish their own rules, judge of the proof offered in each case, and al low or reject claims as to them may seem proper. j I think a plain statement of facts will convince any candid mind that the whole thing as practiced is a miserable sham, a reproach to the government and the republican party of the United States ; that it fails in justice to a large majority of claimants, and that majority em braces the largest part of non-combatants in the late war and far the most reliable supporters of the union. They were promised bread, instead ol which tney received a stone.'? ! Gen. Stoneman's force struck the valley of the Yadkin in Caldwell county-, following it about one hun dred miles nearly due east. In that distance probably one hundred per sons or more made out their claims for property taken from them, averaging some two or three hun dred dollars per claimant. Out of all these claims I can call to mind only some three or four who have been allowed anything by the court of claims. Were those allowed pay for property more loyal than many of those whose claims were rejected ? T answer, emphatically, no. Are they more needy ? Cer- the mau or woman the less the cnance to re ceive pay, especially if their) claim asks puv lor the only horse or mule they owned at the time, some of whom have not been able to buy or own one since the war. . In looking over tho commission er's report I see Joseph Howard, of Caldwell county, has been allowed $100 for two horses and other prop erty taken, less than half theamouut claimed. I am glad he receives that pittance. I doubt not his loyalty and poverty. I glance through the large county of Wilkes, and can see nothing allowed her citizens; all reported are disallowed. Wilkes countv, whose opposition to the re bellion was so strong that martial law virtually existed within her borders, and Governor Vance ac tually sent a regiment of confeder ate troops into the county to keep down the union sentiment that pre vailed among her people during the war.. I next see on the list of those allowed, the name of Tyre Glenn, of Yadkin county, about ssyenty miles intervening between the claimant Howard and said Glenn; passing many worthy claims lmmeuiuiciv in me line oi vjruoerui IttttH y-. tion of the last congress, aided as it was, by a majority of the opposi tion, has had such a demoralizing effect upon the stability of party organization. Let us hope for tho best and aid all in our power in freeing the national union party from the abuses of its pretended friends and the reproaches and as saults of its enemies. In concluding this article it is due myself to state that I am not Interested personally in any claim before the board of commissioners or other personal grievance what ever. CV. Stoneman's march, all of them dis allowed. Whether it was owing to Mr. Glen's superior unionism, the baronial extent of his broad acjres and palatial residence, or the fa(-t that he has built a stone dam across the Yadkin river, effectually depriving all his fellow-citizens who chance to live above his dam, of the enjoyment of fresh fish by the decision of the courts for the reason that the Yadkin river at that point does not afford quite water enough to float a Mississippi steam boat, is not stated in tho com missioner's report ! Mr. Editor, I do not wish to be un derstood as questioning any claim ant's loyalty, and I am glad Mr. Glfenn is fortunate in his application, but the ! $2,500, and more, he is to receive, is not half as much to him as tne poor man's only horse or mule, worth $150, or his meat and brad taken from his wife and chil dren, without money or means to supply their loss. Wedding-Cake. One pound sugar, one pound but ter, one pound flour, twelve eggs, one cup molasses, six pounds Valen tia raisins, three pounds currant, two pounds citroe, one ounce cinna mon, one ounce mace, one ouneo cloves, two gills brandy or you can use if you prefer, one gill whis key and one gill lemon-juice, and the grated rind of two lemons two nutmegs. Add sufficient Hour to dust the fruit. Having as a novice in cake-making been over and again grieviously tormented by insufficient directions as to the manner of putting ingre dients together, we will not suljeet another to the sarnetrial of pat ieuco, but give the mode of procedure so explicitly that tho 'most j inexpe rienced may work with confidence,.' Wash the currants and put them aside to dry. Pour boiling water upon the raisins a few at h time, and take - out the seeds scalding the raisins greatly facilitates tho operation of seeding and n iio way injures the fruit for cake. Slice tho citron thin, and do not leave tho pieces too large or your cake will be likely to break apart when you cut it. Chop the raisins pretty lino it is best to put not morel than a quart in the chopping-bowl at a time; then mix them carefully with their proportion of jcurrants and citron and lay them aside in a pan. When the fruit Is all mixed cream tho butter, and add of tho spice as soon as you com mence stiring in the sugar. Aim the molasses by degrees with tho sugar; iiyouneeu more nquiu to make it stir easily add a. portion oi tho liquor. Beat till very light. Beat the yolks and .whites of tho eggs separately and very thorough ly ; and add the yolks and what is left of the liquor, and a little moro than half of the Hour; after that the whites of the eggs and what remains of the flour, stirring but little. Lastly dust your fruit a lit tle at a time, and mix it thorough ly with the cak.e Have ready a large pan or threo good -si zed bread tins, if you liko better, prepared in the following- manner: Fit threo papers carefully to your pan ; greaso them thoroughly. Make a paste of equal parts of gra ham and white flour wet up with water. The paste should be just stiff enough to spread easily with a spoon. Place the first paper in tho pan with the buttered side next the dish ; spread the paste evenly over the paper, leaving it as thick as. you would roll pie-crust. In spread-'1 ing the sides or the pan you will probably need to use a little of tho naste to sticK portions or the paper to the top of the pan to keep It from slipping out'of place. Then press the second paper careiuiiy into its j place with, the buttered side away from the paste, and lastly, fit in tho third paper as you would into any baking pan. Put in your cake, being careful to press i t closely I nto t he edges of the pan; place it in an oven of tho same heat tnat you would use lit baking bread; keep up your fireso. uallv. When the loaf ilacks two shades of being brown enough ami that will probably bo between an hour and an hour and a half before It is time to take it out grease a paper and put over it, and spread with paste. When the cake comes out of the oven leave oil' its cover, till nearly cold. Four hours will take a loaf that takes the whole recipe, and it is not too long when you make It Into three loaves; anything smaller had better be taken out a few minutes sooner. ' Keep your cake in its case. This mode of baking has tho ad vantage of never burning without most remarkable carelessness, and also that- the cake is nice to uso within a week from the time of baking. "K. If. Thk Desperation .ok Despair. Many of our readers may remem ber the little niece of verso in which a company of British officers in tho Indian service are represented as getting together during an unusu ally violent epidemic of cholera and singing a song, thechorousof which, as we remember it, ran thus: "Hero's a health to tho dead already, And a health to the next to die." An incident is reported to have occured in Memphis, which indi cates the existence in that city of a similar disposition to make a Jest of death. A man some days till of yellow fever perceivedi that his disease had taken a fatal toin. Re marking that he was going to die. and that he was determined to dio happy, he thereupon drank a largo quantity of brandy, and died In the middle of the tit of drunkeness which was thus produced. Conversation. Good. kind. holy words dropped in conversa tion may be little thought of, but they are like seeds of flowers or faithful trees falling by the wav- side, boras by some bird afar, hap ly thereafter to fringe with beauty some barren mountain - side, or to pake glad some ione wilderness.