if;
a
MB. XUkNBRS SPBBCH-Concluded.
in,;. I no fanciful estimate of my own. The
tefil li fia ken 'the 'official. Btate
S of the Wilmington and Rale igh Rail Road
SS?Jj,f. According to thcir.own show
to een, if they obtain all the benefits contempt,
lef by this bill, with a nett annua I dividend of 6
Sr cent on the capital Block, they will lack
fel 4 000 of paying the interest on their debt. 1
hare said 6 per cent nett dividend was an extra v
ttirant estimate for a Southern Road. Yes, 4 per
cent is an extravagant estimate. It is more than
the average of Southern Rail Roads, except as I
have said beforf.Jhey xnonqpplixe Jhft.travej.- or
iermimte at a rage commercial town. If the Cen
tral Road it ever to be constructed-raltho' I fear,
aa I will hereafter attempt to snow, mat it can
not sustain itself if this bill passes, yet-it will of
course, be a rival to the Wilmington Road, in re
gard to travel i and when we take this into con
sideration! the most aanguine friends of the latter
cah not calculate on more than 4 per cent nett
profit I have no idea it will ever reach it But
even if it should, the nett income on the capital
stock of 81,500 Odb would be $60,000, to meet
an annual interest on their debt of $68,000.
Here, then would be an annual deficit of $8,000
op the interest alone ; and this too, even admitting
the friends of the bill agree to abandon their pro
position, authorizing $300,000 to be raised by a
ale of stock, for an investment in the Manches
ter Road. But if the bill passes in its present
shape, with a nett annual income of 4 per cent,
on its capital stock which, by the way, I consid
er a verv liberal estimate the road will realize
$36,000 to pay off an interest of $68,000 per an
num, thus leaving a deficit of $32,000 annually,
in navins the interest Upon its debt
We are told however, by the advocates of the
bill, that the Wilmington and Raleigh Rail Road
Company will be deriving an annual income irorn
its stock m the Manchester Koad. Aye, that
what we alwavs hear of road before they s
built It is a very easy nutter to cypher out these
immense profits with pen, ink and paper, upon an
assumed hypothesis, but experience has always
told another tale, especially here in the sparsely
settled regions of the Scuth. Let me not be mis
understood here. 1 am not urging this, as a rea
son why rail roads should not be built. The ben
efits which they confer on the citizen and on the
State, are not so much in the way of profi', cent
per cent., as in the spur they give to industry,
and is the developement of pnysical and moral
power. But as the friends of this bill, urge it up
on us as a measure of pecuniary interest, it is in
that point of view that I am examining it As to
this Manchester Road, it will bo several )ears,
before it can be completed. And when it is, how
can we expect for it so much better a fate, than
has almost uniformly befallen all Southern Rail
Roads? Builtatacost far exceeding the esti
mates, they have had ,to struggle for an existence
for years, under unseen difficulties and liabilities
encountered during iheit construction . AmHflhis
project of taking stock in tb,e Manchester Road
succeeds, the Wilmington and Raleigh Road, in
stead of deriving a profit from the investment, will
for years be still further crippled in its resource,
in having to sustain, and provide for the embar
rassments of the Manchester Road. We are also
, referred by the friends of this bill, to the fac's
stated in the memorial of the stockholders, to show
the difference of expense and repair, between rail
roads laid with heavy iron, and those laid with
the ordinary thin iron. The South Carolina rnad
is referred to, to prove this. This South OaroUnaH
road does not present a fair illustration of this
question. That is a new road. The original su
perstructure is still good, the timbers undecayed,
the bridges uninjured, the ditches not choked up,
the embankments not washed away. But in a
few years, the expenses incident to these will
begin to increase; and the iron itself, unless it be
genuine T iron, will require continual replace
ment and repair.
Tlic State of North Carolina now has a mort
gage on the Wilmington and Raleigh road, to se
cure her against loss on the bonds of the Company
endorsed by. the State, to the amount of 8250,000,
and against loss on the $85,000 due by the Com
pany to the Literary Fund; making together $335,
000. This bill asks us to postpone our mortgage,
to the mortgage to be executed for the $520,000
proposed to be borrowed, and to give the latter
mortgage priority ever the one we now have on
the road. Suppose this is done, and the road is
tonable to pay the interests on its debt as I think
- - . : l'..:!J .4 -111 f ,v h fHtiiM tn tla aMliiAn An AHF tUliet. Il nu
-ft
applied to tbis use, and to no rwe on 10 ,
sneak on this branch of the subject
tfow, (said Mr- Ryer) this bnngi me to consid.
er the relation of this bill to, and the influence it i
likely to exercise on. the great internal improvement
measure of the session I mean the road from Char
lotte, ia Salisbury and Raleigh, to Goldsboro or
Neuse River. It atrikes me a palpable, that not
only are we not required by aspirit of liberalityto
pass this bill, but if we expect the central road to
be built, that then justice and policy actually forbid
it The great error at first was, attempting to sus
tain i wn rival nnr.illel roads' across' the State. In
their rivalry, they have ever kept each other crip
pled; and not only individuals, but the Stat is still
suffering from the effects of it. This multiplying
of rival roads may answer in a densely peopled and
commercial country ; especially when tneir lermxnx
are large commercial towns. But we have not yet
reached that coudition in North Carolina. It may
be. that the Legislature ought not to refuso to grant
charters for rival roads, where individuals merely
ask the privilege of making their own improvements,
with their own means ; but tbe at ate snouia not in
vest her means, in thus encouraging sectional preju
dices and hostilities, and at the same time Hazarding
the loss of her investments. Of course, my remaras
am intpnriivl to annlv to communities when these
improvements are in their infancy ; and such is the
case in North Carolina. When a country nas db
flome wealthy, prosperous and powerful, commercial
enterprize can well bear cosapeution.
Two millions of dollars in the central road is a
heavy investment in North Carolina. We may ex
pect it to be severely criticised by public opinion;
and that the public feeling will be sensitive in re
gard to the tax necessary to supply the means. No
one who is willing to do his duty, will falter on this
account ; but then it is policy, it is wisaoro, it is pro- i
priety, that we should provide for this road being
established upon a basis that will make it popular as
well as useful ; that it should avoid the odium which
baa befallen the two other roads iu the State : that
it should not be a source of eternal agitation On the
hustings, nffording endless capital for demagogues,
in order to attainlhese ends, our calculations Bhould
be b6ed on data authorising the conclusion, that the
road will at least support itself, after it is construct
ed. My purpose is to secure a mutual dependence,
a kind nnd fraternal feeling, a joint and harmonious
action, bet ween the Charlotte and the Wilmiugton
road. And hon can tbis be done, if this Legisla
ture, is this solemn manner, after deliberate consid
eration and discussion, declares to the world, as it
virtually wilt de try the passage of this bill, that the
Wilmington road shall be put in complete order at
the public cost, (for the postponement of the State's
mortgage is equivaleut to a gnttuity to that road, of
$335 000) and that it shall be kept up as a separate
and isolated improvement throughout its entire
length, from Wilmington to the Roanoke? And
tbis too wheu you are assured by the advocates of
this bill, that the road from Wilmington to Man
chester rvill be built, whether the State authorises the
Wilmington Company to take stock in it or not.
For the purpose of ideutifjing the interests of the
two roads a much as possible for the sake of -conciliation
and harmony, for the sake of liberality even,
I li;ive been thinking of a compromise to postpone
the State's mortgage to the extent of $260,000. to be
borrowed and invested in the purchase of heavy iron
to relay the road from Wilmington to Neuse River,
where it is proposed the road from this place shall
intersect that, although it will be recolllected that
I gave noiice, of my intention to srfike out all that
part of the bill proposing to postpone the State's
niorfgnge. But on consulting some of the frieuds of
this bill, with reference to such a compromise, they
promptly declined it. Well, sir, under no circum
stances, would I go one step further. We are not
legislating for a day or a year, or even for the pres
ent generation. We are legislating for posterity,
Our object should be to do something, which will
not only subserve the interests of tbe people, and
.romote the honor nnd reputation of the otate for
the time being; but which will stand thetest of pub
lic opinion. Gentlemen may talk about patriotism,
State-pride, and self-sacrifice that all sounds very
pretty in a harangue, and looks much prettier, when
carried into practice. But frequently, policy nnd a
due regard to pubucopinion is tke beat sort of patri
otism. -1 am not speaking or tbe effect or public o
pinion upon the Representative, but upou measures
themselves. A system of internal improvement in
its first adoption, can only be carried through and
sustained us a system. Measures of inconsiderable
importance must frequently be yielded to sectional
wishes, in order to secure those of paramount consid
eration. 1 his is in tbe nature of things, and r am
not disposed to complain of it But to sacrifice the
great and paramount interest in providing for de
tails, is not wisdom, is not statesmanship. It is pay
ing a heavy price tor an article that is rendered
liancejthat iu the future; public opinion will do justice
to bis course To labor for the estapiisiwneut of 4 sy
tern, howsoever-good mine abstract, who no prospect
ct its eer being sustained by the popular will with
an acstu unce in fact.lhat it will ever be a source of ru-
mult and ttglratron ismeretraiwcenawiwuisin. vye
live in a practical age, and in matters of this sort our
efforts should be directed to practical ends How cali
we expect internal improvement to become popular
in the State J How can we expect this Central Rjpad
to be the favorite of the State, susUinedpy j$i pah
lib spirit, and regarded as, the great ageifc-4Uvl-oping
its resources and cherishing its jchimiejSt
if it falls to defray its current expenses. Art e hat
ing made one failure iu the way of internal improve
ment from the shock of which, the public mind in
some sections has not recoveredTnow if wo make
another failure, may we not expect a deathblow to
be given to the system for a century to consol If
the Central Road is to be built, I wish not only to
see it serviceable to the people and the State, but I
wish to see it popular I, wish to let the people dis
cover from its successful Deration, thai they have
not hitherto sufficient! appreciated the benefits of
internal improvement.
; SUBSTANCfcsOFVrHEr , . C
" Hematics of Major CHAS. L. HUTTOIT,
M the Internal Improvement Meeting held in this CSry,
'. . on the 3d instant.
Maj. HisTON Mid, it wa known to most of
those present, that he wis "not in the habit of
public speaking. He verjj rarely vent org! an
address in public except when ,tbe .kindness and
partiality of friends, required o'hiro to con.';
tribute ilia humble aid towards the4orombtidn of
any great eause which was calculated so advance
the publk cod.' AimI in yielding to ithe .wisher
bacco ; the balance was deposited at other places on
the road or carried down the Roanoke, upon which
Granville County borders, i '
f i WHEAT.
The same year, Graaviileeannty raised 53,958
busbelsj&f Wheabc Whatquantity it requires for
home consumption we are unable to determine, but
we may safely say, that tbe farmer who reaps one
thousand bushels, can spare 750; thus reserving
250 or one fourth Tor seed, and family purposes.
Three fourths of 5938 is 38.953, which we suppose
was Sent to Petersburg, a pari ill flour, but the great
er portion in the grain 40 cents per bushel was
1 the, usual priee given when sent by waggons, the
only a was of transportation before the rail road was
Depot at 15 cts. per bushel. Let us see the dif
ference. - i-..J.-; i ,
33.953 at 40 cents cost
Do 15 cents, present rates
15,581, 20
5,842, 95
tf hw friend Oftlhep jt is n0w ..carried from Henderson
assure taero hatet&in out his strong con,vic.
tion of the importance of Ibe great improvement,
to further which they had met together, could
have induced him ;t respond to. the call of the
meet in?.
Am I have no nretensinns to the character of
an orator (said Major HtntnnO 1 hal! proceed to
preaeut to the consideration of the meeting a few
plain statistical facts, easily to be comprehended,
by the humblest capacity, in order to show the
great advantages of rail roads in general and the
peculiar benefits of the contemplated central
If this bill passe, should the Central Road ever r ,hoaB contlJ.uoug to it. ajy purpo8e will
I have conclusively shown, it can nU do. WhLeh-Uvort bless by the very terms of the purchase.
will oe the last debt, on which the Company will
pay the interest, if it finds itself embarrassed ?
ot course, the debts due the State, and for
which the State is bound for the reason, that
they will, and reasonably may, expect mora for
bearance and liberality from the State, than from
their distant creditors. Then one of two things
will happen. The Company will fail to pay the
interest on the bonds endorsed by the State, and
on the debt due the Literary Fund ; and the State
will have to pay the interest, and ultimately the
principal. And when yon resort to your moit
gage, you find another mortgage of $520,000 to
which you propose to give priority by this bill, in
terposing between the State, and her resort to the
law for redress. This latter mortgage must be
first lifted, before the State can move ape- to
wards securing herself against loss; or, on the oth
er hand, the Company will fail to pay the interest
on this $520,000 debt, and the mortgagees under
that debt will bring the road under the hammer
and the State must first bid the $520,000, before
her own claim can be satisfied. The State then, !
must either give up her own claim as lost, or she
must give to the amount of $835,000 for the road
and then she will have two insolvent rail roads
on her hands, instead of the one, which it has lone
puzzled the ingenuity of the Legislature to know
what to do with. Sir, the passage of this bill is tan
Umount to giving" to the Wilmington and Raleish
Kailroad, a8a mere gratuity, $335,000. Pass this
t itnth6 State 3 mortgage on the road will not be
worth the paper on which it is written.
The tone of the argument or rather of the ap-pwls-of
the friends of this bill, has become some
what changed; since the commencement or the dis
cussion of its merits. At first they urged it on the
grounds of policy and of interest to thi State, in a
pecumary point of view. But after being again and
again called upon, to answer my facts and my figures,
vw noneayet attempted to do, they now n
Inrtlu- b-&hX0 the State aad insist that my
ZL i i i . u 11 18 incon3istent with my pro
fessed zeal for internaHmproTement. Let us now
examine the subject in reference to its claims upon
uc uueramy ana nrotpntinn r c.. I ,!.;
us 1 have done before that nu
w-, .pubh 8Pirit d enterprise of the people of
Wilmington. They are entitled to the regard and
rostenng care of the Legislature. In providing for
a sjstem of improvement, their wishes and their in
terests should be respected. But I insist this has
already beeadone. No section of the State has had
so much done for it, at this very session. The Cape
i-rT a.ndPP river improvement, and tbe Payette
tllJ T0SL although not directly designed for
th!10""1011' yl "ceived support on
ifte consideration, that ultimately they would tend
wtae commercial advantage of that place. The
from tbta pUc, Goldsboro wag egpecji-
addhI2 fLJ? w aapecUA totot. .When this
-IMnailj ofHhe State is
ity P We thouS t " l,?U ? le8'lntiTe liberal
ralit, ti, fSS! ! lC8t-in extdg our lib-
Now looking at every thing done or proposed to
be done, during, the present sessiou, for internal im
provement, as a system, it must be admitted that tbe
Central Road from Goldsboro' to Charlotte, is the
great paramouat interest. This is designed to be
the main vertebral trunk, the basis of converging
lines penetrating the remote sections of the State,
in time to come. In passing the bill for this Cen
tral Road, too much is put to hazard, for nothingto
be attained but a mere temporary ebullition of joy
and Lope, to be soon sadly disappointed. No mi
nor measure intended as a mere adjunct to tbis,
should be allowed to present any impediment to its
construction ; or to destroy its usefulness after it is
constructed. And if this bill passes, 1 must believe
such will be its tendency.
If this bill passes, it will be a virtual declaration
by the Legislature, that the Wilmineton Road shall
be sustained troughout its entire length, not ouly as
a means of building up the commercial prosperity of
Wilmington, tut as a rival both for the travel and
the great U. S. Mail. Under this state of things,
is it to be expected that capitalists will take the
million of stock, required by the charter? Ow
ing to former failures, capital in this State, will be
remarkably shy of rail road investments, even under
the most promising auspices, but with an assurance
(as will be afforded by the passage of this bill) that
the road will barely pay the expenses of keeping it
in operation, how de you expect individuals to in
vest their money in the scheme ? Believing m I do
then that the pnssajre of this bill will deter all pru
dent men from hazarding their money in the Central
Road, I oppose it because 1 think it will offer an in
superable obstacle to the construction of that Road.
For the charter of the Central Road requires that
$500,000 shall have been actually subscribed by in
dividuals, before operations towards the"eoiiBliu6i
tion of the road shall be commenced. But suDDose
I am mistaken in this. Suppose the anxiety of our
Western menus ror tnis improvement is so great,
and the excitement of hope raised so high, as to se
cure the subscription required on the part of indi
viduals. Suppose the road built and in operation.
Can it support itself by freight alone 1 Can it de
fray the expenses of running it, much less pay the
interest on the debt of two millions proposed to be
borrowed by the State. Unless it is in fact, what it
A- L. - 1 1 ... . -
purports iu ue, a, cuuuewiDg unit in me great inland
metropolitan route, for the conveyance of travellers
and the great U. S. mail ? The representatives of
me wumingion interest do not pretend to deny
that their purpose is to. monopolise the travel nd
the mail, and that in pressing this bill they have that
ohject in viewthen must we not only enable them
to do this, but build the Central Raid for their com-
merciai oeneni oesiues, ana tnat too at a great pecu
niary sacrifice both to individuals and the State?
What sort of compromise ? What sort of reconcil
ing conflicting interest ? What sort of establishing
mutual dependance and harmony is this? So for as re
gards the commercial advantages that wtn enure to
Wilmington from the Central Road it i a stron &
urgent argument in itsfft; twidina &r4kbv
let ua at all-events,- retain for theruad fce means of
subsistence. .
uo noi pretend to say, even if the stock of the
be built, I do not thiuk it can be sustained, except
by an annual contribution from tbe puoiic irroaury.
You will have said, by the passage of this bill, that
you do not expect tbis road to be tbe line for travel
or for the conveyance of the mail. Aud from freight
alone, it cannot live, without an'annual appropriation
from the Treasury And this the people will never
bear. This Rail Road question will thus become an
everlasting bone of contention, over which demagog
ism will growl for the next half century U will be
the issue on the hustings, and an apple of discord iu
our leeislative councils. The masses do nott usually.
stop to enquire into the gemote benefits of anf systemt
That which costs money, they expecVt brtftg tooti-
ey in return, and more especially, "wwpn airanec
tions are called on to contribute, no matter ho sfllU
lie, to the support of a system in which they cannot
perceive tbey have any direct personal lciere
Agitations'and excitement, jarrings and heart-burn
ings, are inv:iriably the result So that sooner or la
ter, the road will be abandoued as a sinking concern.
its authors nnd advocates-consigned to odium, and
then, farewell to iuternal improvement in this State.
1 will now proceed to state candidly, what 1 wish
to see done. Our great error at first, as I have be
fore said, was the construction of two parallel roads
through the State Although we cannot entirely re
pair that error, jet, let us try to come as near it as
we can. In the first place, every thing should be
done, consistently with our means, towards directing
our marketable products to Wilmington, and build
ing up that place as a Commercial City. I think the
measures of tbis session have, for tbe present, liber
ally provided for that. In the second place, instead
of attempting to sustain two rival and conflicting
roads throughout their entire extent through tbe
State, let us endeavor to harmonise and identify their
interests, by rendering them mutually dependent on
each other. This can only be done by providing, so
fr as our action here can effect it, that the rivalry
if any, shall cense at the Junction of tKeTlio roas I
near Uoldsboro'. The idea, then, of tbe Wilming
ton road being sustained for the purposes of through
travel, nnd tbe transportation of the U. 3. Mail,
North of Goldsboro', must be abandoned. Gentle
men sny Why not sustain both roads why not
give both a chance?'' For the simple reason, that
so far as State patronage is concerned, it is imprac
ticable. Desirable as it may be now, and practicable
as it miy be hereafter, to bavs two roads, or twenty
roads running through, the State, just as it may be,
to grant conflicting charter?, when the entire work
is to be completed by private enterprise, neither
the condition of the country nor public opiuion is at
present prep ired for two rival systems, to be sus
tained at the public charge. In attempting to do too
much, in endeavoring to accomplish impossibilities.
we may ruin every tbing. If you are resolved to
sustain the Wilmington road, as the great ingh-way
for travel and miil transportation from end to end
then abandon the Central road altogether. If you
think the interests of the people and tbe character
of the State require the construction of the Central
road, then a due regard for its support and tuointe
n.ince requires, that the Wilmington road Noth. of
Goldsboro' shall be abandoned, except for tke pur
poses of local freight; and 1 confess I would prefer
to see it abandoned altogether although 1 do not
ask it. It is no answer to the argument, for gentle
men to talk about ' a bard case for the people on
that part of the road" "abandoning a work alrea
dy in operation," aud all tbat. This may all be true.
But we life dealing with facts that are stubborn ; we
are dealing with an unnatural state of things, the
fruits of an erroneous judgment originally. Wccan
not cure all the evilu which bvsat us ; our proper po
licy is to pursue a course that will effect the great
est good, at the cost of the least evil. I would make
tbe Central road auxiliary to the commercial pros
perity of Wilmington. But then the Central road
must be supported ; nnd 1 would so regulate tbe re
lations between the two roads, as to prevent the Cen
tral road from becoming a public charge to the State.
From the travel, the mail and freight even allow
ing for the competition of the road South of Golds
boro' 1 believe the Central road will not only pay
the interest on the State's investment, but may ulti
mately pay off the principal. Without these id van-
be to show that not only will tbe conat ruction of
this road tend to elevate the character, develope
the resources, and increase the wealth of the
State: but that ii will confer direct personal ben
efit upon individuals It will be readily admit
ted that money saved is money made every
tanner who can curtail the expenses of his farm,
to that extent enhances his nett profits. It is
usual to estimate the utility of rail roads only by
their cost, and the expanse of running them, com
pared with the profits to the etock-holders. The
Raleigh and Gaston Road has become somewhat
odious in the publictnind merely because it has
cost the State a few hundred thousand dollars,
and now barely yields enough profit to keep it in
operation. Very few stop to consider what are
the advantages it affords to individual, and that
will perhaps never be realized, till theoperations
on the roads are suspended, which I fear must be
the case, if the road is not continued Westward.
Unfortunate as has been the Raleigh and Gaston
Road, yet it c;in be shown that its benehts have
been and are now immense to everf- one who
ojvns property, or lives by his labor, within rea
sonable distance of the road.
; As this is a meeting of the citizens of Wake
County met together for the purpose of consulting-
upoii what they should do with reference to
the advancement of their own interest let us
see how this County has been benefitted by the
Raleigh and Gaston Rail Road, and how deep an
interest its citizens have in the continuation.
for I think it must be apparent to every one, that
the continuation of the road farther West is ab
solutely essential to its existence.
; WAKE COUNTY.
T " COTTON.
From the compendium of the enumeration of
the inhabitants and Statistics of the United
States, as obtained from the returns of the Sixth
Census, it appears there was raised in Wake
County in 1M0, &39 1.990 pounds of cotton,
which when ginned wou.d nuke 1679 bales ol
350 pound each this, I must believe, is consid
erably below the product at this lime ; tor in
lb47 a appears from the report of the President
of ibe Raleigh and Gaston Rail Road, submitted
to the last Legislature, there was pent to Peters
burg trom the Raleigh aud Wake Forest Depots,
'2bl bales. It is known that a considerable por
tion of our crop is carried to Fayetteville, a large
portion, n not the larger portion ol it. is sold to
the Cane Creek, Orange, Rockingham, and Mil
ton Factories. I then lake i lie ltf79 bales, the
crop of 1810, as the basis of my calculation;
leaving the surplus, if any there be, for home
consumption. It may be proper for me to ob
serve, that previous to the construction of tbe
rail road to lot puce, our cotton was all sent to
fayetteville and Petersburg tho prices at Pe
tersburg ranging higher than at Fyeiteville ; and
it is fact known to our tanners, that the cotton
raised North of Raleigh u u carried to the former,
.while that raised South, wax carried to the littler
market. Waggoning to Petersburg was $1,25
per hundred, or 8 4,37 i cents per bale.
. 1370 baled at S4.374 per bale cost $8,220 02
Do $2,10 or 60 cts per
hundred, at present rail road
rates, 3.925 90
Gain to the producer of Cotton, $4,294 62
salt.
Before we had the advantage of rail road trans
portation, the book of our Merchmit will how
that the price of Salt ranged trom 4 50 to $5 00
per sack For years pant ii has averaged $2 75
There is received at Raleigh and Wake Forest
Depots, 3,462 sacks, which at $4 75, uiakps
$16,444 50
Same at $2 75, present price, 9.520 50
Gain to the Wheat grower e 3,739 25
I am informed by the practical intelligent farmers
of that eounty, that owing to the difference in the
price of transportation, the wheat crop has been in
creasing for years ; and at tbis time, there is more
wheat seeded than was saved in 1S4U.
SALT.
12,335, Sacks of salt were delivered at Henderson
the last year; a considerable portion of this, no doubt,
was carried to Orange and Person; but not more than
was delivered at the other Depots in the county and
andings on the river: say the saving is $1,35, per
sack ; the difference between the former and present
prices equal to 3.502 50
Lime. 350 casks of lime at same rate 525
Then, Sir, not taking into the estimate the saving
on Ury Uoods, Hardware, and other articles of
Merchandise which are daily arriving at the diff
erent depots, and tbe variety of tbe smaller products
of the farm that in like manner are expoitcd, the
account in the county of Granville for her savings
by the rail road stands thus :
Tobacco, 32,572 00
Wheat, 9,759 25
Salt, 3,502 50
Lime, 525 00
Iron, 3.502 50
Sugar, Coffee and Molasses, same 3.502 50
thecal
wdinHkeDrol-n.,;:
m-nd (whichPP&;i j S
depeod on Jiaw! ,J tUeZV
The climate nTW
well adapted ?o k lf'w
prevented them Stv t"
owhr to th?t .JN
them the eiM545j!
tb produce-
i have made for tha r31
have said the .,, J JSjTJS
thantheele,enih' Wake(s
COUntlM- r .or tfc kTth:
rge, but I gi,e?hefc
uwn im. I ..: .
us does notston
""""" uuuran Getter "Jut-l
our We8terncZuerTKgfot''53
Ply not only our n.rk FJJ
of a superior quality i ,nPl&
We
are
Nett gain to the people of Granville
alone of $53,343 75
So, in proportion, are Franklin, Warren and other
counties benefitted ; and if tbe estimate be extended
West, as you go up the country, so the promt in
creases.
I have said thus much to show the advantage of
the Gaston Road to Wake County advantages
we are now enjoying.
I propose now to ask your attention to the grand
scheme of the great Central Rood now in contem
plation ; and if we were to derive no further advan
tages from extending it West, we are remunerated
already more than eight times the proportion of the
tax we would have to pay on $2,000,1)00 the State
proposes to borrow for that road. The annua! in
terest on that sum would be $120,000. The po
pulation of North Carolina is 1840 was 75300
of Wake County 21,118.
As 753,000 is to $120,000 so is 21,1 18 to $3,303,
the proportion Wake County would have to pay.
Her saving 1 have shown to be $24,762 62
Deduct her proportion of tax ' 3.368
Western brethrVn of Utt,0S
rates. " wqiki5i
i . . .
i tne simnlo
& thei
is tini
llv pI
In the W
--iciii i,niin,..
i ..... . - n k.1
3 0 QPll.l. . I
inie i
HOn. I I ii
wruaiiv mo 1 1 ,L
... i - i in i
and einnir aMh?-.7: ir"m,heO
tnges, I believe it will prove a sinking and profitless
concern. , . i , , , n .
If this bill, "concerning the WilmingWttfca.r"1" lo uie Presem puasers oi aan, o,v4 w
leigh Rail Road Company," as it is titled, is to pass
then I shall consider it a great error ever to have
passed the bill for tbe Central road. I certainty ne
ver could have been induced to vote for it, could 1
have supposed it was to be followed up by such a
measure as this. 1 do not wish to aid in imposing
imy more insolvent and rickety Railroads as a bur
den on tbe public treasury. Neither do I wish to
kill the cause of internal Improvement in North Car
olina for a century, by another fatal error in leetsla-
tion. it is pernnps iortunate th.it the Central Rail
Road bill is not yet beyond our control. Amend
ments in the Senate are necessary to its validity in
making the State's subscription available. If this
passes and the bill for the Central road cornea baek
to us 1 will not say positively tht I will vote against
the whole measure but my impression now is, that
if this bill passes, I will vote for the repeal of the
Central Rail Road bill the next hour. . First, if this
bill passes, I believe the Central road will prove an
abortion. Secondly, if it cannot succeed except by
such appliances aa the passage of tbis bilL it Jrifht
not to succeed at all. ' ?
A nnPttla urn mrl m w. . - ' .V
r r ...i.v, iw uijr yi vicsajuus iq lavonor jb
'r' l tf tffml 1
CUULV ti I inillsliA. IA . I . .
i uouestly belt .. i t ii 7 ,VWBt, Au
ebow-tlfatt ?? biflVaio. nfef,er ,0
central road ifJ zJPKU in 1,8 Present shape, the
f Mr. b!:LI J? ner c sustain itlf
f r v a 1 ! .
fii,t . moved lo Brnn,i . ... .
vcnirai uaa should never pay any dividend, that
the people in their individual interests, and the State
- MVfviui uirnt sir us resourcpR Ann iho i
sacrifices of the friends of the W ilminnMf
of the loss and ruin that must await them, unless
they obtain the proposed relief I am told of the
bright hopes and cheering prospects of the friends
of internal improvement I shall disappoint and des
troyand 1 am told that jf I succeed in defeating
this bill, all the other great measures of internal im
provement will necessarily be defeated and that I
shall be pointed to throughout the State, as the main
agent in defeating the efforts that North Csrolina is
now making in the cause of internal -improvement.
Sir, these appeals to patriotism, and public pride, and
liberal feeling, sound very finely ; but they do not
answer my facts and vnv firnri Wk.t
this subject should not be done from the impulse of
ffPllllB Kilt funi U I ! . . - . . .
p J" . ,u" ouver uiciaies or judgment. '
feeling might induce us to attempt to relieve all tbe
evils that afflict society ; yet the history of mankind
would teach us that such an effort would be worst
than vain. Let those who ehnrM tn mtk.L-
lty of feeling, ask themselves the question whether
some of their patriotism does not spring from consid
erationsof sectional interest, eithev undtl.! m. th
other bill. As far as my senseof publbt duty rill allow
rae.il am willing to g6withoutindceaitets tffteetU.
LIME.
820 casks of Lime were brought to this Coun
ty by the rail road last year. When wagoned,
it cost from 4 60 to $5 00 per cask. Present
price $2 75. Saving of 92 per cask, equal to
$1,600 40.
The Reports referred to, make no mention
of the quantity of Iron, Sugar, Coffee and Molas
ses brought on the road. They form a very con.
siderable item in the expense of every farmer.
My own impression is, that tht jpstof Iron upon
a plantation does not vary very much from that
of Salt. If so, we place the saving al the same
$6,924. We are equally at a loss to know the
smnunt saved on Sugar, Coffeee and Molasses.
It is all conjecture. We are certainly below the
standard, when we say $5,000-
Tho account then stands thus :
Saving on transportation of Cotton,
" Salt,
" " Lime,
Saving from the present road, even after paying our
proportion of tbe interest of the loan $2 1 ,394 62
Suppose that Wake and Granville were governed
as a Bank, Rail Road, or any other corporation, and
at the end of twelve months, the stock holders were
to meet, a committee appointed to inquire into the
affairs of the institution, and it was shown as plain
ly as I think I have shown by the above calculation,
that they had lost for the concern $24,762, or $21,
394 62, because they would not expend $3,368, does
any one doubt for a moment, but the general indig
nation would be so great as to demand a chanze of
rulers? We cannot doubt it. Then, acting in our
separate nnd individual capacity, why not avail our
selves of advantages offered ?
I have said tbat $3,368, is tbe proportion of the
tax for Wake County, and that 6he has a population
of 21, 118. Multiply that number by 1 6, and you have
mere than the amount required. . So 16 cents for
each member of the family, more than pys the tax
But it would not be as bad as tbat even. We
have $2,030,255 worth of real estate in Wake. Tax
this 8 cents on every hundred dollars worth, and
you nave
We have 5750 polls that are taxed, say
SO cts on each
Merchandise and ether things taxed
$1,624
$1,159
585
and you have $3,368
But I don't know that there is a necessity for tax
ing land and poll so high. It was the pleasure of
your last Legislature to tax money at interest, plea
sure carriages, gold and silver plate, gold and silver
watches, and mnny other articles used by those in,
more affluent circumstances ; and there are still o,th
er objects of taxation t hat may be made to bear their
proportionate part, and thus diminish the tax on
land and poll.
I had neglected to mention the increased activity
and value this rail-road improvement would give to
your business and property. In 1836, under the
former assessment, the real estate of Raleigh was
valued at $338,358; in 1847, at $416,45525 per ct.
to its value being thus added, owing to the Raleigh
and Gaston Road. Tbe town of. Wilmington offers
a still more striking illustration of the benefit of
I Railroads. In 1846, under the former assesment,
her real estate was valued at $650,369 In 1S47 it
was valued at $1,275,300, nearly doubled. .
She has a public spirited, enterprising population,
that deserves the aid so generously afforded her by
the last Legislature. She is united in her public
works, and by the force of union she will surmount
every obstacle, and not only repair tbe Wilmington
road, but connect it with the South Carolina road
at Manchester. For she has already sevent r-four
miles of that road under eontract, and every ent to
be taken in the stock of the Company.
But, sir, I propose to show some of the advantages
of the proposed Road to our Western friends ; and
without making any appeals to State pride or patri
otism, prove that on the score of dollars and cents,
it is vastly to their interest, aud our interest to unite
in accomplishing this work of the Central Road.
$1,294 62
6.924 OO
1.640 00
6,024 00
Sugar, CLe and Molasses, 5.000 00 I
al. interests. M j feetioti of e State askaTT&t potrqdi of Tobacco, which reduced to Hosaheadrof
of aggregnte wealth, would not be benefitted far be
yond the outlay iu the building of the rovi. But in
laying down tke basis of any system whether of in
ternal nnproTement or any other public policy soma
regard must be had to publie opinion. in every freeeo.
vernment. I am not speaking of publie opinionfor Fhe
rresent, in it or-eraticn oa us but of public orinion
gard to all luteresta. I wish it moreover, to U aM
to bear the test of time. . h.;--
- - - i.l-V
Note In accordance with the lnfimH,
given, when the Central Rail Read bill om back
to the House of Commons from tbe Senate where it
had. been amended so as to provide for the isme of
Stat bond, towards raising the two millions 6?' .toclr
to be taken by the State. Mr. Rara Tedt0 hy
r the bill on the table, after a dimssion and Vod
standing .on the part of the House, that laying it on
the table would be tantamount to k defeat Tlje bii
Gain to the people of Wake, in the
sale of their Cotton, and in the
purchase of Salt, Lime, Iron, Su
gar, Coffee and Molasses, $24,782 62
But this exhibit falls far short of showing all the
benefits the farmers of Wake and C hi sens of Raleigh
derive from the rail road. I have enumerated above
the savings on the sale of Cotton, and the purchase
of the absolute necessaries of life. Few if any of
our Farmers make an entire crop of any one agri
cultural article for sale. Their crop is divided.
The rail road builds up yonr town ; our aim is to
feed you More than one half of the surplus of Wake
is consumed in Raleigh, and makes no show on the
list of exports.
I have collected some statistical information rela
tive to the county of Granville, which presents the
savings by rail road in a much stronger point of
view than those I have exhibited for Wake, I have
selected Granville, because it is an adjoining county ;
about the same size, and containing about the same
amount of population as Wake.
in 1840 there was raised in Granville 3.98&.S22
eaeW makes 2J65&. Hoirgheitda.
Befbre the establishment of the Gaston road Stt 05
per hundred or $18,75 per hogshead, was the usnal
price paid for carrying it to Petersburg, the main
Tobacco market for North Carolina.
, 2,653, Hogsheads at $18,75 for transportation
cot $49,837
Same at 60 cts or $7.50, present Rail Road
rates 17,265
Nett saving to the planter $32,572
In 1847, there was carried from Henderson the
principal Depot in Granville, 1802 hogsheads of To-
i.
mey most
2.
Inn n 1 1 n i
Cul.vanon, tlat they can 2i
acre, they ran be uurr.h'f 5S
ten cents a bushel, avl.. ""rf
would betothe.n.and S'S
and our ea.tern fr.ends, ,f J
means of cheap and gDeeri. L
North ihepurchsMofiheiSS
T:S . in the Wl
ed profitless for th i,m.f. VI
Lei us sum un th.
l o - "VW
nun, ougar, VOiiee
and Mousses, 22568
A t m
annual sving of 1336.1
i nis is near.y one fourth ofik
you propose to be borrowed t
Road.
I leave others to make their cabU
gams on Merchandise, the articles
in return for the exporti, the incre
that would be raised in each Cw,,
fact that they couIdbe easily camej'i
the increased value the proposed j
wumu Sive io ianas, and tbe inma!i
try of every kind.
It may be said, that the heavier tr.
not bear rail road transportation.
take. Our rail road mes arealltooi
information I have collected on tl
rail roads, since I have been coooeeft
Gaston Road, satis6es me that iffc
lonjfed to a Company, and wai mi
repair, they would find it vastly to tki
to reduce the rates of charges, bota J
and nassenjrers. at least one third if (
The increased patronage it wmUW
Road would more than make oa m
Freight from this to Petersburg Qtj
fifty miles, is sixty cents perhuDMI
say that eighty cents the hundred erf
produce from Salisbury to Peiernbaijl
tnn nr rVnrfnIlr. A ritiiwn nf (nm'
within a few months past, purchased
hocra in Ohio, drove them tn Met
terminus of the Baltimore and Ohwii
them put on the Cars, carried i hem tc M
a distance of 180 miles, a:2os'ji
trio oerformed ii 24 hours. Thai tit
of carrying them ItJO miles isactna!;
it would take to feed them in drivisf
distance, miking no allowance '.
weight, and the eight days sated s
the dmvers.
I mi eh t eo on to show, at mod
benefits that wtuld ral
branch of industry by the constrocttf
tral Road As the sjn-icuHaral inters!
all kinds of labor and enterproeanprs?
day laborer, the Mechanic, the
itmfnainiinl man all would recei S
and increased employment, by WJJ
yaann vrfMi onn
v aut ut iiiui j . j
my remarks, I have only gw"T
and incontrovertible facts, sboit:nJ
already accruing from our P"5
road improvements, and thatthese wjl
eretttly enhanced by the continMiji
There are, however, a few cool
nature affecting the interest otm
nity, to which I will briefly " J
Road is not now constructed isteJJ
tersely granted by the LetsWj
ly chsjee of building it will hajhjj
yond our reach. Nothing but the P
for the construction of this ro4
granting oi iue
Itoad. ir tbis uemw - .
the favorable auspices wbs J fJ
1 a u . . ,? . a 1 : . . ii r. . n m unflner iui
time, men are iu uuuuucs, cuoutiuiag pwpuiuiiou lure win rciusc a vu.-..--- tfrW&r-
of 346,000, and real estate to theSralue of $20,000,- yille Raid. If indiTidua l w ltU
000. The wheat and cottou raised in 1340, was as tribute one-third towards w 5
follows :
Wheat
GaUmi
Chatham 94.342
Davidson 114.357
Davie 44.431
Guilford 57,728
Iredell 109,444
Lincoln 165,375
Mecklenburg 78.353
Moore 15.643
Orange 87.579
Rowan say 75 000
Randolph 76,663
Stokes 74,987
Surry 48 804
Montgomery 48.879
Wake 38.379
1,231,918 Bushels
399,728
1.368,100
307,040
126 989
1,511,719
1,479.396
1,595.327
750 640
253 437
500 000
81,533
56.481
67,228
2,332,322
2,391,996
17,790,556
Nora The product of Rowan is not put in statistics.
Suppose three fourths of the Wheat, as tn Gran
ville, is for market ; one-fourth for seed, and home
consumption. Though a number of the above nam
ed counties are more than double the distance of
Granville from market, we pat the sating to the
farsaer at the same, vis ; 23 cts. pr. bahlv Tbey
raised in 1840. 1.231.918 Basnets; three-fourths of
that is 923,931 ; at 25 cts. amounting to $330,932,73;
the sarfng to the farmers of sixteen co an ties la the
transportation of wheat alone
And, sir, does any one doubt, but that after rail
road facilities for carrying to market are afforded, the
crop will continue to inorease iu those counties, un
til it amounts to four or five times the quantity now
raised--of course the amount of gain raised will in
crease in the same ratio.
But those same counties raise 17.790.550 pounds
of cotton; reduced to Bales of 350 pounds each, makes
13,970. If the difference in transportation should
enntlie'LepsUtowcoVC;
Cotton to allow individuals to ouu
4,508,7204 tiv with Ur owa flri1
holding the cnaner,
templated State work JJW
afteftriHl, H jKUH
to contribute two-tbirds. is Jj J
interest in it, to contribute .
when the Charlotte nd.Dss
been built across the entir gj
and severing, ss it were, J"Tfipfj
bid farewell to the ides of
within our borders- DB Virc(
Western counties will gs ' (isj
hand and South Carolina
be drained of our trade, ssd I osr
up two Sutes that art ffttfj
tendency of this will 'ig
tious of our people will bM
and from each other. ",,s
ates nd other communitiei,
comfort and prosper-- rfr
we have now left-nd ws j
tunately will be frittered ,d
This is not all; with Virr
na market, we shall bare V.
..if
. i Z - mMSVUTI
n.raniT! tnis 13 uu- -
islation can curs the , bJ
ry felt to ry con a
Where tbfltMde ndPtl,e4
go, not only-will thence
Wb.ithewiIl1eBst0JJ'J
way of pa ii;3t ssl
trade. Our own Banks y 1
oftbia. Their dtseoum j
ues will go from us, "
a lorcivrn cui"-"v
jurious consequences
I know the tear . h
teristte or onr F-r - ye
interest on the two
of urtA'R
VMUCV.
, million 1"