General 3tsscmi)ty
On Monday, the 2Ui inst.
both branches of the General
Assembly of ihis State convc
nective cham-
A 4 W V4 111 A v - J I
bers of the Government house!
at Kalcigh, and proceed to bu
siness. In the Senate, David F. Cald
well, of Rowan, was elected
Speaker, on the firt balloting,
by a majority of 13 votes over
William D. Mosely, of Lenoir.
Samuel F. Patterson was elec
ted Principal Clerk; William J.
ctant! and
Thomas B. Wheeler and Greeuj
11:11, Doorkeepers.
In the House of Commons,
three gentlemen were nomina
ted for the Speaker's Chair, viz:
Mr. Fisher, of Salisbnry; 31 r.
Henry, of Fnyetteville; and Mr.
Sawyer, of Edenton. On the
first ballot, Mr. Fisher obtained
29 votes, Mr. Henry 47 votes,
and Mr. Sawyer 47 votes. Im
mediately after this result was
declared and a second ballotting
determined on, Mr. Sawyer rose
and withdrew his name from
nomination, making use of the
occasion to thank the Huuse
for the flattering support which
had been given to him. On
the second ballotting, the vote
stood: for Fisher 67, for Hen
ry 57 Mr. Fisher was accord
ingly declared elected and con
ducted to his seat. Charles
Manly was elected Principal
Clerk; Edmund B. Freeman,
Clerk Assistant; and Richard
Roberts and John Lumsdcn,
Door Keepers.
On Wednesday, the Speaker
laid before the Senate sundry
documents, contesting the elec
tion of Jesse Coooer. the sitting
member from the county of
iuarun.
A joint committee was ap
pointed to inquire whether the
house in which the Legislature
is now convened is within the
limits of the city of Raleigh,
and if not, whether they can
hold their sessions at any place
without said limits, agreeably
to the provisions of the Consti
tution and laws of this State.
At 1 o'clock, the Governor
transmitted to both Houses the
following
MESSAGE.
To the Honorable the General sls
scmbhj of tfie State of North
Carolina: Gentlemen, Among the distin
guished blessings derived from the
establishment of the independence of
our country, may justly be enumera
ted the free election and constitution
al meeting of the Representatives of
the people. Selected from every
section of the State, accurately ac
quainted with the occurrences which
have taken place in their respective
districts, familiar with the condition
ot their constituents, and coming to
the sc3t of government clothed with
ample powers to remedy the grievan
ces under which the people labor,
they present one of th mnt
ing and interesting characters of our
Pttu,ldr orm oi government. As
jembling under such cirrnmckn
when we are assured that
Vmd have been abundant, and that
uc means oi subsistence and comfort
are thereby secured to every citizen
of the State, and when the ordinary
bhare of health crowns our enioy
inents, we have abundant reason lo
u uiauMui to the Almighty Ruler of
lh -timab?e
f,o ' j l pray lat they may
be continued to us ami . . s
I lie satisfaction which I should
live felt on meeting with the Le "is
aturc at this time, is somewhat aba.
ted by the accident that caused the
destruction of the State House, which
had been repaired in a faithful and
rnasterly manner, and nearly comply
r Ullder the Provisions of the act
tta e rr ? y his "s-"y
conven on I een dePnved of the
dUn of ihe Legislative body,
together with the adjoin iig oiliccsand
the public Library. The" tine marble
statue of Washington, by Canova,has
also been much mutilated, and a con
siderable portion of the ornaments
and furniture of the building has been
destroyed. The injury to the statue
is to be regretted, as it was the work
of an artist of great celebrity, now no
more: But the memory of Washing
ton, the father of his country, will
live in the hearts and recollections of
ail who love liberty, in every part of
the globe, and needs no artificial mon
ument In revive or to perpetuate the
glory of his achievements.
With respect to the loss of the buil
ding itself, it is my opinion, fortified
by that of better judges, that, under
all circumstances, it is not to be con
sidered as a public calamity. Such
were the defects in the construction
of the old walls, erected in 1794, that
it is very probaMe that a part of the
buildinir would have fallen in a few
. . . i .t
year, and perhaps caused tne ucain
of many of the assembled Represen
tatives.
Immediately after the destruction
f the St ite Ilou'-e, the congregation
ot
the Presbyterian Church in this
city, witli a public spirit which re-
iects great credit upon their liberali
v, tendered the u-; of their meeting
oue for the accommodation of the
House of Common?, and tlp.ir session
room for the Senate. Without de
termining poitively in this case, but
leaving the members to decide hereaf
ter for themselves, I have considered
it my duty, under existing circum-
tances, to make a temporary prepa
ration, and to tender the Government
House to the Legislature, which, be
ing the property of the State, may
probably be so altered as to answer
the purpose of holding their session,
until an appropriation shall be made,
and a suitable building erected. In
this arrangement, my onlj object has
been to provide for your comfort du
ring the session. I have totally dis
regarded my own convenience, in or-
ler that, by tendering the Govern
ment House, I might be enabled to
accommodate the Legislature in the
best possible manner the nature of the
case will admit.
In relation to our internal concerns,
I have to observe, that it would be
impossible to conceal from the wot Id,
and needless to discuise fiom our.
selves, the fact, that a certain class of
the population of the State have be
come more discontented and unov
ernaole ttian heretofore. Fanatics of
the:r own complexion, and othr in
cendiaries, luve fomented these dis
contents and have incited them, in
many instances, to enter into conspi
racies dar.cerous to ih nMA
safety of the country. To guard a-
gamst these evils, which in all proba
bility will continue, the utmost cau
tion and prudence are necessary. Re
strictive laws have been enacted with
out producing the desired r fTjct; and
the crimes committed in a Ia?e insur
rection in an adjoining State, would
seem to require further and eailv at-
icntion to this subicct.
multiplying severe and sanjruinarv
aws to operate upon those who know
little, and care less, nhnnt t!w.
would it not be advisable to otablish
a more cfiimpnt in,i
ii.uuiiiauio po
lice, and to arm and enuin nn
more companies of volunteers or de
tached militia, 'hi each couniv. i i.
called out when required, and in lir.
pun while in actual service? It is
., ... . ' 7 . v.
believed that such a fo rep. in .lift rf
the civil authority, would effectually
secure the peace of the
the public arms belonging to the'state
couju not he placed in safer hands,
these State troops might be enrolled
lor one or more years, be held re
sponsible for the arms irwl
tion furnished, and not be suffered to
abandon the service during tha tcrm
of their engagement.
Among the subjects requiring voui
notice and attention, is the law appro
pnating funds for Internal Improve
ments, and the situation of those
unds . The act of 1SI 9, relative to
that subject, is still in force, and it di
rects that "the fund for Internal Im
provements shall be subject to the or
der of the President and Directors of
the Board, and shall be paid out by
the 1 rcasurer ofthe State to the order
ot the .board, certified and
by theSecic ary and countersigned
by the President The last General
Assembly having fnilprl -i...
u r t i" tiect a
Hoard for Internal Improvements,
there is no authority for drawing
ony part of the fund. The payment
oi the subscription on behalf of the
State to the Cape Fear Navigation
Company, the Catawba Navigation
Company, aad sornQ 6hc n3Sb
demarded The instalments on these! meat. To your wisdom it is sub
ticmanueu. i ,.r. . m;nn,l. whether such advantages,
subscriptions ne
3U'JJUIIJiv"'
paid from this fund, but as there was
no auinoru u,-,uu,-""s
ney, I have refused to grant warrants
for the sums so due. These subscrip
tions, however, are debts voluntarily
contracted by the State, and their
payment should be provided for.
Annthpr subiect demanding your
Attention is the situation ofthe funds
ofthe State, invested in tne uanks.
The time is near at hand when the
charters of the several Danks in this
State will expire. The stock held by
the State in the State Hank of North
Carolina, has for some time past only
yielded an interest of four per cent,
per annum; the stock held by the
State in the Bank of Cape Fear has,
for the last two years, yielded an in
terest of only three per cent, per an
num; whilst the stock held by the
State in the Newborn Bank has not,
for nearly three years, yielded any
interest. The period will shortly
arrive when all these Banks arc au
thorised by law to make a division of
part of their capital stock. The funds
vested bv the State in these Banks
amount to seven hundred and twelve
thousand seven hundred dollars,
(S712,700.) This amount of slock,
at the common interest ol six per
cent., ought to produce forty-two
thousand six hundred and seventy-
two dollars (bl2,G72) annually;
whereas, in fact, it produces only
eighteen thousand five hundred and
sixty-two dollars,(i5lS,562,) not equal
to three per cent.
The Treasurer's Report, which
will be laid before you, will show
that, owing to the large amount of
Vieasury notes redeemed this year
the taxes collcc'cd will fall short of
meeting the current cxpences of the
Government.
Under these circumstances, woulc
it not be advisable to provide for the
establishment of a new Bank, in
which the funds of the State may be
invested, under such regulations as to
your wisdom and experience shall be
deemed afc and proper? Or, shall
the State rely, for the accommodation
of its citizens and for a circulating
currency, upon that portion ofthe ca
pital of the Unitt-d Stales' Bank
which has already, or may hereafter
be allotted to their office of discount
in North-Carolina?
I would willingly bring to your
notice the important object of open
ing a navigable communication be
tween the waters of the Albemarle
Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, north
of Cape Hattcras, and would recom
mend the application of all the means
in your power towards its accom
plishment; but believing that, without
the aid of the General Government,
the resources of the Stale are inade
quate to the undertaking at this time,
and the last General . Assembly hav
ing urged upon our members of Con
gress the propriety of claiming that
aid, we rruit console ourselves with
the hope that this great national work
will receive the sanction and support
of the National Legislature. Having
bestowed such immense sums to
wauis the construction oi roads and
canals in other Stales, it is believed
that this desirable object, so essential
to the interests of North -Carolina .nrwl
ofthe Union, will not long be over
looked or neglected.
'11. I ; .
juerary lund will claim and
lu,ve our lavorable attention. The
ueportotthe Public Treasurer will
auoiu you precise information with
regaru lo ihe amount of cash in his
nanus, and the situation of that por
tion of the fund which is not a
vailable It is probably known
to all of you that the Trustees ofthe
University did not accept the loan of
fered them by the last Legislature
Irom this source, so that the whole re
mains subject to future lcgilativc dis
position. The most important item
oi properly transferred by the Legis
lature to the corporation to whose
management the Literary Fund has
been comm.tted,re the swamplands
belonging to ihe State. These lands
are believed by rrany intelligent in
dividuals to be of immense value,
and their improvement to hn on
ject second only in importance to the
opening anu improvement of Roa
noke Inlet. It is unnecessary, I am
certain, to dwell upon the advantages
which would result frnn, iUn r I
hy are apparent to all. To convert
a dreary waste of waters and marshes
into a habitable and fertile region to
nsure the means of sustenance and
comfort for an immensely increased
population, and to give ,1,2
section of country which needs no
"mpi at improy
T' ;f .ttaincd, do not end with
WlJiUtl '
thnmselves. but tend to the enlarge
ment of a lund wnicu muy jusuv
rded as the orphan's legacy, win
not justify, and does not ucmanu, a
full and early experiment to test the
practicability ofthe measure,
v Te provide for the improvement of
hp St.ne. and for the convenience
and nrosnerity of its citizens, by the
construction ot roaus anu canuis auu
u non'tntr nf i lvprs- hv all nractical
means, is so ooviousiy tne uuiy ui mi;
representatives ofthe people, and has
. . - i .i. . .1..... f iU
Oeeil SO UllCU liuuwi w.jr j,.wv.w
snrj In ntnee. that I deem it unneces
sary to make any further and special
recommendation on that subject; and
I am pleased to see that individual en
terprize is taking that direction, which,
I have no doubt, will be properly en
couraged. It is to me a source of much grati
fication to have observed, and to have
it in my power to state, that the ex
citement which seems to pervade a
sister State, upon the subject of the
Tariff", has effected little change in the
opinions ofthe citizens of North-Ca
rolina. With regard to the policy of
that measure, there is, so lar as my in
formation extends, a perfect union of
sentiment. AH deprecate it, as un
equal in its opeiation, and destruc
tive of the interests of the Southern
planter. The period, however, has
not yet arrived, which in the judg
ment of this community, authorises
the adoption of doctrines subversive,
in their nature, of all order, and ma
nifestly tending to weaken, if not de
stroy, our whole system of goveru
ment. This State is justly proud of
having given the first legislative sanc
tion to the spirit of the Revolution.
The same love of rational liberty
which prompted this high example,
induced our revolutionary statesmen
to consider attentively and anxiously
the form of government proposed for
their adoption. Satisfied, after full
investigation by successive Conven
tions, that no powers were delegated
but such as were essential lo the ex
istence and preservation of the Uni
on, it is no matter of surprise that thev
and their children should support and
defend the compact, and neither seek
nor desire a remedy beyond it. A
new Congress is about to assemble.
The same spirit of compromise which
adopted the Constitution, must pre
serve it, or the question whether man
is worthy and capable of self-government,
remains yet to be solved The
patriotism of the country looks with
confidence to the councils nf ih na
tion for a wise and liberal system of
nrtlinti ...Til . I i .
rivt uuu not nastily arrive at
the conclusion that the perils of the
Revolution were fruitless and vain.
A resolution of the last General
Assembly directed the Governor to
;cause to be published in pamphlet
form a Report relative to the Declara
tion of Independence by a Committee
ot Mecklenburg county, with the
documents accompanying the same
and also the Journal of the Provincial
Assembly of 177C; together with the
pioeeeuingsoi the Cumberland Asso
ciation." This publication has been
made in a manner that, I trust, will
meet with the approbation ofthe Le
gislature; and the copies have been
distributed in the manner directed.
The agency for adjusting and set
thng the claim of North-Carolina up
on the General Government, for ex
penditures made during the last war
in defence of the country, was dis
continued by a resolution of the last
General Assembly, and our Senators
in Congress instructed to ur-e the
speedy payment ofthe said claim As
is a matter ol considerable impor
tance to the State, I addressed a letter
to the Secretary of War, requesting
information on the subject, and havf
received his assurance that the bn.i
ness shall J,e duly attended to T
I nave receivrrl Cm e "
rhork.?t-Pof
"Plend.d atlas, descriptive of
each county. S.,uo.iF V 01
predecessors in offi
recommended a suitable re ;
for similar fr enrllv rf...; " ,
Slto..dd.: ""tamap of
completed on opportunity w f,
be aflorded for this State '
mm 1,1 uiey deserve.
Since the adjournment oftle
last Assembly, I ,ave 01 ',e
communication fm .1 Ceved
!ernorsof?evernl;;;-v-v-
request tliat tlicy sltcuIJ he ?Ub.
muted lor your consideration
Those from Maine relate t0 tj-o
North-Eastcrn boundary of
Uuited States; to the Tariff 0f
1828; and the power of the Gc.
neral Government to make an.
propriations for internal jtll.
provements. Those from Yer.
mont relate to an amendment of
the Constitution of the United
States, proposed by 01,
States. Thoso from
Hampshire relate to ihe orsat.j.
zntion of the militia. Tho
from Massachusetts relate to
the organization of the mi!itja
and to the proceedings of iuf!
government of Georgia. Those
from Connecticut relate to
amendment of the Coiistitijti0u
of ihe Uuited States, proposed
by other States; to the powr of
the General Government t0
make appropriations in aid of
the Colonization Socieiy; and
to the judicial power of the U
nited States. Those from Ohio
relate to the power of theGrnp.
I ral Government to make oniro.
pnaiions in am oi ttie Coloni
zation Society. Those from
Delaware relate to ihe public
lands of the United States; to
the surviving officers and sol
diers of the Revolution; to the
TarifF and internal improve
ments; and to a nomination of
a President of ihe United
States. These several com
munications will be found, with
their appropriate endorsements,
in a fde now laid before you,
marked A.
The resignations of Justices
of the Peace and Militia Offi
cers, received during the recess
ofthe Legislature, are also laid
before you, and will be found in
the file marked B.
The fde marked C, contains
two incendiary publications, re
ceived through the medium of
the post-office.
Bel teving that this Assembly
will have much to do in provi
ding for the security of the peo
ple; in providing for its own fu
ture accommodation; and for
the establishment of a new
Bank, or so directing the appli
cation of banking capital, as to
secure a sound circulating cur
rency; and in preventing tlie in
jury to individuals, which must
otherwise follow, when the
charters of the other banks
shall expire, these being prima
ry objects for the consideration
of the Legislature, 1 have de
clined making recommenda
tions, which I had contempla
ted, relative to the situational
the University and the estab
lishment of common schools
and to the condition of thor
portion of the Cherokee notion
of Indians, that remain within
thelimttsofNorth-Carolina. I
nm unwilling, however, to close
tins communication without ad
verting to the nrimmietm:,.., nf
the General Government ofthe
united fctates, and congratula
ting you upon the prosperous
condition of our national con
cerns. Our foreign negocia
Hons have been fortunate and
successful beyond all former
example our diffl.rnnM
other powers have been settled
our commerce is uninterrup
ted our flag respected our
commercial intercourse with the
vest Indies restored new
sources are opened for mercan
tile enterprize; and large sums
01 monev Rf!Pnrnl nA
irom loreiim nmirmc nn ;.,,im.
-. , O io mucin
"incation to our merrhnnt fnr
propertv unlawfully
Many of the Indian tribes arc
peaceably removing to places,
whence thev cann..t
. ... uilliuy usj
and will not themselves be inju
red or lntorriintnrl tir
.-.JMVWl ve mr: