Tarioro,-,, (ZJJcomBe Poiiiilif, wY. C) Saturday, November 88, 183.5.
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COVEKXOH'S MESSAGE,
fa As General. hscmbty of North
Carolina:
The duty of addressing the re
presentatives of the people, con
vened to consult lor the common
.ifihpir constituents, has on
o previous occasion been to nie
the source of so great anxiety and
perplexity as the present. This
embarrassment arises no less from
il,e peculiar situation of our af
fairs, than from the measures in
progress to amend the Constitu
tion of the State.
It will be some days before it
can 1)3 ascertained whether the
new Constitution has been adopt
ed or rejected. If it has been
..JnniPfl: !i material change in lite
1 basis of representation, constitutes
one of its most prominent provi
mi ,..... ..r dm
sious. i ills expiciwti ui me
public will, made in the most iiu
jwsinpr form known to our insti
tutions, will probabjy have a de
cided influence upon your pro
ceedings. You will not, without
hesitation, venture upon any rad
ical change in the system of poli
ty hitherto pursued, if it shall be;
ascertained that the people have
transferred the legislative power of
the State to a Department which
will be constituted upon principles
differing essentially from those
which enter into the formation of
your body. Whatever may be
the conclusion at which you may
arrive on this subject, there seems
,t be no reason which should res
itrain the Executive Department
iuomihe customary expression of
opinion upon the most important
jmpics which engage public atten
tion. I To much the larger portion of
jtliis State, the past year has been a
jseason of nmre than ordinary
prosperity. The production of
rtic!es necessary to the susten
ance cl !i it man life, has been abun
jUi.it and our great agricultural
iftap!e ha commanded a higher
price than has been known for ma
f)' years. Our citizens, always
distinguished, for prudence and
sconuniv iii t!
J -- ..V. IKIIIIIgtUlllll
jl!'eir domestic affairs, aided by
ljl'e fortunate circumstances refer
red to. are at present probably
Jess involved in pecuniary didicuf
1:C5, ihan at any previous period
Jfonr history. Notwithstanding
jtnese clear evidences of the com
paratively prosperous condition
fl the community, the tide of em
ration continues to flow in a co
) laus and steady current to the
States and Territories of the
Pest, and we are thus constantly
png many of our most wealthy,
fjierprizing and intelligent citi-I7?l,s-
It is not, surprizing that the
universal ami laudable disposition
.stpikmgiy characteristic of the A-
prican people to acquire a oer-
j'nent interest in the soil, should
pompt removals from an old and
(.MJu . I
I 'J ppuiaieu country, to
leiy SetJeil rPglons wJlcre
D l,y tia.Is nity be acquired ai
!hv Pries. Ti,;it these causes
j'eiu many instances produced
'Uratim, fr0in this State, is ad
.!ut,I; but we deceive ourselves.
.j'f suppose that the evil is to be
I, j "vyiem alone, in gen
ai'Jbnty, variety of climate
and consetpient variety of produc
tions, average fertility of soil, and
wide extent of ,sea coast, North
Carolina is scarcely exceeded by
any of her sister Stales. Other
causes, therefore, than natural
disadvantages, have in a greater
or Jess degree affected the growth
and prosperity of the State. A
very slight acquaintance with the
facts, will sullit e to show that a
large proportion of the citizens
who removed from our borders
within thje last ten years, have
contributed to augment the popu
lation and .resources of States
more .densely peopled than our
own. . With regard then to the
latter class, and to those, who are
liable to be influenced by similar
(Moderations hereafter, it be
comes important to inquire, what
causes have produced the evil, in
order that you may ascertain
whether a remedy can be devised 1 1
within the lecitimate ranire cf ;
w u i
your powers.
When we consider that we have
but a single collegiate institution
in the State, but. few respectable
academies, and that no adequate
provision has been made to difluse
even the elementary principles of
education among the poor; that
there is not a single w ork of Inter
nal Improvement in progress, and
no fund that deserves the name
provided for the future develope
ment of our resources; it ceases to
be matter of surprize that even
our younger sisters munificently
provided for in all these respects
by the boitirty of the General Gov
ernuient, should outstrip us in the
generous contest .for physical and j semb! v to rrpresent to the Uen
intelleciual improvement. It' is Ural Government the defenceless
but nadirs! thai under ?eh cir-1 condition of our maritime frontier:
cumstances lite young, the ardent j In reply, we were urged fo pre
and the enterprizing among our J pare vigorously for the contest,
own citizens, 'should sever the tie$ j and to rely exclusively upon our
that bind ihem to their native own resources, as it w as not then
homes, and seek for affluence and ; convenient to aid us. The legis
distinclioirunder better YiuspicesJ lature immediately resorted to
It affords me no pleasure to pre- j loans, provided munitions of waf
sent this picture of cur condition. ! indispensible to the protection of
It would indeed be the source of , the coast, and put theni in the
extreme mortification if I regard-j charge of the militia of the State,
ed it as proceeding exclusively ( The claim for the expense thus
from our own supiuencss ami neg"- j incurred, has been lor years, and
led. That we have done, less $ at present, before the War De
than we might and ought to have ( parlment, and has been uniformly
done for the accomplishment of! resisted, upon the ground that the
these great purposes, is, in my ! General Government,, having o
estimation, certain; but that our milted to fortify the coast, could
exertions have been constantly j "ot properly be. required to pay
retarded by the system of Federal ! for munitions of war, suitable cn
lecishilion adopted with regard ! Iv for fortifications. Since, the
to ns. is not less manifest.
This entire subject was so fully ,ias le" e,ecte(1 contiguous to
discussed in mv last annual mes- aPe .f r. a,,d anot,;er ,,ear ,M
sage, that 1 tl.'all content myself j Top-sail Inlet, but these are the
with a mer reference to that pa-,,,' evidences visible upon the
per, rather 'than an extended con- face of,,,e country of the exertion
sideration of it in this. It was tards us of the benevolent ac
then attempted to-be shewn, thnt j ;f ,lie Government, either lor
great injustice had been done to lhe purposes ol improvement or
this State in the sejllement of our defence.
daims for revolutionary service;!
that the revenue system adopted .
by the Federal Government had ;
operatcd oppressively upon us, !
and that the low prices at which !
i government lands were dispos- 1
of in the" ne w Slates and Ter-I
ritories, had affected most injuri- j
ouslv the value of our real estate. ,
J . . . . I
l'he injustice sustained in the
tlement of our revolutionary j
claims, emnarrusseu our cudms
towards improvement, at the pe
riod ol all others the most import
ant, the commencement of our
political existence; and the tariff
and land systems subsequently
adopted, farVrom relieving, tend
ed but to increase our difficulties.
Thus stripped of resources, the
history of our State legislation
lunnerthe first half century ol our
political existence, will exhibit lit
tle more to posterity than the an
nual imposition of taxes amount
ing no Ws than a hundred tnous.
and dollars, one half of which
constituted the reward ofthe legis
lative bodies by which they were
levied, while the remainder was
applied to sustain the train of offi
cers who superintended the ma-
chinery of government. The
establishment of schools for the
convenient instruction of.youth,
and the developement and im
provement of our internal resour
ces by means beyond the reach of
individual enterprize, will seem
scarcely to have been regarded as
proper objects of legislative con
cern. Still less cheering and consol
atory is the history of our Federal
relations. Immediately upon our
entrance into the Federal com
pact, we conveyed to the .General
Government our entire claim to
territory west of this State, out
of a portion of which was formed
the State of Tennessee, as a com
mon fund for the use and benefit
of the United States of America,
North Carolina inclusive, to be
applied to the payment of the na
tional debt according to their res
pective and usual proportions in
the fpnrral rtmrno an,! ovnomK.
o -,- " " - "
ture, and to no. other purpose
whatever. Wre have, in the shape
of internal duties, contributed
more than a million odollars an
nually to the national Treasury.
In return for these immense con
cessions, we have enjoyed that
protection which the American
name extends to American citizens
throughout the wide extent of this
confederacy, and we may almost
say that none other than this nom
inal protection has been a Horded
to us. During the late war, when !
our coast was blockaded by the
greatest maritime power in the
world, a special messenger was
: despatched by the General As-
ar, a Fort of the second class!
If it were possible to procure
precise data, uv winch to institute
a comparison betweeu the exac-
tions and the disbursements of the
Federal Government, from and on
account of North Carolina, there
can be no difficulty in pronounc-
iog that a prominent cause of our
evils would be rendered most ap-
. - ?
set-(.parent, lime comparison eie
.extended so as to present a rem-
..t, ,
disbursements on account ol some
ofthe more favored States, the
contrast would exhibit a claim to
redress which could scarcely be
overlooked or disregarded. A
more fayorable opportunity than
the present to urge attention to
these claims, cahnot arise nor is
the nation likely, at any future
period, to be able to do us justice
with such perfect convenience.
That the revenue ofthe General
Government exceeds its legitimate
wants, ami that the power and
natronage incident to it, are dan
gerous to the liberty ofthe coun
try, are positions which will
scarcely be controverted. In my
last annual Message, to which
refererfce has already been made
in connection with this topic, I
suggested as the most appropriate
and least objectionable mode of
satisfy ing the .demands of North
Carolina, and reducing in some
degree, the patronage of the Gov
ernment, a distribution ofthe pro
ceeds of the public domain, upon
the principles stipulated by our
deed of cession. It is now sub
mitted as a subject proper for your
consideration, and as requiring,
for reasons so obvious to be sta
ted, early and efficient action.
This State, it will be recollected,
was charged with one tenth of the
entire expenses incurred in sus
taining the war of the revolution
and is therefore entitled to the
same proportion of all that por
tion ofthe public lands ceded to
the General Government, anterior
to the acquisition of Louisiana.
A cession to the new States of
such portions of the public'doniain
as are situate within their limits,
or a further reduction ofthe price
at which it is at present disposed
of, cannot be otherwise than deep
ly injurious to all the old States,
and fraught with manifest injustice
and the most ruinous consequences
to us.
With n Treasury barely suffi
cient to meet the current expenses
of the Government, without re
sorting to loans, it would be idle
to recommend the adoption of any
measures connected with the gen
eral improvement of either the
physical or intellectual resources
of the country. iVly opinions on
these subjects, have been repeat
edly communicated to the General
Assembly, and are too well known
to all classes of the community,
to justify repetition. To attempt
to accomplish any thing with re
gard to either, without first hav
ing provided a competent fund
for the purpose, 'would have no
other effect than to disappoint the
excited hopes of the public, and
postpone further efforts to ' an
indefinite period. A just propor
tion of the' re'venue, accruing
from the sales of public iautls,
would enable us to enter upon a
sv stem of measures which could
not be otherwise than productive
of the most auspicious results.
Without it, judging from past ex
perience, Ii i tie expectation can be
entertained that an adequate fund
for this purpose will be provided
by the 'Government in time to
meet the growing exigencies of
the country.
1 have, on various occasions,
expressed the opinion, that it was
not to be expected, in the nature
of things, that any system of In
ternal Improvements Commensu
rate with our necessities and re
sources would, at any time, be
effected by individual enterprize.
The attention of the capitalist will
naturally be directed to the sec
tions of tountry which will best
reward expenditure, rather than
to those which most require im
provement. Important local im
provements may, nevertheless, ue
effected by incorporated compa
nies; and if the Government neg
lects its appropriate duty ol pro
viding for the wants of the whole'
community, liberal encouragement
should, al least', be e-xtended to
individuals who propose to com
bine their skill ant capital in an
attempt to improve any portion of
the country. In the accompany
ing file of papers, will be found a
printed pamphlet, containing the
proceedings of a meeting of citizens-
held at Cincinnati, Ofuo, on
the lOih of August last, on the
subject ol allail Road from the
banks of the Ohio river, to the
tide waters of'the Carolinas and
Georgia." The enterprize pro
posed by that meeting, is of the
most gigantic character, and con
lemplates a large expenditure of
capital, but promises, if effected,
immensely beneficial tesults to
nearly half of the Union. It is at
present exciting much interest in
South Carolina and Georgia, andlsels, and prompt and
confidence
in its practicability
and utility
I r
seems to be rapidlv
increasing. The efi'ect that its ac
complishment would have upon
this State, depends, in a great de
gree, upon the course which may
be pursued with respect to a gen
eral system of improvements. 11
the plan recommended by the
Internal Improvement Convention
two years since, should be adopt
ed, the Cincinnati project would
prove a magnificent extention of
our system. If we determine to
do nothing ourselves, and permit
South Carolina and Georgia to
compete alone for the trade of
the valley of the Mississippi, the
enterprize, nevertheless, promises
the most important advantages to
the State west of the Alleglvany;
and is, under all circumstances,
entitled to the most favorable con
sideration. In connection with
this subject, 1 submit a communi
cation Irom the President of de Finances, and suggests the meae
Petersburg Rail Road Company,! ures for their in:piove-
-exh.b.ting statements of the re-' . rwht a c!earness amjrce
ce.ptsand disbursements on that of rpas0!1;n hichly creditable to
portion of the road within the
limits of this State, and making
important suggestions in relation
to its further extension within our
borders.
The spirit of fanaticism, which
has recently been manifested in
connection with one species of our
population, in various sections of
the Union, demands and will re
ceive your serious consideration.
It is no longer possible to conceal
it, if we would, and it becomes us,
in common with the people of eve
ry Southern State, to speak a lan
guage upon this subject which
will not admit of misapprehension,
and exhibit a spirit that shall, .at
least, command attention and re
spect. The extent of the opera
tions ami designs of these misgui
ded people, will be best under
stood by an examination of the
accompanying file of papers, pub
lished under the patronage of the
Society of Immediate Abolition
ists at New York: which has been!
transmitted to me by a citizen ofi
this State for your use. The sub -
ip.'t first ntfrartPfl thf nttPiuinn nf
the Legislature in 1S30, when the
evil was comparatively in its in
fancy; and the publication or cir
culation within this Staleof these
incendiary newspapers and pam
phlets, was made a felony, punish
able by fine, whipping, ami the
p'dlor.y in the first instance; and
death for "the second offence. It
is apparent to all who have any
accurate knowledge of our condi
tion, tlu.t the public safety imperi
ously requires the suppression of
these wicked and -mischievous
publications, injurious alike to the
best interest of the master and the
slave. This, 1 spprehend, cannot
be effected without the co-operation
of the Legislatures of the
States from which these missiles
proceed. Such an interference
with our domestic concerns upon
the part of the citizens of a foreign
State, either encouraged or per
mitted by the government, would
at once justify a resort to the
modes ordinarily adopted for the
adjustment of national differences.
If- we should exercise greater for
bearance'in the present instance,
it is not because the wrongs we
sufier are Ies injurious or morti
fving, when inflicted by the bands
of brethren. The obvious "de
sign and tendency of these pro
ceedings, are to subvert ihe Con
stitution and laws of the country;
and we have, therefore, an indubi
table right to ask of our sister
Stales the adoption of such mea
sures as may be necessary and re
quisite to suppress them totally and
.1 . TT .1 v .
promptly. upon mis question
there is no diversity of interest
and can be no difference of opin
ion. The entire South will unite
with you in the adoption of any
measures .which may seem best
calculated to insure union of coun
enertri tic
action, under the perfect con
viction that there is no neutral
ground which can be occupied
either with safety or honor, and
that to delay action is to increase
dancer, 1 cannot doubt or hesitate
as to the course which it brccnics
us to pursue. It is there foe re
spectfully recommended as worthy
of your consideration, whether
Resolutions should not be adopt
ed, inviting the'States united with
us by the lies of common interest
and danger, to co-operate with ns
in the adoption of such measures
as may be necessary to insure our
safety; and calling upon the Le
gislatures of all the States, to en
act such penal laws upon this sub
ject, as may be necessary to per
petuate the blessings contemplated
in the formation of the Federal
Constitution and the Union.
The Report ofthe Public Trea-
curur - v ! 1 1 1 . 1 1 c itin r rvnt ii inn nl mi
that officer. Most i f ;he measures
recommended to yot.r considera
tion, have heretofore occupied the
attention of the General Assembly,
but have given rise to no efficient
legislation. Whether ihe course
pursued by your predecessors,
upon this subject, was the one de
manded by the public interest, it
is scarcely necessary to inquire.
If the proposed Constitution shall
be rejected, it is certain that you
have no alternative other than the
diminution ofthe public expendi
tures, or the increase ofthe public
revenue. If it shall be adopted,
though the necessity for the con
sideration of this subject may be
rendered less absolute, it will re
main equally prudent and proper.
In the accompanying file of pa
pers, will be found a communica
tion from the Governor of Ken
tucky, soliciting an exchange id
law reports between that Slate and
this: A similar application upon
the part ofthe State of .Maryland,
communicated
to the last
Reports . of
! General Asssemoiy.
i the decisions of
the Supreme
Courts of Maryland, Kentucky,
Indiana, Illinois and Missouri,
have been received at various pe
riods from the Executive Depart
ments of these States; and have
been preserved in the Library be
longing to the Executive Office.
As this Department has no autho
rity over the subject, it become
your duty to adopt the measure
which seem to be demanded by
the courtesy ofthe States referred
to. An interchange of tiie Statute
Laws of ail the States, has existed
perhaps from the foundation of
the government, and seems indeed
to be essential to enlightened' leg
islation. The reported decisions
ofthe Courts of the several Statesk
would perhaps be equally import
ant to the Judicial Department of
the Government, and would cer
tainly constitute a valuable addi
tion to the public Library.
1 have heretofore suggested to
the General Assembly, ihe pro
priety or revising tiie Lws regu
lating the duties of the Public
Printer; and beg leave to com
mend ihe subject lo your consid
eration. The compensation al
lowed him for any other than ex
tra work, is altogether inadequate ;
and as a natural consequence, ihe
laws are most inelegantly and
inaccurately printed. It is made
the duty of no one to prepare in
dexes and marginal notes, or re
vise the proof-sheets; and numer
ous, and in many instances, mate
rial errors have found their way
into even the best editions ofthe
laws. Some more certain and
definite principle, by which to de
termine the amount of compensa
tion to be allowed for extra work,
should also be prescribed.
The death of the Honorable
Henry Seawellj has created a