North Carolina Newspapers

: THOMAS L0B1NG,: Editor ian ProprieUr? Devoted to Literature ,. SeienceFofefen and 'Dociestic !KeTs, 'Agriculture Trade, Commcrce---ONEDOLLRfcPer:'Annum,9 invariably in Adtanu ' - r VOL. 2. 12,1S49.: NO. 21. ANIJARY M i .! -..-,.-.- , ; - i . - ' J B. I. HOWZE, Associate Editor. ADVERTISEMENTS, ' t)ri a limited extent, will be inserted in the Weekly uommercial. at tne louowing rates e jaare, 1 insertion, $0 50 1 square, 2 monthsj 82 00 do. 2 do. 0 75 do. 3 do. 1 00 do. 1 .month. 125 l do. 3 do. bu I do. 6 do. ' 4 00 1 do. 1 year. ; 6 0 TwpIva linfis. nr Ipsa mnlff. n snnarfi. an advertisement exceed twelve lines, th nnce will be in proportion. All advertisements are payable at the lime. of their inser.o i. H3" All advertisements inserted in the Weekly Commercial are-entitled. to one in sertion in the Tri Weekly. free of charge ; REPORT UPON TOE DAPE FEAR v AND DEEP RIVERS. To Messrs. Alex. Maciae. A. J. Derossell, A. S.uMcNeiland F. J. Hill, composing the Committee, designated by the fPittsboro: Convention, held in July last, to 'lake in charge the obtaining of a survey and esti mate of the probable cost of impro ving the. Upper Cape Fear and Deep River s,, as high up as Hancock's Mill) hi Moore Coun ty North Carolina, . i" Gentlemen : Having been engaged" by Major Walter Gvvynn, on your behalf, .to make a stffve? of the Cape Fear and Deep Rivers, with a view to the opening of the na vigation as high up s as Hancock's .viill in Moore County, and having conpleted the re connoizances, together with such instrumen tal examinations of the most' difficult portions of them, as the time allowed me would per mit, I have the honor herewith to report the results, including an estimate of the probable cost of a Slack Water navigation to be form-; cd by a succession of Locks and Dams, with occasional short Canals. This character of improvement is admirably adapted to those rivers, as indicated by their inconsiderable fall per mile, (it being some what less than two feet throughout their whole length.) their consequently sluggish current, and the extensive natural pools al ready to be found throughout their length. Knowing the importance to t!ie friends of this improvement that the. question should be ascertained in the shortest possible time, wheth er such a navigation could he obtained upon these rivers, to connect with the present Steamboat navigation upon 1 he Cape F. nv at FayetlevilJe, and with u view to expedite the work, after .organizing a party -ind pro nrinr n suitable boat. 1 beran the descent of a ------p i . ?. the liver. - 1 I fr.iuv! TT-.i m'np.I.-'.! lnm 12 fp.pt hih. :iiid ...r... f,l r i-.i.v. l- 4 If loL-nl Vt TiTjtip nr. for five miles above, with a depth of not less than 3 feet. Thence descending the rver, 1 found a succession of small shoals, until I pass ed the lower enll of Murchinson's Island, where 1 met. with the back water ot Peter Evans,' Jr. dam, 2 miles from Hancock'.s From this point to Evan's Mills, a distance of ten miles, 1 found a splendid pool of water with a depth ranging from 3 to 9 feet, at the then low stage, which was that of low sum mer water. Evan's Dam has just been rebuilt upon the Tafter plan, and packed in with stone, about 3 feet in height. It is 190 feet long, and leaks to some extent; it did not in consequence hold a full head of water by l feet; when this shall be the case by the deposit of mud and sand held in suspension by the water brought down the river, it will fhrvvthe water back to Hancock's Mill, 12 miles. In Evan's Dam, a Lock will be placed of 9 feet lift, from which a boat will float directly iinto the back water from John Horton's radJ dam, and through this fine pool of water for 6f miles to Horton'a mills. The deyth of this pool, at its shoal est place, which is ZVU yards below Evan's Dam, is 2 feet for a short distance, from which it immediately deepens to 5 feet and continues from 5 to 8 through out its length. . ,. Horton's dam is 374 feet long and 8 feet high, over which the water was flowing at the time; showing thereby a plentiful supply. It is proposed to raise this dam one foot, which can be done at a small expense, to insure 3 feet at all times back to Evan's dam, and thus supposing a lock in Hancock's dam, we ''find already formed with a small outlay, a slack water navigation of 23 miles. From the lock in this dam a boat will float into a pond of not less than 3 feet in depth, to be formed by a dam to be Erected 200 feet below Thomas Farish's fish dam. This dam will be 9 feet high, and 234 feet loner, and .will connect the pools at present existing and occasioned by tne hsh trap dams ot Thomas Hansn, and Jf eteriJi vans, Sen. forming one continuous pool for 8 3-4 miles from Horton's dam. A Lock will be placed in this dam of 9 feet lift, from which a boat will float into a, pool 7 1-2 miles long and not less than 3 feet depth, extending to Claig's mill dam, a short dis tance below the mouth of Rocky River; As this poinl? the first real difficulties are encountered and , it " becomes necessary to I leave the bed of the river for the first time in 39 1-4 miles. Mature has done murh to smooth the way here, and we find a natural canal, or SIoo of oO to 70 feet wide, which it is proposed to use for 2050 . feet. It is now used as "the race to Claig's mill; it will be necessary to take down Claigs river dam, which only holds water for three feet, and construct upon its site a dam 5 feet high, and 1023 feet long. This dam will give sufficient depth over the shoals at the mouth of Rocky River, and above that point back to the sill of the lock in the dam, at Farish's fish trap.' Some clearing out and blasting will be ' re- quired, the cost of which is embracing in the estimate. ; ;. . A dam must be.raised over the sloo as far down as we use it, and in this dam a lock will ,ne placed' of 10 1-2 feet lift, from which a boat vViil ms; inta :l Tsrinl ft ).- , ,rWi.a In 1 ; . . A . '.' ' ' - -V.' - - 1- 1 . ;n icn. sulhcicnt depth ni just below ?i: -f a Sbme'cfeaDiog 'otit will ;beiequired in tbe up per part of this pond. ' v Pullen's Falls are the .chief obstacles to the opening; of the navigation of Deep River, and to a casual observer, or thsse unacquainted with tlie means resorted toelsewhele in sur mounting similar difficulties, they do appear to constitute a barrier to the navigation of the rich aud fertile valley 61 that river. liut they are by no means insurmountable and when it is considejred. as will be seen by the estimate, at what an i nebnside rable' cost t he upper jjdhiVn of4 the river can be rendered navigable, it". will we understood that we can afford to expend an amount sufficient to over come tfie difficulties at these falls, and yet Jeave tbe average cost of improving Deep Rtver-4 uitft. Io w;-.ijTi-i&f i I "3 , II A Liick will 'be. placed in this dam of 9 feet lift, fiorjn which a boat will float into a pool 1 miles long and not less ; than 3 feet depth, extend nig to Claig's mill jilam, a short di5 tanep Le!ojv the mouth of "Rocky Riveh : The 1st dam in "the 'mils' will. be placed up on a leclge of rock?? making dcrss th2 river 2h feet below tbe level of the Water surface above, jt will be 3 feet high, and 3S1 feet long, including the abutments. A lock .will be placed in this dam of S feet lift. r A boSat will float out this focWinto the pool below of sufficient depth, and 600 vards long. : which brings us to the 2nddam.Tbis dam will 1 also rest upon a-roekv ledge,; it willbe 10A ! feet high in the main river, but as it w-ifj cross two islands, its average height will bevmuch less. It will be 800 feet long. A lock will , be placed in this dam of lOi feet lift, from which a boat will pass into a pool formed br a dam 1300 yards below.- built npon me sue 01 ruiieirs ua.m. 11 win oe o icei bigli and 446 feet long to the island, including the abutments. There also will be required 170 feet of damming to connect two .other islands with the first. "t" Front Pullcns dam. it is intended to take out a canal through the level -bottom in which ljus mill race is dug. It will be 1026 yards long, of easy excavation and will re quire one guard lock where it leaves the pool, aijd two nit Jocks ot lOf leet each,c to drop the boats into t he river, so 1 ewhere about the new bridge, being erected byUr. bmitn and others, it will also require a wiiggo iji ford wnere i crosses the mam road. t F orri tlie oiilh fork of this canal boats :!. Ling reaching wi (i v JiMO :i : ! I! to Hue I horn V 1 i o difficulty for that ;::ie. i.nd of sufficient wo noints. one at Dr. distanc p.. even dep.lh excepting at Smith' in' luml ih oier at Hawkin's Island; now-1 8 the deoth dvv;it ') at winch points, is iiiclies. A'-oiit 21 mWtii hclovr I? all en's iuence of Mill, and di recti 5 above the confi the Haw with Deep River, is the town of Haywood, finely situate! upon, an elevated -second bot-j tpai, wiuc is uestined to necome a -place 01 conslddruble" tirade when -this improvement shall be opened. If has a rich back country in the pounties of Chatham, Randolph and nejghhbrifig Counties, -and will - be the point wherej-all the surplus productipp of these Counties will concentrate, to be- borne upon the navigation-to the markets of Fuyettville and VVilniington. ' j ' ; At thickhorn, ihe river 1 talis 16 feet in 1 miles,! where jt becomes necessary ibr the third tjme to leave the bed of the river: Here nature has again stepped in to smooth the way for us. andwe find a natural canal or sloo. which leaves the river just above the lalls ano runningTound the north side for 114 mles, again j enters the river. This sloo has at this time a depth of from 12 to 18 inches in it, and is GO to 70 feet wide. . It is proposed to eiect a dam across the river at the head of the-fa Us 5 feet high, ana 720 feet long which will afford ample depth in in the jsloo and back the water over the shoals so as to give at all times not less than 3 feet water upon them. The sloo1 will be followed at which point there will bei a dam 1 mile erected over it. This dam will be 9 feet high and 180 feet long, and in continuation of the same dam to the bank' below, the old canal, a dam of 198 feet long and 6 feet high, also 430 feet oi damming 5 1-2 feet high; to con nect some, islands above. ;- From the sloo through a.guard lock, the boats will pass into the old canal which mjust be widened and cleared out for that purpose, as far down as the locks to be ere teU to lower them into the river. j ITht re are the remains 01 several darns, two sets of locks, some half, a milt apart and the old canal alluded to; showing the 'efforts made fin former years to improve the river. The general outlineupon vvh.ich tlsese improve emenils were last projected tvas in the main current, but the details were so wretchedly carried uut as to render worse than useless all the money expended upon .them. JEhe cam al was in the first place : cutJ. -mile in (engtl: from Buckhonl sloo. and locks erected to lowbf the' boats into Parker's Creek, which it was intended ''thev should follow to the river, about bne-fouth of a mile. I. This creek isjin inconsiderable ; si ream of .about 10 feet wldtb! and 6 inches depth, which would have been always filling up with the sedi ment prought down by it to the obstruction of the navigation; even though th water of the river 1 hail have been backed into it by a dam from below. ! It Was afterwards concluded to throw away these locks together with half a mile of the canal and returning back lvupon it, lock into the river half a mile above.1 This was accor dingly carried out and the locks put np,; which would have answered the purpose very well, if they had have been properly constructed, but tne simplest laws of hydrauIicMpressure were totally disregarded. The sides of the locks were jme-ely " upright 1'post br.aced at each alternate post, with a single lining oi one inch' plank, and with no other support whatever,. .....As'might.have, been. Expected. thev wern 'forced onen soon after nein suojccteti 'Dfrnp r '( .if fs e co. ss , i ry ti) pass ' Mt . - i Z' ':l : .LI j boat through them! They 4 w ere miserable attempts at; lock hiiihihg. and it would have jt "l AS U Vf'!'. i OT' hnvo1' : Mi-'-- Pi past, still Ibund in e minds of many enterprising and intelligent genf emeu, who look upon any further attempt at improving this noble river, as Utopian $ merely because they failed at that time, frithout, knowing or reflecting upon the cause: which was an utter want of skill in carrying eut the im provement. - i - '' A spirit is now aroused, however, which if properly directed andiadiciously managed, will render the navigation of the Cape ' Fear and Deep Rivers, one of primary importance to the State at large, as well as to the Coun1 ties within its influence. 1 - J From the outlet lock in this canal, a boat will float into a pool 6 miles in length and of sufficient depth to' Douglass' Jballs, halt a mile below - Norrington's Ferry. 1 This pool will be-formed rby aidam 8 feet high,- and 75p long, to be raised upon the ledge of rock at that place, Here.it is proposed to take out a1 shortcanal for 440 yards on the-north - side, tliroucrh a level bottom of easv excavation, aiid by a Jock drop into the river below.; i 4 The next pool will be a miles long and win extend one mile beJow: .McAllister lerry, where a dam will be built 8 feet highland 527 feet long-. i 'u"t ' i'S ' ,t . A lock in this dam will pass a boat into the next pool below, which will carry it four miles to the next dam, whicn is to be placed upon the first ledge in Smiley 's Falls. As these falls are well known to be the greatest obsta cle to the opening of the Navigation of the Cape Fear River above fayetteville, 1 will give their physical character. ' These Falls extend for about five mjles over a succession of irocky ledges, with no great fall at any one of them, leaving invariably between them, still pools of water, varying in depths from three to seven feet, and in length from 2 to 600 yards. The bmks of the River at the head of the Falls, are sixteen to eighteen feet high, but increase in height to thirty feet as we ap proach the foot of the Falls. , It will be 6een from this brief notice of their character from thcheigftt of the banks and the admirable foundation offered for the dams and locks, as wrell as the existence of pools of still and deep winter of considerable extent, that nature has marked out for us the plan of improvement to effect the navigation through this part of the river. In fact, there are natural excavations and benches formed in these ledges of rock, unon which dams can be erected to withstand any fresh.es that may arise? as is abundantly, shown by the imperfectly constructed fish dams upon them, which have withstood all the freshets in the Cape Fear until the actu al decay of the timbers in them and yet the stones remain upon the f foundation as they were originally placed. The dam at this firt ledge will be eight feet, nine inches high and 445 feet long, in which a lock will be placed1of the same lift ta lovverthe boats into the pool below, Which wuihexxerra lorn 1-4 ' Bines ana 01. Bimciem depthtqthe head of "Big Island. ""- The site for this dam is remarkable the fallat tiie ledge is only, eighteen inches, but ther-0 ip a rampart of rock running across the river eyen feet'above'the surface of the wa ter, except at three openings where the river, hastorn'a channel through it. .', Upon this ledg'e, or rather across the channels through it. a! dam will he niised of 1Q 1 4 feet high its total length from bank to bank beitlg 500 feet. , In this dam a lock will be placed of 1J0.1-2 feef lift, to float the boats into the pool below, which will carry them 1 3-5ths miles to the next dam, to be raised upon another ledge of rock. This dam will be 6 feet 4 inches high und 750 feet long. A lock in it wilh carry us through a pool of 1 1-2 miles in length to the next dam, to be raised upon the ledge at Hodges' timber landing, which. will be 6 feet high and 600 feet long through a lock in this dam the boats float into a pool of' water five miles in length. " "i - : ' ''r ' r This pool is intended' to afford sufficient depth over the shoals to Averysboro'. and on to Doctor's shoals immediately below Smith's Ferry, at the mouth of Lower Little River. The dam upon Doctor's Falls will be , 9 feet high and 350 feet long ; it will not only create the pool above named, but it will flow the water tor some distance up Lower Little River, thereby facilitating the rafting of the clamps brought down it. and remove ai'Pdan ger of loosing them, as is now frequently the case when they arrive atthemouth of the river. From the lock in this last dam to Jones' FallsUhe distance is five miles, whichlwi'l be the length of the pool. Upon these Falls the last dam will be erected it will be '9 feet high and 400 feet long. :. . . ' From the lock in this dam, of 9 feet lift, the boats will float into a fine navigation to FayetviUe.:' 15 miles. Some outlay will be fe7 quired in this-d istance to remove obstructions, ; wJiTch3 'pro vided lor in the" estimate.' " The fall from the foot of Hancock's dam to Fayetville is about 178" feet." The distance being about 100 miles. 1 r ' PLAN pF THE DAMS. The plan of the Dam's upon which the es timate is based, is what is termed a crib dam. It is formed by longitudinal timbers, well se cured to the 4 rock, connected by cross ties, with the down stream end of the ties kept at such an elevation above the upstream end as will give the proper up stream slope 21-2 feet .horizontal to 1 foot vertical. These tim bers will be of yellow pine properly hewed, and well tree nailed together, and the inter mediate spaces or cribs, well packed in with stone. Upon timbers running length ways of the dam aloDg the, face of the up stream slope, will be laid the sheeting of 3 inch yel low pine plank. -running up and down the slope, and well secured to these timbers by treenails. , -s!VJ-' v;. 1 PLAN OF THE LOCKS. . i The Locks will be a modification of the -Composite Lock" ; the Vails will be formed of well hewed yellow pine timbers laid length ways of the Lock, - 10 feet apart, connected by cross ties every 10 feet of their- length These cribs will be well packed - with .stone to she entire heigth of the Lock-walls.;.?.? : , These Lock vk wiil rest upon timbers eTcuuing'ti.ciy across the Lock, laid closer j together, and upon which a double flooring wui,De iaia to ine;extenmuine ick-k cnaiuucr, and the lining ot Ithe chamber will also be double. ij i j - The Locks vilj be 10' feet long in the chamber, by 18 m width and are calculated for, boats 100 feejt Kong and i2 feet draft and 30 to 40 tons burthen. !j 7 1 learn from vLn. Diblt that his steam boat- plying pheiNtSil River is 100 leet long by 17 feef Wid.i$j the bow to the extremity of te; pdilfe! j wheel, - which is placed in the usternlofte boat its draft 1 1 : i. : id i t fi:iThe depth prjiidefl tor in no case less thdh 3 ftfe bdat can be coftsifucted i t this estimate is J and no doubt a to draw less than theone named jfbpyei . These-brief qscripiioH of the locks and sare cdnsid rfed aill tlit is 'necessary at this time, to an hndersYahd ng of the charac- ter of the improvement contemplated. It is necessary to say that wheu the work is laid off for cosructionjrpodificatioris of the plan of improvment ab)fe presented may he found advisable, and in all probability may lead to some savfirig ri expense. After a carefijl l inestigition of all expen ses necessary tacComphsf this work, uposf the plan proposed, the itejnis for -which are presented in a Separated sheet, I find it a mounts to (Riclindmg;!en 'per cent ior contin gencies) $l85.jb00. j v-T I order thathe cpmrr iftee ma have a clear understanding of the importance of this firoposed improvement, of the interests not on y of the country thrciugh which it will pass, but of the Staffe sat large both social and commercial. I' will enileavfo! to point out some of the physical Ifeaturjes of the valley and of the country it ty ill. traverse. To do so, I will ask tfiem to qxaminje witn me ior a lew moments the mlap of the State of North Car to examinje with me tor a the dap of the State of North .- : 1 1 - n f olina ; and "beginning at Wilmington, the chief sea port of the State, fwe find the Cape bear River flijwingnthrpugb a broad and noble'valley. and step m b'efats. plying upon it for 100 miles'ab1bve,t4 Iatteville. Tnence by this proposed- imprdvpinent we find -still, the broad audlVich vhlle of the Cape Fear, pursuing a. North west j direction some 60 miles further. thrthe junction of the Haw with Deep river, an. :!thbnCe.by'he Valley of Deep river, which nov bears dujefwest. 40 miles iur the'r l npproaq u'n'g at Aid nearest point to w:thin 33 mile! of tlie ric!and fertile valley of the Yadkin,' flyr., j " 11 , The highly J)rodu'ftiveancs of the Capo Fear and Deep rivers throughout tlie whole extent of this ljjrpppsekl im'rjrovement are sus ceptible of an amount of surplus production, which it would; be. dimcult:to estimate, could the nroprietorsl! of ithem Jxvail themselves ot the easy and cheap jmode of conveyance to marKet wiucn yus .imyigayon wouia anqru. Upon l)eep Ue-r,!'!" miles above its conflu ence with the, Haw river, we hrst come upon the bituminoui f Coal depjosil,j whih extends on jDOtn sides ot in at: river ior some laraiies above, and mirmsjone vast coal; basin, as is clearlv iudicatdd by the openings which have been made upon the lailds.of Thomas Fa- nsn, on Ueorgt's e-rieK, on tne orancnes 01 Bbfiiilo Creek ibh the opposite- side of the river upon th? lands of Jplin Horton. where the boring has J been! Continued for some 20 feet Without finding the thickness of the bed, and also higheffupi near Or. Chalmer's plan tation in Moore: iCqUnty. ; ,''' ' This coal burns with 4 brilliant flame ; it is found from ,3 to; 5 feet below the surface, and is identical with the :far famed 1 bitumin ous coal of Alleghany County, Maryland, to transport which to her sep. coast, there has been exnended in the i?oiist ruction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Cajrial. $9,502,345. be- SldeS a new ISSUe OI uuuu icicuujr mnuc ui $1,700,000, making together, $11,202,315 tor codstractioh aIonelTo:' phis must be added the interest and loss upon the sale of bonds up to this timje!' JoH $4,458,970 ; this swells the amount toJS 1661.3 jg5- The Rcpoittrdm whi;h .the above is ex tracted, says-'-The prominent and main purpose of thegcfirihlas 4 work limiteii to the Valley of the PiOtomac, isi to lay open to the inhabitants of the Atlantic States, the miner al treasures of jjAlleghanyJcountryj particular ly its inexhaustible rainesff Coal and Iron." Novv gentlemen, this iitfmense outlay has been expended! tb; construct i a line of canal 185-4-10 milesJoh:g less han the distance to the Deep Rivihrnineral region by 14 miles, and when ,wake into dhsfderaUon the Uir iff of tolls neleisary to p the-interest: upon this large sumj&hd compajrb it with i that ne cessary to meet the interest upon the small expenditures njejeessary toj accomplish this im provement, is nof as :piin Ths the suii lit noon day thrjit you t canbjeompete Iwi th the MarylarM coails in any oft the Atlantic sea ports?' '""i'jf'l: ;t'v '' :: ' "" .'.' Hematite Iron ore, is aiso found upon the banks of the1 leep Rivef.S soap st6ne. and al so a substance! iyery' mucli resembling black lead;- , hrv 1 Without'de3iring to weary ' ydu gentlemen, I must carry you along with me, ither by water navigntJoni or if tlutt is impracticable, by a portage jCail Road, b'ver the country di viding the Deep dnd Ta(liin Rivers, .where we reach an immense and populous valley, rich in every priety! of agricultural wealth, which woula; be collected and transported upon the Yadiiihfto the Rail Road - and. if sectional boa iM, are usedJsuch as are in dai ly use upon line Canaj4 in Pennsylvania, they would, tihtilhkir freight, be transpor ts n vp r this' short nortagb Rail Road, and launched upohf Deep RiveV for tlie seaport of , It appears trf me the re an be no, doubt as to the profits cl this' imprbvement. That .it would rendere stock fof.the lower Cape Fear valuable iniust be ddmitted. 1 ; ;.. In conclusion. I would! iask what Atlantic Seaport woul p ha v e a mpe exte n aea conuu u- hicition with the mtenoE man v luuimnuu t Supposing 0e iiVadkin Vallev penetrated. and improved! jas i jam informed it can v be ; fiie "narrow"5 thus ior -transpprtationv ir'.4frhtt--'-'"would ior some itxJ ra .utfi ii I V" 1 fornvng 40O.ii)fgOf in not be surpassed by ny other irnprovement of th same length in the country. North Carolina would then, from the ptti docts of her own bosom, from her own inex haustible resources, assume, that position mong ihe Commercial SUites of the Atlantic Sttnhrtird tn which she has a legitimab! claim, and no longer witness the diversion of her products to the building up uf the Com mercial Cities in the1 States on her North and South ; but accumulating upon the wharves of Wilmington, they would be shipped where the laws of tiade might direct. . Respectfully suhmitted. WM, BEVERHANT THOMPSON. Civil Engineer. Raleigh. Dec. SISJS., I have carefully examined the notes find calculations upon which the "above estimate of the cost of the improvement of the Ci'ipe Fearind Deep Rivers was made,-and Jmve no aoubt that it ts lull and ample, withigbod management, under the direction of a'ebnipe tent Engineer, for tlie accomplishment of the objects contemplated, and I fully concur, in all the views and deductions contained in tlic above report. - , "' ..." WALTER GWYNN. Raleigh. Dec. 22d, IS IS. v t THK INAUGURAL. f ; We lay bofore out readers the Inaugural Address of G6v. Manly. We are sure the people will be pleased with the temper and tone of this excellent Address ; writen in a style worthy of the talents of the author, and in all respects suited to the character of the "rood old North State." f" INAUGURAL. Gentlemen of thitnate and v of the House of Commons: , - 1. -, . .. , In entering upon the duties of the hhrh station to which I have been called, I avail myself o!" ttio earliest opportunity to tender to you, and to our common constituents1, my thanks for the distinction conferred upon me ; and to express my own patri otic pride i!i being det med worthy of tilling the Chief Magistracy of my native State. ' I - - To be elevated to ihe highest office within their gift, by a people justly renowned for public virtue and social order, for uncompromising devotion o the Union, and an habitual respect for the suprema cy of the laws; to wear the mantle of jpuch Patri ots as Cr.swell, IVash, Burke, Johnston and Davie, might well satisfy ti loftier ambition than mine. J It will not be expected that so near the termination of your session, I will present to your consideration, any specifie scheme or policy. j The distinguished gentleman I am about to suc ceed, has discharged that duty with a zeal and abil ity that the most patriotic and gifted of his success ors in coming time will commend and admire. Whilst, then, I make no specific proposition for the future, I may be permitted, I trust, on this first day of the natural and political year, surrounded by the Executive, the Legislative and the Supreme Judicial Functionaries of the commonwealth: hav ing testified my devotion to the State by an appeal to the highest sanctions , of our religion, to bestow no thought upon the past. ' ; '! foThere isno heart so cold as not to consider It 'meet and proper at this time, in this placed and un der these circumstances, to acknowledge with devout gratitude the goodness of Gad, to thank'Tiim for the multiplied blessings conferred upon our,countiy, and earnestly: to supplicate a continuance, of His favors. : We have, .most truly, just cause to be thankful thankful for our country ,her climate and hersoil -thankful for her Institutions, and for the law-abi- ding hearts of our people frt . U ' Prominent among the events of the year that has just closed, is the gieat political' Revolution through which we have passed. 1 allude to it herein no spirit of vain glory and exultation at a Party tri umph. God forbid that on an occasion like this, our hearts should swell witn any othar emotion than love for pur country, our common country, our whole country. - In the formation of the Federal constitution, there was no subject of such anxious and painful consider ation as the arrangement of the Executive department. The elective' monarchies of the old world had proved the. most defective of all systems of government. Many virtuous and able Statesmen feared that any scheme by which the chief Executive Magistrate should be chosen at brhif intervals mnst produca universal tnmult and confusion, and prove eminently wanting in stability and security. ' Tlie most ardent and confident advocates of Re publican governments, regarded it as the pivot on which the success or failure of our great experiment in political science was to, turn. IS or did the suc cess which marked every stt pofsur Nation :il pro gress in its euly career, serve to dispel their gloomy apprehensions. , y , The illustrious' Chief, to whom was first commit ted the helm of State, can scarcely be regraded as having passod through the process of elections His great qualities and eminent services, had elevated him above all competition. He, and he only without compeer, was Vfiret in war, rir?t in peace, and first in i lie hearts ofhitj countryman." Tlie problem re mained to pe.splvcd, could our Institutions withstand the shock of popular elections, occurring at stated in tervals 7 'Would not the difficulties increase a? our population multiplied and our boundaries extended? With each successive Jtrial, the hopes of the friends of free government have grown tyighter'anfttr6nger. The History ; 6f the Severlth- or November. 1S4S, will, itis believed go far to settle this question. . ; -I That three millions of Freemen, the proprietors ofa3 many'milIion3 of square miles, between tne ris ing and the setting sun, should calmly and intelli gently rec6rd their verdict upon the great issues submitted to them, is a more stupendous miracle in political 'science, than even the w onderful agency in Physics, by which this verdict was transmitted in a like interval from the extremities to the heart of this extended Country. . Since the. world began, where but here in this glo rious Union, are peaceful Rerolutions witnessed 7 WTiilst other Nations are agitated anu conuisea, and the high places of power approacheu only throuirh the battle field, here alone do one set .01 itu- lers gve way to another without resistance; and the policy of to day quietly upturns inai ox yester day by the peaceful raagieof the baljot JJbx. Though all this mv have aroused the elements oi Party spirit, and excited the popular mindf by infcJtectual con flicts for the maery : though badges and banners proclaim the ardor of contending hosts ; in one short day, without tumult or bloodshed, the struggle is ended.- -. - ''' ' - ; . The next witnesses the cordial salutations, of the majority. ' What can better illust rate the consummate wisdom of our Institutions or, the benign -iaueqee of that spirit brtathed into them ty the foresight and patri otism of our ancestors 1 May this 'spirit be ever cherished and perpetuated by thevirtuous energy and intelligence of onir 'people.; ? Let it be remembered by tlia unsuctujutf 'al Party in the recent Presidential election, that the triumph of their opponents was the triumph 01 brethren and not of foes t and that a factious opposition rute will bring them in coniet wi:h that "findarnental and vital nHn, ir In of n rcit-iicaaisra,- an-attsoluW accwiesoenee in" the 'descuions of tSte -majuiity," , . And k-t. it. b& hnr-c ifi mind bv xt-: s-fiU P trty, fb.V- y$.'"i.. victors and the vanquished. AH is calm; ndthat civil spectacle exhibited, sublime and. inimitable, of and almost universal submission to the will of the it was a contest Air Principle and not for the paltry " rewards and trappings of office. That our political opponents are not to be regarded nt a conquered em my to be crushed beneath the net I of power but as countryman bound np fa the taim destiny with ourselves join inheritors id wnt r of comirt n govcrtunem4 co;artoers n tho Mmc rcat charter that guarantees justice and equal rights to all' in a word. Our PdUnr Vitiztn.' J i ' ; In the Jmiwtant- prerogative of Le?ll.itiort the Executive branch of our State Government isjwhot- ly exeWdtsJ. t, ! t .,... , b"X:-'- Our early history rxhibits on every5 tnjrct he clar i?t evidence that no Colony under the. d n inion of the Mother Country was mis'ovtmM anJnrcBd to an equal extent wiih Xonh Carolinn. lit ncer as . a natural nwwnenf, omi fotr e t :r tn.tita tions furnishes such marked proof of lb i-lously of Executive power. llie, Govt-rnor psew neither an initiatory nor veto authorily in legislation and the mere privilege of recommendation has txn as sumed and sanctioned by usage, . in imitation of lha course, under the Federal Constitution, raUttr than derived from any provisions in our own. ! I may be allowed, however, to remind yoar honor nble body, that the very object and purpose for which Our constituent have clothed you with the law-ma--ming power is,' that you will excrcistfit for thefrgood . for the improvement of their condition, Intellectu al and physical ; fori the developemcnt of stha ro sourctu of the State; the increase of her; revenue commensurare with the wants of the Treasury and the maintenance of the public credit; for perfecting " the systim of Education among the people, and ex te nding all prudent und practical htlp in aid of the agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial inter ests of our State. - j To stand till amidst the improvements w hich ag-, grandie and enrich our sister States, u to recede. -t To gaza, w iih wonder on thcnchelvementa of others and ignobly do nothing for, ourselves, w,ill surely In cur .the ruill of the .unprofitable! servant that buried his talent. ' . ' i The people of the State, generous and confiding. expect you to do something on these subjects, and II ... 1 L Jl" 1 I ' wm sustain your noncai enons. Let then, I pray,; you, the; mere stratagems', and , schemes of Party? be stifled by the vofce of patrio tism which is calling you to action and let the poin of emulation -be,, who' shall go farthest in that truo "progress? which improves, enriches and exalts a State. '''.;'' ' ' I ' ' To these sentiments, awakened by tho occasion which has brought us together, I have only to add, in conclusion, that with a firm reliance upon that Being" who is supreme over aJL'I assume, with htu miljty, the obligations. Imposed upon mo by the Con- stitution and the I.aws and in their falthuil us charge, according to the heat of my skill and ability, 1 will consult the best interest, the dignily and the honor of IS'orth Carolina. i 7 1 j Ft om Uie lV. O. Picayune. FROM TEXAS. Dreadful Pestilence in the 8th Reimkxt or Infantry. The following is an extract of a letter we received yesterday, from a friend dated ! ! Fort Lavaca, Dec. 24, 184S. A fearful and unheard of pestilence is in our mid.t; the blood almost curdless at the thought. In the last 43 hours eighty or ninety men, of the 8th Regiment of the U. S. Infantry, nave been buried. Last night, in the very centre of our village, there were forly or fifty dead, 'and now, as I' am writing, thre loads of dead bodies, drawn and distorted in ull manner of shapes, ore passing within ten feet of my door . Tho moi exaggerated descriptions of pluguej cholera or pestilence, could not equal the reality. In the twenty-lour hours ending this morning, husband and, wife, father and son, have breathed their last, in tho sanie bed, and the strong and well man, that followed the fcick to the. hospital, in six hours hag been cold and stiff in death. - , . fc ' . !' . ' The Regiment arrived hero scarce eight days ago. On the passage, little or ho sickness had occurcd. As the men landed, they were marched out some ono and a half miles, and encamj-sd to await transports-, tion. ' After remaining lom'o three days, a largo part of tlie Regiment was advanced some ten miles for the sake of wood and, watef.'The first cases occurred on the 19th and 20th, and Increased so rapidly, and ter minated so fatally, that the commanding officer ob tained some houses, and 'inarched the remainder of the Regiment, with the sick and dying, to our town. ' Last night, in one house, some forty or fifty cases terminated fatally ; and now, 10 W. m., forty unoufkd dead are piled In one small houBeV Panic is among the men, und alarum among the officers. - So far, tho citizens have escaped.. , j Dec. 26th, 8 r. m. In the last fortyWlght hours, about eighteen more deaths have occurred.' Since this morning, only four new cases reported. Citizens still exempt. ' . ; ' ' K.u'A j We have obtained 'the following informntlu.n from the (Quartermaster's department in this city. i'jgThe official advices received, report ihe distils at only 75, up to 4 p. m., on the 25th. Among which, t the only bificer was Second Lieut. James A. Dea ney, and Lieut. Hennes, as inentioned in theGid veston -Xctcs, of he 2nth. Lieut. Fikk had Uctl nt tacked, but had recovered. - The Regiment had marched from Port Lavaca,' leaving tho sick behind. The oflicers , and families were well..' : '.. r-.. :p.-'; ... Roston, Jan. 2, WJ. Death of a lVcalihy Man Cougrt ssional liltc- Uoi:. . .; Peter C. Hrooks, : he wealthiest Iand-holdtr In IV. England, and father-in-law of Edward Evrt tt, died ' last night. His fortune i is, estimated at between.' 7,U00,0tX) and $.,000,000. 4 , In'the special Congressional election held yester day, Daniel P. King, .Whig, was re-elected in tho 2nd District' and John G. paifrey, Free Soil, prob ably, in the 4th having gained in i-Jtvcn towns' ever th November election." - In the 5th Dis trict, Alien, Free Soil, is undoubtedly elected over Chas. ' Hudson, .Whig, the present mqmber-r I ho Democrats having voted the Free Soil ticket en ma- se. in tne ytn. j owicr. w mc. nas tx n elected. . A Novelty. 'A project has been started for bring ing the Saratoga wafers to New York city in da pipes! - NotiC'i has tecn given that an application will be made; to the Legislature for an act of incorpo -ration.,-;. Tho capital desired is $300,000; it Is propo- sed to mould tricks with semi-cylindrical groove in tfteir sides; and in these grooves to place a glas tub,' the space between thw glass and bricks being filled with cement. The cstimsted coat of the work is $1000 per mile, or 8180,000 in the aggregate. , , . The project seems somewhat fantastic, hut It may not prove so in the end. The object of it Is to sc-! cure to the city the benefit of the. mineral waters of Saratoga. .V. Y.CourUr. . ' . J&rcsalem. The tide of immigration Is, setting towards the holy city, and the number of itW Jewish population is rapidly increasing. The resident Rab bis have appealed to their brethren-in Europe for aid to enlarge extensively their synagogue Beth El, while soirx leading J e ws in Eaiope' seriously con templau the rebuilding the Temple at JtrusulemJ - .A Sleigh Hide across Scpenpion Bridce. 6h Christ rruis - morning last. Mr. Charles Ellcttjr? Jhe contractor of the Suspension Bridge at. Niagara Falls, together with Mr. GeorgQ.IIasilin. drove-across ihe bridge, in a cutter, and, returned on a round troll It would truly fipieArto be a perilous feat, thus to drive across that apparently frail struc ture ol ironr ivire feuspendec 230 ' feet above ihe boilihV streran, at a fapid- r.tte.j- JVe am informed by one of the tartic tliat he should have no hf dilation in sUrhirisr . acri viih a coach and Gour. the toj of their ipcetr. L 1 . I ii L i.Jtl - - 1 5;