North Carolina Newspapers

tilt "tytttfa $arolii(3 TRI-WEEKLY AND WEEKLY BY ! : The Era Publishing Company. TCntet of Hulcriitioi i i Tiu-Wkekly-One year, in advance, ft 00 6 months, in advance, '1 00 3 months, in advance, ;1 00 1 month, in advance, 50 Wkkkly no year, in advance, $1 00 Six months, in advance, j 50 GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. p.. the ll-noTcMc the General AetMy of tie State of Xvrth Carolina : liy the Constitution of our State the Governor is required 'from time to time, to give to the General Assembly informa tion of the affairs of the State, and recom mend to their consideration such measures as he may deem expedient." . i Before proceeding to the discharge of this duty imposed by the Constitution, it is int ct and proper that in the name a.id in behalf oi the people of the State, I houM make due acknowledgements to the J Supreme Ruler of the Lnivcrse for the many blessings and privileges he has be itowed-upon us, and to invoke his con tinued guardianship over our State "and ! Natios. ' For the last six years, gentlemen wc have been struggling to repair and rebuild the fortunes of the State which were wasted and squandered in a most calamitous "t niggle with the General Government! It i w ill answer no good or useful purpose to j inter upon the causes which brought on this collision. Every one has his own opinion on this subject, and instead' of en deavoring to ojK-n afresh the bleeding wounds, or to revive the memories of the sad past, it behooves us all to throw the mantle of oblivion over our differences, and devote our energies to raising up our In-loved old commonwealth from the low estate into which, she has fallen to place her upon the proud eminence which :she occupied prior to"thc events inaugurated in lbOl, and brought to an end in 18C3, by th: triumph of the armies of the Federal Government. However niucli many of our wisest,and Wst men may have believed, they frere justified in resorting to hostile measures Vor the purpose of enforcing or defending rights which they deemed to be in jeo pardy yet it must now be apparent to every candid observer that the step 'was unwise in the extreme, bringing- upon our State nothing but calamity, and reducing many of her people to bankruptcy and ruin. With this sad experience coutinually U fore our eyes remembering the former grandeur of North Carolina the happiness! and prosperity of her people the jeace and good will which once reigned supreme in all her borders the mutual forbearance and respect her citizens entertained one lor another with all these memories crowding our minds, may we now resolve that here after, whenever it is consistent with? our honor and our good name ' to bear the ills we have, ratlin than fly to thofe that we know not of. t r DE1T AND FINANCES. The most important subject which twill demand your attention at this session is the debt and finances of the State. j The report of the Public Treasurer exhi bit the condition of the debt An analysis .f it will show that the debt consists of the following classes: First : "Old,1 or ante-war debt," including f333,045 held by the Hoard of Educa tion which is in the form of a certificate issued in lieu ol old bonds, S,7G1S245 Accrued interest, 1,538,313 $10,349,700 Second: Bonds issued since the war under acts pissed Wfore, in aid of Internal Improvements. Accrued interest, $3,015 000 I 542,700 j ' i $;l,557.700 j Third : Bonds issued since the war to fund accrued interest and past due bonds, viz: Under act of 1SGG, " 1SG, Accrued interest, $2,4 17,400 1,721,400 744,934 $4,8S:yr84 Fourth : Bond issued during the war lor Internal Im- s . ptovemcnt purposes, but ' not marketable, because ol j the time of issue, &c, viz: Bonds issued under act passed before the war, f 913,000 i . Ij ;nol under acts pass- ' ".si il urine the war, 215,000 Accrued interest, o83,oo0 $1, 511,530 Filth : Bonds issued under acts passed since the war for Internal improvement pur poses, not p?c iil tax, viz: Under ordinance of Conven- tion oi 1803 to Chatham ( Railroad Co., 1.200,000 To Williamston A: Tarl.oro - R ulroad Company, lo0,000 ! - $ 1,350,000 Accrued interest, 234,000 ?! 1 $1,51,000 Sixth: Special Tax Bonds, is- , sued under acts passed in 16 -G9, and since repealed - by act of S'h of March, 1870, Bond to Eastern Division of t- Western North Carolina Railroad Company, 2.o,000 Western Division of Western North Carolina, Railroad L.'moanv 6,-o,U0U Western Railroad Company, 1,320,000 Wilmington, Charlotte and Kotherlord Railyoad Com- Williamston & Tarboro Rail- 0,AnArt road Com pauy, ; o00,000 Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio Railroad Company, 147,000 $11,407,000 .1,475,670 Accrued interest. 12,832,670 Seventh: Bonds pronounced unnstitutinal by S 'preme Court, viz: . .. ' Bond Usued to Chatham Rail road Company,, now out ; standing, . J'SX Fcnitentiarv on Deep Hirer, 100,000 450,000 H'MMAnV OF DEBT. The principal of -the entire . debt is f.J,Wfu. The total amount oi accrued interest thereon to, October 1.1871, 4,937,419 4- Total amount of principal . and interest is $34,837,464 4. The only securities held by the State from which she derives any income, are the Vol. 1. $300,000 stock in the North Carolina Rail . Road Company, on which sjx per cent dividends have lately been realized which dividrnds, by a decreq of the Cir cuit Court of the United States, for the District of North Carolina, hufe leen sul jeeted to the payment of interest eluc on the bonds of the State issued to pay! for said stock. ' Commenting on the foregoing list, I re mark that the first class, consisting of the ante-war bond?, originally sold some over par, all averaging nearly par, the proceeds of which mainly built our rai roads, seem to be of the highest dignity. The second class, although issued under acts passed before the war, it is notorious Were sold at not more than fifty cents in specie, and not exceeding sixty-five or sixty-six cents jri currency, when tneir depreciation was heavy. It is believed that m ny realized less than fifty cents in specie. ; ; The bonds of the third clas ; are also of undisputed validity. In fact, many were exchanged for old or ante war bonds which had become due, or for thosej which hail become mutilated r scratched the resi-' due for coupons at par (without interest at maturity) which had become due main ly on the ante-war cfebt. . ' The fourth class the General Assembly has heretolore, except to a small amount, refused to recognize ; but it seems difficult to piove that they have not been valida ted in general terms by the ordinance of the Convention of 18G5-'GG, declaring all dphts bindincr on the State when not in curred in aid of the rebellion. But if rcc- ognized they should be scaled according to the rate of depreciation at'the date of issue, and of course they should not be rec ognized unless it shall be proved that their proceeds were applied to building our railroaels. v The fifth class stand on the same foot ing as the second, but they were sold prob ably, at a lower average price. The bonds of the sixth clasi were sold, nearly all of them, at ruinous rates many bringing only from; ten to thirty cents in currency ; .very many j were sold .under circumstances which ought to have put prudent men on their guurd sold in a reckless and gambling manner.so that it was plain to the most unwary, that the agent of the company to w hich they jivere issued was not actiug with fidelity to the inter ests of his principal besides inany were disposed of after the General Assembly, by the act of Januarjv 1870, g ive notice to the world thit they had ordered the return of said bonds, and that future salcsot them would be invalid and lastly a large number, according to a rcportj made by a committee of the House.of Representatives, were issued without tne certincate requireu, by law. . The seventh class, I am of opinion the State cannot recognize, but if she owns any property, purchased with the 'proceeds of these bonds, such property might be sur rendered to bona Jide purchasers of said bonds before their constitutionality was questioned further than this injuiy opinion . the General Assembly cannot go. In considering the important and most difficult problem of the public debt, the following questions present thepiselves: 1st. What is the actual imount lor which the State in equity and good con science is liable ? ! 2nd. This amount being ascertained, are the people of the State all to pay the annual interest on the same, regularly and'; promptly I 3d. If theoretically ahle, arc they in their present condition of poverty lind depres ; sion, trilling to submit to the sacrifices ".re quired i . J , i 4th. Supposing that the people are either not able or not icilling to pay th interest on ! the public debt for which they are justly j liable, what shall be done ? Shall we do nothing, or cneleavor to effect an honbra blc settlement with the public jefeditor ? With regard to the first question as to the actual amount for which the State is justly liable ; in my judgment (this cannot he ascertained without investigation by able financiers and business! men men trained to weigh evidence, and; of discern ment sufficient to detect fraud. . As to the second question I remark that the report of the Auditor shows that the people of the State are in such a state of depression that the total valuation of, real and personal property wilj' not exceed' .&.- frf fff ff Tlio Smnmncn liatlirnl resources of the State arc adm w j ' tted, and it properly developed, the taxation necessary to pay the interest, on a much would be a lieht burden. Tli larger debt The low valua- tion above stated shows that fift from this nrooertv is thc annual small. To pay this interest and support the Statend county governments, as well as to provide for the education oi our cnuuren, io &uj, nbthing of the payment of old debts owing by counties and towns, which jin many in stances is being enforced by the courts, will be such a large per ccntagc of the in come of our people, that I ani h reed, re luctantly to conclude, that tliey cannot bear the necessary taxation without being deprived of their property, and in some cases of even the necessaries of. life. If I am correct in supposing that the people cannot now shoulder thifc taxation,it is unnecessary to inquire into thjr third ques tion, as to their tciUingne to do so. Our people are generally honest. Repudiation directly is far from their thoughts. Any such action will be in the last degree pain lul and revolting to them. Their evident unw illingness at this time, arises from their belief that they arc unable to pay. Whether ri'dit or wrong" in this opinion,they are hon estly determined, I think, on tliis question. If I am correct in judging the public mind, then the public creditor has no means of enforcing the satisfaction of fiis debt by law. The State cannot be sued by him;j but even if it were otherwise, all legal pro4 cess against large communities; unanimous in resisting, would be vain. The cxperi-j ence of creditors of single counties in the? North-west and elsewhere, shovs that it i difficult and costly to recover satisfaction out of a tingle county in a State. If all the eountiet are in the samej mind, and threatened with the same exactions, suchJ recovery will be utterly impracticable. Officers could not be found to .enforce-the process of the courts, and even f enforced, the recovery would be valueless. Not only in America, but in despotic countries,, the tettled vill of the people will always prevail against .the theories and technical ities of law, however supported by prece dentjust as in the late war we found the courts always deciding staydaws to, be unconstitutional, yet the people, through the Legislature, in defiance of i the courts, managed to stay-the collection; of debts. ; The only remedy which the public credr itor can possibly make available, as to the lpralitv of wliicn i. express ; UUj UF1U,UUI " thP enforcement, through j thd courts, of . ; j ; - : RALEIGH, N. C, the. provisions of such charters of the vari ous Railroad Companies in which the State owns stock as subject the stock held by the State, and all dividends thereon to the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds issued for the benefit of such fnm naniw Tn tlitpaui of thr Tnrtli fiiiro- lina Railroad Company, the Circuit Couit j North Carolina, has already decided to siiliifvf tlio fit vidnnda drrl.irrd bv the Company on the stock belonging to the j J?tate, to tne payment - oi interest on me r bonds oi the state issued lor tne oeneut oi that corporation. It is said to ba in con templation to ask the court to order a sale of stock held by the State sufficient to re imburse to the bondholders the divielends heretofore paid into the Public Treasury, j I respectfully suggest to the General As j sembly whether it is not proper to order a sale of all the stocks owned by the State, to be paid for in the securities for which such stocks were originally pledged. Such a course would reduce the debt of the State to, a large extent and seems to be demanded by the terms of the contract with the public creditor. The last question is, what shall be done with the public debt, supposing that the State cannot,or will not, pay the interest now, and will not give any assurance of paying the same within a reasonable time ? Several schemes are suggested in this re gard. Borne say, "Let matters remain as they are -make no provision for paying interest make no effort for a reasonable settlement pass no act of partial repudia tion let the future take care of itself." If this plan be adopted, certainly interest will accumulate so rapidly that the very' magnitude of the debt will leatl to total repudiation eventually. I think this plan neither honest, nor manly, nor wise. Another plan is to pay two per cent. in terest the first year on the whjlc debt alter the just amiti ue amount snjall have been ascertained ; three per cent.he next year; four per cent, the third year; five per cent, in 1875 and so on in regular progres sion, so 'as to make an average of six per cent, in the whole. Such a scheme was adopted in Missouri since the war. This p!an could not be successful or expedient, except in a State rapidly increasing in population and wealth. The annual pay ments would soon become so large that they would be intolerable, unless the taxa ble" property should correspondingly in crease. It is also liable to the objections that it is complicated and cumbrous, and that it is a mere ipeculatlm on the suppos ed events of the future. A third plan is to assure the , public creditor that the State is at present una ble to pay interest on its debt that it acknowledges the binding force of the debt that it desires to fulfil all its just obligations, and will do so at the earliest time possible; but that it is a matter of uncertainty when that time will arrive. The people can pay something at present, possibly, they may "be. able to pay a larger proportion hereafter whether they can or not is one of the uncertainties of the future. Hence according to this plan we may ofijer the following proposition : Let the State create a new debt, issue new bonds bear ing three per cent, interest, payable in spe cie, wth a tax imposed in the act, suffi cient to raise funds to pay such interest - then make it optional with the bond holders to exchange their old bonds for the new issue or await the chances of such improvement in the condition of the State ns will secure to them nayment of their full. I su?crest. without mak-4- ing any recommendation either pro or con, that it might be provided that in lieu of $1,000 bonds bearing three per cent, in terest, 500 bonds bearing six percent, in terest might be given in exchange for each .$1,000 bond held by him. In m opinion the people can bear the burden of such a settlement, and those bondholders who do not think they have a specific lien on valuable stocks owned by the State (e. g., those of the North Car olina Railroad Company,)would be willing to accept one proposal r the other. Ot course it will be entirely optional with the creditor whethor he will accept either proposition, or await future developments. By pursuing thi3 course the General As sembly would merely acknowledged frankly a palpable truth ; they would ofler the best, which in the judgment of many the people rtin do at present, and they would refrain from a repudiation of their contracts. - s But whichsoever course the General Assembly may sec fit to adopt. I think it absolutely essential that a commission shall be constituted, in whom the public have confidence, to ascertain and report all facts connected with the public debt, so that some definite conclusion may be reached reached by the Legislature as to the tiue, legal, equitable liabilities of the State. This commission should likewise ascertain from the creditor their views as to what final and honorable settlement can be made of their claims. Considering the enormous .losses of the State, in able bodied men slain or disabled in the sudden overturn ing of the system of labor in the destruc tion of. property in the insolvency of all its banks, and the loss of their circulating medium in the ruin of crops by various causes in the want of good faith of some ot her agents, and in fine in the countless losses and disasters of a people conquered after a long and desperate war, the credi tors ought to be reasonable and willing to rnmnrnmise: and certainly it is not un- manlv in our people frankly to confess the j facts ot their conamon uie, icsuus i men fruitless struggle. The above observations are made, be cause I feel painfully anxious on account of the condition t f our public debt. Re pudiation of our contracts in any shape, w ould leave such a stain on our conscience and our honor, would bring such disgrace and, directly and indirectly, inflict such an injury on our people, collectively and in dividually, that I have felt it ray duty to state all the difficulties of the financial situation with the utmost frankness in order to show the necessity for prompt action. Let us ascertain the full extent of our obligations, and then manfully address ourselves to the task of fulfilling them in the most practicable manner which will commend itself to the wisdom, and good sense, and integrity of the people of the State. If the General Assembly shall sec fit to authorize the appointment of a com mission as above suggested, .it may be advisable to defer maturing any financial plan until their report shall be presented and perhaps by that time such renewed " prosperity may, in the Providence of God, be vouchsafed to us as will demonstrate our ability to meet all just demands, and infuse into our people the disposition to bring back to North Carolina her ancient, prond financial reputation. ii i V amp Vj VJ -vj vJ J I THURSDAY, -NOVEMBER 30, 1871. COXDITIOX OF SOCIETT. It is a matter of unfeigned regret to. me, to feel obliged to call the attention of the General Assembly to the disorganized con dition of Society' in our State. I shall not consume your time by entering into a ile-j tailed statement ot the extravagances andj crimes which have been committed in; various localities within our borders. They are fresh in the recollection of all. Their commission has brought reproach upon -ur people, and the material interests oil the Srate have been most seriously and injuriously affected by them. The tide of immigration, vf hich at one time seemed to be setting towards eur shores has been driven back, and thousands of persons with millions of capital, have been deterred from settling among us by the tales of hor ror which have reached their ears, as oc curring almost daily in some portions of the State. ; S ; It behooves you, gen tlemen,jp take this matter into your serious consideration, and to devise measures and enact such salutary lyvs as will restore peace and good feeling abiong our people, and deter evil disposed ''persons from taking the law into their own hands and becoming the executioners of unauthorized judgments. Until this be done, and the civil law is made to reign supreme in the State, and its ministers are respected, and their hands upheld and strengthened, there will be no peace, pros-; perity or real happiness among our people. What greater good then can you accoriT plish than to strive by wise and prudent legislation, divesting yourselves of all party prejudices, to put tlown and utterly ex- terminate all unlawful combinations, by visiting upon offenders such a measure and such a certainty of punishment as will deter them from, further prosecuting their; ; nefarious purposes, and give to the law abiding class of our people assurances of protection in the enjoyment of their lives, liberties and rights, both of person and -property? Do this, and in a very short time immigration will begin to flow to our State, our waste places will be built up, our soil will groan with the rich products of the earth, our deserts will be converted into gardens, and our whole people will dwell together in such unity as becomes al civilized and christian community. EDUCATION. : j I desire, gentlemen, in an especial mun-j ner to call your attention to the educa tional interests of our State. No people can be prosperous or happy who are bound in the chains of ignorance, and who have, not facilities for bursting asunder the fet j ters which dwarf their minds and cripple, all the nobler faculties of their nature. It may be said that Nonh .Carolina is too poor to do more than she is now doing for the cause of education. It may be impru; dental this time to place additional burj dens on the people in behalf of ourUniyeri sity, or any ot the colleges or high schools in our midst. But we are far behind the, people in the cause of common schools. j It is much better that all shall receive the: rudiments of a good English education, be taught to read fluently, write legibly and understand the use of figures, than that a few shall be educated in the high-j cr branches of polite literature, and im-j bued with a knowledge of the dead lan j guages, and made proficients in the higher branches of art and science. . The one is absolutely needed to make our men and women good and useful citizens, while the other may be dispensed with until a new era of prosperity shall dawn upon us, and enabla us to rebuild and rehabilitate the University, and establish throughout our borders colleges and schools of high grade nnrl character. Go to work then, gen Vtie- men, and resolve that every child in the State shall be taught to read and write f that those who are not able to educate themselves shall be educated by the State that in the next decade every person be tween the ages of ten and twenty-one years who is ot sound mind, shall be able to read the word of God and the Constitu tion and laws of the country. Fear not to levy tribute for this glorious cause. It will be like bread cast upon the waters "thou shalt find it after many days." THE UNIVERSITY. j With regard to the University of the State, a principal obstruction to its suc cess is its pecuniary embarrasments, for 'which," as far as I can judge, the present board of trustees are in no wise responsible.- The principal debt amounting to about sjxty thousand dollars was incurred and a mortgage made to secure the same, before they came into office. In 1868 the patronage of the Institution had been re duced to less than one hundred students! Prior to this time, however, the chief portion of its endowments had been lost bv unfortunate investments. Until the In: stitution is relieved from debt, and its property from incumbrance, there can be but little hope of its success or usefulness.. In my opinion an honest and faithful ef fort was made to lilt the University from the condition In which it was found at the close of thelate war. This met with little or no favor from the class of persons by whom it was crushed. They have not aided the officers in their efforts to build it up. Public opinion has been moulded against it by the most unscrupulous mis representations, and by violent appeals through a partizan press. Those who would have patronized it were threatened with social ostracism. The young were deterred from entering its halls, and parents very naturally hesitated to compel the attendance of their sons, and now the cause of failure is imputed by some to the Trustees and Faculty. The remoteness of Chapel Hill from the railroad is believed by many to be in the way of its prosperity. It is more difficult of access than any other colleges ; but this is a matter of minor im portance. N - The foregoing are some of the difficult tics -with which the University has had to contend. Just prior to the late election a spirited controversy began in some of the religious newspapers, in which it was pro posed to abolish the University. This, I imagine, was in view of the calling of a Convention. . Those who have since pur- . sued the controversy seem to have done so without adverting to the change in the situation. The Constitution of the State not only contemplates the continuance of the Uni versity, but actually prescribes rules for its management The corporation cannot be dissolved while the present Constitution stands. It has been suggested that the Trustees should sell so much of the prop erty as is situated at Chapel Hill and pur chase a more eligible location elsewhere. From such a sale, at this time, the trustees would probably not realize half the actual value of the property, and it could result in no more, if as much as the bare payment of the debts, and leave the Board without the means of future operations. I cannot : believe that such a proposition will meet with any favor in any quarter at the pres ' sent time. Under all these c;rcumstances I recommend the legislature to adopt such measures as in its wisdom will secure the interests of the State from a great loss, and prevent the property of the University from a forced sale for the payment of debts. Then close the doors ot the institution until more prosperous times. In the meantime give to the Superintendent of Public In struction power and authority to take all the property into his possession, and make such a disposition of it by lease from year to year, as to him, shall seem most condu" cive to the interests of the University and the State requiring from the lessee a bond with ample security for the safe keeping and good care of said property and also for the annual payment of the rents until the expiration of the lease. SUFFRAGE. ( The greatest bulwark of, civil liberty, and the one best calculated to promote an tf make perpetual the freedom: of the citizen, is the right of suffrage. The sov ereign people are the rightful custodians of power in all well regulated governments. Upon them fall all the burdens of keeping the machinery of State in running order They furnish" the means to build up jour schools and colleges ; to make your Rail roads, and canals ; to erect your asylums and charitable institutions; to sustain your ministers of law ; to repress domestic vio lence and to defend our country against, invasion from a foreign foe. For these services they ask nothing in return but the right to choose their agents of govern ment and their representative in the na tion and State, and the enactment of such laws as will protect them in the enjoy ment of all the rights and privileges ac corded to them by tho Constitution and laws of their common country. While the people have the privilege to select their own law makers, without let or hindrance; while they feel free to march up to the bal lot box and vote according to the dictates of their own better judgments; while they have ample and unrestricted opportunities to exercise this inestimable right, there need be no fear for the perpetuity of our republic. Then, gentlemen, it is your im perative duty to make the ballot box as accessible to the. people as it is possible to make it. Throw no obstructions in the wav of a free ballot to those who are en titled to vote. Let the poorest and hum .. .. -. . . . - ."I . A I 1 it 1 I blest individual in our estate ieei mat ne ' is as welcome at the polls as is the richest and mightiest; man in the land. Cause him to .feel that if he is made to bear the hvit nrirl hnrdpn of the dav in time of dnncror'. when the sons of our soil arecalled upon to defend our fierhts on the battle field, so in time of peace he is welcome to all the immunities, privileges and fran r.liisfa which his valor secured. I there- ' f'orft warn vou not to olace the ballot box beyond the reach of any of our people who are rightfully entitled to approach :it Throw no troublesome obstacles in their way give them no iust cause to complain of oppression, injustice or a witnueiaing nf .iTiv of their rierhts. but aid and en courage them in all' their efforts to dis charge their duties as becomes free men. In order to accomplish this end T think it nececsarv to amend the law now in force, so that the elector may have the right to deposit Lis ballot at any election precinct in uis county. mere is no gouu reason why he shall be restricted to the township in which he resides. It often happens under our present system. that a voter is forced to travel a much greater distancd to reach a polling place in his own townshijp than he would be to one in an adjoining township. I am also of opinion that registration ought not to be allowed on the day of election, and that no voter should be challenged except at the time of registration, and it should be made the sworn djity of every registrar to challenge every mm who applies to be enrolled as a voter unless he knows of his own knowledge that he is legally entitled to be I enrolled. Many persons have been prevented from exercising the riht of suffrage by reason of evil minded per sons challenging their right on frivolous grounds; so as to consume the time within which the polls are to be kept open. This evil shotild be remedied, and I know of no other way in which it can be done,unless it be by extending the time of voting throughout two days instead of one. The law should also provide that a voter may deposit 4ll his ballots in the same box, in stead ofiequiricg a multiplicity of boxes to receive the various ballots for the differ ent officers to be voted for. It is a notori ous and lamentable fact that a large num ber of the electors in North Carolina, of both colors.are uneducated and not able to read, and under the present system of vo ting where persons are required to vote by ballot, and to have a separate ballot for every person voted for, many of the tickets necessarily find their way into the wrong .box and are discarded as blanks, and thus the voter is by law cheated out of his choice. I take it for granted: that every law maker is not only willing, but desirous that every man entitled to vote shall exer cise the privilege, and shall have every fa cility for exercising it, and that it will be the aim of this General Assembly to amend the law upon this subject, so that the evils and difficulties above enumerated may be remedied and avoided. It may be said that frauds will be perpetrated more read ily if persons are permitted to vote in townships other than the ones in which they reside. In reply to this objection it is only necessary to refer to the former method of voting in Norh Carolina, under which there were ew frauds perpetrated, and seldom a complaint made. And now with the additional safe guard of registra tion, it will be almost impossible for any one not qualified to avoid detection in an attempt to vote illegally. If, however, any rmo ciinll sneered in eluding the vigilance of the poll-holders, and vote when he has , no legal right to do so, men let me sever est penalties of the law be visited upon the offender, and in order to deter every one from the commission of this offence, I rec ommend the General Assembly to subject any one convicted of casting an illegal vote wilfully and knowingly at any elec tion, to a punishment for at least two years in the State's prison, and a deprivation of the right of suffrage for a term of years thereafter. The purity and inviolability of the ballot box must be preserved, and he who is so corrupt as wilfully to invade and prostitute it, should be made to know that he will be held to a strict and fearful ac countability. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. The subject of amending the Constitu tion has been agitated for some time before the people, and many well informed per- No. 26. sons differ among themselves as to what amendments shall or; ought to be made. I am free to confess, gentlemen, that I feel a very great reluctance to make any re commendations to you upon the subject, although my individual opinion is that the instrument may be very materially im proved in some of its provisions. The question of calling a Convention for the purpose of revising and amending it has recently been before the people tbemsclve?, and by a large vote and in an emphatic manner, they declared against amending it, at least in that way: it may be that they believe the clamor raised for a change of the organic law was due m6re to legis lation under the Constitution than to any defects in the Constitution itself, and that the greater portion of the grievances-complained of might and : should be removed of remedied by wise and prudent legisla tion. . In-this opinion! heartily concur. The Constitution is not to blame for the high salaries and fees paid to various State and county officers; neither is it censura ble for the great length of time consumed by the present and preceding General As sembly in enacting laws; nor can it be held responsible for the extravagant ap propriations made for Railroads and other works of improvement. There isnothing in said instrument , which 'fixes salaries and fees, or prescribes the length of your sessions, or winch directs the lavish appro priations of money-all this is done by persons chosen by the people themselves to be their iaw-maKers, anu upon mesc , law-makers who have been faithless to the trusts confided to .them and not upon the Constitution should be visited the con demnation of their constituents. They are the parties to be held responsible for a betrayal of the people's confidence. Un faithful stewards whoi have not improved the talents committed to their keeping, they should be reckoned as unprofitable' servants and no longer worthy of public confidence. Then I entreat you to retrace any false step which may have been taken ; be diligent in the discharge of your legis lative duties -.waste no time in useless legislation ; go to work without unnecessa-0 ry delay; enter at once upon the public business ; and bring your labors to a close at the earliest possible! -moment consistent with the public good. I recommend the following amendments to the Constitution : First. Let section of Article II; Le so amended that the General Assembly shall meet biennially on the third Monday in November, instead of annually, and that it shall not remain in; session lor a longer time-than seventy days, unless the, seven tieth day occurs on Saturday or Sunday, and in that case, it may be prolonged to the seventy ..first or seventy-second day ; and further, that if it remain in session a longer time, the members shall receive no pay after the seventy-second day. ! ! Second. Let the 5th section of the same nrticlH be so amended as to abolish the- provision .for taking a census of the . t a State in i7;,:ana every ren years; ineic ntfr ' I ' Third. Let the :12th section of Article IV. be so amended as that a Court shall be held in each county, three times during each year, to continue one week, unless the business shall be sooner disposed of. THrth T.fit. the 4th section ot Article V, be expunged from, the Constitution, as it, in my opinion, J3 unnecessary, anu is only a bone oi contention ior politicians 10 wr'jinorlp. over. i : - Fifth. Let the 10th section of Article XI, be so amended as that those who are so poor as to be unable to' provide for 1"1 .Ail - themselves snail ue provmeu ior ai me e. pense of the State. j In mv opinion, the neoole will be con tent with the present Constitution, if amended in the particulars aDove reierreu to, and I feel by no means confident that they desire all the amendments which I have enumerated. Jacn amenumeni pro posed should be separately submitted to the people for. their ratification or re jection, j SWAMP LANDS. " f " The Board of Education still has control of a large body of swamp lands, which it is desirable to utilize as early as practica ble. These lands have been for a genera tion practically, withdrawn from market, and from settlement ; and although portions of them are undoubtedly of great fertility, they have remained I under the policy - - ' . 1 . . , 1 hitherto pursued, not oniy entirely value less as a source of revenue for purposes of education, but a constant source of trouble and expense-to the Board. It seems better to realize even a small! part of what they are actually worth, than to continue longer a policy which has been demonstrated to be an expensive' failure. For in the first place, the cause of Education can never be in oreatcr need than now, of the funds which might be derived from their sale, and in the second place, it is more than probable that the amount which might be realized "from them now would, if simply placed at interest, exceed any sum they will' probably b-ing hereafter, (just ajs the quarter of a million of dollars which has already been expended on them, would by this time have amounted to a much larger sum- than we shall ever be able to real ize from them ;) and in the third place, is to be considered the indirect benefit to the State both economically and educa tionally, of the development of an immense amount of taxable values from the imme diate utilization of such vast quantities of timber and of farming lands. It is plain that these lands can never be disposed of in small parcels to individual farmers, be cause they5 can only le drained successfully in large bodies, and if the Board had at command a fund sufficient to drain them, the advisability of the policy would be more than doubtful; first from the disas trous experience already so expensively acquired, and second from the reason of the thing, as it would necessitate the em ployment of a corppf surveyors and en gineers and contractors for many years at the expense of a million or more of money, and then the establishment of a land office or agency or other cumbrous apparatus, for the successful w ielding of which the Board is manifestly not properly organiz ed or in any way qualified. So that the only course left seems to ie to dispose ot these lands in large bodies as fast as pur chaiers can be found who will pay a rea sonable price and who will enter into obli gations to settle upon and develop them. I GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. The progress of the" geological surrey with its principal operations and results will be presented to you in the report of the State Geologist, shortly to be submit ted. The wisdom of the Legislature in establishing and sustaining this important work is abundantly justified by the results already manifested ,in the increasing in terest both of our own people and of others, in the varied resources of the State j jn its I? nte of uVlverlisinc:i One square, one time, - I - - fl . - two times, -J - j - i vo " 44 three times, - - j - 2 no A square is tho width ofa column, and lj inches deep. t jirS" Contract Advertisements' taken at proportionately low rates. j . : Professional Cards not exceeding squ;n ' will be published one year for 12. , ! ! minerals, soils, marls, ticaita and forests. , T , i a - . - - aod in the movements already inaugurated for the development of these intenu The attention of capitalist and manr.fu' turers has been effectively attracted to Hit superior quality and immense quantity ! our iron ores, in which laro investment- have recently been made TVith a view t their development on a large and perm -nent scale, aDd at the same lime operation have been resumed in the coal deposits Deep and Dan Rivers, and1 there-open in: ot a number of copper mines ; and the' works now for the first time imdcrtakm, indicate a better prospect than ever c forcof the profitable and permanent work ing of all the best mines of this mcUl in the State, and there arc evident indica tions of increasing activity in other c tions. I'- ! . - irec- But the naramount importance of the 4 , j survey, is perhaps most conspicuous in Us. bearings upon the improvement of our agricultural interests, and its obvious and and essential instrumentality in the esta'r-. lishmcnt of this leading industry upon a -a i i . 1 ' a I I r ! belter and more scicntnic oasi?, uirougn the diffusion of a knowledge oi tlie t U:ili ties and adaptation of our; various and climates, and of the means methods of fertilization. 1 soil-, an I You will find in the growing collection of the State Museum the pjalpablc and im- i . pressive exposition of the utilitv and pro- j gress of this department; jand for the zeal . ; and untiring energy and Industry of! Pro- ; fessor Kerr, our State Gedlogist, I desire, .1 as it is both my pleasure land duty to do, j to commend him to the favorable cdnsid- t; eration of your honorable body. IMMIGRATION. j The State of North Carolina has such ! superior advantages, in point ofgeopraph ical location ; in climate and soil; in the variety! of its products; in its freedom from the extreme rigors of the North and from the enervating heat pf tho South ; ex tending more tban fivehundred miles from the sea shore and nearly two hundred miipci in -width: embracing nearly every l variety of soil and production as to ren- der her one oi tuc.nrosc inviting ueius jui immigration, that can be presented to those who are in search of permanent homes for themselves and their posterity. All these beneficent gifts of Providence' are offered, to those who (may settle within our borders ; and no peoiplc under tho suu are more blest with every requisite to make a great and prosperous State than j arc the people oi JNortu jarouna. Our mineral wealth'is only equalled In cur agricultural products. The coal and iron ofthe Deep and Dan rivers, capable ot affording profitable- employment tso thousands of operatives', do not exceed in richness the gold,, the copper, the silver, the lead, and marble to be found in our more "Western territory. Lime! and nuil also abound in various counties of the; State, both East and West. Shall we neg lect or (discard the means of utilizing what is placed within our reach or shall we de vote our energies to realize for .ourselves and our children a name t and a j rank among the foremost and niost prosperous States of this great Union? j Let not those who anfc to come after us say j that "oiir fathers jhad oppvirtunities j to secure k)r themselves and for us some of the wealth, and populatien and advantages which en rich the fair fields of the great northwestern States but failed to avail themselves of them. That teeming thousands might have been enticed to our State in the years that are past, but no vigorous or well-directed effort was made by our an cestors to induce them (to come and now they are lost to us forever." Let not these things be said of us; bujt let us resolve to develop the boundless resources of out State and make North Carolina a bril liant gem in the galaxy f the great States which compose our glo ioui Union.! What: we most neeoj is capital.: '.our -condition will for a long time remain as it' j is, unless-we send words bf encouragement, cordial tin their widest sense, to thoc abroad, knd invite them jto come, assuring them tliat we wish thei to make their homes in our midst that our laws shall protect them, and that no invidious dis Unction Jehall be made jto their social or political! prejudice. , i . The Northern and Northwestern States are straining every nerve jand making every exertion! to allure to th.-ir borJers every immiirant who comes to tne unucu mates. The most tempting ouei . B arc made to in- dncft them to make thein homes in the fur West. Free gifts of land, arid free f ran portation are constant y tempting 1 - masses to follow in the vrake of those wh ' -, i .i tin... :.. i r. have preceded them and the result h that thousands of good men sire flocking to ! those States while very fjew comparatively speaking are, taKing up their abolde" in i North Carolina. J At the last session oli the General As- Romblv the office of Con missioner of Im- mioTAtion was established , and a gentleman well qualified for the position was ele( ted to till it. is he re His duties we c not defined, imi. luired to make a renort 1 hi nr.rntinm T have learned that hi clloils to induce immigration Jto our State, co;i sideringthe small mcau4 at his command, have met with considerable success. Under the act of Assembly, assistant commission ers have bcen appointed in England, Scot land, France and Gem: any, by means of whom aj foundation ha? been laid j upon whicll to build up gotd results for our State. The Commissioner, with the aid which he has received jfrom his assistant Commissioner in England, has succeeded in establishing a linelof sfeameisi from Liverpool to Norfolk, wjhere an office has been established to receive and forward immigrants coming to pur State.: I would respectfully suggest that the duties of the Commissioner be more par ticularly defined, and that he be allowed a reasonable compensation for bis services. Whatever legislation upon this important subject you may, in your wisdom, jdecm necessary to increase the prosperity and develop the resources of the State, it ! will be my pleasure to see fiithfully excejuted. THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIKTV. I desire to call your attention lo the de velopment of the'Agrictjltural, Mechanical and other industrial interests of the State, especially to the Agricultural, as the foun dation of all the wealth and prosperity of ourlandj should your protecting care be directed. To effect tlm great object the North Carolina Agricultural Society, and all of the societies of a similar nature, should be encouraged an'd fostered in every practicable manner. Certainly the most beneficial results are attained by collect ing at tho Annual Fairs specimens of the industry and wealth of levery scctiofi, and exhibitions of the mosit improved imple ments and machinery, j Our people can thus become acquainteclwith the processes