Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-11-06
EDWARD CANTwELL, Sec'y.
Fol the Journal


Mr.. EDITOR With your permission,
will make few remarks upon a subject which
is now agtating the community of Whining
ton. | will make them short, and would beg
to premise that they are meant in the best spi-
rit, however they may be taken by the reader.
We are all anxious to see our Rail Road CON-
pleted to the South Carolina line. | am sure
there is no one more so than the writer; but
unfortunately difference of opinion about the
means, has arisen amongst our citizens. a
very respectable portion of them, who met in
public meeting at the Masonic Hall on Friday
last, have resolved to apply to the Legislature
for an act to empower the Commissioners OF
the town to borrow the sum of 100000, TO
be subscribed in the stock of the new Rail
Road, and to impose tax upon the real estate
and the polls, within the limits OF the town.
to pay the interest on this sum- Well now,
sir, there are others in the town OF Whining
ton who are equally interested in this matter,
who are strenuously opposed to this scheme,
and fear, from what can learn in the streets.
that good deal of ill-feeling is already en-
gendered on this subject, and that the conse.
quences of this rupture in public sentiment,
may be prejudicial to the whole Rail Road
scheme, if something is not done to heal the
breach. What can be done' Certainly moth.
ing, if men will not be reasonable Both par
ties are warm-and it is certain that both par
ties have an equal right to think and act in
the matter. Well, what is to be done! The
tax payers of the town of Wilmington are the
persons interested. They ought to decide the
business. But how are they to decide What
would both parties think of the following pro-
position. Suppose a committee of three intel.
ligent respectable citizens was deputed to take
the matter in hand, and make it their business
10 call upon each and every one of the tar
payers in town, and ascertain from them their
sentiments on this all-important question. Let
this committee be paid a fair compensation for
their services, and let them open two lists
one for those against taxation, and one for
those in favor of the scheme. Let them put
down the amount of taxes which each now
pays, and then let them add up these respec-
tive columns. In this way it could be ascer-
| tanned what the real state of public sentiment
is on the subject. Forif it be fact that there
are majority against the scheme, most assn.
redly the Legislature will not pass the act
And am certain that those who are opposed
to the measure will adopt every means in their
power to place the Legislature in possession
of the facts. Would it not be better to adjust
affairs at home, without carrying our quarrels
TO Raleigh | think it would Let those who
are for the measure take some steps to ascef-
tain whether majority of those who are most
deeply interested, are for the scheme. This.
think, would be fair, and think, under the
circumstances, it would be prudent Every
body knows that if the advocates of taxation
were 10 fail IN getting the Legislature to pass
the act, the consequence would only be to
create discussions without effecting any good,
Let some measures be taken to restore harmo'
ny on this all-important question.
| A CALM OBSERVER.