Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-12-05
From the Norfolk Herald, 9th ult.
Opening of the Scaboard and Roanoke Railroad
tn

to the latter terminus AS it was first trip DR..
Collins, the worthy President of the s. & R. Rail-
road Company, determined to give some ecat to it !;
and accordingly gave special invitation to the au-
liberties of the two towns and general invitation to
all besides who disposed to so, or who might be
| so fortunate as to find in the cars. He also
gave notice to the President and Directors OF the
Wilmington Company of his invitation, and requested
their company with all the friends they could
ter. to meet the company from Portsmouth.
The cars left Portsmouth at 81 o'clock in the morn
ing. crowded to with passengers and reached
Weldon in 81 hours. running tme-disance 80 miles.
TIE train from Wilmington had already arrived
with large number of passengers, from that city
and its neighborhood. who. minglng with their
friends from Virginia, cordial welcome was reel
procated and fluctuations were mutually passed on
the joyous occasion of opening this new commercial
and social medium of communication between their
two States.
Among the visitors by the Wilmington cars were
Hon. Romulus NJ Saunders and VIM. s. Ashe, Esq.
/ A company as large the dining room in the Ho-
tel could accommodate, sat down to bounteous din
Der provided by the hospitable citizens Of Weldon,
and served up in excellent style--for which their
long ride and bracing atmosphere had prepared
their appetites, and to which they did full justice.
After dinner the generous wine and circlng glass
went round. and many excellent toasts appropriate
to the OCCASION and breathing most harmonious
spirit, drunk and in some instances elected elo-
quent and well-timed responses.
toast was given by President Collins of the S. &
R. Company, complimentng Gen. Saunders for the
/ warm an able iy0cacy which he had excited with
our citizens in his late visit Norfolk and to which
he ascribed happy influence in reconcing differ
ences between two sister communities, and in lead
ing to the browning action Of the Councils of our
City, full of glorious promise to both. 10 which
Gen Saunders replied at some length in a speech
full of patriotic sentiments and enlarged views of in
ternal improvement, from which, if entered upon
with spirit and carried out extensively the sister
States of Virginia and North Carolina were bound to
secure for themselves all the elements of CONNER
cial prosperity, power and greatness. He spoke as
North Caronan but he was not insensible to the
fact that to great extent her interest identl
cal with that of Virginia He anxious to secure
as many advantages possible for Wilmington. but
there was large and fertile portion of his State
which must look to Norfolk and Portsmouth for a
market-and with that market were all his sympa-
thies and he could also venture to assert also
those of that portion of the State with which it
brought in communication by means of the Seaboard
& Roanoke Railroad. Gen S. was enthusiastically
cheered during his address. Mr. Ashe, of the Will
mington district, also addressed the company in 6
very able and appropriate manner.
The party left Weldon in the evening, accompa
MED by their North Carolina friends from Whining
ton (fling three cars, and returned to Portsmouth
about o'clock
t From the Lafayette Qa.) Statesman, Nov. 8.
What has President Fillmore Done:
The official term of the present administration ha
nearly expired. The people will be called up
on again to choose a chief executive of the nation
We must therefore inquire what has the leader C
the party in power done to sgnalize his executiv
career
| We can point with peculiar pride, if not with ex
ultaton, to the results of democratic rule. Eacl
democratic presidential term for the last twelve year
is marked by events which make eras in our politi
cal history. The country during Jacksons, Van Blu
ren's and Folks administration, made eXtraordnar
t advancement in wealth, power and political consd
r Grafton amongst the nations OF the world The lo
cal policy of these administrations was also marke
by important measures, whose influence will be fel
in future years. Under Gen. Jackson, banks cease
20 be omnipotent and arstocratic corporations fell
TO rise to Cypress the people with their for
mer tyrannic power. High protective tariffs dlsaF
peared and freedom of trade ushered in throug
c the instrumentality Of Van Buren, and Polk I'll
t United States, under democratic rule, obtained ne'
e territory equal to all her former national domain
and discovered the seat of mineral wealth. eZcelln
: in richness all the world had before magined.
y States born in day. The rude wilderness wa
e organized into prosperous territories The Worl
+ was startled by the blaze of our military achieve
n ments. DespOtS ceased to sheer at our weakness
! and kingdoms began to feel cur power We nee
1T not attempt to particularze what democratic Pres
n dents have done 1t is craven IN the history OF tn
y country-it is written in the hearts of people
10 But, we ask, what has President Fillmore done
e What are the seeds of the present whig admnistr
W ton which will illustrate annals 1t is wit
is modification that We answer we can point to no
lie lustrous achievement we can cite nothing in tt
n management of our foreign policy-nothng in tt
y guidance of our domestic affairs-but what is tt
I'd subject of chagrin rather than pride 1t has qua
st relied with the French consul matter of ct
s. quette-t has bullied Portugal for the settlement
e, pecuniary claims, and then submitted many of the
to to the decision of hostile bastard republican prn
n it has snubbed minister OF the Austrian empir
is and uttered philippe French interference
e. tween US and Spain-it has tamely suffered Mex
to violate its faith confscate American property al
rights, and with phlegmatc unconcern witness
American citizens butchered by colonial tyrar
on and the American flag insulted by the guns of
e snail paced steamers.
w At home Providence only saved it from involvil
w the country in civil war. 1t has originated me
- sure to increase prosperity add to our powe
w 1t cannot even claim to have Gained the waves
m sectional strife which threatened to engulf the
OF ton in the vortex of ruin Democracy came to t
rescue, and its strong necessary to pilot
re- into safety. Again it may be asked what has t
80 administration done 1t has done much-mu
W that it better had never been done. VIII
- Hungary wrestled for freedom with the gigantic d.
oU pots of Russia and Austria it sent unofficial M
tor senger inquire into the stability of the repu
lie sprnging up from the ashes of thrones, instead
giving prompt encouragement tonerve fainting hea
of and desperate fortunes When Cuba spurned t
asst desposm of decrepit intolerant bigoted Spain,
lm cried for succor from this land Of liberty and ho
ST. it issued proclamations denouncing those who,
their lives in their hands, rushed to her rescue
ing They were massacred under the ban of reput
w. can President They denied the common rig
vas of humanity by his official representative 9th
drag out a living death in foreign mines without
re- ecutive remonstrance or interposition. Where
ing that sympathy with the oppressed which even
mona rches If the old world showed rs in the d.