Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-06-07

hod 10 say after all they had to give this land TO
these fellows who went ahead ana Killed tne
But this was not all The tariff at the time was not
producing more than sixteen millions OF reVenue'
the Wing party knew that it would have TO DC [als
cd-.hat they had determined to raise It, ana ye' a.
if in mockery of the old States they had clause i
serted in their great distribution bill that distrlou-
ton should cease in the erent that the iaflh was
raised above twenty per cent an event witch '5ey
knew perfectly we'll would happen before the emu ~
Congress That North Carolina got only the Itte
pttance of $50, 600 for her share, While these tnr-
teen new States and territories got an equal ratcaoe
part with her. and ten per cent on the Whoie amount
distributed and six and half millions OF acres DC
sides How could the gentleman defend this bill and
in the same breath go on and denounce oonauons
to new States made since that time? That he, MI.
Bragg, not defending the system OF giving away
the lands to the States-that he was only eX-
posing the wretched subtcrfuges to which his oppo-
nent was driven in his efforts to make capital out OF
this question: and to show that their promises were
deceptive now as they always had been heretofore
But this was not all, the gentleman in speaking OF
these donations to the States had lnstanccd the
grant to Illinois distinguished instance, but ne
forgot to tell US when that bill was passed and who
sanctioned it. 1t passed during Mr.. Flllmore's
administration and he sustained it. Yes, it was
toned by the very who of all others was the
choice Of the Wings of North Carolina fer the Pre-
sidency. Why, he would ask, were the whole w hlg
partv of North Carolina warmly in favor of Mr..
Fillmores nomination after his sustaining with his
approval this they say wholesale system OF plum
der of the old States? The gentleman says that it
is against the politely of the Wing party for the
President to veto any bill unless he deemed it uncon
stitutional Now he would ask Gen. Dockery one
question, Mr.. Clay and many distinguished states
men believed that Congress had the c0nstatuta0n0S
power to abolish slavery in the District OF Columbia
Now says Mr. 3. wish to know OF him II Congress
had passed such bill would he have had Mr.. Fill
more to veto it? Gen. Dockery answered, yes
Well them If you would have had him to exercise
the veto in that case on the ground OF eXpediehcy
why should he not have vetoed this great Illinois
land bill?
Gen. Dockery silent.
The gentleman, says Mr.. B., is silent. 1t is evil
dent that his excuse for his Wing President is idle;
but has Gen. Dockery acted fairly in the discussion
of this question? He says there are fourteen or f-
teen hundred millions of acres of land, and that
North Cardinals share of this would be about sixty
millions In this estimate he includes all this vast
domain between the Mississippi and the Pacific ocean
territory now in the possession of the wild Indians
and the buffalo He would have you believe that
all this vast territory would in the event that the
Wing party prevails and he Is elected Governor, be
at once sold at 81 % per acre, and North Carolina
get her share and yet he must know that this land
can be sold only as it is needed for settlement and
that the whole of it cannot be sold probably IN
hundred years. Taking the amount OF land sold for
number of years past as the basis OF calculation,
North Cardinals part of the proceeds of the land
sales could not possibly exceed $50, instead OF
the vast amount he had supposed; sum wholly IN
adequate to pay tbs interest OF State debt OF eight
or ten millions.
Mr.. Bragg went on to say that we must take things
they were; that there was no probability in the
world of this distribution taking place; that he had
adverted to the of the Wing party heretofore
to show, that although before elections in North
Carolina, they promised distribution; that yet, when
they got into power they not only failed to carry out
their PROMISES but that their Wing Congresses pass
ed and their Wing Presidents sanctioned this very
system of giving away the public lands to the new
States, which the gentleman dcnounces, and that
they then charged it upon the Democrats that the
policy of the Democratic party was to keep the pro-
ceeds of the sale of the lands in the national rcasu
ry for deraying the expenses of the Government in
all its various branches that if this done North
Carolina would get her share of this fund, in its 60
ing to support a government OF which she formed
part; that if it was found that revenue was accu-
mulatng in the treasury beyond the wants of the
government he should be in favor of reducing the
taxes articles of prime necessity, such salt,
iron, &C., &c. matter in which the far ming interest
was deeply Interested.
Mr. Bragg declared himse in favor of internal
he wished to see the resources of
the State of every kind duly fostered and cherished
the State should aid in the completion of the Central
that he in favor of its extension east
and west that he in favor of such extension
far the of the State would justify that the
surveys ordered had not been completed the es
Inmates made of the cost of such extension; that
Gen. Dockery had estimated the State debt at eight
or ten millions of dollars that the annual interest
of this debt added to the expenses of the State gov
eminent, would amount to six seven hundred
thousand dollars annually; that the proceeds of the
not exceed $50 OOO wholly insufficient to pay
such amount of interest; that the best plan
to be guided by the rules of prudence in pub
lie affairs as should regulate private in the
of his estate that Gen. Dockery had |
himself admitted it to be out of the question to get
any thing from land-salcs in years; that as to
the amount of the of the State this would de-
pend much upon the fact, whether the Central Rail-
road when completed would by paying stock-to |
complete these extensions it would depend very |
much the amount of stock taken by individuals |
or counties that he was happy to that Craven
and other counties had come forward in so spirited
a manner and subscribed to this great work that |
although warm advocate of these extensions east |
and west he could not agree to impose direct tax
on the people of North Carolina amounting six or
seven hundred thousand dollars per annum; that he
did not think the State able to pay that amount
of tax every year. He here asked Gen. Dockery |
whether he willing to tax the State this amount
for these extensions? He answered that he would |
tax them much necessary" This answer |
being regarded as wholly indefinite and unmeaning |
the General on being pressed by his opponent at |
last come out and said, " that he was for these ex-
tensions whether he got the public lands or not He
would build the road and the risk of getting the
lands that if got them, they would help to pay
the interest of the public debt; but if did not
get them, matter of course, the interest the
debt must be paid by taxation"
Mr.. Bragg went on to say that this great work |
could not be done in year that in his opinion we
should go from time to time to complete it but
without burdening the people to an amount of taxa
ton greater than they could bear
The gentleman had professed himself free suf- |
frage mana great friend to popular rights, and had
for oft this IN Of fhn