Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-02-21
REMARKS OF MR.. HOUSTON,
delivered in the House of Commons.
A. y. LEWIS
Ralris sh, Feb. sth, 1855.
OF nrPLlS,

Mr. iiorSrnN said, having ADDRESSED the House
at som" length on Saturday last in support OF this
bil, he rc,rctc! To say more upon the subject But
sir, | would throw myself upon the indulgence OF
this House correct some Impressions made by the
gentleman from Orange N. Ii. expressed sorrow,
to meet the opposition Of the friends of Railroads,
ami ot gentlemen who had been acting in the adyo
cacy "Ginterl,ai Improvements heretofore.
Bat it added as.oniSlmcnt to this sorrow to wit
ness by IA gentleman OF acknowledged chivalry
attack upon this bill, in>i,lious and unallant, and
as he confcSScs himself an attack IN tie re1r.-
The gentleman is exceedingly eloquent and instruc
tive in his details to the House OF the population,
products and general importance OF the county of
Onslow. He snceringiy insnuates that Ons!ow is
poor, that her people import their corn, and that
there is nothing in the SOIL commercial nrnsperi
ty Of the county TO invite Railroad 10 her borders.
He complains that the portion of the State between
Fayetteville and Beaufort is too poor to BE improved.
Let turn back sir, the pages ofthe North Carolina
Legislature. In 1873 lind the representatives of
the county of Orange upon this Hoor urging upon
the State the necessity of cnbarking in this great
enterprise, ana also find here foremost among the
champions of improvement the Identical gentleman
himself urging and pleading for this road, not upon
the principal of endorsed bonds butby the aid Of
the tune of two-thrds of the stock, an;t what was
the reason assigned by the gentleman? Upon what
ground did nc justify this cXtravasant request !?
Why SIR, upon nothing more nor less than the pttih
simple and hoineiy plea of oDreEty, and sir, | in
formed by honorable gentlemen present, that
this tie arGittbG piGt, and secured the States
aid to the work How arlfully the gentleman elbows
hoo ami cold the poverty of his constituents cnti
tied them TO $500 900 for Railroad purposes, while
the poverty OF other sections entitled their appca
tics to nothing that is the sarcasm of the gentle
man which consider nothing The gentleman gives
as unnnistakabe evidence of a classical taste, and
fine forensic ability but sir, while stirring up litera
ry gems and oratorca iii gifts he has forgotten that
brightest jewel of human character, consistency He
has alluded to The position OF parties, an auust0n
which the gentleman should never have made while
the recollection of the late Gubernatorial campaign
is fresh in the minds of the people. l wonder if the
gentleman willing last summer to go with Gcnl
Dockcry into debt of fifteen millions | wonder if
the gentleman joined with the press of his party in
carpin:; and criticising the "judicous system" Of
Governor Bragg.
He calls the Democratic friends of internal i'm
provc,uents "his auxiliaries" Sir, am like an
ccnt philosopher, when cOmplimcnted by the wicked,
fear have sinned If the gentleman has classed
properly MUST endcayor to get delivered from
my friends" voted tor the million bill for the
gentcnlan's road, not because am liberal or have
any great affection for the enterprise but because
my hands are bound and fettered by the action of
past Legislatures. And, sir, have felt worse since
giving that vote than any which II have yet given
in the House not sir because the work has merit,
but more particularly account OF the company i'll
which it places me.
Twas not even voter when the gentleman in SlS
aided in creating and imposing upon the State this
debt Now, it comes with bad grace from the gen.
tlcman to lecture myself and others upon the SUBJ
ject of economy because We ask some smaU State
aid for the interests of constituents and for 9TH
er projects besides his own peculiar one-the North
Carolina Road.
am a North Caronian in interest and feeling
am actuatcd in my votes by sincere desire to Sc
cure her best interests east and wcst--break down
the barriers tuat divide uS-lcvclopc her resources
and enable her to take the position 10 which she is
entitled in the rank of States.