Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-11-28
rERms OF ADvERTIsING.


the responsible duties imposed upon me; and if each
of you act well your parts in the grand drama OF le-
gislation opened before u.s. feel assured that joint
efforts in their behalf with the favor of divine Prov-
dence, will rebound 10 the honor and welfare of that
State whose material interests We are all alike anx-
lous 10 promote. ...s....
Mr.. Shepherd being conducted 10 the Speakers
Chair of the House, remarked as follows -.
Gentlemen of the House Of Commons;
accept with gra,efu, sensi5llity the high and
ne by your votes. Places of dignity like this, seats
of authority bring with them responsibility as we'll
as honor. Whether this respons bilty belong to me
your presiding officer, whether shall share it
with you as members of this House, | owe, and you
owe to the people of North Carolina a duty which
trust we are ready with honest hearts and upright
purposes, to undertake and to discharge. 1t is not
to this Chair that The public eye will turn as the sole
place of power and energy in our midst he sphere
of your Speaker is circumscribed-his duties are
plainly marked-yours is the broad and ample field
of legislation. Yours the counses, yours the
developments, yours the consummatons that will
pass into history The duties of the Chair are un-
dertaken not without an appreciation OF The labor
and the care that are incident and peculiar it, yet
in the hope that your kindness and cooperation
may not be wanting either TO suggest CT to aid.
Would you have your rules enforced; would you
have order and decorum preserved, would you up
hold your dignity, would you make your delibera-
good; ''to toyourseves be true Though your Speak
er may be clad with authority; though he may ap-
prove himself TO be impartial, firm and watchtul;
though he may exhibit commendable energy in ar
ranging and prosecuting the public business yet he
must feel that he governs with little effect if he fail
to have your concurrence. The meeting OF the Cen
eral Assembly, bringing together as it does, some
who are familiar, many who are strangers to each
other, yet readily minglng in brotherhood, in SYM
pathy, and in the discharge of duty, keeps before
| fho nf ond hnnId
heighten and enlven the affections which due to
our common mother We are members here of sis
ter counties, not the delegates of rival families not
the champions or adherents of mere sections OF
factions While the first and highest duly OF each
should be to his own constituency, exclusveness
and isolation should be utterly discarded.
The scene before now is full of suggestion.-
The past with its Incidents its vcissitudes, its good
and evil fortune if gone, yet 1t lives IN its remem-
brances and its experience The future lies beyond,
and faith and hope the spirits that bring us
tidings from the unseen land. The present is ours.
We live in the midst of it, yet this will have but
little value if beyond by the circle of itself. We
have aims, aspirations, desires that 60 upward and
onward The prospective is part of our thoughts,
of our intellectual being the present is period,
mere point from which view the broad expanse
of minds domain Shall we suppress and stife this
spirit in ourselves, striving against our nature and
constitution Shall we say as we look around that
all of North Carolina is her past Shall her career
be checked, her glory dimmed ere the hour of her
MONDAY is come Shall men grow pale and start
led if you speak of progress? Shall Legislators
shrink from their convictions, because insdious
demagogues may fatter and misIead? Are con-
tent to fold our arms and say that all is done which
can be done !? Examine the departments of your
government and answer is no reform demanded Is
kyour system of Courts such you would have it
!, be? Though justice be weighed in golden scales
(when it is weghed) is not the laws delay burden
more oppressive than any other burden-an i'll of
life indeed Is the compensation of our Judges the
charm of their office Is their number equal 10 the
public wants Shall these things be because they
have been Much has been done. much may yet be
done. Let then apply ourselves to the duties be-
fore US let direct legislation that the good
of the people and the honor of the State be promo
ted let bind still closer all sisters in their in
terests, their pride and their affections.