Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-04-30
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF His Ercelhncy GOV. BRAGG, Of North Gu
oliua delirered January LIST, 1855.

INAUGURAL ADDnESS
Of His Ercellency, GOV. BRAGG, Of North Car-
oliua, delicered January lst, 1855.
Eszho.o Citizens OF the enatsand House Of Commons:
Elected by I; majority of the frcemen OF the STATE,
to fill the Chief Executive Office within their gi't,
have in obedience to their will and the requirements
of the Constitution, appeared before you tn'S aay,
and soleniy sworn that will discharge the duties
of the important cnnfded to me, without Ia
vor or affection, agreeaoy to the Constitution and
laws of the State. and according to the best OF my
skill and ability" ,.,.
Seriously impressed as am by the responsible
ties thus socmny assumed, and which SO well
calculated to excite reflection and determination.
shall enter upon the discharge of my duties, not
without distrust of my qualifications for the higa
station to which it has pleased my TO
elevate me; but at the samc time, with an earnest
ndeavor not only to obtain the appreciation OF
those whose sutfrages have received but also to
advance and secure the welfare and prosperity of
my native State.
Fortunately. however, for myself and for the best
interests of the State, shall not be unaided in the
execution of my office. For while to the free
men the State belongs the power OF electng their
Governor to the General Assembly, under the Con-
stt,tion. is conhded the selection of his Council-a
body which it will be my duty, as well as my pleas
ure on all important occasions to consult, anu on
whose wisdom and experience shall at all times
confidently rely.
1t has not been uSual, OeiieEe thoSe WIN
have preceded me in my office, to enter fully, on &C.
casons like the present, into an expression OF their
opinions and views upon questions pending before
the people in the Legislative Halls OF the State
Nor, suppose, is it expected OF me now to depart
from course sanctioned by usage, and perhaps
proper in itself. Yet am now, and trust ever
shall be ready, on all proper occasions, to express
INV opinions and take my fair share OF responsible
ty touching every question which may concern the
interest the welfare and the prosperity OF our people
hope however, in order to avoid misconccptlon,
that shall be pardoned for slight departure from
the usage to which have advertcd, in now making
brief reference to some matters Of public moment,
which hitherto have been much discussed through
out the State, and in relation to which there has
been and is still, deep and abiding interest felt
sPromincnt among these has been the question OF
so amending State Constitution, to extend the
right of suffrage by abrogating the freehold qualif-
cation for Senatorial voters. 1t would be waste of
words as well as useless consumption of time, to
discuss the merits of that question here; it has al
ready been thoroughly discussed, and in my opln-
ion there is no question in regard to which there
has been clearer and less equivocal expression of
public sentiment
Time and again has it come before the people,
and on every occasion, through the broad cxpanse
of the State and from the shore of the East to
the mountain SUBMITS of the West, their voice has
been heard in its favor.
In our last State canvass it ceased to be subject
upon the merits of which, with here and there
an exception, there was any controversy. 1t was
virtually conceded on all hands, that the amend
ment was not only desired by very large ma
iorty of our people, but which was right and pro-
per in ITSELF If controversy there was it was only
as to the means of effecting the change whether it
should be done by the Legislative Or Conventional
mode of amending the Constitution. | need not at
length reiterate here my opinions on that subject;
they were freely and repeatedly expressed in almost
every section of the State, and were substantially
Oh hat mt iDeIa
after time both officially and unofficiahy, by my
immediate predecessor. 1t will be sufficient for me
to say that have seen no cause to change these
opinions sanctioned they have been, so often, by
the popular vote.
Changes in our fundamental law should not be
made for Slight transient reasons. The wise men
who formed our Constitution, so intended and they
have we'll provided, in the instrument ITSELF safe
guards against such evils. But when a change is
proposed which all or nearly all agree should be
made careful consideration of the subject has led
me to the conclusion that there is way in which
it can be DONE practicable, SO economical, and
whal 50 safn and conservative in its character as
that of first requiring the sanction of the large Con-
sttutonal majorities in each branch Of two success
sive Legislatures and the subsequent ratification of
the propos d amendment, by direct vote OF the
people themselves.
There is another subject that has attracted, in
large degree, the attention of the people of tke
State, and which, from its very great Importance,
deserves more than the brief Iioticc which l shall
bcstow upon it on the present occasion. allude to
the subject of internal improvement.
The natural resources of our State, in an agricu-
turaI, mineral and commercial point Of view,
certainly great but they need the assistance of those
artificial means which the science and capital of our
day have wonderfully supplied, to the end that
they may beimproved and developed. These al facts
about which all will agree, while there may be some
difference oopnon as to the which the State
should embark IN system of Railroad improve
nents, especially at this time. Wild and visionary
schemes should at all times be discouraged and
pecialy now; we have seen the evil effects of such
enterprises in other States of the Union, where mil
lions nave been irretricvably sunk in unproductive
works of the kind, and which has tended in no lit
tie degree, to produce the present disastrous condi
ton in the monetary affairs of the couatry.
But fortunately for North Carolina though the
financial wave which has spread from the great COM
mercial ccntye of the Union, has not left her I'M
harmed, yet her public debt is comparatively small
and entirely within her means; her credit is unm-
paired, her currency in ePund, though necessarily
contracted condition, and the great Of her peo
pie comparatively free from debt and unembarrass-
ed in their circumstances.
While, therefore, the present arrangement in the
business and monetary concerns Of the country
counsels us to the exercise Of proper prudence and
caution it should not, in my opinion, prevent the
prosecution OF liberal system OF improvement and
especially the completion of great central work.
and its further extension East and West as rapidly
as may be consistent with the means the ability and
the credit of the State
1t must be admitted by all that the present inan-
cial revulson, brought about it has been mainly
by the extravaganza, recklessness and in some ca
ses dishonesty Of individuals and corporations in
other sections of the country has largely increased
the difficulties under which labor in prosecuting
Tor the present, any extended plan ofimprovement
But the great and we'll known resources of the
country, and the deep and solid foundations upon
which rests its ultimate prosperity, cannot fall at an