The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-02-03
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.
Correspondence Of the Western Democrat.

A large amount of business has been dis
posed of during the present week. The
Albemarle and Chesapeake Ship Canal bill
was defeated in the House on yesterday, by
a majority of &c votes; to-day it was recon
sidered and passed its Sd and last reading
by majority of Ia.
The Fayetteville and Coal Field Road
was defeated to-day in the Senate. The
| Cheraw and Coal Field Railroad bill was
returned to the Senate with some slight
amendments which were concurred in, and
is therefore law. The Wilmington, Char
lotte and Rutherford Railroad bill has pas
sed both Houses, what there is left of it;
the same as to the Western Extension.
The Eastern Extension has passed both
Houses; the State loaning the Company
100000
Should the Committees recommendation
in regard to the Cape Fear and Deep River
Improvement be received-which is to ap-
propriate $300,O0O-it will make grand
total of internal improvement appropria-
tons, for this Session. of over 81, 500, OGO
quite enough when it is recollected that no
human creature can tell where the money
is to come from.
The bill authorizing the N. C. Railroad
to issue $3.50, 200 in coupon bonds at per
cent. interest, has passed both Houses.
The bill to re-charter the State Bank was
passed to-day by the Senate with the House
amendments; which amendments were the
striking out of the Objectionable feature in
regard to exchanging notes with other
Banks, and permitting the Bank to issue
| One Dollar notes;-getting really more
| than the old Bank asked for; it is earnestly
hoped by all that the Stockholders will ae-
| cept. The Cape Fear Bank was put upon
| the same footing. Wenow have a currency
that no man need be ashamed or afraid Of
The Revenue bill, you will recollect, was
amended in the House in several particu-
lars, the most important of which was the
tax of seventyfve cents on Banks, and the
tax on Railroads of of per cent. per mile
on all passengers or tun of freight. The
Senate refused to concur in the amendments
of the House, and message was sent to
| that effect; the House refused to recede,
and proposed conference a joint COM
mittee ofboth Houses was appointed, which
reported a recommendation that Roads
should not be taxed for the reason that they
could not pay it and lire. X.
| P. S.-Saturday night, 9 o'clock-The
bill appropiating 100000 to the Cape Fear
and Deep River Navigation Company, has
just passed its Sd and last reading in the
| Senate, Is for to 16 against it.
The following proceedings made up pre-
vous to the reception OF the above letter.
In the Senate. on the Goth, the debate
on the motion to reconsider the bill grant
ing further aid to the Western Extension
railroad, occupied nearly the whole day.
| The result was that Gen. Dockery moved
to strike out the material and more impor-
tant portions of the BILL embracing nearly
| the whole of it, so as to make it provide for
an extension to Morganton, and for some
additional work beyond, in case the French
Broad and Greenville Company should
surrender their charter. The friends of
the measure regarded this motion, if it
should prevail, as fatal to it; and the vote
was, therefore, considered test of the
strength of the measure. Gen. Dockery's
motion prevailed, yeas %, nays 1e.
The bill to charter the Bank of North
Carolina was taken up, and after several
amendments, was rejected, yeas AZ, nays
AZ. The bill to elect the clerks. and mas
tiers in equity by the people was taken up
and postponed until the 4th of March.
yeas 60, nays 80. The Peoples Bank
bill was rejected on Monday, &C to Al
In the House, the bill to amend the Will
mington, Charlotte and Rutherford Rail-
| road Charter, taken up. On motion of
| Mr. Meares, all the sections granting aid
| from the State were stricken out. An
amendment offered by Mr.. Davidson, was
rejected. Another by Mr.. Meares allow
ing the Company to erect rolling mills, &C.,
| was also rejected. Mr.. Meares offered an
amendment, authorising branch to be built
| connecting with the Western Railroad Com
| pany, which after some debate, was adopt
ed-ayes 80, nays 81. An amendment of
fered by Mr.. Meares allowing the road to
commence at Fayetteville, was adopted
An amendment prohibiting any portion of
the State appropriation to be applied to the
building of the branch roads, was offered
by Mr.. Holmes and adopted. An amend
ment by Mr.. Badham striking out all after
Gold Hill' in the 9Th section, was adopt
ed--havins the same effect as Mr.. Holmes
amendment. The bill then passed its third
reading. Yeas 63, nays Al.
In the Senate, on the 9th, Mr. McDiar-
mid introduced a bill to loan the Fayette-
vile High School, from the Literary Fund,
$4,000. Mr. A. J. Jones introduced bill
to exempt freehold homestead and one
negro slave from execution sale. A resolu-
ton was passed providing that the surplus
amount of the Literary Fund shall be in
L A