Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-01-16


Court Icr that purpose. We hope our friends will
avail themselves of this opportunity to meet him at
that time prepared 10 square up for old scores and
renew their subscriptions.
ESg@ The Fayetteville Observer rather takes us to
task for saying that the arrangement with SllaS Sey'
muur & Co. contemplated an expenditure OF nearly
half million in excess of the S7O0,OOO assigned Oy
the Observer as the Tor which the Coal Mine Raj
road can be built. 1t says that we paid SO h'ie neeo
TO the information given some monlhS since Oy 'he
President of the Company, as now to magnify Inc
cost half million of dollars.
Now. we did not pay SO little heed to the state
ments made here some months since. We attended
q meeting at which these statements were made ana
gave pretty full synopsis of them next day IN our
paper We know that the contract with Sllas Sey-
mour g. Co. was for $4,000, but we know, also
that to enable the road to do any business IN the
coal carrying way the additional expenditure we
have named qr1s contemplated and stated so to be by
the President Of the Road. Without referring 10 our
report made at that time we know that in this mat
ter we are correct.
But The Observer says cit isia pity that our Will
rinpton friends have not entitled themselves to more
accurate information as 10 our road By this the
have not taken stock in that work. When anumber
of gentlemen from Fayetteville, including among
them the President of the Coal Mine Road, visited
Wilmington "a few months ago." our people said
cordially" Gentlemen, we cannot subscribe money
We hay G no more means now to invest IN anything
of the kind, having already gone farther than we
could well afford. But what we have we Will give
YOU. We have stocks in works already completed
We wi exchange them for stock IN your work,
which is still uabegun." We know that considera
Bile amount was so made up. 1t was all that Will
rnington could do under the circumstances, but 1t
was done cheerfuIly and promptly. 1t may not have
benefited the road. We presume it did not, but it
still showed a willingness to do So
The Observer contends that the works, ETC.. Of the
NAVIGATION Company being mortgnged to the State,
could not pass out Of lis hands by process of law
Without arguing that point, contend that to stop
things now is to lose what has been done, and that
certainly if she does not continue the works herself
she ought to let them pass into some hands that
will That even would be less humliatng than to
let them rot down in her hands.
RGg@ Considerable excitement in and out Of Con-
sress ha recently arisen in connection with certain
charges of bribery or attempted bribery for the pur
pose of influencing the action of members OF The
House on the Minnesota Land Bill--a bill granting
alternate sections OF land to aid in the construction Of
a railroad between certain points in the Territory of
Minnesota Mr. Kelsey, member from the State OF
New York, brought the matter up by calling atten-
ton to an editorial article in the New York Times,
charging members OF Congress and lobby members
with gross corruption, mentioning the Minnesota
Land Bill in connection with it. Col. Paine, of North
., ,obt h1
Mr. KELSEY, said distinctly that there is want
of truth in the allegation contained in the Times ar
ticle." distinct proposition was made to him by a
member of the House in regard 10 the Minnesota
Land R;ll and that 81 500 would be given in con-
sideratiou of a vote for that Bill. If committee was
raised, and he was called upon for his evidence he
should give it. He declined there 10 give the name
of the member by whom he had been approached
II occurred about the Odd OF December, rs came out
subseuuen ty in the course of the debate, which was
quite lively resolution was passed for the ap-
pontment of committee 10 invessga this AMI 9TH
er charges with the usual power to send for persons
and papers. The speaker appointed on said commit
tee, Messrs Kelsey, of New York, Richie, of Penn
sylvania Davis, of Maryland, Orr Of South Carolina,
and Warren, of Georgia.
1t is said that the member alluded to by Col Paine,
as having offered him brbe 10 vote for the Minnesota
Land Bill is Mr. T. S. Edwards, Of the 3Oh District
New York, who denies the allegation as made, and
states that he was misunderstood by COL Paine If
the Ho lse took the trouble to investigate all the
charges flying around in the columns of newspapers,
it would have its hands full but when such charges
receive some confirmation from the distinct avowal
of member, the appointment of an investigating
committee is due to the honor of that body although
we anticipate no useful result from it labors, and
greet that the business of the short session is thus in
terfered with.
The Cape Fear and Deep River NavIgatiOn--MajOT
GwInm's Report.
1t will be seen from the Legislative report of our
Raleigh correspondent, that Major Gwynn has made
his report the condition and prospects of the above
work. He further adds;
"We understand Major GWynns report is favora,
bic to tn. practicabliy of the Cape Fear and Deep
River Improvement. The works can be completed,
as at present constructed, for $450,OO0 but be
commends their removal, and number of stone
locks to be substituted at an expense of one million
two hundred thousand dollars"
A somewhat similar rumor had reached here during
the past week. We have no doubt the report of our
correspondent fully to be relied oD although par
ticulars are wanting enable to understand it in
all its bearings, as to whether he recommends the
Immediate substitution of such stone locks merely
indicates the necessity, at some future time or times
for the substitution OF such works in place of those
now placed there, the present works become worn
out longer efficient. At any rate, it is evident
that Major Gwynn can not, in this case be accused