Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-02-21

Both the AShevIe news ana ASneVile opeClalo'
very justly hold Gen. Dockery responsible for the
defeat of Mr. Averys bill, providing for an extern
sion of the Western North Carolina Railroad to the
Tennessee line. Gen. Dockery, it is we'll known, in
his canvass for Governor, assured the people OF the
transmontane Counties tn at he was for the extern
sion then,--that he wanted to see the Blue Ridge
bored through, and that he would recommend an
appropriation of ten millions of dollars, if necessa-
ry to effect the object. So far from approving any
thing like Limitation by sections on the work, he
was understood distinctly to repudiate it; and one
of the figures of speech which he used, illustrates
this most strikingly. He asked the people if any
of them would construct mill, and then cut race
TO it by sections? Answering for them and for
himself he said, "no, gentlemen-you would build
your mill, and then cut your race to supply it with
water at once" What could be more pointed or
clearer than that2
Every intelligent person, who will examine the
matter will at perceive the impracticabllity OF
forming either an out-and-o out internal improvement
party or an out-and. out anti internal Improvement
party No such thing could be done, nor if it could
be effected, would it be advisable There are Demo-
Gratis who are for internal improvements by the State
and Democrats opposed to improvements by the State
and the Wings and Americans" are divided in the
same way; and the same is true as to the question
of further appropriations by the last Legislature
Many gentlemen of both parties, ardent friends of
internal improvements, opposed to further ap.
preparations at this time, in view OF the large amount
of the public debt while other gentlemen, of both
parties, we're willing and even anxious to add to the
debt, in order to advance cherished, and, we may
add meritorious schemes. The Legislature is pre-
sumed to reflect the will of the people of the whole
State and, according to this, whatever is done or
omitted, is done or omitted by the people them
selves. From the tribunal of the people there can
be no appeal. If they do wrong to-day, from mis-
understanding misapprehenson Of the facts, they
will do right tomorrow; and their intentions al.
ways Just and patriotic. Members of the Legisla-
ture are responsible first to their immediate const-
uents and then to the people at large; and those
members therefore, without respect to party, who
voted under direct or implied instructions, under
pledges previously made against all schemes of i'm
provement, or against certain schemes are no more
to be censured than are the people themselves
and who, We ask, will undertake to censure the
people?
tits apparent from these facts and considerations,
that no one party be justly held responsible as
a party for the failure the success of particular
schemes Members of Assembly do not legisate,
nor are they to be expected to egsate on domestic
affairs as Democrats or as I" Americans" They
entrusted by the people with State AFFAIRS in which
all are alike interested and the party which hap
pens to be in power instead of having to encounter
the taunts and the criticisms of the opposition for
Gov ho.ko
ings of any kind, and instead of having to pass a
revenue bill to pay the existing debt almost entirely
by its oson COTE should rather receive the aid and
operation of that opposition in its honest and earn
est endeavors develop the and exat the
character of the common mother of us oil.
But there soas, in the late Legislature, small ma
jory in favor of Mr.. Averys bill providing for the
Western Extension. The bill passed the Senate, on
Saturday, Gen. Dockery voting for it; and on Mon
dav, Gen. D. moved to reconsider. What new
light he received on the subject between its passage
and his motion to reconsider we know not. 1t is
understood that he labored both out of and in the
Senate to effect reconsideration and he succeed
ed. The measure had just enough strength in the
Senate, including its friends of both parties, to en-
sure its passage Nth his aid and influence !; but
that being withdrawn, the result was, as foreseen,
fatal to it. 1t is not true, as assumed by the oppo-
sition presses that have ever asserted that Gen.
Dockery welded a Democratic Senate at will but
the facts are as we have stated them. Members
who, up to the time this motion made by Gen.
D., had voted against the BILL could not be expected
to change position and support it. for the plain rea.
son that they had deliberately made up their minds
on the subject, and were acting in accordance either
with their express pledges to the people, or in obed
ence to what they knew felt to be the wishes OF
their constituents. But Gen. Dockere had giren no
such pledges to his constituents and he had coted
for and aided in passing the bill. He was abso.
lutely untrammeled the subject, and could do as
he pleased He chose to move to re consider, and
to defeat the BILL Every one who was present, and
who was acquainted with the facts, must have seen
and felt that he responsible for it's defeat Let
hear more, therefore, of the stale and unfoun
ded charge that Democratic Legislature refused to
redeem its pledges and do justice to the Western
people.
True to the great work, inaugurated in 1848-49
OF railway from the seaboard to some point on the
Tennessee line, to tap the lines of intercourse anG
communication with the Mississippi valley, we an
nounced our views at an early stage of Mr.. Avery's
bill, in the Standard of the 21st January and before
vote had been taken in the Senate. We said
"It seems tous that the friends ofthe Western Elk
tension asking only what is just and reasonable
at the hands of the Legislature Here is a work o
incaculable importance to the State, as well as te
the West-to which the faith of the State is area /,
pledged and all that is asked is, to make more &C
tive that faith, SO that the Road may be advanced
more rapidly to completion. No addition is asked t.
fha Cknkn LII L. bose L.
that portion ofhe State west ofSalisbury has
until the passage of this charter received any ap