The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-12-16
s'a From the Tarborough Southemer.
STATE DEBT AND DISTRIBUTION.
Tarhorough. November 23d. 1857

from INC iafDofouBn ooutherner. N.fs9ti
STATE DEBT AND DISTRIBUTION.
Tarborough, November asd, 1857.
To 1e Editor Of the Soutlansr. ieaa
Sir:-I communicate herewith letter
from d. K. McRae, ESQ.,, in reply. to one
addressed him by me, several weeks since.
l did not retain copy Of my letter to
Mr.. McRae, but its nature and purport ge-
nerally will be readily indicated by the
character Of his reply.
Yours, &c.,
WIN. F. DANCY.
Kinston, N. G.. October ~, 1887 .
My Dear Sir I'll have now the first leisure
time since the receipt Of your letter asking
my views con political questions now Of
great interest to the State" to make you a
reply. Our long acquaintance-th relations
OF personal friendship which have always
subsisted between us-and the fact that we
have ever been active members Of the same
political party, prompt me without hesitation
to comply with your wishes; and having no
political aspiration to gratify--having volun-
tarily yielded an honorable Office into the
hands Of the administration, and being alto
gether desirous of derofing myself entirely
10 my profession, am enabled to communi
cate with you in entire frankness and sin
cerity. The present condition Of North
Carolina is well calculated to excite our
iiyeliest concern. She is evidently not ad-
vancing in prosperity at an equal pace with
her sister States north and south. She has
entered on a system of internal improve
ments, which as yei. holds out no promise Of
recompense and scarce hope OF stability.
The Railroads, while they are Of great con-
venience and advantage to the public, are so
far a dead loss 10 the stockholders town
property is depreciatlng in value-our people
whose resources SO far as they are developed
are quite limited-our State bonds below
par-Railroad stock unsaleable and unpro-
ductive-our revenue system uncertain and
i'll arranged, and necessity of increased
taxation-may well inspire US, with every
son Of North Carolina, with apprehension
and alarm.
Flow may the State be extricated from this
situation and placed on the road to prospe-
rity, is question Of the first Importance !;
and happy will he be who will strike out for
her method of escape.
At a caucus OF the Democratic party which
sat in convention at Raleigh, IN May 1852,
called their attention to the unjust and in
iquitous system Of squandering THE PUBLIC
IasDs, wffcn was r0uoIus ~. II r---i.n. cF
her interest therein-whlch was in utter VI
olation Of the principles regularly set forth
in the national conventions OF the party
and pointed out the prospect Of speedy
and entire loss to North Carolina Of this
valuable inheritance. That Democratic con-
yention, in that caucus, then rejected the
resolution on this subject, reported by the
committee-(which was in substance from
the Baltimore platform )-dnd resolved " that
in view Of the settled policy Of donations.
and the impossibility Of maintaining the old
Democratic doctine, Il trds altogether right
that fair distribution Of This common pro-
periy should be had among all The Safes"
Subsequently the democratic party in the
Legislature Of ls52-'55 resolved in substance
" that if this system Of squandering was TO
continue, North Carolina should in common
with the old States assert her claim 10 her
r;ghtful portion Of the public domain"
THIS resolution was introduced by Dir. BY
num. IN erctiiem democrat, from Northamp-
ton. and was voted for and advocated by
such good Democrats as Gen. II. NJ. Saun-
ders: Mr.. Dabbin, at that time the party
candidate for the United States Senate MIR.
Samuel r. Hill, of caswell Mr.. Thomas ID.
Mcdowell, Of Bladen. and, indeed, by most
Of the leading Democrats IN the House OF
Commons. Thus has the Democratic party
in this State, on two occasions, committed
itself soIemnly and with deliberation to the
doctrine Of Distribution, in view Of the ae-
parture from the National platform by De-
mocrats Of the land States, and the certain
loss Of the whole Of the public lands to the
State Of North Carolina.
Every consideration which could have
prompted such policy, has greatly strength
ened since the party in this State took the
positions have referred to. The strength
of the Land Sguaaderers in Congress has
greatly increased. At the last session o.
Congress the " Minnssota Bill" giving about
ten millions Of acres Of public lands to cor
poraiions Cor railroads in Minnesota, Alaba-
ma, Mississippi, Arkansas and Florida, pass,
ed both houses of Congress orer me zero o.
President Pierce and such is the power
i of the combination. that this conservative
check, which was the last sheet anchor o.
the Southern non-landholding States, u
powerless for their protection. Not only Y
i The Northwest clamorous for the spoils, bu,
Southwestern Democrats have united in the
cry, and a plan is now well matured SO socr
~ Kansas, Mime sofa. Oregon and Nebraska
shall be admitted, and thereby an unequlyo
cal power secured in both branches OF Con
gress, TO siess boldly upon all he puone idnds
and give them 10 the States IN which tue!
lie. and the Territories as they becom'
|, states; and thus by one daring act Of rob
lbery. 10 sweep away every interest and righ
vs NAV have in this valuable estate. Neithc
: honesty nor Justice will impede or presen
Il. The decree has gone forth. and nothlnI
can avert Il but our own prompt and declsis
action. feel that this question Of the pub
lie lands Is at this moment FAR more I'm
poriant one than that Of slavery. and mue
more practical one. Upon the slavery quess