Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-05-27

end on the other, with no way to get 70 OF 'o'n -.
The design was to involve the State to that amount
and then force her to make the Eastern connect'on
| at Morganton, and Western extension I" RANT noch
| upon the ground ofself- preservation.
| This work would, in my opinion, have created a"
additional debt of at least ten millions OF dollars.
The Engineer reports something less than Sax m ss
| lions of dollars; but when you come to oo'id 100
miles Of Railroad through the mountains, n9noe,
of costly bridges and cut six tunnels, you WIN h
NV calculation nearer the mark. Though 40 n0'
doubt his honesty Of purpose and professional sN
! I have no faith in his figures. How mas oee &c
the calculations which were made ABOUT "c .o,
all of your public works? How about inc O u' :,
How about the Raleigh and Sas11n s,,;,ons thew
the case of the Central Roads Three m'lho,s, '"eS
said would complete it but this was eAPe"ueu' a Az.
| van had ia subscribe a million more 10 SAVE ."e
States investment, which was made trusting ~ 'e
calculations Of Engineers, and the Ioau 20 s ="
debt, The same thing has happened in regard 10
The Eastern Extension. The State had to endorse
for that Road or see it stop operations what were
ths calculations as to the cost of the Cape Fear and
! Deem River improvement? AT first ,ooo was
| ennnch.-afterwards $500 600 more would certainly
| finish it. But now, after all this money has been :
! wasted and the work become nuisance to the peo'
pc living on the river and interested in it, we are
cravely told it will take 81 100000 more to make
| the improvement a permanent one. Such has oeen
the result of calculations made by Engineers But
suppose the Western Extension could be built Tor
six millions of dollars, you willing to incur that
additional amount of debt in the present embarras'
sed condition Of your State? l certainly am not,
and felt deep concern about the result when the
measure was before the Senate in any form. The
bill to which reference has been made. appropratng
81 200 900 to the mountain tunnel passed the Sem
ate on Friday after the fall of the deep snow last
winter. I was at home, too unwell to venture out
in the early part of the week. but succeeded after
much difficulty, in getting to the depot on Friday
evenng-took the cars on Saturday morning, and
.ln.lx1 ~ kol has o0p d N
order. learned, to my establishment, that the bill
had passed the day before. went to several DEM
ocratic friends and urged them move for a re-
consideration, in order that might record my vote
against it; but they all declined doing As last
resort l approached the seat Of Gen. Dockery, for
the first time during the session, told him the deep
interest felt in the measure and the opposition OF
my constituents to its passage,-spoke of the dam
gerous consequences which would be entailed on the
State, and requested him to move for reconsider.
alton. He appeared surprised at such applica-
ton from me- and asked why did not get some of
my Democratic friends to do it. My reply was
have tried them and they all refuse, that if he
would make the motion. others besides myself,
who were opposed to the bill had returned to the
Senate, could kill it. He made no further reply,
and waited in great suspense. as the hour for re-
consideration had nearly expired. He arose in time
however, and did make the motion, which resulted
in the defeat of the BILL and in the salvation Of the
State at present. for We can preserve our credit,
such it is now and pay the debt incurred by high
taxes for few years, provided we involved no
further.
Much as I was opposed to Gen. Dockery when he
was a candidate for Governor-much as I object to
of his political opinions and associations now,
take this occasion to say publicly, that in this mat
ter he was in my opinion, actuatcd by the purest
and most patriotic motives. and l regretted the at
tacks made on him in the Senate, and have regret
ted the assaults upon him by certain Democratic pa.
pers since the Legislature adjourned. He has my
gratitude, and deserves, and no doubt will receive,
yours as his conduct is understood, for you
are as ready to do him justice myself no matter
how assaed by certain railroad influences. The de-
feat of this bill, with two Others, caused a
general breaking up of the Railroad forces, and,
fortunately for the State resulted in the death of
cry measure Of the kind which asked an appropria-
ton of money from the Treasury. So that, though
more money was expended in printing and discus
sions than necessary, yet no grea deal of harm,
as have already stated was done at that session.
The mischief was done before. Look at the follow
ing statement: In 1s47 the whole amount of pub
lie taxes was 1913 900 Tin roun! nnmbers) In ls49,
they were $l4l, 900. In 1855, $279,0OO, and in
1885, $34l 600. Why this rapid increase? The
solution is found in the progress which has sprung
from the "exension and completion" doctrine. The
Governor, in his last message, sets down the pres
ent debt at over five millions of dollars which is
to be added the bonds yet to be sold, the sum due
the Literary Fund.- $4,000, for which the State is
liable as endorser, together with some small items,
which added up makes the exact sum Of $7,2l5,-
AT 70, which the State owes ard upon nearly all
Of which you have to pay the interest now, and to
provide for the payment of the principal it falls
DUE 1t was ascertained that the revenue not
sufficient meet the accrung interest, and in ODE.
dience to the Governors recommendation, the
Committee of Finance introduced and the Lcgisla
ture passed bill t., increase taxation about 00O
by which it was believed near half million would
be raised annually for the next two years, a sum
deemed sufficient to meet all the demands on the
Treasury for that period. The ordinary annual ex-
penses of the State government are about seo oOo
What becomes of the balance of the half million?
1t nearly all goes pay the interest the State
debt most of it account of internal improvements
to which you are, and always have been, opposed.
This is not all-the endorsements which the State
has undertaken to make have not all been made
You may also have to pay them,-take the works
concerned, and expend millions more on their com.
pletion upon the popular doctrine of selfpreserva
ton
Thus fellow. citizens, have made plain statement
of facts. I have shown the amount of your present
| liabilities and taxation and how they have been 20
greatly increased since 1847. Ihave anticipated the
result of Democratic proclvites, if persisted in.
now against the encouragement OF any
further actual prospective Indebtedness until
State has paid up. desire to see that extension
and completion" plank stricken from the PLATFORM
for if carried out it will involve you in debt of at
least twenty millions of dollars before you done
with it. Let get out of debt before we 60 any
farther If the West desire to come to the Central
Road, give them charters for turnpikes and plank
roads, or even railroads, when they do not conflict
with your interest in the works for which you are
is no inconsider able to be paid annually by
State of as limited resources ours-most of it out
of the pockets of the people, directy-your invest
ments yielding but little as yet You, the people
feel it, and many Of you complain heavily
| An important enquiry suggests itself here: Is
| fharo Is no