Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-05-28

SO be certain to have to bear her full share of the
tion This whole thing was just neither less
than assumption of State debts and the construction OF
Internal Improvements by the General Government
1t was the very thing the Black Republicans wanted.
Thev did not care how much the United States Treasu
ry might be depleted because it would create necessity
for high tariff and thus enable them to run their hands
still more deeply into the pockets of the Southern people
Once concede the principle involved and the Black Re
publicans would make plenty of use of it to pay their
debts and build their roads, and impose onerous tariffs
for their benefit, and the South might whistle.
He did not agree with his competitor in the dismal
picture be drew of North Carolina. He showed from
the official report of the Comptroller OF the State, that
the value Of lands and town property throughout the
State had increased full fifty per cent in the eight years
between 1947 and 1855 This surely did not show that
North Carolina either stagnant or retrograding-
migration from the State had been checked and very
many who had gone elsewhere had returned to their old
mother. He showed that our School system was the
best and most efficient at the South The report OF the
Superintendent showed that instead of the hundred
thousand ierate persons that Mr. McRae in his Fay
etteve speech had said growing up in the State
the number was only four thousand-tha instead of one
in four of males and one in three of females growing up
in ignorance, as was formerly the case there now
only one in fifty He believed that honester more
independent more correctly trained and happier people
were growing I'D in North Carolina than in Illinois or
Ohio The State more prosperous since 1850, and
he felt no hesitation in expressing his opinion that the
Of $50 would show much larger rate of increase
than for any ten years previous North Carolina con-
tanned no district that would send to Congress any such
man as Joshua R. Gddings AS for the picture of future
taxation be believed that to be wholly overdrawn-the
debts which his competitor had figured up could not be-
come charges upon the pubic treasury for years. because
it was impossible that the conditions under which the ap
preparations were made to the Wilmington, Charlotte
and Rutherford Road and the Western n. G. Road
could be complied WITH so as to call for these appropra
tons under number of years. Neither did he believe
that these roads would be the dead loss upon the easu
ry that had been represented When completed he be-
ieved they would assist in bearing the burdens of the
State He did not apprehend the necessity Of any large
y increased taxation, of any very heavy taxation
at all, as permanent thing. When the improvements
were gone into out of which debt has arsen all parties
were equally responsiblea knew that they must cost
money-Mr. McRae knew it. He had presided over a
Democratic Convention in 1852 which recommended
their prosecution, and in the year had pronounced
distribution repugnant to the Constitution that while
going for prosecution he could not then have conem
plated payment out of the public lands.
Mr. McRae had talked of "squandering." There
may have been improper land bills passed. but for that
the Democrats were not responsible, they could not
be held to answer for the dongs of corporas guard
of men like Douglas. But the lands had not been
squandered to the extent represented-much of what
was called squanderng act of justice to those
who had fought the battles of their country, and
American heart would refuse to recognize the con
sideration Much had been given in the way Of
swamp lands which the States would drain and the
United States would not and therefore never could
have realized dollar from. Some were coded to the
States in consideration of their waving the right of tax
alton over the balance. The school lands parts o.
this cession and he thought the equivalent just one
So brought down to point the railroad grants about
which so much said formed very small part anC
although abuses had crept ill., the balance of weinorm
ed opinion was that the United States Treasury had
the WHOLE been gamer by these alternate section grants
to which, however, he opposed from their tendency
to abuse.
But his competitors plan was impracticabe. Tha
plan was to close up the land Offices for ten years. Fo
the United States to stop sales for that length of time
To issue land warrants to the States for all the
of lands withdrawn about three hundred millions ofacres
If the land offices were closed who was to prevent squat
2 ting? If three hundred millions were thrown on th
market who was to buy them in ten years? If thirty
two States competing for customers who does no
know that warrants would go down to little or nothing
and the lands be sacrificed, North Cardinals share
included. There was danger of further eXtravagan
grants during Mr.. Buchanans administration-he wa
pledged against Them and he would redeem his pledges
Judge Ellis closed with earnest appeal to the peopl
of the South to be harmonious and united and not t.
commence here in North Carolina the DISCRIMINATION
the Democratic party consummatOn so ardently de
sired by the Black Republicans. Judge Ellis spok
, two hours.
, Mr.. McRae rose to reply. He thought the speech Q
4 his competitor most extraordinary one-hc had in
duIged in and invectve but had not met hi
(Mr. McRac's) arguments. He (Mr. McRae) had point
ed out to the people the burdens under which they labor
ed and the still greater burdens under which they wou
soon have to labor, and he had suggested remedy
Mr. McRae referred to the bill introduced into Congress
y by Mr. Morrill,, of Vermont, granting six. millions 0
acres to the States for the foundation of agriculture
colleges. He eulOgiSed the object and censured tn
Democratic members of Congress for voting against it
He said that his competitor and those who acted witt
him proesSed great devotion to the South and yet wen
for the admission of kanzas with land grant of twenty
three millions of acres, and this to State that wou
send free soil member of Congress and two free soil Sen
- ators He quoted Mr.. Ashes address to his con
stitutents in 1852, in which Mr. A. complained of tn