Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-10-23
Correspondence of the Livingston (Ala., Democrat

Hour !shhg Nhages ana tastetn private residences,
and in high state of cultivation 1t is conceded |
on all hands, to be the finest portion of North Caro-
lima. both in variety of scenery ard fertility of SOIL
1t well deserves this commentator The signs of |
improvement are visible at every step this route.
You feel that you are in the midst Of people who
are fully imbued with the spirit Of the age and de-
termined not to lag behind their neighbors. Taste
full and comfortable mansions peep out from their
leaty nests upon you--trees bending under large,
luscious apples invite you to pause and partake of
the'temp:ing fruit-the mountain brook and hill |
side spring look cooling; the men that hides
cribable air which always betokens those who are
getting along in the world. 1t is treat to travel
through this portion Of the State.
came on to North Carolina with no notion that
I would like the State; from boyhood had heard
her sneered at and ridiculed without measure or
stint, old Rip Van Wrinkle, locked in the embrace
of sleep and ignorance. But found she had wa
kened from her slumbers aud set about the deve-
opment of her agricultural and mineral resources
with the liveest vigor. Her people excellent
specimens of the human race-brawney and stout,
with broad and open countenances, that put you at
your ease about your throat and your purse There
are poverty boorishness and ignorance here, well
everywhere on this globe, but they the ex-
ceptons to the rule-not the rule itself Laugh at
and deride her much you may, the I" old North
State" with the persimmons buckle. berries, tar,
pitch and turpentine, which usually form appurte
nances to the picture drawn of her, is bound to be
great State.
The soil from Raleigh to Charlotte is deep red
cay In places the surface of the ground is almost
and others are small. The principal growth is red.
oak. post.oak and hickory, on the hills, and on
swampy land, the same growth with sprinkling Of
sweet-gum. l do not think I dozen pines.
The crops looked very well indeed this entire
route. 1 was informed by several well informed
planted in cotton in North Carolina this year than
ever has been known before. This increase of the
breadth of land planted in cotton, is imputable to
the improved means of transportation and the pre-
sent price of cotton-both of them being powerful
stimuants of production.
The North Carolina Railroad Company has erect
ed some splendid machine and work shops be-
tween Raleigh and Salisbury, and built up village
that may compare with any village in the South in
general loneliness. The workshops are large brick
buildings and the houses in which the workmen live,
and tasteful brick cottages. counted some
ten of these cottages all erected by the Company for
the Of their employees. They situated in the
midst of most beautiful grove of oaks and looked the
very picture of cleanliness and contentment.
Greensborough is noted the seat of several lit
erary institutions Of rising importance. The air is
pure and bracing. and students might reasonably
count upon exemption from fevers while at these
schools Salem ia not more than Dozen miles from
Greensborough and despite all the efforts that have
been made to supplant it in the public confidence,
it is still full match for its more youthful and snowy
rivals. There is something indeed remarkable about
the school at Salem. 1t was prosperous and -four
ishing Female School, more than quarter of GEN.
fury before its mushroom competitors were ever
thought Of Many of the most accomplished 0hor-
oughly and practically edueated) women whom l
have ever met. received their education at this time
honored institution. and their daily walk and con-
versation" was the most eloquent testimony of the
efficiency Of their nursing mother" like Salem
because it does not immediate whatever is practical
on the altar of show and pretension, and because
the principals keep on hand no lazy and dissipaed
to hunt up rich wives from amongst the pupils.
Charlotte is among the oldest towns in the
State and is quite pleasantly situated. 1t contains
very nice stores and tasteful private residences.
The produce of the section of country around Char
lotte has heretofore gone to swell the trade and COM
MERGE of Charleston, S. c., but a direct railway
communication has been auspiciously opened to
Beaufort the Atlantic, much better harbor than
Charleston, there can be but little doubt that much
the largest portion of this produce will in future find
/ its way to Carolina City. The harbor of Beaufort
has heretofore been much isolated from the pro-
ducng portion Of the State never to have attract
ed the attention due to the important advantages Of
it's location, safety and depth of water. The rivers
of North Carolina full Of shoals the sea, and
as they receded. they become still more unfit for
purposes of navigation by reason of falls. The con.
sequence Of this lack Of natural channels of trade,
long felt to be serious clog upon the prosperity
of the State Norfolk and Charleston sought to draw
the products of the State to their own ports and to
great extent were successful. Nearly all Of the
exports Of North Carolina were shipped to Charles.
ton Norfolk, and thence consigned to coastwise
ports or to foreign markets, that persons living
out of the State and drawing their information from
commercial statistics possessed adequate concep'
ton either of the amount value of her exports
The opening of communication with Beaufort Har-
Dor will produce marked change IN this respect.
The shipment of produce to Charleston will decline
and finally cease. The State will soon be reticulated
with railways and these will all converge to Beau
! fork To nfro 10
| Beaufort Harbor over Charleston is too vast
| and undsputed to be much longer ignored
railroad is nearly completed from Carolina City to
| Knoxville, Tennessee, and when completed produce
may be shipped to the former without any breaking
! of bulk or loss from rehandling
Charlotte is situated in Mecklenburg county
where the Meckenburg Declaration Of 1ndepenoence
which in point of time, preceded our own immortal
| Smagna charta," was adopted and published to the
! world. The consecrated ground where the battles
same section of the State. There our forefathers
poured out their life blood free libaton upon
the affairs of liberty. North Carolina has past -
| She was among the foremost in resistance to the
usurpations of the parliament ard bore herself right
calamity through all the trying scenes OF the revo.
| luton. when patriotism was something more than 8
string of rounded periods. 1t may not be generally
known, that in 1855, when the present federal Con
sttution submitted to the States for ratification
| North Carolina refused to lend it her sanct'on-
This refusal was in the main occasioned by the ap
prehension that the rights of the States were not ad
equately secured and guarded, and that the tenden
CIV of the Constitution towards consolidation
| She proposed several amendments, intended to ex
plain doubtful phrazes to define the powers vested
in the General Government with more precision and
to throw greater safeguards around the sovereignty
of the States, which was thought to be endangered
| BY such an accumulation Of power in the Genera
| Government. Other States had felt similar ap
prehension, but they wanted the courage to isolate
themselves from the Union. North Carolina deem
ed it the safest policy to demand that the desired
amendments be incorporated in the Constitution be
fore she acceded to the Union. She remained ou
of the Union in honorable isolation for some eight Of
fan months nor did she accede to it until the mos