Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1858-12-29

y Sc . y 1. g. e.. . - &
been making to defeat the proposed Improvement.
Mr. Speaker, the people residing in the valley of
the Yadkin have always cheerfully contributed to
the improvement of all other sections of the State.
Their representatives can proudly say, that while
they have ever responded with alacrity to the ap-
peals for State aid which have arisen from every
quarter, yet they have never been suppliants for
State bounty recipients of State treasure. They
occupy such position now. They ask but the
privilege of rendering their river navigable by
their own labor, with their own means. By the in
ternal improvement system of rth-Carolna, they
have been, as yet, but remotely benefited. The n.
c. Railroad has aided but very slightly in the devel
opment of their resources, and has brought
sion to their prosperity This bill proposes to open
up communication with that road and thus to rem
der it to extent available to people for the
transportation of their produce This is no section
al scheme; nor could we, if we would, restrict its
beneficial results to our own people alone 1t will
greatly increase the receipts of the n c. Railroad
and give to North carolina markets the luxuriant
harvests with which our fertile valley teens and
which now, diverted into other channels swell the
exports of adjacent States.
Nor is this all, Mr. Speaker. The passage of this
BILL while materially contributing to the prosperity
OF the State at large well to the convenience of
those Immediately benefited, will greatly tend to
the speedy development of the incaculabe treasures
which are locked up in mountains But will
not dwell upon these. / have said heretofore that
the justice of claim has been hitherto recognized
by friendly legislation, (see Stat 1S09, 1912, 1929
which acts have never been repealed, and which are
still in full force, though disregarded Then, who
ever has erected obstructions the river is
usurper. and is not entitled any respect from this
General Assembly. Pray, what right had he to
erect these distractions? Who gave him the pow
er to obstruct our own beautiful river and to deny
to us the privileges given to us by Natures God
know, Mr.. Speaker, that effort is being made
to make this party measure here, in the capacity
of lobby members. We have one protesting TO be
democrat, mhO is himself interested in one of the
obstructons we complain of, trotting al round the
city, appealing to party party PARTY; and on the 9TH
hand we have another noble patriot of the lobby,
who processes TO be whig or American, appealing
to party. Now, Mr.. Speaker, let look after the
latter gentleman little, who has been thus appeal
ing to party. Mr.. Speaker, l notice a communica-
ton in the Western Sentinel, signed "Yadkin,"
which is also being busily circulated here by its
.hors, the lobby members, and which Of them is
now circulating in this Hall, relative to this bill
which have introduced in the present General As
sembly, for the opening of Yadkin Riv-r. l have
this article before. 1t has been slyly jcrcul9
ted for weeks in this place among members of tt e
Legislature, by iUusfriouS lobby members from the
county of Yadkin. These corert attacks upon this
important measure; these sneaking misrepresenta-
tions | have hitherto treated with silent contempt,
but nOOc | can no longer hold my peace Appearing
in public print throwing off its disguise, feel it
due, both to myself and the public, to expose the
faacy of its arguments and to brand its malignant
calumnes with the stigma of TdIsehood! The CORES
pondent asserts that from thirty to forty thousand
dollars have been expended by the citizens of David
son. Davie, Forsyth and Yadkin counties in the
struction of mills, &c. BY hooc many citizens, pray
Who are these who appropriate to themselves alone
the words "Me citi=ens?" Are few erasping
grinding, penurious mill-owners-the worthy cor
respondent among the NUMBER the citizens" the
ONLY "citisens" of the aforenamed counties? 1t
would seem He says that the capital thus inves-
ted has greatly enhanced the value of adjacent lands
has given fresh impetus to agricultural industry
has increased the wheat crops, etc.
Mr.. Speaker, admitting that all this is true were
not those investments made in direct violation of the
acts past in the years 1902 1912 and 1927 as have
before remarked relative to the Yadkn River? Was
not the erection of every dam bold, palpable in
frngement of the ghts of the people? Iwould ask,
moreover to whose benefit mainly have these ldrless
investments enured, to the mill-owners ?-or to
that of the people at large? Let candid legislature
answer. will not now attempt to prove what is
seif-evdent viz: that the opening of the river for
navigation (by afordng to the people increased IA
cities both for travel and for traffic will not only
neutralize, bnt greatly ovcrbalance the benefits ac-
cruing from the erection of mills. Such is not at
| present, my purpose. My object is to unmask
to strip off every disguise-to expose thoroughly
| possible, the insduous Vaccinations of a CLIQUE
who actuated alone by mercenary motives have ar
rayed themselves against the interests of the nany
''iadkin asserts that /, during the campaign last
| summer, advocated n law authorizing the constrnc-
the county of Surry. This assertion l do unhesi-
tatngly pronounce AN rNMITIGATED LEI No citi-
zen of the county of Surry has erected dam across
the Iadkin in violation of law. This fact needs no
! other proof than that more than 1000 memoralists
from said county petition the present Legislature for
the removal of similar obstructons existing in other
counties. l shall say nothing, Mr. Speaker con-
| cerning the erection of dams in Surry across the
tributaries of the Yadkin-the county court of said
county Is fully empowered to remedy any evils aris.
ing from this erection '.Yadkin's" estimate of the
value of shad taken in the river is obviously erro.
neous, and am surprised that he should have al.
luded to their scarcity, which he is well aware is
occasioned altogether by the dams of which we com.
plain. His assertion that wng-dam would not fully
subserve the convenience of the public, is papabie
absurdity On which shall best0w no further notice
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, i would add that have
recently received letter signed by John c. Kelly,
| Az. Horn f. j. Poindexter, VIM. Martin, Reps.
Martin and $50 others, residing in the immediate vi
cinity of the Lobby Members Mills, a portion OF
which runs as follows: Mr.. T. Glenn, since he re.
turned from Raleigh says, "to open the Yadkn
| HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, (S6O0 000") He tells
this to the people from signing our petitions
THIS Is AN UTTER FALsEHooD! But when was Tyre
| Glenn, Esq, ever known to tell the truth when a
lie would serve his purpose?
Thus do you see, Mr.. Speaker, that he is not only
branded as liar by me, but also by the concurrunt
| testimony OF his nearest neighbors-two hundred
and fifty respectable citizens OF the county of Yadkn
What have said, has been said in selfdefence and
L consider myself individually responsible for the
same.
| IOEJN,S