Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-11-24
Gov. BragS's Message.


The Message Of the Governor to our Leg
we find too long for insertion in our
We therefore give a full synopsis
of what it contains.
After alluding to the unusual interest felt
by the people Of the State. in the proceedings
of this session of the Legislature of North
Carolina, the message proceeds at once to the
exhibition of the State debt and finances
The bonded debt of the Stale on the 18th
Dec. 1856, was s., l53, 500 55 which has
been reduced since, by the payment Of a bond
to the University, to $5,147, S02 30. This
debt has since been increased by the amounts
and for the purposes following, viz:
Consolidating interest with principal on
bonds to Literary Board by resolution Of the
last General Assembly, $50, 202 A.. Bond to
bank of Cape Fear, for loan, $4I, 0 co.
Bonds for Fayetteville and AIbemarle Plank
Road, $20,0 900 90. Fayetteville and Warsaw
Plank Road, $4,000 90. Lunatic Asylum,
81, 600 90. Atlantic and North Carolina
Railroad for balance of subscription, $685.
500 90. Lunatic Asylum, under act of last
Sessionfo enclosing grounds, &c, $685. 00 90.
Subscription TO Chesapeake and Albemarle
Canal Company, $780, 900 90. Loan to At
lantic and North Carolina Railroad Company,
$500, 900 90. Western North Carolina Rail-
road, $500, 900 GO amounting to S1,731,-
TOP 45.
Making the bonded debt Of the State upon
which she is primarily liable, at this time,
!. six millions eight hundred and seYenty-nine
thousand five hundred and five dollars. Be
sides this, the State has had to pay the inter
f est on State bonds loaned the atlantic Rail-
road and the Cape Fear and Deep River Nav
. igation Companies, which they had fafIed to
o meet. Under existing laws, the State viii
have to issue Bonds for subscription to Wes-
e tern n. e. Railroad, amounting TO SG40, COO
The message also recommends the funding Of
+: the floating debt Of the State, amounting to
. $302,4I6.
G. The interest on the bonded debt of the
State, will fall dne-$2O0, 900 in 1859; and
100000 Jan. l, 1860. The Governor re-
commends the issuing of coupon bonds at a
l.: long date, and a sinking fund to meet and
lie pay these bonds-as a means to meet the La
bihties referred TO.
The message gives as the rects. in to the
BY State Treasury for 1S56-'7, the sum Of S512,-
205 % and for 1878, $507, 450 So. Should
bo the revenue continue the same and bonds for
the floating debt be sold, the Treasury for the
sn ensuing two years would realize about tbs
Oh sum of $1,400, 900; an amount probably suf
to fcent to meet all State purposes and liabili
ties.
The Governor suggests that the terms o
ng the revenue law be made sufficiently definite
dr. and plain to prevent doubt and difficulty. a,
some of its provisions now do.
The necessity of a Sinking Fund" lar
M ger and more comprehensive than the pres
ent, is urged. Attention is also called 10 tn,
ato preferred stock Of the State in the n. c. Raj
Road, and to the difference of opinion as +
the law concerning it.
" Banking next occupies a place in the mes
lall sage-notice is taken that the Bank of tn
in State has declined the Charter offered by tn
last Legislature, and that it is necessary t
supply its place. Suggests the remodelin
"A OF our laws regulating the rate Of intere.
on on money lent.
The subject Of Internal improvements O.
or eupies only a few lines. 1t says ha,
- so often expressed my opinions to the Legi
MI. tature on the subject, / 1eem it unnecessar
to repeat them here. Though ne have il
the Cured a heavy debt in the construction
works of this kind, 1t is not one, by ar
means beyond our ability to pay"
All Refers to the visit of the COMMISSIONS
appointed by the Z. S. Secretary of the n
hal Wy, to examine our Deep River country. wi
a view to ascertaining its suitability as a
inei- cation for Government Machine Shops. &
J. ). They spoke Of in terms of high appreciate
AGES of the remarkable and immense mineral
ca sources Of that region. &c.
Attention IS called to our Militia syste
and says unless something is done to i
.son prove 1t, the whole SYSTEM had as well
Ill. abandoned. Transmits the Report Of the !
r~ectors OF the Insane Asylum, and calls att,
as ton to the means provided by law for its 81
port. Recommends some changes. An
to couraging and gratifying reference is ma
- to the Common School system Of the Sta
.odu- and says have every reason to belle
that the system is an improving one, and Il
- we shall realize from it the most benefc
results" Recommends uniting with Y
Oohe ginia in defining the northern boundaries
tween the two States.
ction Refers to the State Geologist and his
1ran- pOrts-to the cabinet of minerals, &c.
Cen the sale Of copies Of the Revised Statutes
All hand, and recommends giving copies to
newly qualified Magistrates. To the Che
kee lands, &c, in western part of the Sta
y u Recommends an additional judicial circuit
re- Speaks of the improvements in the Cap
square, and concludes by saying a,
y de- myself of the occasion to express nv or:
the full sense to the honors heretofore confer
com upol me by the people of the State, . &c.
pre- We submit this simple epitome Of the n
being sage. without comment. our object bein,
III ly to give, in a brief way, an idea of the s
,Ios ject matter of the document, as We are
otn r. able to publish it entire.
n.
latuTc H5- For the DurnoSe of elevatina tba