Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1858-10-27
Correspondence of the Livingston (Ala) Democrat

Dear Democrat:-The country from Raleigh to
Charlotte is beautifully undulating, dotted with
fourishing villages and tasteful private residences
and in high state of cultivation. 1t is conceded
on all hands, to be the finest portion Of North Caro-
lina 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 mbued with the spirit of the age and de-
termined not to lag behind their neighbors Taste.
ful and comfortable mansions peep out from their
leafy nests upon you--trees bending under large
luscious apples invite you to pause and partake of
the tempting fruit-the mountain brook and hill
side spring look cooling; the men wear that indes-
cribable air which always betokens those who are
getting along in the world. 1t is q treat to travel
through this portion of the State. --
came on to North Carolina with notion that
/ would like the State; from boyhood had heard
her sneered at and ridiculed without measure or
stint, old Rip Van Winkle locked in the embrace
OF sleep and ignorance. But found she had wa.
kened from her slumbers aud set about the devel-
opment of her agricultural and mineral resources
with the liveest vigor. Her people are 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
poverty boorishness and ignorance here as we'll
as everywhere on this globe. but they are the
ceptions to the rue-not the rule itself Laugh at
and deride her as much as you may, the old North
State" with the persimmons hnckle.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 a deep red
clay In places the surface of the ground almost
covered with boulders, some of these are quite large
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 l saw dozen pines
The crops looked very we'll indeed on this entire
route. I was informed by several we'll informed
gentlemen that much greater breadth Of land vas
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-hoth of them being powerful
stimulants of production.
The North Carolina Railroad Company has erect
ed some splendid machine and work shops be.
tween Raleigh and Salisbury and built I'D village
that may compare with any village in the South, in
general fOvelness. The workshops large brick
buildings and the houses in which the workmen live,
are neat and tasteful brick cottages counted some
ten of these cottages all erected by the Company for
the use Of their employees They are situated in the
midst OF most beautiful 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 Is not more than dozen miles from
Greensborough, and despite all the efforts that have
been made to suppant it in the public confidence
it is still full match for its youthful and snowy
rivals There is something indeed remarkable about
the school at Salem. 1t was prosperous and -four
shing Female School, more than quarter of GEN.
tury before its mushroom competitors were ever
thought of. Many of the most accomplished (thor.
oughly and practically edueated) women whom
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 lazy and dissipatcd
sons to hunt up rich wives from amongst the pupils
!: Charlotte is one 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
merce of Charleston S. C., but as direct railway
communication has been auspciously 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 to have attract
ed the attention due to the important advantages of
its 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 ports and to
!, great extent successful. Nearly all of the
exports Of North Carolina shipped to Charles.
! ton or Norfolk and thence consigned to coastwise
/ ports 10 foreign markets. that persons living
! ont of the State and drawing their information from
commercial statistics, possessed adequate concep.
t ton either of the amount value of her exports
! The opening of a communication with Beaufort Har.
! Dor will produce a marked change IN this respect
The shipment of produce to Charleston will decline
ana finally cease. The State will soon be reticuated
I with railways, and these will all converge to Beau
| fort as to a common centre. The superiority o
| Beaufort Harbor over Charleston is too vas,
! and undisputed to be much longer ignored
railroad is nearly completed from Carolina City to
! Knoxville. Tennessee, and when completed produce
may he shipped to the former without any breaking
! of bulk or loss from rehandling .,
| Charlotte is situated in Mecklenburg county
where the Mecklenbure Declaration of independence
which in point of time, preceded our own immorta
"magna charta," Was adopted and published to the
l world The consecrated ground where the battles
OF Aamance and the Cowpens were fought, is in the
same section of the State. There forefathers
/ poured out their life blood as free libation 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 righ
gaantly through all the trying scenes Of the revo
Tuition, when patriotism was something more than
string of rounded periods 1t may not be generally
known, that in 1855, when the present federal Con
stitution submitted to the States for ratification
North Carolina refused to lend it her sanction
This refusal was in the main occasioned by the ap
Irehension that the rights of the States were not ad
equately secured and guarded, and that the tenden
| cy Of the Constitution was towards consolidation
| She proposed several amendments, intended to ex
plain doubtful phrazes, TO define the powers yestet
+ in the General Government with more precision ant
to throw greater safeguards around the sovereignty
Of the States, which was thought to be endangered
nj in fho