Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-06-15
First Congressional District!


We publish to-day, from the pen Of a friend
lotch of the discussion in jackson. Northampton,
bctwccn DR.. Shaw and Mr.. Smith.
We are surprised to learE that Mr.. Smith is en-
1eayoring to make capital out of the State debt
We know he voted against the revenue bill at the
late session of the Legislature, when it was neces-
cory either to raise the taxes or drive the State to
rroudiation and his course in this campaign, in
dwelling upon and magnifying the State debt, and
IN trying to hold the Democrats responsible for it,
conclusive proof that his vote against the revenue
bill was the result of selfish and party consdera-
lions We have no patience with those public men,
who, like Mr. Smith, omit to perform duty which
they know ought to be performed because there are
others to perform it them, andthen turn round and
v to take advantage as Mr.. Smith is doing, of the
omission. Mr.. Smith felt and ks'ew that the reve-
nue. bill ought to be passed. yet from party and self
ih considerations he declined to vote for it. He is
now seeking to make capital out of his own neglect
of duty; and, in order to get into Congress, he is
holding up the old State as burdened with an enor
nous debt, which he refused to aid in providing for,
because, as he says, the Democratic party incurred
the debt
Now let us see if there is any truth in this decla
ration of Mr. Smith. 1t is we'll known that the
Whis party was in power in this State from 1887 to
1851, period of fourteen years. The total bonded
debt of the State in November last according to the
message of Gov Bragg was s6,S79,505. Of this
amount the sum of $500, 900 was incurred in 1888
and in 1910, for the Raleigh and CASTOR Railroad,
NJ bo;n ooct hnr, had
complete control of the State government in all its
DEPARTMENTS This is the debt which is noto falling
dn and which Mr.. Smith, though his own party
contracted it, refused at the late session to make
provision to meet 1t must all be paid by the end
of this year. the interest it having been regularly
paid every six months, for the last twenty years.
The interest $4,000 per annum, amounted for the
twenty years, to 100000; making with the debt
of sSOOO0 contracted by the Wing party, Mr..
Smith being one of that party the sum of 81, $780,
600. In addition to this the record will show that
between 1887 and 1851, other debts were incurred,
besides the debt for the Central Railroad which
amount to from 100000 to s1,00O0OO. But in
ls4s the appropriation of 100000 for the Central
Railroad was made. This appropriation was the re
|
nevertheless true-and the Wings, Mr.. Smith M
doubt included among them, boosted at that day O
the fact before the taxes began to be felt-that
large majority of the votes cast for the measure ir
the Senate and Commons, acre Wing rotes. Thu
record will show this to be so.
1t is, therefore, clear that at least one-half Of the
bonded debt of the State, reaching nearly to sever
millions of dollars, was contracted by Wing vote
and under Wing auspices. No one knows this bet
ter than Mr. Smith He not only refuses now t.
make provision to meet any portion of this debt
but his party, during the whole of the fourteen
years referred to- piled debt upon debt, withou
looking to the means of payment, and without max
ing the least attempt by taxes Or sinking funds, t.
provide for the interest and principal as they fel
due. Instead of marching up like men to thei
duty and laying taxes to pay the debt which the
themselves had incurred, they resqted to the polio
of borrowing from the Literary Fund; and we hav
no hesitation in expressing the opinion, that if MI
Smith and his friends had remained in power up t
this time, as they were in power from 1887 to 1851
onehalf or three -fourths of this fund would hav
been borrowed and used to pay State debts. As
was, they had used over one hundred thousand do
lers of this fund for this purpose, on which the
had paid no interest from 1916 to 1851 and it W:
not until Gov Reid came into Office and looked int
the matter carefully, that the interest was paid.
We repeat, we are surprised at Mr.. Smiths cours
We thought him above anything of this sort "
thought he would be one of the last men who woul
use the Indebtedness of the State as means f
getting votes. But staid and sober as he is, he
ambitious and very anxious to get to Congress.
But, after all, what has State Indebtedness to
with the campaign for Congress? What will M
Smith have to do, if by possibility he should
elected, with the State debt of North Caron'
viii he tell his brother members of the House tn
he obtained his seat by camoring against the no
est Indebtedness of his own State, and by refusil
to vote to pay the debt?
The truth is, the course of Mr.. Smith in this ma
ter shows how hard run he is for capital. CT
smallest favors thankfully received" in the way
charges against the Democratic party, is MIR. Smith
motto Let the Democrats Of the District do the
duty, as Dr. Shaw is doing his, and all will be we