Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-01-19

ssssssssSss1s -
the Western N. G. Railroad Company, was post
poned by request and made the special order for TO-
morrow at II o'clock. &; l.-gfta#
THE coALFIELDs BILL art =
On motion Of Mr. Mcdowell, the bill to aid in the
construction and equipment of the Western snd
Coafelds railroad was taken up on its third reading
Mr., Leach said he had voted against the bill when
it was proposed to exchange bonds to the amount of
$780, 900, under sense Of duty. He had since vo-
ted for the bill on the second reading and had found
his constituents approved of that vote Subsequent
events on that floor had changed his mind; for he
had seen that the Governor was allowed to put his
hand into the treasury without hindrance in the
of the rcfttng of the executive mansion. That had
changed his mind Another reason was the depre-
citation Of our State bonds which had gone down by
the action of this Legislature some way or other 10
or ID per cent Then see how his resolutions on the
public lands were treated He could not 60 for the
BILL :.
Mr.. COwper moved an amendment-that to meet
the principal of the bonds to be issued by the State
for this work, tax of Of per cent valuation Of
land should be levied, and cents on the poll to be
collected as other taxes and paid over to the com
mssioners of the sinking fund, to be kept sepa
rate fund for this purpose. If the Legislature was
going to make appropriations it should provide the
means to meet them. In the event that the State
should never be called on to pay these bonds, the
fund could be applied to some other purpose.
Mr. Steele reminded the Senator that personal Sc
curty to the amount of $50 900 to secure the inter
est on the bonds was already provided for. Hesaw
no use for the amendment and it ought not to be
sustained by the friends of the bill. He (Mr. ST.
had no personal interest whatever in the matter but
desire to see the prosperity of the State and as
friend Of the development of the States resources.
Mr. Cowper was sustained in his position by the
commissioners of the sinking fund, who recommen-
ded in their report that provision should be made to
meet all future appropriations
Mr. Edney was not one of those Senators who vote
differently on the third from what they did the
second reading The amendment was revenue
bill-to meet debt which could not possibly accrue
for thirty years. It time enough to talk of rev
enue when it was needed-if it ever could be need
cd in this The present bill secured the State
against any loss if it was possible to give security
by bill The effect of the amendment would be to
kill the measure and for one he against it. He
insisted the State ran risk in this But il
the Legislature had got no State pride-were deter
mined to vote down all appropriations, whatever
their necessity, why then let this bill be voted down.
Mr. Cowper said there was possibility of loss,
and instanccd the Raleigh and CASTOR railroad in
which individual bonds were given, and in which
the State lost everything.
Mr.. Leach concurrcd with Mr.. Cowper.
Mr.. Edney thought Mr. Leach did not understand
the provisions of the BILL and proceeded to enlghen
him by explaining them.
Mr. Bledsoe offered amendment to Mr. Cow
pers amendment-propOsing to strike out "land'
and insert Of per cent. on the cash value of all
the taxable property in the State except slaves sub
ect to captation tax and to pay any excess after
meeting the principal of the bonds to the commission
ers of the sinking fund" Mr. Blcdsoe concurred with
Mr.. Cowper IN the necessity of providing means for
paying the debts of the State as they are incurred
he agreed with that Senator thus far bnt he differed
with him to the means of doing this. While that
Senator would provide for the payment of our debts
he singles out the land owner and slave owner alone
and excerpts all other species of property Why not
place the taxes on all species Of property? Why
single out the Of slaves and the poor with
mere tract of land? Mr.. B. could not understand
it When the question was before the committee to
provide for the payment of all the debts of the State
he (Mr. Cowper) had refused TO vote a sufficient
sum. Mr. Bledsoe thought the object of Mr. Cow
pers motion was to kill the bill II not said Mr.. b.,
let him join me, shoulder to shoulder, to tax all spe
cies of property to meet this debt.
Mr.. Cowper replied, but his remarks were quite
irrelevant to the subject-being entirely the sub
ject of taxation
Mr.. Bledsoe followed and insisted the object was
to kill the bill Mr.. Cowper proposed to exempt in
his amendment one class of persons from the pay
ment of the proposed taxa class best able to bear
it. 1t was unfair to put tax of two cents on the
man working for his daily bread and exempt men
with large investments in bank stocks and other
stocks. He called upon Mr.. Cowper, if he was in
earnest in his professions as to meeting this debt to
march up as he ought and as he ciU have to do in
few years. and tax all species of property.
MIR. GOrrell did not look on this rs sectional
work-it was important to all the best interests of
the State. He could not see why it should be tram
meed by revenue bill or sinking fund. He OPP
posed the amendments. There was a great differ
ence between this road and almost all others They
nj hui has ktoc IF
by unpropitious seasons and in the check to passen
ger travel in bad weather; this road the contra
ry, had never-faing of wealth, in the rich
deposits Of minerals buried in the Deep river valley
! He instanced the testimony Of Prof Emmons, who
bore high reputation as gcologist in Europe as
well as America, Of DR.. Jackson, Of Boston, and Of
! Com. Wilkes He alluded to the conclusive evil
dence of the latter gentleman, bringing the eyes
Of the nation upon us and increasing the value Of
our State bonds to par and above par. The nation
al foundry in connection with our State had raised
| our bonds and would tend to keep them up. But
said he. let it 60 forth to the world that North Car
ona, in the face Of the lights before her-n the full
blaze of the light of the nineteenth century, had
fused to charter railroad forty miles long, with
such assurances too and the world will at once con-
cude that the boasted wealth of the Deep river val
ley is all humbug. He hoped the amendments
would not be adopted and that the bill would stand
or fall on its merits.
| Mr. Edney followed After speaking at some
length on the revenue question (Which IS not peril
nent to the main ssue) he concluded with an ap.
peal to Senators to be governed by feelings Of patri
otism and not by contracted policy. He called
upon them to defeat the bill on its merits rather
than cripple and break it down by amendments, and
drew attention to the good effects of Com. Wilkes
letter and the consequent depression the public
mind in the event of the defeat of this bill.
Mr.. Bedsoe said there was no Senator on that
floor could be more confidently relied to vote fol
the bill than he and therefore his amendment could
not be intended to cripple the bill He was aston
ished at Mr.. GorrelPs fling at him on the question
of revenue, forgetful Of the fact that his (Mr BIS
bill to alter the constitution that subject was the
special order for to-day at II o'clock. And did Mr.
Gorrell think he knew little of his duties rs t.
offer bill in violation Of the constitution? His res
oution to amend was misunderstood BY Mr. Cowper