Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-02-14
REMARKS OF COL. BEDFORD BROWN,

. IS OF cAswRLL COUNTY,
In the Senate, February 11M on the amendment
proposed by Mr. Waugh Of Forsyth to the bill
to incorporate the Milton and HdncsyuilLe Rail-
road Company, to connect Nth the North Caro-
Una Central Railroad at the Workshops IN ALa-
nance County p.
Mr.. Brown rose to express his decided objection
and repugnance to the amendment of the Senator
from Forsyth, which proposed to make connection
OF the Milton and Yanceyvie Railroad with the
Richmond and Danville Road a forfeiture of the
Company's charter. The citizens of the county of
Caswe asked naked charter a simple privilege,
not requiring the appropriation of dollar from the
State to construct with their own money Railroad
through their county, with the right of making
connection at or Milton with the Richmond and
Danville Road. This simple application was found
ed on principles of common right common Justice
and the broad principles of equality. The amend
ment proposed by the Senator was one not only of
fragrant injustice to his (Mr. Bs) constituents but
IN his opinion was founded on arbitrary principle
utterly at with the principles of our free consti
tuition, which abhors the doctrine of monopolies and
exclusive privileges to classes or sections He op-
posed the amendment as making an odious discrimi-
nation against his constituents, as one which if
adopted, would render the charter impractcable and
of no value. 1t would be the mere name of a char
ter without the substance. 1t proposed letters and
restrictions without the poor consolation of any
benefit Instead of giving bread, it offered stone.
With forfeiture of the Companys charter BY con-
nection with the Richmond and Danville Road, who
would take dollar of the stock? The great lead
ing object in constructing the road is to give the
unrestricted facility of seeking the best markets
which our country affords. Deprived of this right
the leading object fails and the charter would remain
an unexecuted and imperative act He, Mr.. B., said
he would abandon the bill if the Senator's amend
ment prevailed.
Mr.. Brown would put it to the sense of Justice and
magnanimty of the Senate whether the of Cas-
well, which had, and now contributes, by taxation,
&c, largely to railroad improvements in every other
part of the State should be denied the simple right
Of an unrestricted charter construct road at her
own expense their soil with the privilege of
the Virginia connection Her representatives in the
Legislature had been on many occasions liberal and
generous to other sections of the State The North
Carolina Central Railroad was indebted for success
to the vote of late Senator from Caswell
Mr.. Brown said he had few days since, express
sed himself against the absurdty and impolicy as
well MS tyranny of legislative enactments to restrict
and force trade to certain commercial points 1t
was directly against the doctrine of commercial and
other equality, which the Senator from New Han
over, (Mr Hall and all of contend for as between
| the States of this Union. 1t the principle of
the odious protective SYSTEM and while the Senator
from New Hanover has so strongly deprecated it. as
| between the South and the North, he Mr. B. would
ask, with what consistency that Senator would now
oppose the right asked? To do So in direct con-
tct with anti-protectve principles avowed by that
| gentleman with respect to the restrictive tariff
| policy. A liberal system of trade and commerce is
to the advantage Of ALL and opposed when properly
| understood to the interests of none. Commerce
and trade should be unfettered as the winds and
waves going whereinvite by the best markets That
| policy would not only benefit the town of Whining
ton, but all cities and countries. He would men,
ton fact within his own knowledge and recollec-
| ton. Before Railroads were built and when the
trade of his County carried on by wagon trans
portatiOn there was a considerable trade with his
! part of the country and the town of Wilmington,
especially in the exchange of -four and tobacco for
groceries. Since the construction of the Richmond
| and Danvile Road it had taken much of that trade
If equal facilities were given to reach Wilmington
to the citizens of his and adjoining counties, he
believed much of this trade would be restored The
building of road through Caswell, a wealthy agri
cultural county, connecting with the Central road
at the workshops, would accomplish this result
He repealed the fallacy and absurdity that send
ing produce from our State to a Virginia market
rendered us tributary to Virginia. The benefit as
well as obligation is reciprocal the part of both
buyer and seller 1t may, with more or less pro
priety be said, that Virginia towns tributary t.
our farmers and planters, because they pay gooC
prices for their produce The best market is tn,
best friend to the producer, individually and to tn,
State in which the farmers and planters reside be
cause that which brings individual wealth contrib
utes to the general wealth, and to that extent
ders those markets, in reality, tributary to thos,
who sell to them for the highest prices
The amendment of Mr.. Waugh was rejected, ant
the bill passed its third reading