Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-11-28
The State Convention.


On MONDAY LAST the Convention of the State OF
North Carolina reassembled at the capitol in Raleigh
great many things will be before The Conven ior
A great many things expected of if, and many of
them not little contradictory of each other 10 fact and
in spirit
Let US see MonopoIists and the Stay Law are
alike growled at The Convention is asked to the
community from oppression by the holders OF salt, but
to deliver the community over to the tender mer
ces of the Shy locks who hold notes. According to the
usual rules of trade applicable to times,
has Just the same right to ask and get all he for his
goods as he has TO ny law the price agreed
upon.
The fact is that You'd certain power of regulation
intended to reess abuses the State properly speaking
cannot safely interfere with the private transactions OF
her citz=ns she justly enforce arbitrary rules
between hersrI AID her citizens or any If them be-
cause by acting 50 she would grea: injustice 10 be
done.
Take salt oIlenquoted instance of mono oily
and extortioD. That the State has right to take pr
vate property for public uses making just compensa-
ton therefor cnnuOt be denied but then the question
will Immediately arse-What IS just compensation?
The Governor OF Georgia says that five dollars sack
plenty for salt, and he will give that, and what he can
buy at that price he will SEIZE at it. Now bow would
this work in maUy of which ali aware? MaDy
man in all honesty, wishing to accommodate custo-
mers has bought and has On hand SALT which be
sells at price only allowing reasonable percentage on
its cost to him. and yet that price tar above i've dollars
SACK and that would therefore be just compensation
to him. however exravagant mis- ht be to others who
had bought up salt at less than Jllar sack The
same reasoning will apply to other things. Upon this
subject we see that Hon. George E. Badger has intro
duced an ordnance founded upon the basis OF the old
English statutes against engrossers and foesaers which
appears to be carefully drawn upon to regulate certain
transactions We have in hand ard will publish it To-
morrow and shall then be pleased to hear from those OF
readers whose experience may suggest to them any
objections amendments.
j Why should the Convention be called upon TO regu
late one relation one class of transactions, the relation
of buyer and seller, the transactions arising out of bar
gain and sale with the view of preventing oppression
and should at the same time be loudly called upon to
E repeal law regulating the relation of debtor and
creditor relation in which oppression may and will
occur soon and from the action OF the same passions
as in the other relation 1t folly to talk about public
opinion, to urge that nobody would take advantage
=. of the unavoidable position of debtors. People who
would foresta and engross the actual necesares OF life
that they might get extotonae prices for them, would
Also by forced sales and combinations engross and fore
stall the real and personal property of the community
and that public opinion would not suffice to stop this
operation is apparent from its total failure in regard to
speculation engrossing and orestaling in articles OF
prime necessity when the very life of the country itself
is at stake. We have peculiar personal inter- st in
this matter or we have interest is certainly the
other way We do rot say that the present stayaw
perfect. That is not the question. The question IS
It Does or does not the relation of debtor and creditor
equally with that of buyer and seller require some reg
ulatons unnecessary in usual times but absolutely in
dspensabe order to prevent oppression and wide
spread suffering if not ruin to thousands? Whatever
eminent newspaper lawyers may say to the contrary thu
common and common feeling OF the people ans
wer this question in the affirmative and surely, bod!
which, like the Convention now in session, proposes
tear things up by the roots and plant them with the
branches in the ground, ought not to be afraid to ap
= proach this question. Convention that hesates no
to approach the Constitution of the Stae-o tear dow
and built up, to and rewrte at its pleasure ough
not to shrink from the consideration of this subject
while in their souls acknowledging its necessity athoug
I'D in its boots trembling before the ma esty Of the
re supreme Legislative we'll judicial authority of tn
Mt State Judge Richmond NJ. Pearson and the two othe
respectable gentlemen who sit with him the Suprem
Court bench.
~ Efforts will be made based upon the recommendation
= contained in the last message of President Davis
carry through the Convention ordinance for the cha
tering of direct road from Danvile, Va, to Green
b boro n G. We respectfully invite attention to Il
communication on this subject in to-days Journal ovt
A.. II
thing upon its true basis glance at any railroad ma
- will show the complete correctness of correspo
dents statements. When the war is over, North Car
~ lima and her citizens must look out for their interest
Mt and must not sacrifice their future the altar
Richmond speculation under the mistaken idea that the
t are responding to the calls OF Southern patriotism
TO- There will also be proposed of those aborve ter
porary and selfish schemes of railroad from the
fields to within nine miles of Raleigh, instead OF ru
md ming the road to point the N c. Road IN the neg
lay borhood of High Point Lexn ton thus connectir
the the great mineral with the great agricultural regions
the State apd aording direct communication for DO
,ok to manufacturing and commercial centres within O
ing own borders.
18th The question of finance will also occupy the atent
or of the Convention, and, doubt sundry propose
tne will be made with view of arranging somehow abo
the the States quota of the Confederate war tax.
10 The Convention has refused by vote of 81 to 43
eW fix day for adjournment, and when it rW fdjourn
Ally man knoweth.
90 BLESS its old title-page, see it more,
10. Turner'S North Carolina Almanac" for the year
,e Our Lord 1862 being second after bssextile lea
,rd year, calculated for the Latitude and Meridian
nts Raleigh n Co. by David Richardson, of Louisa
70 ty Va. There is item in the above recapituati
Ill that sounds omiaous-" calculated for the Latitude