The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-27

manufacturing limbs for the manned soldiers of
pies of their manufacture, and to submit propo-
sais for supplying the State. Many specimens
were sent and proposals made. After careful
examination and extensive inquiry. / closed
contract with levitt & Co., at seventy dollars for
each leg and fifty dollars for each arm to be sup
piled. To ensure easy fit, it was necessary
that the soldier should be in the shop and there
have the limb fitted to the stump. and the contract
therefore required the manufacturer to make them
in shop in this city. To enable the soldiers to
come here without cost, 1 wrote to the Presidents
of each of the Railroads and transportation com
panies requesting free passage for them, coming
and going, to which all of them promptly assent
ed / caused to be fitted up house with suitable
beddings, &c, for such of them to occupy as
might choose to do SO, they being at no expense
except for provisions, which they could bring
with them otherwise procure. l employed Mr.
S Ryan TO attend to the details. whose report
to me accompanies this message. The Sheriffs.
without exception, have given me their prompt
corporation.
The government of the United States pays the
same contractors Sz5 for each leg. 1t will not
Cost the State more than this sum, including all
the incidental expenses. The manufacturers
executing their undertaking faithfully, and Civ
ing, so far as | have heard, entire satisfaction to
the MANNED soldiers. l am much gratified with
the successful and satisfactory manner in which
this work is progressing. which gave me much
anxiety and solictude in the selecting of the pa
tent and arranging the beginning of the work.
Lunatic Asylum.-The close of the left
the Lunatic Asy lum in a most depIorable condi-
ton. On the occupation of this city by the Uni
ted States army. the benevolent design of this
Institution did not protect it from spoilation.-
The fencing which Enclosed its grounds,
acres, was TORN away and used for fuel. or other
purposes. The orchard and garden ex-
posed. Its stockof mich cows, hogs. corn, pork,
L. md %aHo t. S,,.t
the United States officers in command here, to
say, that they prevented the disbandng Of the
Institution and the turning out of the poor mani
acs by furnishing the needful supplies until by
the partial restoration of the civil authorities, the
State could resume her guardianship over it.
Under the act ratified the 10th day of March
last Ito secure a better government for the In
sane Asy um." vesting the government OF the in
sttutlon in five supervisors. TO be biennally ap-
pointed by the Governor and the Governor to be
er O1fciO Chairman of the board. | solicited and
obtained the consent of five gentlemen, distn
guished for capacity and benerolence, and all
resident in Raleigh, to serve supervisors, to
wit: Thos Bragg, Geo w Mordecai, DR. E Burke
Haywood T III SeIby. and Dewey. and, upon
the resignation of DR. Haywood, after a few
months service, | obtained the consent of DR.
Charles E johnson. and appointed him to- fill the
vacancy. These gentlemen entitled to the
thanks of the State for their dgent effort. re-
quiring much of their time, often upon sudden
nal of our proceedings are open for your inspec-
ton. We.have endeavored to do everything
deemed compatible with the laws and consistent
with enlightened benevoence, to diminish the
expenses of the Institution. Your attention is
invited to the report of the Superintendent, DR.
G. Fisher, which herewith transmit to you, indi
eating the particulars as to which we deem add
tiOnal Legislation necessary. 1t is believed that
it presents full and fair showing of the manage
ment of this great charity. and its future wants.
The whole of the appropriation for its support
has been exhausted. A further appropriation will
be needed at an early day to lay in supplies for
the coming year. We did not construe the act
making the appropriation for the support of the
Institution this year, as contemplating the pay
ment of sundry debts contracted for supplies,
salaries, &c, towards the close of the and
afterwards. We have had much trouble in scaling
these debts. mostly the basis of Confederate
money. If adjusted according to the scale of
depreciation established by the General Assem-
bly,. some of them would get much more and others
much less, than we deemed equitable. We sub
NIT report of the amount which, think, ought
to be faid to each of these credito"s-and re-
commend that an appropriation be made for their
payment.
Agricultural College 1t will be seen by the
able report of our Public Treasurer which here
with transmit, that we received some months ago.
the scrip for hundred and seventy thousand
u7O,G0O) acres of Public Lands being one share
of a donation of public lands by Congress, to aid
in establishing colleges in the several States and
territories, to impart instruction in Agriculture
and the Mechanic Arts. By the second section
of an Act of the General Assembly. ratified the
5th day of March, 1866. the Public Treasurer is
empowered by and with the advice of the Gov
ernor to sell this land aud invest the proceeds in
stocks of the United States. or of the States, or
other safe stocks, yielding not less than five per
centum interest. Owing to the Homestead law.
which grants limited quantities of the public
lands to actual settlers, at a nominal price, our
scrip if now put in market, will bring little more
than fifty (5O) cents per acre. If sold at this
price the endowment of the proposed college
would very small, and in the present unsettled
condition of our country, the election of the
Stocks in which the investment should be made.
is most embarrassing. The low price of our ante
betium bonds invites investment in them. if the
State shall be allowed to rPcuperate and keep
faith with her creditors, which hope and believe
will be the case; but. in the painful uncertainty
which clouds the future a damage could be
foreseen from a little delay, have declined the
responsibility of making sale. and deciding in
what stocks the proceeds should be invested; and
we respectfully ask for more specific instructions
from your honorable body. l am the State
will heartily cooperate in adopting the most eff
cient means of carrying out the designs of Con-
gress, to wit: giving the aids of science to the
chief elements of American strength and pros
perity. The inc ury arises how can this object
be most efficiently carried out in this State!
Our University which our Constitution requires us
to sustain, has lost the bulk of its endowment by the
insolvency of the bank of North Carolina. 1t has
buildings adapted to the accommodation of four hun
dred (4OO) students of land containing many
hundred of good agricultural land, with only
about hundred students with large libraries. very
extensive Geological Cabinet and other facilities Tor
imparng scientific knowledge 1t appears to ME that
the best mode of carrying out the will of Congress will