Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-12-11
From the Raleigh Sentiuel
OF NORTH CAROLINA
SENATE.
TUESDAY, Dec. ], 1863,
BILLS.

BILLS
iiY Yr. Graham The following resolu-
ton
Re$c'red That TIE Public Treasurer be request
ltlIapOrt to the Senate the names of the per-
s:u5 t. whom he sold one hundred and eighty
thousand dollars in bonds Of the North Carolin4
Railroad 1ompsny, paid by that Company to the
State on the 10th OF October, as dividends from
whom proposals were received, and the prices Of
f,red Tud what were the exigencies of the Trea-
-urs, which did not allow bin to reject the lids
Mr. Graham said Mr.. President, see
n the report of the Public Treasurer this
statement lone hundred and eighty
thousand IN bonds Of the North Carolina
Kairo4d Company were paid by that Com
ua0y to the State, on the 10th Of October
/ lost 40 time in endeavoring to sell them
FALLING to obtain an eligible offer at pri-
yate sale, [ advertised for sealed proposals
10 be opened at my Office, on the 11th daN
of Move mber, 1868 The bids aggregated
5ll7 600. The exigencies of the Treasury
dIi not allow me to reject these bids"
These bonds were s per cent. mortgage
bonds, exempt from State and Federal tax
alton. The property of the n. @. r. r
Co, [ understand, is estimated at five or
SIX millzo ons of dollars a mortgage has
been executed for $500, 900 to secure the
iaJ men5 of the bonds when due, and pro-
vision made for q sinking fund each year,
from the earnings of the Road, for this
purpose. also learn that only 1886, 600
OF bonds have actually been issued. 1t is
reported that the Treasurer, with the eX
cepriou OF 81 900, sold these bonds for IS
cents d the dollar. IL is due to the peo-
pie, and to that officer, that we should
have a fall explanation of the matter, and
the exigeucies which required him to sub
nit to Slch shave, fully stated. II our
treasury was so empty as to require the
money a. once, we have but poor pros
pect OF carrying Oh our Government or
the next year and meeting our obligations.
Ii we should see private indiVid ual sell
llg good bonds at such discount, we
would suspect that he was nearly, if not
quite, bankrupt. I hope this is not the
case with the State of North Carolina. I
make Lo charge against the Public Treas
urer, and introduce this resolution to give
him IN opportunity to vindicate his action.
fortunate trade, on the part of North Caro-
lima, as these same bonds cannot now be
bought for so cents in the dollar.
Tie resolution was adopted.
By Mr. Sweet A resolution rendering
the use Of the Senate Chamber to the Pre-
sldential Electors, after II o'clock to-mor-
row which was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Robbins, the Senate
agreed, when it adjourned, to meet to-
morrow at 10 o'clock
Mr. Martindale offered q resolution in
reference to an article, which appeared in
the Raleigh Sentinel, of to-day. Judge
Story si1 If ever the day should come,
when tie best talent and best virtues
should be driven from Office and place by
intrigue or corruption or by the ostracism
Of the Press, or the still more unrelenting
persecution of party, honest legislation
would cease, &c.
The resolution proposed to raise a
committee to inquire if Judge Story said
SO, and, if he did, was it true
Mr. Sweet expressed his surprise at the
introduction of the resolutions He
thought they should be stamped with the
condemn alton of every Senator on the
1oor. They were calculated to bring the
investigation of the charges of corruption
into rldmule and contempt, and, in this
way, cripple the Committee in its effort to
expose corruption. Il was too much like
cracking joke at a funeral.
After be had pledged his word, as o gen
teman aad Senator, to locate brihnrv i
IS beneath the dignity of this body to
tolerate such an attempt to belittle the
investigation, and he would repeat again,
10 the nlnst emphatic terms. that he could
establish, beyond doubt. the charges
contained IN those resolutions on bribery
Mr.. Davis desired to know if the Senator
rom Craven lntlmated that any Senator or
the floor had been guilty of the charges
Specified in the resolutions.
mr. Sweet said he did not intend tc
expose ally of the facts in the possession
OF the committee. In fact, there would
De De no way of getting hold of them until
Lhey came out in proper form, as each
member OF tbs committee would be r..
quired I" take an oath of secrecy. He
could say, Tor the benefit of the Senate,
ron MoItgomery, that they had not re-
GelVed any Information, thus far, which
MIR; Robbins said he desired to express
us admHation and appreciation of the re-