Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-03-26

ers have forsaken politics for works these
freely, either directly. or by taxes through
the State, for this purpose. But now when
the Treasury is absolutely empty, the in
terest on our State debt unpaid. and tie
ordinary and extraordinary expenses of the
State government accommodating with fear
full rapidlty, We submit that North Carroll
ma is in no condition to lend her aid to
foster works of internal improvements.
The prompt action of the Legislature in
rendering nugatory the recent decision OF
the Supreme Court declaring the Stay Law
unconstitutional, by enactments of doubt
full benefit and more doubtful legality, yet
giving greater stay to the collection OF
debts, tells most forcibly Of the impover-
ished condition of the State. Thes acts
are but the irresistible echoes of the APP
people in reply to that decision. Yet
members will thus place upon record the
poverty of their constituents and show to
what lengths they will 60 to relieve them.
and the very next moment vote an appro-
priation of millions Of dollars for rail
road, and for allowing the Commissioners
OF their county to levy special tax How
silly, if not wicked, is such action. How
adverse to the true interests of the State
and the people. Men may talk of taxing
county one hundred thousand dollars to
be expended in the county for the build
ing of railroad, and declaim upon the
increased value of the lands and the i'm
mense Importance of the railroad. BnL
when the tax payer must sacrifice his lands
to meet these extraordinary taxes, such ar
guments are worse than unmeaning-they
are bitter mockeries. Unable now to pay
their private debts; unable to meet the
taxes necessary to provide for the interest
on the public debt; unable TO furnish
proper system of education for the poor
children OF the State the railroads already
completed struggling for a bare mainte-
nance, and some without success ; the peo
pie dispirited by repeated failures Of crops
and by want of reliable system Of labor,
the people of North Carolina have seen
their Legislature voting appropriation
after appropriation, until their onerous
debt of nearly twenty millions of dollars
has been doubled.
! Other members seem ac$uated by mere
selfish purposes in their support of these
measures Local and personal interests
are the controlling motives of their mis-
taken liberaity. Their little towns are to
be built up. and their own property in
creased in value. They will be applicants
themselves for lucrative constructs on the
proposed road. Money is to be placed in
their own pockets, and they can whistle at
the tax collector. Men are selfish beings
at best, and if these Legislators can them
selves meet the taxes and profit by it, we
fear they will have but little compassion
upon those less fortunate.
Others support these appropriations as
party measures. The handling of all these
vast millions of dollars, wrung from the
over-worked people of the State, will be
entirely with the Radical party. Outside
of official populations and pilferings there
will be left magnificent margin for a
corruption fund. Contractors and labor
ers must belong to the party, or their en-
ployment ceases. Everybody connected
with these State works, from the Presi-
dent to the cart driver, must be Radical
above suspicion. II ex-Confederate Gen
erals and Colonies can be bought up cheap
| ly, surely these millions of dollars can
make serious inroads into the rank and
| file. If the people are in such great dis.
| tress, which is increased by these munif-
cent expenditures, surely there is not SO
| much virtue among the masses as to with
stand the glitteriug brides. The very bur
dens Of the people are to be converted in
! to tempting inducements to sell their
honor and integrity. They are expected
to be purchased by the very money of
which they have been robbed to create
this corruption fund.
| The decision of the Supreme Court in
the Chatham Railroad Injunction Case has
| been check to this headlong course. Yet
that decision and to meet the constitutional
objections, except the proper one of re-
ferring them to the people. as Is provided
by the Constitution. How far these efforts
will succeed We are not fully advised. We
fear far enough to complete the ruin of
the credit of the State which has been
already much injured, and to render the suf-
fering of the people of the State even
greater.
Immigration Meeting
We hope our people will not forget that
the meeting of the Carolina Immigration
| Association will be held in Goldsboro' on