The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-11-24
Governors Message.
3FRsi Lac uExHcDrrE Dxrzz7nExr, N
:. ..-.,.-,.I.;.,.s =, Raleigh, Novsl6, 1859.
10 ns Honorabis. dhs General zsssas5iy =

lfT .fisfi9 81 lkfs qf Norfh scsyosina
turn . the .sst Of government, q resume yonl
lleyislafiro dutiex5 There ID much impoftani
business which will claim your attention. You
will doubtless proceed to the consideration and
dispatch Of business in a calm and dspsssicnats
spirit, and with an ere to the good Of the whole
people OF the State. IL Is made my duty by Che
Constellation: tois give the General Assembly,
from time 70 time, Information Of the affairs oi
the State. nahd To recommend such measutes Is
shall deem txpedient l IproPose to perform
| this duty In plain and candid manner, With the
assurancein advance that am prepared at all
times jealousy 70 ,eo-9perates with sou in all
Pod most sslussry for the state md lfor lour
eSdmon country. AZ 81 h ~ =. .s,s.s ! ~
fps - STATE DEBT AsD ITSAScEs.
The most important subject which can engage
your attentionis the State debt and fnahces.ii5
The amount Of the State debt on the lst 0cio-
Der 1S59, is as follows: Anfe-war bonds, SS,S76,-
20 Postwar bonds not special iax, lss ss5,
are such as have been issued since the rebellion
under furding acts, ,lon such as were authorized
oy ayss!Srs 'S sas sas 5sselion This dsbt i knerp
Bonds issued to Railroad compauirs, sslle pay.
@snt e s1s . Interest E 9 q Which sRToyiiss ier
4 st6r ind Izfborough kailrtad, $500 900 Tothe
i Western Division OF the Western North Caro-
lima Railroad, Sc, ,367 COO To the Eastern Di
vision OF said Road. ss7s,oOO.i Tothe Whining
ton, Charlotte and Rutherford Road, 81 10000.
i 10 the North Western North Carolina Road,
Sl,0S0,000. To the Western (Coalfeld) Road,
/ 81, ,320, 900. To the Atlantic Tennessee and Ohio
Railroad, 81, ,760, 900; making sl2 coo, ,00e Total
bonded debt, SIS, ,Sl5, ,045. To this may I've added
oi bonds not issued 81 ,2sO, 900, making total
Of the bonded debt and Of bonds 10 ue issued,
Il Of $34, ,095, ,0i5. s.l srIi,i. \ fug 1srqITe2
/ The interest on the special tax bonds is being
/ paid. regret to state that the Treasurer has
been unable to meet the interest on the old
bonds, II will be necessary to fund the interest
| due on these bonds, and il Is for the Gcncral AZ
semblyto decide for what time the Int crest shall
be funded. The fact that the State made an ef-
| fort to pay this interest and failed certainly
| proves disposition topay; and the -fundirg,
| by compounding and increasing the debt, thus
adding to the burdens OF the people and throw.
| ing new bonds on the market to compete with
others already sold, will greatly stimulate the
| disposition which exists TO meet this interest
We are able TO pay the interest on the whole
| OF this debt, and those who will come after us
will be abundautly able to discharge the rrinci-
| pal. The State OF Pennsylvania, twenty-five
| years ago, was as much embarrassed with her
debt as We are with ours, and her good name
was in danger of being clouded by Reputation,
But she met her responsibilities boldly and in
good iaith her best men united TO sustain her
credit; her people esubmitted cheerfuly 10 the tax
was her faith was maintained, her great resources
were developed, her population Increased, her
wealth doubled and quadruped, and now she
wouldno be embarrassed with debt of one
hundred millions North Carolina has as many
natural resources as Pennsylvania q Our debt
has been incurred to improve our condition
that, is in the first place. to commence and con-
time certain lines of railway, and SECONDLY, to
finish these lines, as provided fo- in The Consti-
tuition. The amount thus expended has already
haau nf tpoal ,,lahla I,o.,o ols o.
II the Wilmington and Weldon Railway had not
been constructed! What, If no Railroad had
gone to the sea from Goldsborough? What, II
the Raleigh and CASTOR Road had not opened the
rich cotton and tobacco region from WAKE,
Franklin and Granville to Weldon, and thence TO
Petersburg and Norfolkg What. if the North
Carolina Railroad had not stretched itself GU.
as great iife-supplying artery from Goldsbor-
ough TO Charlotte? Must we pause in ourca
reery Is not the enterprising city of Whining
ION TO be placed in connection with Asheyille,
and thence with the Mississippi valley? Must
our great Western Railroad hall at Swananoa
Gap, or at Asheville? No, gentlemen, all our
great works must be completed. We must 90
on. We cannot recede. We must pay the in--
terest on our bonds, and thus keeping faith and
at the same time putting our bonds at such
figure as they should command, the various
Railroad Companies can dispose Of those they
have in hang, realize the money for them, and
press their works to completion.
luc pIcocnI otAtt QeDt 6uCulQ moi, and. Il be-
lleve, will not be increased. This is The dictate
alike OF fijustce and sound policy-jusfice to our
creditors, and sound policy, because to Increase
the debt would be to oppress the people But
the debt has been honestly eesss-,. tays ave
been sold, and we have received the ntney Tor
them, and we are bound In every way In which
State can be bound to pay the debt. The debt &
obligatory under both the old and new Constitu-
tion, and 1t has been sanctioned, and its payment
will be sustained as q sacred duty, by the Su.
preme Court OF the State. Under the Constitu-
tion, and under the decision of the Court, which
is the highest known to our Constitution and
laws, the whole property of the State is held to
meet this debt, both new and old Let us then
meet 1t like men and North Carolinians. Let us
hear no whisper even Of reputation. Let every
citizen OF the state resolve that nothing shall be
done and nothing omitted which will cast q
doubt on our purpose to pay this debt Com
pared with many other States we arc poor in de-
yeloped resources and poor in means; but let this
comparative poverty be honorable,--let us not
add to 1t the crime of dishonesty, aud, by des-
troying our good name with our credit, cut our
selves of from ali hope OF Improving our condi
ton. There is great hope for US in the future
but this hope is based on our integrity as people
and on our purpose to meet all our obligations, |
no matter how heavy the burden may seem for
the present. Reputation would not stop with |
the State debt. II would extend itself to the na
ttonal debt, to corporation debts, to individual
debts and to private contracts. There would be |
no confidence between man and man. The credit |
system would be destroyed The result of all i
this would DC, not only practical loss to the |
people OF the State of more than the amount of |
their present debt, but stigma of reproach and |
disgrace which would cling Tor ages to the char
acter Of the State.
l invite your special attention to the Report
OF the State Treasurer, herewith transmitted. l |
take pleasure in bearing testimony tc the able
and faithful manner in which this officer mas ais.
charged Ills duties; and trust your honorable
body will give due weight to his suggestions and |
recommendations. a,, iIlt-.5. 80 N ,,---f
respectfully recommend, first the, most rigid
economy in the public expenditures sccondlr
that the Public Treasurer be relied upon by yo1r
honorable body to manage the financial concerns |
OF the state in such manner as ac may deem
best, underyour direction. -
oi ,s..,s PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
Your attention is invited to the Report of the
Superintendent of Public instruction, with ac-
companyfng documents, herewith transmitted.
That officer, and his assistant, the Rev. j. W.
Hood, have been active, Jealous, patient and
faithful in their responsible duties, and deserve
Therefor g, the thanks Of the people of the State.
The system of public schools contemplated by
the Consultation, and provided ios BY law, is
nearly ready to go into operation. In most oi
the counties the requisite school officers have |
been elected and qualified. Teachers will be en-
gagged and schools opened whenever Towuslip 4
A'ta OOuuly arc QOIlQcQ OF the anDOr-
tionment OF the school money, which has lust
been made for the ensuing year By the Superin-
tendent OF Public Instruction to the amount Of
sl65. .2905o A few schools have alresdy com.
nenced. The General Assembly. at its last ses-
SION, appropriated one hundred tbousend dollars 4
Tor school purposes, which sum Is to be added |
20 the crpltation tax and apportionea among the
counties Of the State. The census OF 1858 which
was taken by tbs County Commissioners by di- 4
Iection OF the Board OF Education, shows that
56e 56e sc school money must be distributed among
SS0, ,5sl children The amount of the capitatiof
tax cannot be determined until the final returns
of the Sheriffs on the 1st of next month.
can not too earnestly urge on the General 4
A Assembly the Importance of sustaining the free 4
public schools Every hope ter free govern
mens depends on the education OF the masses
Faxes for sucha purpose should be sheer1aIly
paid. ibis is subject upon which all can
agree. We can all unite in earnest efforts to
educate the rising generation, and thus make
me State powerful and respected through the
intelligence and general knowledge which win
eharacterize Its people. -, / :, - .s.ta5- .Safl
The Swamp Lands vested ip the Board of Ed
lcation still remain unsold and unproductiye
II is recommended that the board ol education,
pc authorized TO dispose of these lands II the
board should be sufhofized to offer them Tor
'ale In parcels, or in body, inquiry concerning
hem viii be stimulated, and advantageous sails
nay be effected. " - lf Dol
The University Of the State claims the special
lttention, and Is entitled to the fostering care
1f the Gcneral Assembly. There is now at |
Chapel Hill a Faculty consisting OF President
Ind four professors, who are able and expert
,need teachers The esfablishment of schools
,r colleges, implied in the University system,
sill require the appointment Of several addi-
aonsi professors complete University
lhould at once be organized. The copstituiion
'ontemplates University, which is an assem-
plage Of Colleges, and not simply a college; and
p such a aUniyersify everything should bstaught