Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-12-03
LATEST NEWS
BY TELEGRAPH.
Convention.

| RICHMOND. Va, Dec. Moon.
| The National Board of Trade met at noon to-
| day in the Capitol.
| Frederick Fraley, OF Philadelphia, President.
| Prayer was offered by Rev. Ohas Minnegerode
of the Episcopal Church.
Thos. W. McCane of the Richmond Chamber
OF Commerce submitted an address Of welcome.
The address is as follows:
Before you proceed to the regular order of
business, which has convened this Board, beg
leave to perform most agreeable duty on be-
half OF members of the Richmond Chamber of
Commerce, and may add, of this community.
We desire in few sincere and earnest words to
express the qualification with which We meet
you here in the Capitol of the Old Dominion -
We receive you with warm greeting. and
tender you I most cordial welc ONE 1t shall be
our endeavor to make you feel entirely at home
in our midst We greet You, not only person
ally, but the representatives OF 80 many COM
munites OF our countrymeG, scattered over every
part Of this beloved and now happily peaceful
land. Il is double pleasure to have this Hp-
p0rtunity to cultivate with them that spirit OF
fraternity which should animate this whole peo-
ple-the descendants Of l. common ancestry-the
possessions of a comm IN heritage once more
moving together toward a common destiny. =
Anu Wo bid you thrice welcome for the cause and
the work in which you engaged.
These United States though of such rapid
growth and arrived at such high prominence
among the nations Of the earth, yet in the
freshness of youth. AS they mature questions of
commercial and financial policy constantly
arising vitality important in their bearing upon
the general welfare and requiring combined wis
dom and patriotism. So to decide them as to
serve the highest interests OF the people no
labor counsel can be of more value at this
day than such is devoted to the wise drec-
ton Of public sentiment in connection with these
measures.
as commerce and intercourse are the pioneers
of peace snd plenty, as they advance prosperity
follows in their path, anu dscord and strife dis
appear before their aid. We must mainly rely
upon that spirit Of enterprise and amity which
shall break down the natural and artificial bar
rier5 dividing these States into sectio rs for
the strength and endurance OF those ties which
should unite the whole people in the bands of
peace aud brotherhood, and for the future
wealth and power Of the nation.
The address was received with applause.
The report of the Executive Council for the
past yoar was read. It shows the National
Board consists of thirty-seven Constituent and
| sixteen thousand business bodies.
Among the most prominent questions 10 come
up, it states, are weights and measures, convey
ance ofreal estate, regulation of joint stock
panies, legal rate for the use Of money and 70.
lations between the debtor and creditor.
In the report there was tribute to the mem =
DRY Of the late Jas. Il. Branch, of Richmond, one
Of the Vice-Presidents OF the National Board of
Trade who was accidentally killed last summer
Al: ID
heard the tribute read in silence.
The Board then went into the election Of Of
ficers for the ensuing year.
Frederick Fralcy, of Philadelphia, was electe d
President. On taking his seat he said tat he
had almost known the commerce of this country
from its infancy, and had watched it's growth to
its present neutrality-suspicious. he said SO
great that no man in public lite could afford to
overlook its claims or to ignore ths action of
such representative body as this. He thanked
the Board for tho great honor done him.
The Board then proceeded to the election of
ice-Presdents.