Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-08-06
Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford
Railroad.

Wilmington, Charlotte and rutherford
| Railroad
| five are not pleased at the result OF the
Reorganization of the Wilmington, Char
lotto and Rutherford Railroad Company
we have, at least. no just cause for COM
plant. The Stockholders of this Road,
| our own friends, with full knowledge of
the inevitable result, accepted the amend
ment to their charter, and by their own
vote determined that result. Citizens of
our own city, as much interested In its
welfare as VIC are, and endeared to it by
every tie of nature, of association, and of
interest, after q calm and dispassionate
consideration of the whole subject, decided
against their inclination to throw the whole
influence of this Road into the hands of
parties whose sympathies and whose in
terests are not identical with ours. There
is manliness and heroism in casting aside
feelings and prejudices and local interests
in order to do what is right that requires
moro true courage than to face an "army
| with banners" However much we may
deplo,e the result of this reorganization
we must admire the course of these who
could have prevented it, but restrained
every feeling and made all subservient to
what they believed to be the real welfare
of the Road. Such conduct, under all the
circumstances of the case, was most com
mendable, and its very contrast with that
which has characterized their political OPP
ponents and its aptagonism to the prevail
ing fashion of the day gives it moral
| freshness which is indeed most pleasant
Our University is a conspicuous and i'm
posing wreck of the fell spirit of destrnc-
ton which animates these people.
In giving it as our mature opinion that
the Superintendent of Public Works was
the legally constituted agent OF the State
in the late meeting of the Stockholders of
the Wilmington, Charlotte and Ruther.
ford Railroad, we do not wish to be IN
derstood as casting blame upon our friends
in coming to the opposite decision, and we
certainly cannot be accused OF personal or
political preference for the persons named
as Directors by that official. And in this
! latter declaration we desire to be under
stood as having a most decided preference
for the gentleman named by them for the
Presidency, to the Individual who now
holds the Office in consequence of the
action of the STOCKHOLDERS, And yet, per
shaded that the present interests Of tho
Road demanded this action, we have Meth
er regrets nor reproaches to cast upon any
one. Except in a few individual instances.
we are proud of the courage and indepen-
dence shown by the Stockholders in their
vote.
We are glad to know that the gem
tlemen claiming to he Directors by
virtue of the appointment of Tie
Superintendent of Public Works in their
legal proceedings against those claiming
authority under the commission from the
Governor, will not in any way embarrass
the financial negotiations OF the Company.
They profess, and we have every reason to
believe, with truth and sincerity, the most
ardent wish to further the completion Of
the Road, and will do nothing to cripple
its progress. But they are determined,
and we approve of their intention, to claim
before the proper legal tribunals Of the
State the franchise of which they believe
themselves illegally deprived.
Whatever may be the final result of the
contest, we are prepared to submit in good
faith. We can have no personal concern
in either event farther than the genelal
welfare of our city is involved. AS Presi-
20 Ni1p,inotor
Charlotte and Rutherford Railroad, DIR.
Sloan and his Board will find in us
Just, if not an enthusiastic support
er, if their efforts are honestly and ener-
getically devoted to the completion and
success of the Road, without detriment to
our section Of the State. The objections
our people had personally to DIR. Sloan, as
President, We had the manliness to publish
to the world, when those reasons might
and should have been needed. If we have no
other support for our course, we have at
least the approval Of our own conscience
in performing our duty as public journal
lists. If we have erred, in view of what we
know to be Il foregone conclusion, we
alone will be the individual sufferers
If DR.. Sloan will be true to his promises,
if he will urge forward the work and close
the gaps between Rockingham and Char-
lotte, and push the Road to Rutherfordton
with the ample means with which he has
been furnished, we will forget his past
conduct and his present politics we will
overlook the sectional bias which has char
acterized his first official acts, and aid him
all We can while the work progresses, and
thank him N behalf of the people of the
State, when it is finished.
Will TEST THE QUESTION IN THE COURTS
The seven appointees of the Superintend-
ent of Public Works as Directors of the
Wilmington, Charlotte & Rutherford Rail
road Company on the part of the State,
held O meeting Friday afternoon and
decided to test the question Of the validity
of the appointments by the Governor in
the Courts of the State.