The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-07-07
Townships.

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The Constitution of North Carolina re-
quires each county to be divided into care
fully surveyed and thoroughly organi zed
townships In most of the counties the di
vision has been made and accepted by the
General Assembly, and the Constitutional
organization is to be completed by the cleo
ton of officers. 4... ..,,4 .-J...
To some of our citizens we fear that the
necessity and benefit of the township Or
ganization are not very apparent, or rather
not appreciated. In the older section of
country this management has been a benefit.
1t will be good thing here when brought
into working condition. ,.i..--1 -..s ..
In the N. Y Tribune of the 25th instant,
are certain statements concerning the utility
of the township system, which we commend
to the attention of our readers: There
never was better time to introduce in the
South a system of Town Organizations, Ike
that prevalent in the Northern States-a
system which, to Northerners generally,
seem almost as necessary as churches. schools
and highways-an invaluable, if not indis-
pensable appendage, of well balanced po-
litical constitution. The altered condition
of things now renders it practicable and de-
sirabe to accomplish what could not be ex
! pected in the days of large plantations and
other incidents of slavery; and the subdi-
visions of counties into townships, like the
su division of large plantations into fair
sized farms, would quickly and permanently
promote the prosperity of the South. Few
features in the condition of the United States
attracted SO much attention from De Toe
queville, and some brief passages from his
we'll known volumes about Democracy in
America may interest our Southern read
ers by showing what was thought of the
matter by one of the most intelligent men
| (and he a foreigner) that ever wrote upon
! the condition of American society. After
seeing his remarks, one may more readily
J imagine the regret with which the Dorches-
terians abandon their time-honored town
| vi SdiiiLtlliOu. .s .-
"'In Massachusetts, says De Tocqueville,
tine handspring of public admiration lies
in the township. 1t forms the common
center of the interests and affections of the
citizens Z The native of New Eng
land is attached to his township because it
is Independent and free; his cooperation in
| its affairs insures his attachment to its inter-
est; the we'll being it affords him secures his
affection, and its welfare is the aim of his
ambition and of his future exertions. He
takes part in every occurrence in the place
he practices the art of government in the
small sphere within his reach-he accustoms
himself to those forms without which liberty
can only advance by revolutions he imbibes
tEeir spirit; he acquires their tastes for
order, comprehends the balance of powers,
and collects clear, practical notions on the
nature of his duties and the extent of his
rights = = Town meetings are to
liberty what primary schools are to science
they bring it within the peoples reach,
they teach men how to use and how to enjoy
l.. t .sr r5 -re -s,r
"'Such is brief outline of the opinions of
one of the most philosophical investigators
of American characteristics. But while De
Tocqueville favors the New England town
and county organizations, which he studied
most carefully, it may be said that, without
|
setting up New York as a model in all
things its town and county arrangements,
in all the rural districts, outside of a few
large cities, are an improvement on the New
England mode-at least so far as providing
for County Board of Supervisors, consist
ing of one member the Supervisory from
each town, forming sort of local legislature.
| One thing seems certain-that the Southern
State which earliest adopts the proposed
improvement in the way of town organiza-
tions, other things being equal, or nearly SO,
will probably secure quickly the largest
share of settlers and captalir the regions
where the great value of these organizations
is properly understood. The non existence
of town organizations in the South has been
one of the features that hitherto repeled the
best class of MOI thern settlers. The adop-
ton Of the system, now rendered practica-
Bile by the extinction of slavery and the sub
division of large plantations, would add one
Of the greatest attractions that could be pre-
sented to those Northerners whose migration
would be most beneficial to the South, while
perfecting the reorganization of that region
in a manner that would rejpice the hearts Of
all right-minded Southerners." T., 3sf5
The Gar of Russia, who is in poor health,
} goes to the Crimea to recuperate.