Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-09
Tne yEestcrn Railroad.

really good, even if 1T does come from home
The vVcsgern Railroad.
There is a Railroad, only some forty
odd miles long, running from Fayetteville
to Egypt. III Chatham county, which has
been made to play its part in the great
Radical scheme OF the reconstruction of
the State. This road has been engineered,
for q year past, by A J. Jones, he of the
cotton speculation memory, but still more
lately known as Radical Senator from
Bladen and Columbus and, by the grace
Of Governor Holden, President of the
Western Railroad. notwithstanding the
fact of jones' peculations in the cotton
transaction, that we have refe rred to, and
his detection from political honesty, there
were many people in Fayetteville san
guine enough to believe, when Holden's
proxy voted him in as President, that the
prospects Of this Western Road would bere
vived and that some semblanco of pros
perity would follow upon his administra-
ton Of affairs.
The result, after years fair trial, has
proved how futile we're all Of their hopes,
as the road appears to be, to day, in a far
worse condition than when the ''Hon." A J.
Jones first assumed the role Of President
An attachment has lately been sued out
against it for debt, and Notwithstanding
the fact that the amount returnable is but
So, 500 yet two engines and n long list of
road furniture amounting in all to some
$50 900, has been placed under execution.
It is true, though, that it may be
that this matter will all be arranged
and that the engines and cars will
not be brought nnder the hammer,
vet the fact thaS this attachment was issued,
bears upon its face very suspicious air.
We agree with the Fayetteville Eagle, that
it may be an effort on the part of some of
the present r"ragers to buy in q large
part of the rcn1 property. They know
that they "DI al go out Of office at
the next election and this move
may result, therefore, in their buying up
the articles under attachment thus secur-
ing lasting Influence in its management.
AS our cotemporary gays: The railroad
ring are making one long, strong grab,
and a grab altogether now,labefore the re-
formed Legislature can take hold a.
We would like to see this Western Road
in good hands, and in fair way to fulfill
it's original destiny. That destiny is one,
which, if accomplished, would influence
very materially the fortunes of both Fay
etteville and Wilmington, and it behooves
the good people of both places to guard
carefully its interests aud its honor.
rTr. stephens on the War.
The War Between the States-Tts Causes, Char
acter, Conduct and Results: By the Hon. Alex.
81. Stephens. National Publishing Company,
Atlanta, Ga,
The high official position held by Mr..
Stephens during the Confederate war, no
less than his distinguished ability and his
large political experience, made it emf
nently proper that he should write his
tory of the great struggle which changed
SO entirely the social and political aspect
OF the Southern States, and produced
lasting impression upon the minds of the
whole people. As Vice President of the
Copfederacy, Mr.. Stephens had an oppor-
tunity denied to nearly every other South
erner, of knowing the most secret details
relating to the conductof the war, while his
acknowledged ability and breadth of
thought enable him, in justification of his
people, to expound the causes of the war,
both near and remote, and to place upon
record the doctrines and sentiments which
led the Southern States TO seek security
and redress by the act of secession. Both
North and South were ready to give Gre
dence to his statements of fact, and to re-
ceive with respect his expressions of opin-
ion. No wonder, then, that the success
of the first volume Of Mr.. Stephens work
was extraordinary, its sale reaching sixty
thousand copies.
In the first volume Mr.. Stephens con-
fined Himself exclusively to an calculation
of the causes of the war but in the
second and concluding volume, now pub
lished, he narrates the story of the war,
giving especial emphasis to the action OF
the Government of the Confederacy, or to
what may be called its secret history. For
the first time full account Of the earlier
days of the Confederate Government, and
particularly of the Provisional Govern