Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-04-01
Cane Fear FIarbOrs

OF one Qu0Qf6O IuOuSauu OOAAE@AS AOA EAAO
Improvement of our Harbor does not give
satisfaction to the friends of the measure.
It concerns us but little whether our COM
ments upon matters of public interest are
accountable to this or that clique or person.
We are governed in the formation or our
opinions by what We believe to be for the
public welfare, and express them when
formed without regard to the favor they
may receive or the hostility they may pro-
woke.
So far as our observations upon this par
ticular bill were concerned, no person or
persons have any right to complain
When we attack men, we have the manll-
less to express ourselves so that our mean
ing cannot be misunderstood. We do not
attack by insinuations. We published
Senator Abbott's remarks in full, custom
not usual with political papers in regard to
their opponents, but ga custom more
honored in the breach than the observ-
ance," we think, in matters of general in
terest. We have no desire to strengthen
our own party by incorporating our OPP
ponents, or by refusing to publish what
they may do for the public welfare. But
we do claim the privilege of giving our
own opinion, especially when it is backed
by the universal approval of those who
have given the subject much consideration
for years, and who are at least as much
interested in the success of the undertaking
as Senator Abbott and his.friends can posi-
bly be. Men who have doubts of the prac
ticability of their own views generally re-
ceive those of others with little grace or
patience.
We expressed the fear that the appro-
tion asked for was too small to effect much
good, and that the plan for bene6ting the
Harbor has not sufficiently reliable scien-
tito endorsement. Senator Abbott him
self confesses, by way of apology, that the
plan has not the endorsement of the En-
gineer Department, but only the recon-
mendation of the Coast Survey. He eX-
pressly states that the Engineer Depart
ment declines to make any recommends
ton different from the former plan OF
closing New Inlet except hfter new and
careful survey,
We regretted that our merchants had not
taken greater interest in this matter. We
referred to them because they were more
directly interested in the improvement OF
the Harbor. One of the leading points
upon which Senator Abbott bases his claim
is the enterprise of the merchants of Will
mington, and the rapidly increasing bust
ness Importance of the city. It would
have been much better if he could have
the endorsement of these same merchants
to whom he refers and upon whose charac
ter he rests one of the principal claims
for the appropriation. The presence of &
committee of our merchants in Washing
ton would strengthen Senator Abbott's ap
peal very much, and we are informed tina
he has expressed the desire that he should
have the assistance of such committee.
Should the appropriation be made, anC
none of it squandered, it will be the frs
instance in the history of the Government
where its funds have been economically
expended for public works. And we gC
further and assert that if one hundred
thousand dollars of public money is spen
here or elsewhere, and party faVorites ani
mendicants do not get liberal share of it
then there will be departure from thu
ordinary rule in such cases.
We will be second to none in our efforts
to promote the general welfare, we care
not whether the advantages are to be de
rived from Democratic or Republican ad
ministration, and we will give credit t.
those who labor for the public veal, Wheth
er they be political friends or foes AnG
if we believed this movement would result
IN the benefits claimed for it we would
give it our hearty and unqualified endorse
ment, whether few individuals, however
unworthy, should derive personal adyan.
tages or not. But we fear failure One haI
already resulted from insufficient and i'll
advised efforts to benefit the mouth of ou1
river. Another would be almost fatal, fol
1t would postpone further aid from the
Government for an indefinite Period. We
would prefer to wait until the Engineer
Department could make O careful survey
and base our claims upon their report.
We can only hope that the scheme may
succeed as claimed by it's friends We
will be only too glad. What We have writ
ten is prompted by reasonable convic-
ton of its failure, and this would be fatal
W AuHGneE eAOEtS' az AeasI 4or tne present.
1t ls our concern for the improvement OF
the Harbor and the consequent increase
of the wealth of all of our citizens that has
induced US to give our opinion freely upon
this subject. None can wish that our fears
are Rroundless more than we do ourselves
+. N. Strudw1ck.
This gentleman, recently elected to the
House of Representatives from the county
OF Orange, to fill the vacancy occasioned
by the resignation Of Mr.. Allison, i: