Wilmington journal., 1871-07-07
Forth CarOlina.


The people Of North Caroline, says the
Baltimore Gazetle, are in great trouble.
They have been feeced and plundered In
every possible way by the Radicals who
have ruled over them. The financial con-
dition of tho State is deplorab!e. The
bo0ded and floating debt amounts, in
round numbers, to thirty-six millions of
dollars, including six millions of back in
tere st due and unpaid. The Legislature,
which recently closed its session, had in it
majority of Democrats and Conserva-
tives, but under the Constitution that had
been framed by the Radicals. it found
Ieelf incapable of passing any measures
that would relieve the people from the
evils of misgovernment, or from rate of
taxation. which, if enforced In their pres
ent impoverished condition, would be
simply ruinous.
BY one Of the provisions Of the existing
Constitution Convention TO amend it, or
frame a new ono, cannot be called unless
BY q vote of two-thirds of the members of
the Legislature. As this vote could not be
had, it was fnally determined that the
people should decide, by q vote to be
taken throughout tho State on the Sd OF
August next, whether or not ConstiIu-
tional Convention shall be held on the
fret Monday in September, and, if the de-
cisioo is in the affirmative, to eject dele
ga'es to it.
On ,he question Of Convention pu-ties
are very much divided. Some Democrats
and Conservative are opposed to it. 9th
era arc in favor of it. But, as the call will
also oe su tanned by some of the moder-
ate Republicans, it is thought it will be
carried, though probably by close vote
Irrespe ctive of the fnaucial que stion, there
is much t.sf ,ctiou with the Judiciary.
n srly all the Judg of the Supreme
Curt are said to have lost the respect Of
the people, and It is alleged that most of
6 lie lawltss acts III At have occurred in tie
State arr of Radical origin, and that ii g
impunity with which they have been COM
mitted is due to the partisanship mani
fe,ted, not only on the Supreme Bench,
but ais by the inf, ror Courts.
Before the war the government Of North
Garrett as C Irried ~ more economical
ty than cry government al the South. The
tota annual exprus-. did not exceed from
$l75, 900 to $4,000. The present State
government co.'s the people over half !!
million annually. The extravaganza and |
8 rruptIon Of the Rad!c lis have burden Oh |
tie afe with debt Tho bonded and (
Il ating debt Of tic State has been in
Grease from fourtet mIllions-the point
ut which il stood when the Radicals came
in poWtr-to thirty six millions. Of this
u bit sixteen mIllior S are made up Of new
bonds. They were Issued ostensibly for
railrosd purL oses. and principally for the
alleged beLeti OF the We7tern counties.
These bonds we're tnrned over to specuIa-
tors-Swepson and LIttlt fiell beiag the
chief oporat Drs-an1 on the whole amount
OF bonds issued the State has not aotu-
ally realized moro than a million dollars.
The boLds have been sod or hypotheca-
ted, and the money pocketed by confidence
men aud Radical thieves. The infamy of
the trans &c ion stands further confessed
by the fact that although these sixteen I
millions of special tax bonds were issued l
III 1868 and 1869. the Radicals who nu-
shorzed them did not dare to levy tax 6
30 pay the interest either on them OF on |
the old and universally recognized bonds '
Of tue State. The courts have nevertheless q
decided that the new bonds in question c
ire valid; but other railroad bonds to v
arge amount, which were also authorized t
lnder the guarantee of the State, were de- t
'iared by the courts 10 be invalid, because /
hey wore not issued in accordance with
aw. q
Whether it was either wise or polite on II
be part of a maj jority of the Legislature re
Il North Carolina to take steps to ascer- 70
sin the sense of the people in regard to W
ne propriety of calling together, at this " u
ime, s ate Constitutional Convention. sE
% do not undertake to say. The question 20 q,
lust be decided by the people themselves. Ia
1t that some action requires to be taken
} relieve the State from its difficulties Of
lost be perfectly evident from the exhibit st
q have made of it's present condition. IN ~