Wilmington journal., 1871-08-04

II is very generally understood and be
lieved that the anti-Conventionists of the
State, O few weeks sirce, seriously nedita-
ted making no canvass and not even
voting trusting to the administration to
squeloh the Convention. 1t is said that
the ''powers that be" were consulted as to
the advisability of such a course of tactics,
and that they discouraged the idea and
oounselled vigorous canvass and square
stand-up fight on the question. So the
prop OF Federal Intervention is removed
from beneath the Office holders.
A New r. r. ENTERPRIsE.-Ol the this
page of to-day's issue will be found an
article from the Marlborough (S.C) Times,
with letter from M CronIy Esq, Presi-
dent Of the w, G. & r. r. e., to MIR. j.
H. Hudson, of Bennettsville, s. G. contain
ing proposition looking to the building
of branch road from Bennettsvllle to Lau-
rinburg Mr. Cronly is satisfied that "a
three foot guage road will pay, and says
that, if the citizens on the proposed new
line will furnish cross-ties and iron, there
is no doubt but that the W., @. & r. r. Z.
with locomotives and cars, and paying
them per cent. per annum on the amount
of stock.
This is a move in the right direction,
and speaks much for the enterprise and
energy of Mr.. Cronly, in his new position.
Toe country that it is proposed SO thus
open up is described as very rich, and as
densely peopled, and the result cannot but
re lound to the benefit of the citizens OF
Wilmington as we'll as of those on the
route from Bennettsville to Laurinburg.
Hom.stsads.
"Go against Convention, say the office
holders, "or you will lose your Home
say the carpet-baggers, cor you will lose
your Homesteads.'
Who owns Homesteads in North Caro-
lima ? Who is benefited by the law pro-
tecting them? VINO will be benefited by
their sale? Who are buying, at the
Sheriffs' sales, the Homesteads of our i'm
poverished people, sold to pay taxes?
These are practical questions and can be
easily answered. There are in North
Carolina about 200. 600 voters of these
125, 600 are uhites and IS 900 are colored.
There are about 1O5, 900 Conservatives and
10000 white Radicals. It is estimated
chat rs, 900 Conservatives have Home
steads, and s. 900 white Radicals and 1000
colored Radlcas own Homesteads. Now
the Conservatives. who are almost unani-
.mousy favoring Convention, own $4,000
Home steads, and many, very many, have
no other property in the world. On the
other hand, 10 900 Radicals only, who as
party are opposing Convention, are inter
e,ted in Homesteads.
IF, then, the q. sertions of the Radical
papers and speakers are to be believed
If the Convention will really ieopardize
the Home have the very sin
guIar anomaly of the friends and owners
OF Homesteads advocating measures which
will destroy their value. Or as Colonel
WADDE11 put it, in his remarkably fine
address before our citizens few evenings
since, We have the singular spectacle of
$1,000 Conservatives, owners of Home
steads, advocating their abolition to spite
the 10000 Radicals who have Home
steads.
But who are interested in the sale of
Homesteeds I? Who, in fact, hang around
the Sheriffs' sales and bid in property sold
for taxes? It is easy to ascertain. The
Registers books show. In this city almost
all of the property sold for taxes has been