Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-02-02
= From the Raleigh Sentinel
REMARKS Oh WIZ. GVERaE-
OF IT BIBEELANp.


day, Jaa. 1872. npou NJ. dct% sub
x,aufc fer ne bin IL to9"rd IL he |'hf
If the .>into,
Mr. SPEAKER II is with feelings ot
more than ordinary diilidcnce that rise TO
express my views osl this ati-perpic1ingim d
all important question known rs Ire pubic
debt. And having occupied such 4tAet
poSition during the whole time OF Your de-
iibcratiolrs, feel that / ought to ask par
don Of the House fOr Offering Them my
views at this late day-and especially about
q subject OF such vast magnitude rs he one
now before us.
| consider this question second to monte
that has been before this House but / do
consider it Of more Importance than any
other matter that has engaged the attention
of this body. Why do ] say so MIR. Speak
err? | say so because il embraces millions
Of money, and say so because il embraces
Tie honor Of 0ui. gO0d old .St0tc. And We
who have had in our hands the important
trust, rs Representatives, the fortunes and
honor OF our people ought 10 consider well
this question before We act.
1t is question that attracts the auen-
ton OF every thinking man i'll the State.
Sir. il is one of vital interest to every man,
woman and child from the most distant
point OF land that divides the blue waves OF
N
highest and most distant mountain peak
that decOrates the wild grandeur of the
West. And this deep interest does not
stop within our own borders, but II aWakcS
a restless anxiety i'll the outside world.
And why does it cause the outside world To
look with such deep anxiety to the settle
ment Of this great question? Simply be
cause it is Il matter Of dollars and cents
with them. And Mr. Speaker this is ono
of the reasons why orr own peOld" are 5"
deeply interested. But there is another
reason OF far more Importance to North
Carolina than that Of dollars aud cents, for
her fortune is gone So Tar as dollars AMI
cents are concerned, but she has full
treasury OF another kind of property so to
speak that she has chung to with d0rio7f&
tea0cdy and from which | hope she may
never turn loose. | mean sir, hC,' h1jDIH,
hc1. Du,c, her St"ilHr~&, bcr shining, ana her
Sdcrcd honor.
If VIC adopt the substitute offered by the
gentleman from Haywood, i'll preference 10
the bill introduced by the gentleman from
New Hanover, we strike North Carolina
blow from which She will never recover
The stain OF reputation will cloud her fair
brow when we will be numbered with the
dead and he remembered only for this cruel
blow.
Mr.. WelcI. VIII the gentleman allow
me to ask him Il question
Mr.. Currie. Certainly, >ir.
MI. WelcIl. | desire to ask The gentle
man from Cumberland, il the tendency of
the Legislature was not decidedly in favor
Of reputation.
Mr. Currie. Mr.. Speaker, do not con
slider that the last Legislature represented
North Carolinians. God forbid that we
should emulate their example or follow
their prceedents. (Applausc.) Mr.. Speak
or, | don't accuse the gentleman from Hay
wood, of being other than a true North
Carolinian but he has allowed his judg-
mcnt to become biased in his anxiety TO re-
lievc the people And If his proposition
could bring the desired relief it would he
different thing, but III my opinion 1t falls
far short Of that. Ii simply proposes 10 sur
render all that the State has in her public
works and improvements and rcpIl,iiatcs
the balance. 1t is well known. Mr.. Speaker.
that there are mortgages on neatly all the
property that the State has any claims on
whatsoever, unless il IS the capitol and The
nSylumS i'll This CitT, and according To the
Wurlin" of the substitute / think these are
incudcd-and what would hr thc rcsUr
when this proposition would go CIT 10 the
world? The parties holding mortgage, on
orr railroads would tnTctlpec Thorn imme
diately, and the small pittancc left tie
creditors Of the Stat" would 10! he worth
dividing. And, sir, they would hold on to
the bonds and continue 10 Iara~s fhc State
till they would effect Il compromise Of some
sort. Why not propose this compromise
nov, and save our people millions at money
! and ourselves an honorable remembrance /?
according to III" statement lnade by my
friend from Wilson III his speech yesterday
on this question, the interest on the ,'Dco3-
nized debt of the State will il We pass tire
bill introduced by my friend Nj. Ashe, pay.
It's ont of debt III five Years. Then Why do
we hesitate to come forward aud propose
this profitable, this honorable C,Auprolniee
that viii save lis millions vi money, and
leave the fair naInc Of North Carolina as
pure -ud SpUi less rs tie Unlr0dtien snow :?
Pass this compromise b}ll, and II it i &C.
Ccpted, the tide % immigration that is 50
much desired by some oS our people will
flow into the STATE hy the thousands, Capt.
taliStS will come with light steps and buoy
ant hearts te help Us Oh i'll our march Of
Improvement and prosperity But ii We
fail to take tlliS step and do nothing, OF
pass the substitute proposed by the gentle
man from ItIyWoOd, which is in my hum
bic Judgment equivalent 10 doing nothing,
or probably, We close FOR years the flood
gates OF our prosperity, and the gates that
are opening 10 immigration and capital
will DC crowded by our citizens. Thou-
sands Of onr young men, the hope and
pride Of our State, Will he forced 10 leave
, The happy homes Of their childhood and
youth - fcEt the battles Of life IN Ojner
lands. THESE results win We brought about
by the adoption OF the substitute, or by in
action as proposed by lily gallant ,fnnd
from Martin.
Mr.. Speaker, | don't agree with my
friend from Martin, whose Proposition is To
let this great question sleep for the present.
| know, sir, he has the. honor ami welfare
Of North Carolina At heart, for take it, sir.
that no i.aall who belonged to the glorious
, regiment to which the Gentleman from
Ma1;in referred the other ddV-sran h. no
other than an honorable man-and hope
sir. that the tIrSt General assembly Of
North IaTOlipa. composed principally OF
young men viii discharge their duty as mo-
bly, upon this great question:. rs did the
first regiment at the battle of Bethel. /
saw nothing OF my gallant friend from
Martin, from the time the first regiments
disbanded till met him III this House: hut
/ take it, sir, he bore himself as noblytU the
bitter end as his actions hravely promised
in the beginning, and appeal 10 him in
the name OF the first regiment to vote DOM
the substitute, ami come forward like he
did when he went TO the front. proudly
conscious that the honor and welfare of
North Carolina is consigned liz part TO
his keepiH9-and vote sOr the compromise
bill. and when lie and / viii be sunllII0n...!
by the final reveille-Wc VIII have not hing
TO answer for as soldiers i'll defense OF our
country, nOx rs representatives in behalf of
the honor and welfare of our people. Mr..
Speaker it is for this General Assembly to
say how and where North Carolina is to
stand i'll the future as to her honor-and
in nv OpinjOn-NIr. Sneaker fIIr final ac-