Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-20

more completely master oil the situation
than is President Grant to-day He
can Overturn the Government of every
State in single week or |
single day. If affairs are not being con-
Quoted to suit him, all that he has to do is |
to cause few individuals to organize |
new government and 10 direct his
Attorney General to recognize it by |
telegraph, and to support it with the army
and navy, and the thing is done, Can the |
Car of the Russias arrange matters more to
his satisfaction or more speedily? And
can any man who knows the condition of
Affairs in Alabama and Louisiana pretend
that Grant cannot exercise this power? S.
The New York, Norfolk and Charles
ton Railroad.
RALEIGH, N. G., Dec. 10, 1872.
Ny Dear Journal - There was quite
spirited little discussion in the House of
Representatives on Saturday upon tie
motion of Mr.. Watson, OF Orange, to post
| pone the consideration of the bill to in
| corporate the New York, Norfolk and
| Charleston Railroad Company. Mr.. Wat
son stated that his purpose in asking for
the delay was to give the people Of Will
mington an opportunity to examine the
| bill and to be heard upon its merits, if they
| so desired. Mr.. Moore, Of Martin, who is
| the especial champion of the bill, objected
| to any postponement and urged immediate
| action: bat, as the readers Of the JOURNAL
| already know, he failed to convince the
: House Of the prOprety Of such q course.
/ 1t would, indeed, have been strange had
: the result been different, for it is difficult
to understand how the delay asked for
could have retarded the completion Of tie
proposed road, or could have affected its
interests in any way beyond the increase
Of the hotel bill of the gentleman who is
lobbying its charter through the Legisla-
ture. Economy is q good thing in its
place, aud it may be we'll for the great
New IWk, Norfolk and Charleston Rail
road Company to husband its resources
and to be careful in its expenditures, even
in hotel bills, and doubtless, too, 10y the
time its road is completed through Green
Swamp the Company will need all Of its
spare change; but still we think it was
only an act Of common courtesy to delay
the matter until our people could be heard
if they SO desired. MeSsrs. Norment and
Mcneil, Of Robson, were especially warm
and earnest in their advocacy of the post
ponement, and insisted strongly upon the
injustice Of rushing the bill through
without giving the people vitally interested
in its provisions an opportunity to examine
into them. Mr.. Jones, of Caldwell, favored
the postponement, but did so upon general
principles, and not because Of any cor
sideration for the Interests of Wilmington.
Mr.. Badger was opposed to the passage of
the bill at any time.
1t is difficult to say what will be the
result. There are rev elements OF oppo-
sitiOn to the charter that were not fOreseen.
If the Chamber Of Commerce, after exam
lining the charter, copy of which was
sent down on Saturday, shall desire to OPP
pose the bill and sends up a committee to
wait upon the Legislature, there may vet
be a hard fight in spite of the light esteem
miGgtOn and her interests. II is by no
means certain that Eastern or even NoItL-
eastern Carolina will remain united in its
support Of the scheme, and unless they DO
remain united it will he impossible to pass
the bill.
Some confusion in regard to the proposed
road has been created by the impression
that prevailed here at one time, as well as
elsewhere, that it was the coast line road,
of which the Wilmington and OnsloW and
the Planters Roads are parts. The two
are rival and competing lines, one o. which
goes through Wilmington, and the other
goes West Of it about thirty miles. There
is also bill before the Legislature TO con-
fer additional powers upon the Company
proposing to build that line. Senator
Humphrey represents that corporation. 1t
is true that the charter for the line pro-
posed by Mr.. Moore contains 4 provision
| for branch to Jacksonville, hut it was
doubtless made to neutralize and weaken
the opposition to be expected from the
fliends of Colonel Humphreys line II
was a shrewd thing in order to prevent a
combination with the Wilmington interest.
| Indeed, the whole of the lobby management
! has been shrewd. The game was to iso-
| late Wilmington, and at one time IL 4emed
y. that the attempt had been perfectly sue
cessful. The management upon the floor,
however, in each House, displayed at times
more zeal THAI discretion on the part Of
the friends CT Mr.. Moore's line
The special anxiety of our friends here
about the matter arose, in great degree,
from the fact that Mr.. Moore's line crossed
the Wilmington, Charlotte & Rutherford
Road about thirty miles West Of Whining
ton. Aud, if it be true, as we believe, that
in very great measure the future of our
city will be such as that road shall make it
it will be very hazardous thing to our in
terests to tap it thirty miles before il reaches
us. There was something more than sting
and gall and sneer in the 1tmalk Of a
friend Of the line, "th at if the road was
built, a new Wilmington &C uld be built in,
the piney woods in SIX months. " Tt will
certainly in ure us 70 tap our great feeder
thirty miles before it reaches US. The
friends of Mr.. Moore line, without any
foundation, assume that the option is
between their road and no road at all but
I this is not the real issue by any means.
The line proposed by Col Humphreys bill
can be built and its friends claim, as speed
lily as the other; indeed, they say they are
now fully prepared with means to complete