Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-23
INNING RATION, EADlCALISM
AND STATE DEBT.


INNING RATION, RADICALISHI
AND STATE DEBT.
That the day of Radical control in
matters pertaining to the legislation
of North Carolina has passed away, is
indeed true Abbott, and Estes, and
and Latin, and Rich, and
Moore, and Rodman, and Tourgee,
and Littlefeld, no longer have power
to pledge the faith and credit Of North
Carolina; but scarcely day passes
that does not bring fresh proof in this
case, as in others, that the evil that
men do lives after them. These men
have, as it were, passed from the po-
litical world of North Carolina, but
the blighting, whitening influence OF
their deeds in every department of
legislation still curses and cramps
and dwarfs our State.
The latest proof of this, that has
come to our attention is to be found
in the leading editorial of the Mon
treal (Canada) Gazette, of the 18th Of
May, entitled "Immigration South
and North. The Gazette bases it's
comments upon pamphlet gotten upfor
the purpose of pointing out to English
men desiring to immigrate to America,
the advantages prossessed by Virginia
in soil and climate. There is map
attached, showing land and water
routes, and the contiguous States of
Tennessee, North Carolina, &c. The
Gazette, while admitting the great
physical advantages possessed by many
of the Southern States, thinks their
efforts to attract immigrants of the
substantial and intelligent class, will
for some time prove unavailing.
It says:
The weak point of the pamphlet be-
fore us is where it states that ''The
rate of State taxation is fifty cents on
every hundred dollars worth of prop
erty." But the writer fails to say that
this rate of taxation meets all State de-
mands. Does it, for example, pay IN
full the interest on the public debt OF
the State ? What is the meaning OF
Virginia and other Southern State
Bonds standing at nominal, trit1ine
figures Oh the lists of the New York
Stock Exchange ? Intelligent persons
emigrating from Great Britain will
make such enquiries, and it will be fol
the public press in Great Britain to
put intending emigrants on their guard
i'll such matters. A neglect of public
obligations on the part of States IS q
standing testimony against the honor
and honesty Of their people. If the
sense of honor is lost in the matter OF
public obligations, it cannot be trusted
in private obligations. Solar as Canada
is concerned we can show our public
debt honorably provided for. Immi.
grants coming among us know precisely
what the public taxes are, which meet
in full all public demands. No lmml'
grant settling in Canada need fear that
he will be mulcted in the proceeds OF
his labor Or his capital, in any future
years, TO liquidate public debt which
we have neglected in the years that are
past.
It is doubtless quite true that had
the failure OF Southern States to pay
the interest on their so-called public
debt not occurred, the people OF
Canada and of the Northwest would
have found excuses for persuading the
emierants to keep away from the
South. It may be true, also, that some
of the bonds constituting that public
debt, the non-payment Of which affects
our Montreal contemporary with such
virtuous horror, may have lodged Ill
Canadian hands. We know not how
that may be. One thing, however is
certain, we think, North Carolina at
least will never pay dollar of the
fraudulent be- ealled obligations i'm
posed upon her excep. st the point OF
the bayonet.
Canadians and others may dislike
the prospect, but unless we greatly
mistake the temper of orr people that
dislike will not affect our purpose.
The fact may be used to prevent the
immigration SO much needed to de-
velope the vast resources of our State.
1t will, doubtless, have its effect in
keeping away men who would other
wise settle within our borders. 1t is
for this purpose, in part, at least, that
articles like that from tiaa Montreal
gazette have been and will continue to
be written.
1t MAY be that we are in a dilemma
forced upon us by Radical Legislation.
It may be that the non-payment Of our
so-called public debt will delay immi-
grafton, and if it be true, it is none the
less true tat, we are indebted to Radi-
calism for it.
However this may be, we do not
hesitate to say that if the tide of i'm
migration can be turned into North
Carolina only by paying all that debt
heaped upon lis by Radical legislation,
we prefer to bide our time. We will
make haste slowly in the matter OF
immigration if we have &c pay that
price for it. To pay that debt will
certainly ruin the people now living in
the State by bringing their property
under the sheriff's hammer for pay
ment of taxes. And even then it by no
means follows that immigrants would
flock to oHr shores: for then, doubtless,
the G02ctte and other papers would
devote their editorials to showing what
heavy taxes the people here have to
pay, and therefore how injudicious
it will be for substantial and intelligent
Englishr1e1. TO invest their hard earn
ings in North Carolina.
We greatly prefer the people now
here to any other that can come. But
while We thus prefer our own people,
we would gladly see measures inaug1l-