Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-04-27
LETTER FROM NORTH CAROLINA.

CIuD OF fnllauelpHi ucIu eheLi HIoO dh-
nual meeting. Members of the gradual
ing class from 1851 down to 1873 were
among the guests, and very jolly time
they had, too but the Rev. Mr.. Dobbs,
editor of tbs National Baptist, who had
been specially invited, was not present,
and, with his regrets, sent the following
as his reason for failing to attend:
''Just as 1 am proposing to myself the pleasure
of meeting with you, and of affording you some of
=! the exudations Of my wisdom, find myself frus-
trated, or rether, called to another duty.
! ministering brother, lately deprived OF his
eompanion desires make certain inquiries touch
! ing Mrs. Dobbs' unmarried sister, her temper hab-
its of economy, and any small pecuniary prospects
! she may have. He has appointed for an interview
! the very evening and hour named for your enter
tainment. Such an opportunity, such cioud 1
may say, though no larger than man s manu-
| ought not to be neglected must remain at nome
l can plead no such excuse for my de-
lay in fulfilling my promise to write to
you, but can only say that [ believe L
am falling into the ways of the people
and am getting very slow. used to
keep ahead of my work, but [ am no
longer guilty of anything of that kind
But l promised to tell you about Ra-
leigh, the Capital of the State. noted for
"tar, pitch and turpentine,' as Smiths
geography used to inform me- The city
has about 5000 inhabitants, of which
about one half are of the colored persua-
sion-at any rate there are only l9 more
white than black registered voters. The
place is laid out with regularity, with
broad streets which cross each other at
right angles. They are innocent of pave
ments, but as the soil is sandy they are
usually in quite good condition, though
1 fancy the sand will prove as good as
mustard plasters when warmed by Ju-
ly sun; this will be partly obviated,
however, by the shade trees, which are
numerous and very beautiful, some of
them being the original forest oaks. The
public buildings are the first things to
be visited by a stranger the Capitol,
the Governors mansion, the Institution
for the deaf, dumb and blind, the Insane
Asylum and the Penitentiary or Repub-
lican boarding house, as democratic
paper facetiously terms it. The Capitol
is in the center of the corporate limits.
1t is built of granite, similar in appear
ance to Vermont granite, but unlike it
in one respect it lies underground, in
stead of in boulders, which are often in
conveniently prominent. The building
is said to be the finest in appearance of
any capitol in the South. 1t is three
stories high, with dome which always
reminds me of saucer turned down on
load of hay. The first floor is used for
offices of various kinds; on the second,
are the Senate Chamber and Representa-
tives or Commons Hall-both fine rooms
with handsome desks, but sadly in need
of whitewash, new carpets, etc. Both
are warmed in 1.-The good old way, that
is, by fire places in each. 1t would be
quite too much of yankee innovation
to heat the rooms with a furnace or even
, with coal stoves On cold, damp days
last winter, the members, with overcoats
on and pipes in their mouths, huddled
around the fre-places like school boys
Just in from recess. On the fourth floor
are the library and galleries. The Leg
islature was in session from the first of
] November until the last of February /;
! and never saw but one lady in the gal
lery, besides my friend from Maine, who
! always accompanied me. Surprised at
this, inquired the reason of lady in
q our boarding house. She told me s'be.
: fore the war the galleries were always
! full, but southern ladies would not be
: seen there now niggers were there. >
Equal rights is bitter pill, and nc
amount of washing down will keep il
i from nauseating every time it is thought
g of.
! Both branches Of the Legislature con
tanned fair sprinkling of '.gemmen o.
# color - some of them bright, intelligent
! looking persons, and others who looked
4 out of place. As | saw them walking
about the Senate Chamber, putting away
a at their long stemmed pipes, as they lis
10 tened to the debates, [ was reminded o
d the answer runaway slave made to ;
70 Virginian who CHANGED to meet and re
> cognize him in Canada, when asked BY
! him if he did not want to 60 back to ol(
, Virginia. "No, massa,' said Cutie, "di
a yer chile don't never 60 back no mo-
h Use free now, l is free as the air, mas
~ sa. and [ spit jes whar L please Il
h the Capitol grounds, facing the Mansion
40 is fine bronze statue of George Wash
II ington-the only work of art the plac
n can boast The grounds are laid off il
|, walks, and are beautifully shaded wit
u oak and elm trees. In one corner is
u wooden building used during the war t
no store ammunition in. At one time it wa
Or feared Raleigh was to be captured ant
" some one caused torpedo to be burie
"a near this building so, if necessary, tn
ve ammunition could be destroyed. NoV
n. they desire to tear away this building
he and improve that portion of the grounds
RS and the only obstacle is the torpedo
but as its exact location is forgotten, n
one can be got to hunt for it for fear b
le' will find it, and the old house bids fai