Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-03-13
CO.'S EkyATEEE s-Eei fSs.ATION.


Is the days and the years roll by,
the difference between Radical and
Conservative legislation becomes more
and more a substantial tangible real
itv Every year that passes shows
some advance in good government,
over the one that preceded it, giving
rr3mise that the time is not far dis
raut When North Carolina shall once
more stand forth before the world
free and unshackied.
Ri.t this consummetion SO deyoutly
70 be wished, can not be said to have
hem fully reached until we shall have
sc the Chief Executive of the State a
man in feel accord with the Legisla-
t,,re, instead of one who like Governor
Caldwell seeks every occasion to
thwart the wishes OF the people as
oppressed by their duly elected Rep
resentatiyes.
The Legislature constitutes only one
branch OF the government and when
sitting in Judgment npon It's deeds
snd rlisdeeds, the people should re-
member this fact. They should re-
member also that the other two
branches, the Executive and the Judi
cial are in open hostility to the Leg
stature. Remembering these things
the wonder is not that 20 little has
been dore, if indeed it may seem to
some unthinking persons that little
has been done, but that so much has
haen accomplished by q Legislature,
with the chief Executive ready to re-
fuse 10 obey its laws, and a Judiciary
ready to declare them unconstitutional
Whenever partizan necessities might
render such proceedings necessary.
But for this, a Convention would have
been held and our odious patchwork
bayonet constitution would long ago
have been remodeled to meet the re-
qu:rements of the people of North
Carolina in all respects. AS it is we
have been able to secure only few of
the amendments that experience has
SIlt WI ~ DG 81 1uIlC1 ucSu0u.
Our space this morning will not per-
NIT us to pass in review the whole re-
cord OF Conservative legislation since
the war, but a few words as
to the doings of the late session Of the
General Assembly, may Il OF be inap-
propriate.
In the first place the session Just
ended, is the shortest regular session
that has been held since Reconstruc-
ton began. In 1868, the so-called
Legislature met in special session in
July and sat for ffty-fve days. It
met again on the 10th of November in
the same year and sat one hundred
and forty-eight days, five months lack
ing two days. with the exception of
two weeks during the Christmas holi-
days The same body met again on
the 18th of November, 1869 and sat
for one hundred and thirty-four days,
with the exception of the usual Christ
MAS holidays
In 1870 the Conservatives got |
control of the Legislature. The |
session of that winter lasted only |
one hundred and fifteen days, in
Gliding the forty-four days of the !
trial of the impeachment of Governor
Holden. The session of the winter of
1S7l72, lasted only seventy-fve days;
The session of 1929 lasted eighty
days; and the session just ended, last
ed only seventytwo days.
Here then there will be seen snbstan-
tial benefit from Conservative rule.
The RadicalLagislature met on July I,
1863, and went out of Office Oh the 1st
Thursday in August 1870. During that
time, period of about t'co years, it
vas III session three hundred and four
days. During the .fou5 succeeding
Years under Conservative rule, the
Legislature has only been in session
three hundred and forty-tyo days,
only thirtycight days more i'll four
years, than the Radicals consumed in
two years.
In Radical, days per diem was sew
en dollars in Conservative days it IS
I've dollars. When it is understood
that the Legislature costs in cash over
Gne thousand dollars during each day
Of It's session for per diem alone, even
at the lowest rates and when it is
remembered that during four years Of
Conservative rule, the Legislature was
IN session only a few days longer than
the Radical Legislature was during
two years; and when it is remembered
that by Conservative legislation the
ueneral Assembly calt hereafter meet
only once in two years. the benefit of
Conservative rule can be seen at
glance. The saving to the people on
fh5 item Of expense alone, is aston
ish!ng.
But it ii not upon the score of
economy alone that the Legislature
Just adjourned deserves commenda-
Ton, as brief glance at some of the
acts Of commission and Of omission
will show.
In the eastern portion of the State
tHe change il the First, and that in the
ionrth Judicial District, give a re-
LEI to people that was much needed,
aHd the good effects of which will be
'ei' Tor years to come in rectifying the
e'!!s OF former Radical legislation.
FOR the people Of tie west, the
legislature was no less thoughtful
'n1 considerate, as the passage
'" The Consolidation bill gives
ample proof. Before the Christmas
Holldays the first Consolidation bill
was was passed and with great unanimitv.
pelng no opposition to The bill,
only an earnest solicitude that
roper guarantees should be given for
'uidin8 the road and the honest an