Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-01


The Convention then adjourned un.
til 10 O'Clock tomorrow.
COunties-TheIr Relations to the
state.
From the AIbemarle Times.]
There appears to be no other reason
why the st te OF North Carolina should
suffer two hundred and fifty thousand
Of her citizens to be plundered and
robbed than the mere accident of res
idence. Under the system of county
government provided by the Candy
instrument, the protection due from
our State to all of her people has been
withdrawn. In theory we are all
North Carolinians in fact we are in
habitants Of petty governments called
counties The fact that our counties
were created by the State seems to
have sunk out Of sight. Is there any
reason why system of government
which is extremely oppressive to
all those people who live between the
Roanoke and Chowan rivers should
meet with less disfavor simply be-
cause the part of the State between
those rivers is known as tn" counties of
Northampton, BERTHE and Hartford?
Every State is divided into sections cal
led Districts or Parishes or Counties.
This is done that the law may be en-
forced, that justice may be administer
ed, that order may be secured, in the
surest and speediest way. 1t is done
that the machinery of State govern
ment may run smooth and safe. It is
not done for the purpose of comforting
benefit upon a portion Of our citizens
at theexpense of the rest. Whenever
a system of government becomes a buc-
den upon two hundred and fifty thons
and people out Of a population of one
million, 1T is the imperative duty of the
whole people to change that system
r is none the less so because the OPP
pressed are confined to this or that sec
ton. The white meu of Halifax. Edge
combe, New Hanover, Granville and
Berthe counties are citizens Of NOrtL
Carolina, and entitled to her protection.
1t will be q disgrace to Withhold it. Is
it possible that the CONVENTION will be
unable 10 provide a system of county
government which, while it gives relief
to the oppressed taxpayers of Berthe,
will satisfy every honest man, Wherever
he may live III North Carolina lt Is
impossible. The members Of hat
boly will not hand over the land of
Macon, of CASTOR, of Badger. of Out
law, the laud of Ponder, Of Pettigrew,
and of Shaw, to the hand of the igno-
rant, the vicious, the meccenary spoil
er. Never while Reid and Cilngman.
while Jarvis and Roberts have tongues
to plead for their fellow cOuntrymen.
Our condition beggars description.
Those who defend 1t are but parts and
parcels of the huge systems of fraud
which this miserable Candy lnstru
mcnt has begotten. Gentlemen of the
Convention look around you a.d see
who of the delegates from Eastern
North Carolina defend tire present sys-
tenn of COun.y governments. Are they
not sheriffS, county Officials or attor
ney-, who i'll fact govern counties
through the instrumentality of county
bonds?
Counties have none Of the attributes
o. Sovereignty. They are altogether
creatures Of the State, which is as
much bound to protect the cit
liens who live in them from
spoilation as if thtre were no
such things as county lines. A
county is a particular portion of a
State created to facilitate the admins
tration of justice, and the execution of
the laws. The protection of property,
a duty which belongs to our State gov
ernment, has been delegated to the
Boards of County Commissioners.
These Boards, mere agents, having
violated the trust, it is the duty Of the
State to withdraw it. Not to do SO is
to sanction and adopt the act of an
unfaithful and unworthy agent. We
say, in plain language, to the Conven-
ton. there are two hundred and fifty
thousand citizens in this State who
desire a change in the system of
County governments. Unless it is
made, there will be wide spread de-
moralization in Eastern Carolina, which
will inevitably result i'll disaster to our
section.
This subject demands the exercise of
a most exalted patriotism. If the Cor
vention fails to meet the issue and
maste, it, the faith of our people in
the professions of party leaders will
be sadlv impaired. The Boards of
County Commissioners must be abol-
ished, or else the Democratic party in
North Carolina has become a mere as
ISOLATION of men, for the purpose Of
scrambling for place or profit.