The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-04-05
THE aoyERNoR AND THE GAUGE.

dicous views of that estimable paper the
Wilmington IN. c. Journal:
THE GOVERNOR AND THE GAUGE.
Some of our contemporaries, and some
highly-9steemed ones too, are very indignant
about the change made in the gauge oil the
North Caroline railroad from Greensboro to
Charlotte. One of them has gone SO tar As
to say that the Governor ought to issue Il
proclan alton declaring the parties engaged
In making he change TO be "banditti," and
that had Mr.. Brogden been u proper Gov
ernor he would, when he heard that the
change was being made, have called out the
militia and taken possession of the road
and if resistance bad been offered by AZ the
army of Virginia hirclingS," that he werG
have shot them down in their tracks.
Another contemporary earnestly appeals to
the Governor for prompt. decided, and
strong action, and declaresits belief that he
will be "held responsible for this inury-fcr
this insult TO our people--if he stands by with
folded hands and looks on with seeming in
difference TO this wrong, ut our humilia.
ton" 81
Now, 1t may be that change of gauge re-
Gently made on part of the North Carolina
railroad by the Richmond and Bsnyille Rail
road Company is both the insult and the in-
jury that our contemporaries assert il to be.
. Suppose 1t Is. How Is the injury to be re-
paired and how Is the insult 10 be avenged
Has the Governor the power to do SO, as
claimed by our contemporaries We think it
is beyond dispute that as Goyernorof North
Carolina MIR. Brogden has no such power.
If the Governor of North Carolina has any
authority TO declare persons by proclamation
to be " banditti" we do not know in what
part Of the Constitution it Is TO he found. If
the Governor had any authority to take pos
session of the North Carolina railroad, and
to shoot down the men engaged 10 changing
its gauge, we know not whence be derived
it. II the Governor of North Carolina has
any authority to. aYenge an insult to the
State or to punish those who may otter 1t
other than by due course Of law, We know
not whence the authority is derived. .
The Governor of North Carolina possesses
no such extraordinary aud arbitrary powers,
and we are heartily glad of it, for the reason
that they are entirely too dangerous to be
trusted in the hands of any one man. we
care not who he may be, nor what his politi.
cal affiliations. The sutfrriogs inflicted upon
the people Of North Carolina by Governor
Holden when be exercised powers like those
Governor Brogden is called upon to exer.
else are 100 fTesh In our recollection TO Der.
NIT us to look with favor upon any PROPOSE.
ton that involves so wide u departure from
the old landmarks.
But what can Governor Brogden doe AS
we understand the matter, the change in the
gauge was made by the Richmond and Dan.
Vile company after the delivery of an opin.
ion by the Supreme Court of North Carroll.
na that under the laws OF North Carolina
that company had perfect right to make
the esange. The opinion was plain and OK.
piIcit in affirming the right of the Richmond
and Oanyiile company, under the lease from
the North Carolina Railroad Company. 10
make any change in the gauge that may be
desired. How, then, could Governor Brop.
den Interfere in any way with the action Of
Colonel Buford aud The workmen engaged
in making the change? Least Of all, how |
could he justify interference with force and |
arms! With this decision of the highest
judicial tribunal In the State staring him in
the face, how could The Governor do other
wise than stand with "foided hands" while
he "atmy of Virginia hirelings" was iu-
uit'ng tue Slater Was ne not perfectly
'c'nless and for the reason that the .sVir-
,itlt tit.ii4&a" &sa staS a. ri VI * u IL Caro-.