The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-02

exceed the city's income. There Is no deny
ing that when a clty's debt Is almost doubled IN
nine years and It's taxes tre0led, ana yet IL does
not live within its income there must DE grave
Encouragement
THE NEW WILMINGTON CHARTER.
1t is not surprising that there has been great
Irritation ana bad feeling in Wilmington. Last
year IL required the efforts OF good men OF both
parties TO maintain the peace. but in spite Of
opposition the negro vote has been kept together
and has served the uses OF corrupt leaders. Even
the efforts OF lew colored men TO bring their
people to reason has failed. The Legislature
allowed the people OF Wilmington TO try cumula-
tive voting; but for some reason this failed.
Accordingly last winter new charter for the
city was formed by some OF its citizens, and
granted by the Assembly. In this they took theII
troubles by tine horns; and, as one OF them said
to me, ave do not conceal our object, which was
and is to SO arrange the wards as 10 overcome
the colOred vote; the negroes, who own no prop
erty hep to tax and rob US. II our remsoy Is
wrong. then we have done wrong Intentionally
we meant to do just what we have DONE" What
they did By The new charter was to divide the
city into three wards: the First containing 397
voters. OF whom pol are white and 100 cooredi
the Second, $50 voters, of whom Isl are white and
seventy nine colored and the Third 800 voters OF
whom 800 are white and 1000 coored. Each OF these
wards elect three councllmen, and, OF course the
whites have six to the blacks three. 1t has been
pretended that the division was made on the
property line. but this Is correct. The valua-
ton OF the First ward is $o5O0 OF the Second,
$l1S0,000, and OF the Third, which contains many
residences OF The more wealthy inhabitants,
$4,000, 000 The fact Is that the division was made
to overcome the negro, or, to put 1t more plainly,
the non-property owning VOTE anu the wealthy
residents of the Third ward appear to nave freely
consented to the arrangement. probably
because they are large owners OF property
also in the First and Second wards, which
include the business parts OF the city have
taken my figures from the cease agfeedn which
has been submitted to the State Supreme court.
which Is soon to decide upon the constttunonality
OF this charter. An additional regulation pro-
vides that qualified voter must live for ninety
days preceding the election In the ward, block
and lot in which he lived when he registered OF
course this Is done to prevent 'coloniZing," and
It seems q severe demand; but 1t Is a fact that
the negroes are very migratory and easily col
onIzed; and the rule Is said to be necessary In
order to enable the registration to be verified.
NOW. no republican with whom l have spoken
denies that there has been gross and shameless
corruption ana mismanagement in the city gov.
ernment OF Wilmington; nor that it has so far
been Impossible for the honest republican leaders
in the State to control the negroes there or to
overthrow the men who misuse their votes.
What then The remedy provided In the new
charter Is novel, Is II essentially unjust or
course 1t Is easy to say that 1t Is unrepubli-
can. But Is long continued and continuing mis-
government, perpetrated by the help OF class
which readily gives itself up 10 this use,
republican Tor one do not hesitate to say
That, the facts being what they are-and have
heard no one dispute them-tne expedlent here
70 n ha
preme Court will decice TO give It trial. It
may teach US OF the North lesson in city govern
ment.
Newborn, Tarboro and Raleigh also received
new charters. In Newbern, republican told me,
waste and maladministraton had gone to such
lengths that he knew OF house which would rent
for $500 per annum the whole rental or which
would be swallowed up by the State,
county and city taxes. In Raleigh there were
formerly three wards, with three councilmen for
each. The negroes chose republican Council
and Mayor, who issued scrip I'M til 1t fell TO sixty
and seventy-hve cents; ana it has since been dis
covered that they kept or least left records.
SO that at present the amount OF the city debt is
unknown. The city has about 10000 Inhabitants
and Is believed 70 owe about $1,000 The new
charter makes five wards and gives to one Of
these five Councilmen, TO tne remainder three
each. Tne Council also now elect the Mayor and
other executive officers. The new arrangement
gives eleven democrats ana six republicans An
attempt was made to COLOMBO negro voters
before the first election under the new
charter, but it was defeated. There
is no complaint or dissatisfaction with the new
system. now that 1t has gone into operation so
far as l could hear. The new democratic Council
had she wisdom to retain in Office negro police
man VINO had shown himself a lt person. There
Is no complaint OF injustice by the negroes. I
may add here, TO show the spirit OF North Caro-
lina that last year, at the beginning OF the poin
cal canvass, q negro who committed q rape upon
a white woman within the county was brought
into Raleigh by the law officers who captured him.
lodged In JAIL properly tried by the proper court
and being found guilty. was In due orCer hanged.
Such an offence Is not always so lawfully dealt
with in our own Northern States.
VIII also add that colored as well as white re.
pubcans admitted to me that the negroes in
several counties, and especially in the city OF
Wilmington, cannot now be controlled by the
better class Of leaders. The arrangement OF city
wards so as to overcome the negro majority Is
device which win be needless by and by, and
will then be easily repealed. Meantime, it is an
efectual means to stop the plundering, which 10
injurious not more TO the white property owners
than to the negroes themselves, who are pc
cuarly demoralized by the political corruption OF
which they are the tools.
must reserve for another letter some account
OF the general condition of society and industry
In North Carolina. CHARLES NORDHOFF.