Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-15

sl62 see. 763. and that the direct taxes
IN real and personal property, &C., was
sIS12,O04. rs.
ANOTHER QUESTION OF STATES
RIGHTS.
There were even darker days to
cone. and come they did in 1864. In
1868 the clouds apparently broke away,
ard there were glimpses OF fairer
Ihings than war but early in 1854 they
sesin began to lower, aud the veil OF
their darkness was never again to be
lifted. Dark days were those, hand
otiiriseendunr," nor were they ever for
gotten. In all the letters there is trace
able Q different tone, an undercurrent
Of hopelesspess. Governor Vance's
message, dated May II, 1864, takes
I'D at once the quarrels with the
Confederate Government, which by
and by grew very serious. Gov
eypor Vance was q Puritan in his
s,esofsstness Of idea and purpose, and
he is the same 10 day. In this message
he Saws: 1.-The late act of Congress
ccnf.irirg power on the President OF
the Confederate States TO impose regu-
lat,ons and restrictions on commerce
hse' given rise to such system on the
part OF the Confederate authorities as
will efIectually exclude the State from
importing any further supplies for the
army or people. The port Of Whining
ton is now more effectuslly blockaded
from rithin than from without" This
complaint was real grievance.
North Csrolina had her own
blockade-runners-notsbly the A. ID.
Vance generally known q, the Ad.
vasce, though really named for Gov
ernor Vance's wife, it is said. The
Coniederscy imposed enormous rates
of duty. Clearances were refused, AID
as Governor Vance says Indignantly,
"the guns Of the forts are brought to
bear upon our own vessels to enforce
compliance" Yet these vessels were
bringing in goods for the use main
ly Of the troops of the State,
which were in consequence the
best fed and clothed in the Confede-
racy. The State frequently sold to the
Copfederacy, on basis of cost, the
most useful stores. Governor Vance in-
sists that "the General Government
has no right to seize Cae half or any
part Of the interest Of sovereign
State in the vessels employed in i'm
porting her supplies, yet these are the
outrageous terms we are called upon to
submit to-" In case Congress does not
repeal or modify this act he declares be
will sell the ships and supplies on hand.
He asks the Legislature for general d.
rectioDs as to this sale.
THE Observation-Disclosures
In this connection some general re-
marks on the blockade business are Of |
interest. The accounts of the State
with The various blockade-runners, and |
with its agents at Liverpool and Nassau
land at one or Two other places, are all
preserved. The transactions run up in
the millions. The accounts close in
March, 1865, (one ending in December,
lSC4) with a balance to the States
credit of some $4,000. The ques ton
has been asked sometimes, What be.
came Of that money? Did the United
States Government seize it Did the |
State recover it after the war?
Neither. The sgent kept it, and
lived abroad for many years, finally
dying there. No steps to recover the
money appear ever TO have been made.
The books 70 this day stand unbal-
snced; that $4,000 will for all time
be the closing entry on that account in
the great ledger which contains these
transactions Of the war. 1t is very pa
thetic to 60 through the records Of
the Adjutsnt- Generals department, in
which are those of the ordnance, COM
misssry, and qusrtermaster's depart
ments. All the accounts, all the tele-
grams, all the receipts are filed. The
letters are copied until just the day
before Sherman entered Raleigh; then
there is a copy of telegram, and on
the next page are only the beginning of
a date" Raleigh, N. O., April"
THE LAST ENTRY.
That was the last war record of North
Carolina. The rest is but as the blank
pages of the great record-book in which
these final words stand. 1t was IS the
sudden stoppsge OF clock-an end to
animation and life, always something
pathetic, mournful, unspeakably sad.
These records have never been pub
lished, and not one person in ten thou
sand knows OF their existence.