Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-10-20
Morton,s Candidacy = Speculation.


Several iet;,lillg Democrats Claim
shat the Nomination OF the lion.
Levi 2. Morton was {; tnaucia'
speculation, and it will surprise
New Workers. to learn that the
State OF North Carolina is being
stlmped on the issue from facts
alleged to have come intotlle hands
OF Senator Ransom, when he MAS
in the city last week.
Ever since the opening OF the
present. campaign Mr. Morton has
taken the liveliest kind of interest
in lis progress.
This WAS but natural in a candi-
date for the Vice Presidency, but
there was one thing that puzzled
Senator Quay.
That WAS Mr.. Morton's great
anxiety about North Carolina
Every day or two he would droE.
into National Headquarters to see
Colonel Quay. When the rosy out
look in New York or indiana WAS
laid before him, he took it rs a
matter of course, aud wonld then
ask: "But what do you hear from
North Oarolnnas"
lie insisted. it is said, that North
Carolina could be carried for Har
rlson, and urged MIR. Quay not to
he afraid to put the money in the
State. His knowledge of the po-
litical situation OF the State, it is
said. astoniShed the chairman, in.
asmucl as he never showed the
same knowledge Of any erState
except, of course, New York.
It is claimed that he even sub
scribed what would be his SALARY
for three years in Case lie was elect.
ell, for campaign purposes, with
provision that an aggressive cam
paign I've opened at once on the
Tar heels, which gave eleven cleo
toral votes for Cleveland in 1854
by a plurality smaller than thai
which defeated MIR. Blaine IN New
York.
mir. Ransom came here to find
ont what had become OF the old
special tax bonds issued by the
State of North Carolina in 1865:
while the State WAS under carpet
bag rule and repudiated three years
later.
The bonds, he states, ARE now
owned by the great banking firm
of Morton, Bliss & CO., and with
accrued interest amount to upward
Of $50, 100000.
When issued 1t was pretended
that these bonds were to be de-
votet; to the building of several i'll
ternal railroads, in The promotions
OF " hich Milton S. Littlefeld was
chief actor.
A special tax WAS levied for their
payment, which gave them their
name. The railroads were never
built. Littletield brought.the bonds
to New York and sold them foi
what he could get and built no
railroads.
1t is history that az soon ~ NORTH
Carolina passed from under carpet
bag rule these bonds were promp;
ropudiated OH the ground Of gross
fraud, land a constitutional provision
WAS enacted forbidtling their pay"
ment unless authorized by a major
.ty OF The voters at the ballot box.
Morton, Bliss & Co., it is claimed,
bought up Sl4,700,O00 Of these
bonds OH "Spec" for a mere song
sitter their reputation and have
made several attempts to collect
them through the courts.
Test suits have been brought OH
individual bonds in the United
States Circuit Court of North Car
olioa,in the name OF persons, living
in the State, to avoid the provis
ions of the eleventh Amendment
OF the Constitution. One Of these
suits is now pending III the United
States Court of North Carolina.
If 1t should Succeed, the c0ilec-
ton of the payment would he diff
cult unless the legislature and Gov
crnor should be in favor of paying
it.
These are to be elected with the
National ticket this fall and witt!
one of the three Supreme Court
judges would insure the payment
of the bonds, and this North Caro-
lima Democrats are claiming az the
supreme motive Of Mr.. Morton's
great interest in the State of North
Carolina.-New York Morning
Journal.