The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-02-07
LIT Iuf CONE.

OF the dates OF lSb0- %. nat paper
reads history from purely partizan
standpoint. Its statement IN Mr..
Daniels salutatory, that the present
times were similar TO the ones OF 'GS
and 90 is so far from the truth that
it makes honest people who are in
formed laugh at and pity the writer.
That paper continues daily to agltate
this matter. If the days of 'GS and
60 must be discussed we have some
thing TO say in the premises to-day;
and If il should become necessary we
will have more to say III the future.
Whatever legislation of the SEES
sion of 1869 that was corrupt we
join men Of all parties in condemn
ing. We allow none to go before us
IN denunciation, of fraud wherever
and whenever found. Official venai-
ity and speculation should be expos
ed, censured and punished. The re
port of the Bragg Committee and
also that of the Fraud Commission
brought to the light an enormous
quantity of vicious and dishonest
legislation covering the period Of in
vestigation, 1S6S-G9 and 1870. Up
right men everywhepe, deplored
these Iniquities at the time, have de-
plored them since, and do now de-
plore them. But we must not for
get, rs certain partizan newspapers
would have us do, that all of this
wrong doing was not confined to the
Republican majority in the General
Assembly. The truth is, there were
two sides to these transactions; one,
the unworthy Legislators, the other,
the active ard willing beneticiaries
of the sins of the first named. Upon
q full investigation of the
matters brought out in the
above mentioned publications, it will
be seen that, while many individual
Legislators betrayed their trusts (and
in many instances for paltry consid
erations, the booty was, as a rule
carried into the camp of men promi
nent in Democratic circles. Another
thing, it is proper to say right here
That is, that the plundering of the
State at the times above mentioned
could never have taken place but 70
the active aid and suggestions o
numbers of the most influential men
native here and to the name
born,r.of the Democratic party, in
cluding lawyers, statesmen and poll
ticians.
There were nineteen millions eigh
hundred and twenty eight THOUSAND
dollars of North Carolina bonds is
sued to the railroad presidents II
North Carolina in 1865 -'60-fftee1
millions nine hundred and fifteel
thousand dollars of which were is
sued to Presidents who were Demo
Gratis. Ten millions three hundre,
and twenty-one thousand dollars o
these bonds were sold by Democrat
Presidents in no instance excep
onel for more than sixty-three cent
on the dollar, and sometimes as lo'
as twenty five cents on the dollar
Republican Railroad Presidents sol
something over two CD million
dollars of these bonds at abou
the same prices. The balance c
the bonds were remaining unsOl
when the courts declared them worth
less.
The two reports above referred
make it as clear as day, that the d.
bauching of the Legislature, by mean
of which these bonds were issued wa
done by n well-understood NOV,
ment of Railroad Presidents, sever,
of whom (Democrats) admitted b,
fore the said committee that the
had paid to Littlefeld very larg
sums of money for his services as
lobbyist, in procuring bills to /
passed for the issuing of these bond
under agreement made beforehan,
There were other Democrats, wit
keen scent for spoils, who seein
what was going on with the Railroa
Presidents got in their work on
scale not so great, it is true, but y,
in a manner quite satisfactory
themselves. The sale of eight tho,
sand acres of land in Harnett an
adjoining counties to the State, for
penitentiary site, by the Deep rive
Mining and Manufacturing Comp.
ny, at the price of one hundred Sta,
bonds of one thousand dollars eacl
was game we'll played. All of thes
stockholders were Democrats. Tt
Company did not have title to til
land when it was conveyed to tt
State; and 5000 acres of it was und,
contract by its owners to be conveye
to the Company at the plice of sixt
cents per acre, and the balance W,
to cost the Company eight thousar
dollars under the contract to ,nve
No examination Of the title was ev,
made by anyone for the State. FIT
six of the purchase money bon,