The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-07
HISTORY OF SPECIAL TAX BONDS
No Use to Try to Compel the State Of North Carolina to Pay Them They We're
Void From the Beginning and Have Been Repndiated by the People
and the Legislature Of North Caoina-Interestng and Convincing
Letter From Capt. S A. Ashe Of Raleigh to Hon. John G. Carlyle.

2roes to vote at that time in North
Carolina. The whole proceeding was
IL derOgation of the rights Of the state
of North Carolina.
Similar proceedings had been held
In other states: and the democratic
party in it's national convention held
in New York in July, 1868, contempt
~raneously with them, declared all
these proceedings to be usurpations
n unconstitutional, revolutionary
and void; and on that platform Gov
ernor Seymour, of New York. received
100000 votes, while General Grant re-
ceived 5000, 900 votes.
Although those usurpations were
thus apparently sustained by the popu-
lar vote at the election, yet that cir
cumstance could not make constitution
al acts and proceedings which were of
themselves "usurpations, u%nconstitu-
tiona1, revolutionary and void" The
voice Of 100000 voters put the world
on notice of the invalidity of these pro-
ceedings; and among those voices, if
L mistake not, was that of Hon. John
G. Carlyle, a gentleman at that time
distinguished for his character and
virtues as we'll as his learning. AS far
as North Carolina was concerned, her
voice was expressed in the protest of
her governor. Hon. Jonathan Worth,
but her people were dominated by the
military forces of the majOr-general.
They were under pressure to bare
their necks beneath the feet Of the
major-general and his cohorts; and so
the usurpation was effected by force.
And now to return to proceedings in
North Carolina:
1t having been shown that the Leg
islature Of 1868 was a body unknown
to the laws and constitution of the
state; not elected under the constitu-
ton existing prior to 1860 or prior to
1868; and elected at a time when the
constitution of 1868 had not been rati-
fed and was without validity or
force; it will now be shown that the
particular acts under which these al
legged bonds were issued were passed
by bribery and corruption, and in adj
ditiOn that they were without the con-
tutiOnal warrant even under the con-
stitution of 1868.
Governor Holden, the provisional
governor, convened the new legislature
N special session or July list, 1868.
AS the members of that body came up
to be sworn, most of the democratic
members were ordered to stand aside
ON the p%retence that they were "bar-
red and could not be admitted to their
seats. Later this ruling was relaxed
as to a majority of them and the en-
ate allowed seats to ten democrats and
the house to twenty-five.
On July 4th, amid great rejoicing by
the Republicans, the new government
was formally inaugurated. The change
was complete.
SO thorough at all points had been
the victory Of those who supported the
reconstruction measures that the re-
publican leaders felt every assurance
of a long period of political domination
in the state. They at one began the
work of securing the sp0ils, of recast-
ing the laws, and of creating what
they called "a new North Carolina"
upon the wreck of that honest 'old
North Carolina" whose traditions were
sc honorable to our people.
Legislation affecting the negro ace
vas the first to receive attention, along
with some provision to prevent antici-
ated resistance to the rev govern
ment. Then came the spoils. Even at
tie special session the work of plundet
began, and the harpies fixed their tai
II on the public treasury.
New North Carolina" needed a PEN
itentiary and 100000 Of bonds were
issued md made away with III hat
connection. And New North Care
lima" needed railroads Il a Cry went
Up for internal improvements" and
railways were projected from every
town in the state without regard to
cost. 1t was a we'll devised plan. 1t
appealed to the interest of every COM
munity. Every county and every town
was to be on a boom Immediately III
material progress, and the whole state
was to be developed at once by means
Of internal improvements. Such were
the promises Of Deweese and Latin
and Littlefield M the other plOtters
for the SpOilS. But surely bonds would
be necessary. Surely the state must
subscribe heavily; surely the admins
tratiOn must appoint the officers and
the officers must be of the faithful.
And so it happened that " at the
special session the Western North Car
DINA railroad was cut IN twain Inc
six millions of bonds were ordered to
be issued to the western division. Of
this part George w. Swepson, a man
of large wealth and principal stock
holder in the largest bank in the state,
was at C elected president, and his
rame added strength to the republican
cause.
At that time Jul people were poor,
indeed. Our personal property had
been swept away and our lands were
all but valueless. Labor was disorgan-
lied, and our industries were unremu-
nerative, while the ashes of desolatiOn
were still hot with the embers of the
war. Taxes to pay the current ex-s
penses of government were collected
with difficulty, and two millions of in
terest was past due on the ''Old debt"
which then amounted to fourteen mil
lions of dollars.
But neither a bankrupt people, nor
m empty treasury, o two millions Of
interest past due could arrest the plans
of the c~onspirators, nor divert them