The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-01-07

ARAAAo U II 4
ing and the mad career OF internal
improvements, which seized a number
or the States, have involved them in !
an Indebtedness very oppressive, but |
not hopeless. American credit and ,
character requires that this stain O,
violated faith should be e~biitera.ed
Dy our honest acknowledgment Of the
deot and a still more honest effort
10 pay IL l therefore recommend the
passage or reSolutions expressive Of
the strong interest which thi State
reels IN the full redemption of every
ter d~etestation Of the abominable loo
t1ne OF reputation. That State
which honestly owes a debt and has
or can the means Of pay
ment, and refuses to pay be Il
cannot be compelled to do SO. has
only waits an increase Of price to
barter public liberty. This recon-
will come with peculiar
force from you. North Carolina has
oeen Jeered for sluggishness and in
oolence, because she has chosen ID
guard her treasury and protect her
hOnor by avoiding debt and prompt
~ meeting her engagements. She
has yielded to others the glory of their
magnificent expenditures and will
yield to them all that glory which
will arise from a reputation of their
contracts. In the language Of one OF
her modest sons, it is better for her
to sleep on in Incidence and innocence
than to wake up to .nfamy and trea-
son.
The schemes outlined in Morehead's
message OF 1912 were laid before a
Legislature controlled by the Demo-
cratic party, and the policy of thai
party was hostile to Internal improve
mentS. Morehead accordingly was
forced to wait upon events for the
consummation Of his great schemes.
In outlining these schemes he had
given evidences of his extraordinary
power OF vision: the next few years
were to bring him al opportunity to
demonstrate his ability to transform
his dreams into actual realities. This
opportunity, for which he a so long
waited, came with the passage by the
Legislature Of 1849 OF the act to
charter The North Carolina Railroad
Company" The history of this meas
ure-the long and bitter contest be-
tween the east and the west over the
proposed railroad from Charlotte to
Danville, the statesmanlike compro
mise of it's advocates in accepting the
road from Charlotte to Goldsboro, the
prolonged struggle and ultimate vic
tory In the House OF Commons, the
dramatic scene in the Senate where
in Calvin raves inundated his own
personal ambition on the altar OF
public duty-au this has been de
scribed SO often that it is not neces-
sary to repeat the story here. The
act authorized the organization of &
corporation with stock of $1,000, 600
of which the State was to take 81.
zoe. 06O when private individuals had
subscribed $1,000, 0O0 and actuall,
paid in $500, 600. North Carolina hat
long stood at the turn of the roat
hesitatingiy. By the passage of Thu
act she finally made her decision. Tn,
enthusiasm Of Governor Morehead
who was not usually given to pic
} turesque language. was too great 10
plain speech. 1.-THE passage OF tn
act" he declared, under which thi
company is organized was the dawn
ing Of hope to North Carolina; tn,
securing its charter was the riSinj
sun Of that hope; the completion o
the road will be the meridian glor
: of that hope, pregnant with result
!, that none living can divine"
1 For the next five years. durin
: which the private subscription Of 81,
> 000, eco was secured, the charter oh
route surveyed, and the road con
: structed, the dominant figure in ii
history is III figure of John M. More
head. In this period he performe
his greatest service to the State an
: enrolled his name permanently anon
y NAS VI Ia ~ CASA
The experience of North Carolina i
r railroad building up to that time ha
q not been encouraging. Both the Wi
mington and Weldon and the Raleig
a and CASTOR railroads were bankruI
r for want Of patronage. In the fac
Of this fact, it was no slight achieve
h ment to raise a million dollars /
North Carolina for another simils
enterprise. Yet this is the ask
which Governor Morehead now 8,
himself. On June Is, 1849. he pr,
e sided over a great internal improv,
o ments convention at Salisbury
o which measures, largely suggested b
himself, were adopted for securing IL
d stock. Placed by this convention
d the head of an executive committs
le to carry out these measures, he pusl
ed them with vigor, determinatio
and wisdom that aroused the enth,
h SLASH of the whole State and il
If sptred confidence in the enterpris
l. Speaking Of his work at a conventie
1t held in Greensboro, November 3