NP, RSJ 2/8/1862

From the Raleigh State Journal
 
February 8, 1862
 
North Carolina State Convention -- Second Session
Fifteenth Day, Feb. 5
 
   The order of the day, being the ordinance to charter the Piedmont Railroad Company (the old "Danville connection") was then taken up.
   Mr. Strong, of Wayne, obtained the floor, and spoke nearly an hour in opposition to the ordinance. Under all the circumstances surrounding it, he deemed it a grossly iniquitous measure. But, before proceeding with the main question, he felt bound to defend the good old county of Wayne, from certain aspersions attempted to be cast upon it, a few days ago, by the gentleman from Davidson, (Mr. Kittrell.) If Wayne County had been enriched by railroads, as the gentleman alleged, it was evident that her4 sons were governed more by principal than a love of gain. If the people of Wayne County had not been liberal in favoring railroad schemes, it was because they believed it wrong in the State to tax one portion of the State to subserve the interests of another; but in sustaining the war, they had no such objections, and in that they had been much more liberal than the constituents of the gentleman from Davidson. Wayne County had sent one to two and three-fourths of her voting population to the war, and has spent thirty thousand dollars in supporting her volunteers, while Davidson had sent to the war but one in seven, and how much money it had devoted to their support he did not know. Mr. S. then proceeded to state his objections to the ordinance -- it was not a military necessity, inasmuch as two roads were already chartered, either of which, if completed, would give the through-route sought by President Davis -- the one from the Company's Shops, via Yanceyville and Milton to Barksdale, the other from Greensboro' to Leaksville, and thence to Danville. Mr. S. argued the question at length, but as he is likely to write out his speech soon for publication, and in consequence of the pressure on our columns, we are happy to be relieved from the necessity of drawing further on our notes at present.
   *****   
   Mr. Kittrell replied to Mr. Strong, but did not repeat his sarcasms on Wayne County, nor attempt to refute Mr. S.'s statistics; but the latter found out that in Mr. K. he had a foeman worthy of his steel -- a pleasant and able debater, with a store of wit not easily exhausted. He defended the measure because demanded by President Davis, as a military necessity, though he was not now an admirer of President Davis, and never had been, and though the country was not yet in the full enjoyment of the peaceable fruits of secession.
   Mr. Jones, of Rowan, replied to an argument by Mr. Strong, that the Danville connection had  been abandoned by the West as a compromise with the East for the N. C. Railroad; and had never seen the day, up to the present, since the charter to the N. C. road was obtained, when he would have voted for the Danville connection. He would vote for it now, purely as a military necessity.
   *****
   Objections being urged, on the part of several delegates, to the Confederate government becoming a stockholder in a North Carolina railroad and to that extent a proprietor in her soil.
   Mr. Brown thought the objection could be best removed by introducing a provision in the ordinance that the jurisdiction of the Confederate government over, and its title to, the road, should cease and revert to the State at the expiration of the war.
   Judge Raffin moved to amend the 8th section, limiting stockholders to not more than 200 votes. Carried.
   Mr. Strange moved to strike out sections 33, 34 and 35 of the ordinance, which provide that the Confederate Government may take stock in the road -- a doctrine which Mr. S. denied and repudiated.
   Judge Osborne pointed out other objections in these sections -- they allow not only the Confederate government to take stock, but every State in the Confederate States and all sorts of corporations. Judge O. argued against the constitutionality of the proposition and thought it unwise and unnecessary, as well as unconstitutional. He agreed with his friend from New Hanover.
   Mr. Badger thought his friend was mistaken. He believed the Confederate government had the constitutional power to become a stockholder, if allowed by North Carolina to do so. He was willing, as far as North Carolina was concerned, to let the Confederate States take stock if they will. He hoped the sections would not be stricken out.
   *****
   Judge Osborn remarked, the gentleman from Wake says the Confederate States have not the right to subscribe, unless authorized by North Carolina; but the Corporation regulates that matter. By adopting these sections, the Convention was undertaking to interpret the constitutional powers of the Confederate government, and saying that is our understanding of them. It was a serious question which might exert an unhappy influence on the government for all time to come.
   Governor Reid thought it best to have the sections read seriatim, and hoped they would not be stricken out till a substitute was offered.
   Mr. Gilmer said the people would take the stock, but could not, by any means within their control, obtain the iron. The Confederate States under the pressure of military necessity might supply the iron.
   The question recurring on the motion of the delegate from New Hanover, to strike out, was rejected -- yeas, 33; nays 50 *****
   Mr. Rayner thought it was bad enough to take this road in any shape; and appealed to delegates not to make it so odious.
   Mr. Foy offered an amendment, as an additional section, reserving the right to North Carolina to purchase the interest of the Confederate States in the road, after the expiration of the war.
   Mr. Gilmer wished to know if the delegate from Jones would vote for the ordinance, provided his amendment was adopted.
   Mr. Jones (hesitating) had not come there to make bargains.
   Mr. Rayner interposed that the question was an unfair one.
   Mr. Gilmer had a right to know the purpose of gentlemen tacking riders on the bill.
   Mr. Brown suggested an amendment, providing that all franchises granted by the charter shall revert to the State at the expiration of the war. He was not opposed to the road and would not vote for it whether the amendment was adopted or not; but he wanted the ordinance perfected in accordance with the principles of States rights.
   *****
   The question recurring on the amendment of the delegate from Jones, it was rejected -- ayes, 34; noes, 59.
   *****
   Mr. Brown offered an amendment providing that the authority of the Confederate Government, over the road, should cease as soon as the war is ended.
   Judge Osborne thought the amendment was inconsistent with that section of the ordinance allowing the Confederate Government to take stock.
   Governor Reid thought it would be wrong in principle to adopt the amendment.
   Mr. Brown thought the property ought to revert to the State, on State rights principles.
   *****
   The question recurring on the motion of the delegate from Caswell, it was rejected.
   Mr. Badger introduced the amendment, of which he had previously given notice, as a substitute for the last section, limiting the franchise granted by the charter to ninety-nine years instead of "in perpetuity" as granted by said section.
   Mr. Foy moved to amend the amendment, by striking out ninety-nine and inserting thirty -- rejected.
   The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Badger, it was adopted.
   On motion of Mr. Badger, the Convention adjourned, at 3 1/2 o'clock.

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