NP, RSTD 7/10/1863

From the Raleigh Standard
  
July 10, 1863
 
Raleigh & Gaston Road
   The recent meeting of the stockholders of this Road afforded fresh proof of the bitter spirit by which the Destructives are controlled. Gov. Vance, whose devotion to the interests of the State and of the Road no truthful person will question, appointed three Conservatives as Directors on the part of the State in place of three Destructives whom he found in office. He could have done nothing else under the circumstances. He found his own friends proscribed, and he simply did them justice. But the leading and managing stockholders, having procured all the proxies they could, went to work to render the corporation a party machine. They turned out John G. King, Esq., one of the best friends the Road has ever had, and who has been connected with it from its reconstruction many years ago. The friends of Capt. Jo Davis, now absent in the service of the country, knowing that he would not be able to perform his duties on the finance committee, declined to place him in nomination for the position; and the committee was then made up of T. Brown Venable, former member, William H. Winder, of Richmond, and John G. King, Esq., who we trust will not take the place after having been defeated for Director. Mr. Venable, we believe, is connected with the army as quartermaster or commissary, and Mr. Winder, we believe, is employed in the War department at Richmond. Following the example generally set in making appointments in this State, the partizan stockholders went to Richmond for a member of the finance committee, and appointed a person who has no particular interest in the Road, and but little if any knowledge of, or sympathy with our people.
   In this way, by electing all the Directors from the Destructive party, and by appointing two of the finance committee from the same party, the Destructive stockholders assumed complete control of the corporation. And we learn that one of these stockholders was disposed to complain of the resolution adopted by the Board of Internal Improvements on the subject of freights, and to characterize it as dictation on the part of the Board, when no such idea was entertained, the Board having the right to express its views on the subject; but Dr. Crudup, the State proxy, promptly met this partizan stockholder, who after the reply of the State proxy, was disposed to modify what he had said. Just as the meeting was about to adjourn, Dr. Crudup moved that the names of the stockholders be published with the proceedings for general information; and even this reasonable and proper motion was opposed, no doubt because these partizans preferred that the names should not be published, because their suppression would enable them the better, at future meetings, to get the advantage in proxy votes. But the names were directed to be published, and hereafter the Conservatives will have an equal advantage with their opponents in knowing who the stockholders are, and where they reside, and thus make arrangements to have a full and fair representation of the stock.
   The charge by the Register that Col. George Little, one of the State Directors, was anxious to be made President of the Road, is gratuitous and unfounded. It is well known to every one informed on the subject, that Col. Little did not desire the place. No disposition was shown by the Conservatives to retaliate on the Destructives by opposing the re-election of Dr. Hawkins, but he was unanimously requested to continue in the discharge of his duties. But the Register seems to entertain special malice towards Col. Little, and that paper is not disposed to regard truth or fair dealing in gratifying its malice.

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