On motion of Mr. Farrier,
Jiesolved, that the CommiUet; of Internal Tmprovement inquire into the cxpe
diency and utility of building a Raii-Ko-<d from Louisburg <o Roanoke, 's^^ as to
conni^tt it with the Petersburg und Portsmouth Ra!l-R(*ad and report accordingly.
Mr. Sneed presented the following Resolution, viz:
Resolved, that it be recommended to the citizens of the «evei"4 couniies of this
State to elect delt gates to attend an adjourned meeting of this Convention to be
held in the City of RaTeigh on the first Monday of December next.
Which was read, and on motion of Mr. Sneed, ordered to be
referred to the general committeee on Internal Improvement.
Mr. Haywood presented the following resolutions, which, as a
matter of course, stand referred to the general committee, to-wit:
Jieeolved, that the present condition of North-Carolina is, in the op.nlon nf this
Convention, higlily discouraging .'Uil mortifying to her citizens ; that her trade is
languishing, her agriculture falling into neglect, her population fors-.king her,
her political stren;;ih withering, and her public and piivate wealth df clir.inf:; ; in-somuch,
that if these e\\h are not arrested in their course, she must speedily sink
into ruin and contempt ; that they owe their existence, nwiidy. to a want of Stute
pride, concert of opinion and jction among her citizens, the difficuliiesof In'emal
transportation, and the want of the existence or supj.ort of piimar)' markets wiMiiii
her own bosom ; that for the remedy of these mischiefs, *'\e active and zealous
co-operative exertions of all her citizens are imperiously demanded; they are
urged to put tliem forth by every consideration of public s[)ii'it and private inter-est
; that the improvemejit of our means of internal transportation, and the pro-vision
of primary marts within the State, siiould constitute the^js^ grsnd object-;
of these exertions ;»tnat in this accomplishment, they may, with great prnpriety,
invoke the aid of the State Treasury ; and this Convention furthe'- believe, thit
v;ithout free End liberal aid from that source, for the furtherance of these ' bjc-cts,
the ^tate will soon cease to have a Treasury worthy of care nr preservation.
—
They are, however of opinion that whatever benefit might accrue to some of thf:
citizens of the State, the State as a whole cannot with pvoprietN be asked to com-mit
an act so suicidal as to lend h<-r resources to ihe accomplisiitr.ent cf any work,
the direct tendency of which would be to carry any portion ot iier jircduc , ior u
primary market, without, befqie she h;is done wiiat it is in her power to tft'ec; to'
wards improvement within her own limits, and before proper eser;ions have beert
made to bring every section to her own markets:
Therefore Eesolved,
As the opinion of this Conventioni, that, for llie foundation of a new system < f
Internal Improvements in this State, the means of the State, oided by private sub-f
cr'ption, should be concentrated in the construction of a rail way fiom some Norlh-
Carolina seaport town to the interior of the State.
Resolved, As the opinion of this Conveniiooj that the Legislature of this Stite
ought to provide by law for raising such a sum ny loan (on tlie faith of the S'a'.e
if necessary) as will give substantial assistance in the prosecution of Ictern.il Im-provements
in this State.
Resolved, As the opinion of this Convention, th.it the most pr^ictlcable and
equitatile mode of meeting the loan of the State will be l)y an afinual tax on Lairds
equal to the interest on the loan and one-twentieth of the sum borrowed, so as to
pay it off in 20 years.
Resolved, As the opinion of this Convention, that it will be right and expedient
that the State should extend this first improvement as well by a contuuiaiice of
said Rail way as by the construction of others, and by other modes of improve-ment
; and the profitable result of the first work will increase the spirit of enti r-prize
and the means of tlie State.
Resolved, As the funher opmion of tliis Convention, that in design;aing t!ie
route of said road, the first consideration is, that it should be ceHainly practicable^
