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the public engineer, to examine and survey the country between the town of Suffolk in the county of Nansemond, and Roanoke river opposite the town of Waldon, in the state of North Carolina; and to report an estimate of the probable cost of constructing a rail road from Suffolk to Roanoke, together with all the information he may obtain relative thereto.

Resolution.-The committee to whom was referred the resolution of the general assembly of Maryland, communicated by the Governor, relative to the opening of a safe and direct navigation through the sounds which run parallel with the sea coast, by the construction of such canals as may be requisite for the purpose, between the Chesapeake bay at or near Cape Charles, and Lewistown Creek on the bay of Delaware, and inviting the co-operation of this State, and that of Delaware, in the improvement, respectfully report, that they have considered the resolution with the attention which it deserves, and duly appreciating the object proposed by it, beg leave to recommend the adoption of the following resolutions :

'Whereas the General Assembly of Maryland have adopted a resolution, communicated by the Governor, relative to the opening of a safe and direct navigation through the sounds which run parallel with the sea coast, and by the construction of such canals as may be requisite, for the purpose, between the Chesapeake bay at or near Cape Charles, and Lewistown Creek on the bay of Delaware, and inviting the co-operation of this state, and the state of Delaware in the improvement. Therefore,

'Resolved by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the Govcrnor of the commonwealth be

and he is hereby authorised to appoint a commissioner, or to direct the engineer, to meet any commissioner or engineer, who may be appointed by the state of Maryland and Delaware, to make a survey of the said sounds, and an estimate of the probable expense of opening the navigation proposed, to be submitted to the General Assembly, for its consideration hereafter.

Resolution.-'That the boards of public works be requested to cause the principal engineer to ascertain by surveys, the most eligible route for a rail road from Lynchburg to New River, and for a turnpike road from the last point by Wythe court house and Abingdon, to the Tennessee line, and the probable cost of each; or, if other public duties engage the attention of the principal engineer, that they cause said survey, and estimates to be made by the assistant engineer authorised to be employed for the survey of the most eligible route of connecting the eastern and western waters.' Besides these surveys, provision is also made for examinations and surveys for various public roads.

A serious insurrection of the negroes took place on Monday morning, the 22d of August, in Southampton county, in the southeastern part of Virginia, which, happily, was confined to a small body of desperadoes. The ringleader was one Nat Turner, a slave belonging to Joseph Travis, artful, impudent, vindictive, and a great enthusiast. He pretended to be a Baptist preacher, and declared to his comrades, that he was commissioned by Jesus Christ, and proceeding under his inspired di. rections, and that the singular appearance of the sun, during the months of July and August, was a sign of his mission. A large as

ing states, as the insurrection was supposed to be only part of a more extensive plan; but in a few days the commander reported that there was no danger of a renewal of disturbances, that the insurgents had all been killed or taken, with the exception of four or five, among whom was the leader; and that there was no reason to suppose that there was any concert among the slaves in the neighboring coun

semblage of the negroes at a camp
meeting, afforded him an opportu-
nity to excite them to violence, and
after a night spent in a state bor-
dering on frenzy, they commenc-
ed an indiscriminate attack upon
all the whites in the vicinity. After
murdering about seventy whites,
most of whom were unprotected
women, they were dispersed by the
neighboring militia, who promptly
repaired to the scene of their out-
rages, from all quarters. Great ties.
alarm prevailed in all the adjoin-

NORTH CAROLINA.

BANKS.-The Governor's message, November, 1831, stated that the stock held by the State in the State Bank of North Carolina, has for some time past only yielded an interest of four per cent. per annum; the stock held by the state in the bank of Cape Fear has for the last two years, yielded an interest of only three per cent. per annum; whilst the stock held by the state in the Newbern bank has not, for nearly three years, yielded any interest. The funds vested by the state in these banks, amount to $712,700, and by a report made to the senate of North Carolina, by a committee appointed to inquire into the subject, it appears that the amount of dividends and bonus' declared by the several banks of that state, from 1810 to 1830, is as follows:By the State Bank $2,183,670 50 By the Bank of Newbern 967,950 00 By the Bank of Cape Fear 873,714 54

$4,025,335 04 The charters are shortly to expire, and probably will not be renewed. The legislature was recommended to apply to Congress for aid, to improve the navigation between the Atlantic and Albermarle Sound.

On the subject of Nullification, the Governor observed that 'it is to

me a source of much gratification to have observed, and to have it in my power to state, that the excitement which seems to pervade a sister state, upon the subject of the tariff, has effected little change in the opinions of the citizens of North Carolina. With regard to the policy of that measure, there is, so far as my information extends, a perfect union of sentiment. All deprecate it as unequal in its operation, and destructive of the interests of the southern planter. The period, however, has not yet arrived, which, in the judgment of this community, authorises the adoption of doctrines subversive in their nature, of all order, and manifestly tending to weaken, if not destroy our whole system of government. This state is justly proud of having given the first legislative sanction to the spirit of the revolution. The same love of rational liberty which prompted this high example, induced our revolutionary statesmen to consider attentively and anxiously the form of government proposed for their adoption. Satisfied, after full investigation by successive conventions, that no powers were delegated but such as were essential to the existence and preservation of the Union, it is no matter of sur

prise that they and their children should support and defend the compact, and neither seek nor desire a remedy beyond it.'

These remarks were fully justified, by the state of public feeling on that question in North Carolina. At the previous session of the legislature, the subject came under consideration, and on the 31st of December, 1830, on motion of Mr. Henry, the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole upon the following resolutions, heretofore submitted by Mr. Worth, viz:

Resolved, by the General Assembly of North Carolina, That, although the tariff laws, as they now exist, are unwise, unequal in their operation, and oppressive to the southern states, yet this legis lature cannot concur with the extreme, violent, and dangerous remedy, to which the South Carolina doctrines of nullification manifestly tend.

'Resolved, That in the senti ment, "this Union must be preserved," we recognise principles which challenge the approbation of every republican, and which promise to save the republic from disunion and anarchy.'

Mr. Fisher moved to amend the resolution by inserting the words, in the opinion of this legislature,' after the word are; and Mr. Barringer moved to strike out all the said resolution after the word legislature, and insert, does not recognise as constitutional, the right of an individual state of this union to nullify a law of the U. States.'

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On these propositions to amend, and on the general merit of the subject, an animated and protracted debate ensued. The amendments were finally adopted, and the resolutions, as amended, were reported to the House, the first to read as follows:

Resolved, by the General Assembly of North Carolina, That although the tariff laws, as they now exist, are, in the opinion of this legislature, unwise, unequal in their operation, and oppressive to the southern states, yet, this legislature does not recognise as constitutional, the right of an individual state of this union to nullify a law of the United States.'

The second resolution was reported in its original shape.

Mr. Blair moved that the resolutions be postponed indefinitely, and supported his motion in a brief but spirited speech. The motion was negatived 88 to 26.

Mr. Bynum moved to strike out of the first resolution, all after the words southern states, and insert, yet this legislature would deprecate any doctrine, the tendency of which would have the effect to dissolve the union of these states.'

On this proposition some debate arose, in which Mr. Bynum support. ed, and Messrs. Edmondston and Cooper opposed it. It was decided in the negative, 79 to 37.

Mr. Speight moved to amend the first resolution, by striking out the whole thereof, after the words southern states, and insert, 'yet this legislature is too warmly attached to the union of these states to hazard a resort to the extreme remedy of nullification.' Mr. Barringer, cautioned the House against swallowing the gilded pill offered by Mr. Speight.

The question was decided in the negative.

Mr. Speight moved then to strike out the whole of the first resolution, and demanded the yeas and nays.

The question was decided in the negative, 90 to 24.

Mr. Stedman moved that the resolutions lie on the table, which was negatived-93 to 19.

The amendments proposed by the committee of the whole, were concurred in by the House, and the question being upon the adoption of the resolutions, Mr. Speight moved that the question be put on the resolutions separately, and the House so ordered.

The first resolution was adopted by the following vote-ayes 87, nays 27.

The second resolution was read, and adopted unanimously-yeas 112.

A resolution which had passed the General Assembly denying the right of the General Government, to execute works of internal improvement, was laid on the table in the Senate, 48 to 10.

Fire at Fayetteville, May 29,1831. -About noon on Sunday, an outhouse belonging to Mr. Kyle was discovered on fire, and soon after the flames communicated themselves to a brick building and a number of wooden houses adjacent -then the town house, extending with irresistible and terrific violence. The people exerted themselves to the utmost, but in vain the slaves, and other colored persons behaved manfully, and earned a high reputation for disinterested intrepidity and strict honesty-but the anxiety of each person to save his own property, materially diverted the people from the common enemy of all of them. The fire raged about six hours, and then stopped for the lack of food to supply it! Only two stores remained standing.

The public buildings destroyed were the Town house, the Cape Fear bank, the Catholic chapel, the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches, the Academy, the Fayette and Mansion House hotels,

did business, and all the printing offices-the private buildings destroyed were estimated at about six hundred, with nearly all the goods, furniture, &c. which they contained-much money and many valuable books and papers-some of which were moved several times to places of supposed safety, but were at last consumed. The money and papers of the banks were saved-the vaults preserving what there was not time to carry away. The whole business part of the town was destroyed-persons that were rich, were at once reduced to poverty.-The aggregate loss was estimated at a million and an half of dollars. So extensive a calamity and complete destruction, was never before witnessed in the United States. Not one life was lost! Happily, the calamity came in the middle of the day, and was not in the winter season though the heat of the weather was hard to bear, unsheltered. As there was no wind, the fire spread in all directions. The property of only two individuals was insured.

Fayetteville was a compact town, doing much mercantile business, and having about 4,000 inhabitants.

Contributions were immediately taken up for the relief of the sufferers in the principal towns of the United States.

The whole amount received from all parts of the Union, was $91,992 38, from the following states and territories :

Massachusetts North Carolina Pennsylvania New York South Carolina Virginia Maryland Louisiana

with the house in which the agen- Georgia cy of the bank of the United States Connecticut

$14,518 69 12,731 00

11,406 34

10,648 54

9,100 37

8,040 88

6,820 79

5,050 00

4,102 72

3,002 40

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NULLIFICATION.-The

excite ment in this state on the subject of the tariff had now become so great, that the public mind was entirely absorbed in determining upon the propriety of nullifying the law, as the only effectual and constitutional remedy. Within the state, the contest was most vehement, but out of the limits of South Carolina, the remedy proposed was deemed inapplicable, and by the great mass of the American people was regarded as treasonable.

Notwithstanding this settled opinion as to the character of the measure, no steps on the part of the Federal Government were taken to prevent or to defer the nullifiers from carrying their designs into effect. The defence of the constitution, and the jurisdiction of the government, were entrusted solely to public opinion and to the affection of the citizens; and the disaffected spirit of South Carolina was thus confined to the state. In Georgia some symptoms were evinced of a disposition to make common cause with South Carolina; but in North Carolina the principle was most pointedly repudiated; and in Virginia, after having sanctioned the principle of nullification by legislative resolutions, successively passed in 1827-1829, the leading politicians of the state began to shrink from the open avowal of doctrines, which could only end in the subversion of the federal government.

In South Carolina, however, the nullifiers continued to urge their projects with unabated vigor. In

the legislature which met on the 22d of Nov. 1830, they carried their candidate for speaker,(Henry L Pinkney), 63 to 58, which were divided between two other candidates. A bill was subsequently introduced to authorise a convention of the state, with the view of nullifying such laws of Congress as it might deem unconstitutional. This proposition requiring two thirds of the legislature, was lost in both Houses-the votes being in the Senate, 23 in favor, 12 against; and in the House, 60 in favor, and 56 against a convention.

The following resolutions were passed on the subject. The first three resolutions passed unanimously.

'Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of South Carolina doth unequivocally express a firm resolution to maintain and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state against every aggression, either foreign or domestic, and that they will support the Government of the United States in all the measures warranted by the former.-Madison.

'Resolved, That this Legislature most solemnly declares a warm attachment to the Union of these states, to maintain which it pledges all its powers; and that for this end it is their duty to watch over and oppose every infraction of those principles which constitute the only basis of that Union; because a faithful observance of them can alone secure its existence and the public happiness.-Madison.

'Resolved, That this Legislature

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