ADDRESS

OF THE

tEPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO
THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

-_———-_+ > ——__—_—_

The Republican memhers of the Lee-
islature of North Carolina, upon earnest
and careful deliberation, have resolved
to issue to the people of the State, the
following address on the condition of
our public affairs, and to ask for it a
calm and unprejudiced consideration :

Fretiow-Cirizens : Inresponse to our |

election by you, as members of the
Legislature, we have been in session for
a short time, and have done such things
as seemed to us to be necessary to or-
ganize the new State Government, and
set it to work ; and without doing much
that is indispensible to be done soon,
we have adjourned, in order that we
may return to you for conference and
advice, that we may proceed cautiously
and wisely. Weare your representa-
tives—you elected us, You are our
friends, and we are yours; and under
ordinary circumstances, we should ex-
pect your confidence and assistance.

But the embarrassments now around us |

are extraordinary and peculiar, and give
us extraordinary claims upon you for
assistance and support.

WAR THREATENED.

For, we tell you in the utmost frank-
ness, and with deep feeling, that the
greatest possible danger overhangs the
Government, and we believe that an-
other war is certainly in the near future,
unless the people arouse themselves to
avert it. When in the early history of
the country, we had a Revolution, and
at the end of it, had to form new Gov-

ernments, the matter was found to be
difficult enough, even with the people
united, and desirous of forming good
governments. But how isit now? We
have had a war, and anew government
is tobeformed. If we were united, and
anxious to form the best government
we could, it would be difficult enough
to do it. But instead of being united,
we are bitterly divided, and a very large
portion of the people, many of whom
have been, and some of whom now are
in high positions of trust, declare that
the State Government, as at present or-
ganized, is illegal and void, and must
be overthrown by force of arms, imme-
diately after the election this fall.

DUPLICITY AND BAD FAITH.

The persons and the party, who thus
declare, went into the late election as
candidates for the offices of the Governs
ment as if every thing was valid. And
so, every thing would have been valid

if they had been elected. But failing

in the election, they forthwith declare
that the offices which they sought, and
the Government itself are null and void,
and must and shall be destroyed; and
some of them, who were elected to the
Legislature and other offices in the State,
and took an oath to support the Consti-
tution, now say that the Constitution,
which they swore to support, is no Con-
stitution at all; that the Legislature of
which they are members, and in which
they are receiving their pay, is no Leg-
islature at all. That you haveno Gov-
ernor, no Judges, no Sheriffs, or other

 

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officers, and that everything which has|the people and saatGed: by more than
been done, oris now doing, is ilegal| 20,000 majority; and eden that consti-
and void ; "that your property and lives | tution the present State Government is
are without protection, and that anarchy | organized, and we have been admitted
prevails. Jt is so extraordinary that ‘back to the Union, and now ought to be
such a state of things should exist, that | at peace and trying to retrieve our for-
we would expect you to be slow to be- | tunes. :

lieve it, and therefore we proceed tolay | srint DISTURBING THE PUBLIC PEACE.

before you the PROT
: But now, we find these same men say-
’
TUB PRESIDEND’S POLICY REJECTED. ing,: This Constitution and Govern-

_ After the war ended, three years ago, ment shall not stand.” They defeated
the President of the United States sug-| the constitution three years ago by vo~
gested that, if the people of the State | ting it down; they defeated the Howard
would meet in convention and frame a} Amendment ‘by voting is down. They
coustitution, the State might be admit-| failed to vote down the present consti-
ted back into the Union. The people tution, and now they say they will tear
accordingly called a convention, which | it down by force. Why would they do
framed a constitution, and- that consti- this? Because, they say, this is a white
tation was submitted to the people to} man’s government and colored men are
he ratified ; but just before the election, permitted to vote.

the same. class of persons who now say
that the present constitution is void,

said then that that constitution was
void, and they induced the people of
the State to reteet it. That constitution
svas the old constitution under which
we had always lived {with some alterax
tions.) WN ot withstanding there were no
radical changes in it, et its rejection
by the people was demanded and ace

complished. _We proceed to offer the proofs that
THE HOWARD AMENDMENT REJECTED. | those persons who now assume the name
Congress then said that, if the State! of democrats, but who are in reality, as
would adopt the “ Howard Amend-| 4 general thing, the same old secession
ment,” whieh left the question of suf~ and war party, ‘mean to break up the
frage with the State, to regulate as it government by force of arms, a that
thought proper, it might be restored to war must nay the attempt.
the Union, But the State, under the iets ancl is
lead of the same dladsicd att, who now DIOR
declare the Government void, refused 1 The on proof we offer is the de-
claration of the President, Andrew

to adopt the Howard Amendment.
N ACTS RENDERED Johnson. Ina proclamation, which he
ad okt alates aie re ED | issued on the 7th July, 1868, he speaks

‘NECESSARY. of the present ‘Governor of this State, as

Congress then said, well, if the white | the man “who writes himself Govern-
people will not torm a government and! or,” thereby meaning to say that he is
come back to the Union, we will author- not the rightful Governor. And ina
ize the colored citizens to vote, who /| recent message to Congress he says, “It
never yoted betore; and, under that| clearly follows that all the State Gov-
law, another convention was held, an-| ernments organized in those States un-
other constitution formed, submitted to | der the acts of Congress for that purpose

 

COLORED SUFFRAGE A MERE ‘PRETEAT.

But then we call your attention to the
fact, that they rejected the constitution
three years ago, which had no colored

vote in it. They rejected the Howard
‘Amendment which had no colored vote
in it, and so they would reject this if it
had no colored voteinit. he secret is,
they hate the Government, and many
of them love strife, eoufusion and war.

 

 

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and under military control, are illegiti-| disperse them at the point of the bayo-
mate and of no validity whatever.” | net, and that he must do this of hisown
_ Thus it appears that the President of the | head without any law, and against the
United States clearly and distinctly de-| power of Congress, which is the law-
clares ee "ae een State Govern— MAPS, PON STs and neyaant snpkesiy g
ment is null and void. : any reference to the Supreme Court,

If. Again, the Democratic National | which is the proper and only tribunal
Convention, which nominated Seymour | to pass upon constitutional questions.
and Blair as candidates for the Presi-| All which would bea clear usurpation
dency and Vice-Presidency of theUnited | of power by the President, and revolu-
States, in their platform say that, “The | tionary in its character, and would in-

ett oe BPE poe are Hm tee
reconstruction acts (soxcalled) of Con-| evitably result in immediate bloodshed
gress are usurpatious and unconstitu-/and civil war. And he also says that
tional, revolutionary and void.” §o|he regards this as the only issue in the
the whole Democratic party have thus | presidential election. ast does the
declared Big the present State Govern- | reason which he gives avail pale
ment is null and void. He says the President must disperse the
__Iif, Just before the said Democratic | present governments with the army, in
National Convention met, Gen. Blair) order that the white people may have
was requested to say whether he would | the opportunity of forming their govern-
accept the nomination for the Vice-| ments. But then, we have already stated
Presidency, He answered in a letter, | that, three years ago, the President did
which was published, in which he de-| send an army here, and by terrible de-
clared that if he was nominated it must | vastation and bloodshed, he overthrew
oe x F ; | i 2 . * } . @

be with the understanding that the re-| the governments which were then exiss
construction acts were unconstitutional | ting, and permitted the white people
and that the State Governments recon-| (nota colored man among them) to form
structed under them were null and void,|a constitution. But these men, not
and that they must be overthrown by | then satisfied with that proceeding, per-
force, We quote his own words as fol- suaded the people to reject. the counsti-
lows: “Ifthe President elected by the | tution, for the same reason that the nom-
Democracy enforce, or permit oth-|inee for Vice-President now says the
ers to entorce, the reconstruction acts, | present government must be over-
the Radicals, by the accession of twenty | thrown—viz : because it. was unconstis
spurious Senators, and fifty represeuta- | tutional, illegal and void, Gen, Blair
tives, will control both branches of Con-| and the party which supports him, now
gress, and his administration will be as demand that. the operation attempted
powerless as the present one of. Mr. | to be carried out by the President three

 

 

Johnson. There is but one way to re-| years ago, shall be egain attempted by
store the Government and the Constitu- | the President elect of that party. Will
tion, and that is, forthe President elect | these Southern allies of the Democratic
to declare these acts null and void, com-| party, who rejected that plan of the
pel the army to undo its usurpations at | President, three years ago, because, as
the South, disperse the carpetshag State | they said, it was unconstitutional, ille-
Governments, allow the white people to | gal and void, now think better of it,
reorganize their own governments, and | retrace their steps, cat their own words,
.elect Senators and Representatives.” | and assist in the consummation of what
Thus it will be seen that the nominee | they then so bitterly denounced ? Their
for Vice President not only declares the | pretended opinions and wishes fully
State Governments void, but says dis- | indicate the wisdom and patriotism of
tinctly that the President elect must | those whom they vindictively denoun-
declare them null and void, and ‘must ced and villified three years ago, for

/

 

 

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sustaining the proposed mode of esta-
blishing a government in this State.
Should they succeed in having the ex-
isting government of the State again
broken up by the army, under the order
of the President, do they mean, in good
faith, to reverse their action of three
years ago? Or are their present pro-
fessions a mere shift of necessity,a faith-
less pretext to produce civil strife,
confusion and war, for the chance of
realizing, amidst another storm of terror
and blood,their disereetly concealed, but
ever cherished hopes of the final success
of the “lost cause.”
And so it is, that we are to have no
peace. No matter what is done or who
does it, these same men move upon the
prejudices and distresses of the people,
and say that is not what ought to be,
but something else is, And here, it is
to be noted, that while they have op-
posed everything that has been done by
others to restore the country, they have
done nothing themselves; nor do they
now propose anything but another war.
It seems that the only remedy which
the Southern wing of the party believes
adequate or desirable, is, amid the con-
fusion they seek to inaugurate, to find
some possible opportunity again to raise
the flag of treason, establish their still
longed-for Confederacy, and to restore
slavery. oad
They have been mighty to destroy
but feeble to build up. They tell us,
that everything is null and void, but
their remedy they do not deem it pru. |
dent to suggest at this time. General
Blair sugzests an initiatory measure,
and he tells usin no uncertain terms
how it is to. be enforced. Take the
army, he says, and go to North Caroli-
na, and undo—“disnerse”-— whatever
has been done, and begin anew. And
let it be further noticed, that this rem
edy was not proposed while the gov-
ernments were being formed—not at
all. They waited to take their chances
in the elections to the Convention which

 

And whom did they

 

formed the government, and many of
them took seats in that Convention.

They then tooktheir chances, along with
the colored and whites, to get control
ot the Legislature, the Executive, and
the Judiciary, and all the County offices.
They had full tickets for all, but failing
to get into the offices by the ballot,
which was the proper mode, Gen, Blair
comes out and declares that they shali
be put in by the bullet.

And note further, that he is the man
to do it. He knows what supplanting
governments with bullets means. He
was with Sherman when he caine into
North Carolina, and dispersed the govs
ernment and set up another in its stead.
. setup? Ask Gov-
ernor Vance, and all the State officers
if they were not dispersed by Blair.
Ask if he did not put Governor Holden in
the same position which he now oecupies.
Yes,fellow-citizens, Blair means what he
says; he means war; he means to send
thearmy into North Carolina and dis-
perse the government. :

But then it may be asked, suppose
Blair does mean war, yet, the mass of
the party do not intend war by voting
forhim. Grant it. But if you elect
him, you put him beyond your control.
The people generally, we know, do not
want war, any more than they did in
1860. Butdo you not know that fifty,
yea, a dozen politicians, put in power,
can precipitate a war in spite of the
people? -And note, especially, that
while the New York Democratic Con-
vention had twenty two ballots before
they could agree upon a candidate for
President, yet with Blair’s letter before
them, and upon the single issue which
he presented, of breaking up the Gov-
ernment by force, they nominated him
unanimously. upon the first ballot ; and
he is now uniformly endorsed by the
whole party.

But then it is said, that while it
is the purpose to overthrow the  gov-
ernment as Blair says, yet there need
be no bloodshed. As soon as the Pres-
ident takes the army to break up the
government, let Congress say not a
word, let the governments all disperse,

 

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and then everything will be peaceable, |
andno more blood will be spilt than
may be “wiped up with a@ pocket hand-
prees bi “Bat, our os when
did such a thing ever happen? Does
the histor y of the world furnish any in-
stance of governments being overthrown
peaceably | 2 Overthrow the govern-
ment peaceably! Repeat the terrible
story of the late war! The govern-
ments were then to be overthrown
peaceably. But were they ? A pocket
handkerchief was then to wipe up all
the blood! but soon, all the handker-
chiefs and all the cloths were insufh
cient to bandage the wounds. Depend
upon it, when the President takes the
army, which he has no right to take for
any such purpose, to destroy the goy-
er he which Congress and the peo
ple have formed, Congress will not
stand idle, nor will the governments,
There will be fighting; and when it is
announced that the purpose is to deprive
4,000,000 of people of liberty, the fight.
ing will be ter rible, and the shedders of
blood will be round about your houses,
like the locusts of Egypt. How differ-
ent from all this is the sentiment of
Gen. Grant, “let us have peace !?

IV. After the late clections, and when
the time had arrived for Gov. Holden
to take possession of the office, the Ex-
Provisional Governor Jonathan Worth,
declined to vaeate until he was informed
by the military that he must do so, He
then vacated the office under a written
protest, in which he said, “I do not
recognise the validity of the late elee-
tion, “ander which you, and those ¢o-op-
erating with you, claim to be invested
with the civil government of the State.”

V. One of the leading organs of the
Democrats in North Carolina, approved

_the protest of Governor Worth, and
said he was still the lawful Governor
of the State, and that his protest. might
he “useful in the future.” Now, how
useful in the future? What does that
mean ? It means that Gov. Holden
may be thrown out and Gov. Worth
will still be Governor, The “Sentinel,”

 

contrary, they fully endorse his

the leading organ of the party in this
State, also approved Gov. Worth’s
course, and copied the above article.
Another leading Democratic Journal,
the New York “Wor id,” in an article
copied by the “Sentinel,” and headed
“The Right Spirit,” says that if the
coming clections are not conducted as
they think they ought tobe, and the re-
sult is different from what they think
it ought to be, then the Democrats will
appeal to “physical strength.” The
precise language is, If they exclude
us from the polls or refuse to count our
votes, we shall be none the less a ma.
jority, and having the preponderance
of physical streneth, the Democratic
party will not be found so w anting in
manhood, as to be ruled by a w reckless
usurping minority.” Now, what does
this threat of “physical | foree” by the
Democratic party mean? It means
what the words plainly declare, that, if
they are not satisfied with the election,
this fall, they will not be ruled by what
they call a usurping minority. ‘They
say now that Congress is a usurping
minority, and they 1 mean to declare that
if they cannot change things by the
ballot, they will by the bullet.

Vi. The North Carolina Democratic
Convention, which assembled in Raleigh
on the 138th August, in the first resolus
tion of its platform, enderses Gen. Blair
as aman of “sound political principles,”
and “reconmends him to the hearty sup-
port of the people.” It also approved
the platform of the National Democratic
Convention which declared the State
Governments void, And it is to be
especially noted, that the said Demo-
cratic Convention utters not a word of
disapproval of Blair’s letter. On the
‘yrin-
sn tip as “sound.” It is true, they do

say “they desire and intend to bring
about these wholesome changes by the
He seu means of the ballot box.” Of
course they do desire to doit by peace-
ful meaus, if it can be done peacefully.
They would be demons, if they prefer-
red war to peace. But suppose they

 

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cannot effect the changes by peaceful |
measures—how then ? will they stop at
that? Ifso, why did they not say so?
They do net say so... They take especial
pains not tosay so. Read their resolu-
tions, and it is apparent that they pur-
posely dodged saying so. They knew
of Blair’s letter. They knew. of the
terror it was spreading over the coun-
try. How easy, and, proper would. it
have been, therefore, tor them to have
said, we do not approve of that letter !-
What they do say in substance is, that
they desire to accomplish their purposes
peaceably if they can, but at all.events:
they mnst be accomplished; and if it!
cannot be done peaceably, then ict Blair
come on, He isthe right man. “His
principles are sound.” : weds
But suppose nothing else had been
said by any body, except that the State
government is void and must. be over-
thrown. The question would. immedi-
ately occur, how is it to be overthrown?
The election of a President of the United
States, no matter of which party, does
not effect the validity of the State Goy-
ermments.
Suppose the election was over, and
the Democratic candidate was.elected—
would not the State goyernments. re- |
main precisely as they are? Of course
they would. What can be. meant,
therefore, by the’ Presidential. election
overthrowing the State Government of
North Carolina? Governor Holden is
elected for four years, The Legislature
for two or four years, and the Ju-
diciary for eight years. How are they
to be superceded ? Blair tells you. And
every body that endorses him tells you.

 

 

Tt is to be done with the army! and |

that is war and nothing else.

Under the forms of law, the result of

the Presidential election cannot possibly |

atfect the State Governments. . Lf un-
constitutional and void, they would be
so declared by the Supreme Court under
the administration of one President as
soon. as another. The only way in
which they can_ be affected by. the re-

sult of the Presidential election, is the

one indicated by Gen. Blair’s letter-—
viz: to pledge a candidate and his party.
that, in the event of his election, he will
usurp the constitutional jurisdiction and
powers of the Supreme Court, disregard
the forms of law, take the army in his
hand, and by force and. bloodshed make
his own political»opinions and. wishes
the law of the land, Andsuch are the.
means proposed and. the purposes
avowed by Gen. Blair, And his party
endorsed him at New York, and his
party adherents in North Carolina, sol:
ennly resolyed,,.in their State Conyen-
tion, that he and his principles are
“sound.” They leave us no room. to
doubt. The will of the President eleet
is to take the place of a decision of the
Supreme Court, and the army is to be
“compelled” to execute his individual
mandates, be the consequences what
they may. If all men quietly submit. to
this usurpation, itis peace. But if
Congress, or the State Governments, or
thelaw-loving and law-abiding portion
of the people, resist the overthrow of
the constitution and laws, and the ty-
ranny of a Military Dictatorship, it
must be war.. Ina nation of ireemen,
who love liberty and hate tyranny, no
man can doubt the result. ne

Mr. Seymour, the Democratic nominee for
the Presidency, whom the party has commit-
ted to these dangerous views and purposes,
and who is to, execute them, presided over
the Convention which put them forth in its
platform and nominated Biair unanimously
on the first ballot. Tg assented to and ap-
proved the whole, and stands pledge before
the country, and to: his party, in the event of
his’ election; to declare the State govern-
ments in the South illegal and void, and to
compel the army to overthrow them at the
point of the bayonet. It is true, in his letter
accepting the nomination of the Convention
over which he presided, he does not, in
words, endorse Blair’s letter, and he pru-
dently retrains from violent language. But
he does not intimate in the least degree,
that he disapproves of any part of Blair’s
Jetter, or of the platform and proceedings of
the Convention, or that he will hesitate a
moment, whatever the consequences may be,
to carry out fully and desperately the pui-

 
 

such a result,

poses and policy which his party has marked
out for him. No man can doubt’ his inten-
tion and his purposes. OTe HSU
We have now offered you the preof. ‘The
President says the State government is

void. The National Democratic Conventicn |
says so, Gov, Worth ‘says so/’'The North
“Carolina Democratic’ Convention “says so.

The public press says so. All say it must be
overthrown. Blair says it) must he over-
throwa with the sword; and all of them en-

dorse Blair and his principles’as * sound.”

It 1s necessary to the peace and safety of

the country for the people to cuscountenance’

and rebuke this bold and defiant effort of dis

appointed and desperate ‘men, to rekindle’

-

the fires of civil war. The election of Gene-

ral Grant to the Presidency is the most ‘ef-
fective and peaceable means by which to
rebuke and forever to silence and quiet'them.

They, themselves, know’ and acknowledge’

this, Hence the unusual and ‘desperate
efforts which they are making to defeat’him.
His election would place the Executive and

legislative branches of the government in

entire accord, and thus restore confidence,
improve the public credit, and seeure the

general peace and quiet of the nation.) The

uncertainty and excitement of ‘the last three
years has resulted from the bitter antago-
nism between Congress and the President.
To continue this antagonism four © years

longer, by the election of" Mr Seyinour,

would continue the unsettled! condition’ of
afiairs, and be fraught with serious and in-
caletlable dangers.’ Those who wish’ sta-
bility and peace, would deplore such a result

in the approaching election. » But those who’
jofthy brow shalt thou eat bread.” We

hope to attain their ends’amid the uncer-
tainties of turmoil and strife, are resorting
to every means in their power to bringabout

“THREATS AND INTIMIDATION,
. Probably in nothing is the purpose of the
extreme men of the Democratic party. to do,
mischief more apparent than in their denun-
clations of all who are opposed to them, It
is bot to be denied that. a, very considerable

portion of the capitalists and property. hol-'

ders are of these extreme men. Some of
them may be good men.. Many of them are
these who, by unscrupulous means, haye ac-
cumulated from the distresses of the “people
large estates, and have thus been enabled to
assume Unmerited importance. These men
have not only assumed a superiority. over
those who differ with them, but. now seek to
to intimidate, and coerce them. They

 

speak of the colored people as ignorant, de-

-praved, vicious, idle and dangerous, and of

the white people who support the Govern-
ernment as meaner than the colored men.—
In the resolutions adopted at their public
meetings, and in their speeches, they declare
that those who differ with them whether
white or black, shall be proscribed in social

/as well as business relations, In one of their

public meetings,lately held in Caswell county
(which was of like character with most of

the meetings held in other counties, and is
designated only for convenience) in which

several of the most distinguished men in the
State spoke, one of the resolutions declares
‘in substance, that they would not employ
laborers who’ differed with them in politics,
and one of the distinguished speakers said,
“we have the land and we have the houses,
and we have the meat, and we mean to con-

trol the next election.”
’ Wedesire to call attention to the dangers

which these men are provoking upon the

country. We do not question the legal

right of any man to employ whom he pleas-

es, or not to employ at all. We do not de-

ny that ifa poor man come to our door in
the cold and storm of night, we have the
right to deny him admittance. But if he
perish before morning, whether we would
not, in the sight of God, be murderers is
another question. There are in North Caro-
lina about 1,000,000 of human — beings,
but not one person in twenty in the
State owns land. Have these few the
moral right to say to the many, ‘we

}own the world which God made and you

shall not live init? > “In the sweat

grant that, we may say, that if a man will
not work neither shall he eat,but have we the
right to say that he shall neither work nor

eat? ti : Leo
) "Pen “years ago, what would have’ been

considered more disreputable than to at-
tempt to bribe or intimidate a voter? But
now it is everywhere a matter of boasting
that “we have the land, and the houses and
the meat,” and we will make the poor vote
as we please. Again we say, we wish you
to consider not only the gress immorality
but the terrible dangers which such a course
is calculated to provoke, What is to be the

{end of allthis? Ifthe voters submit to be

intimidated and the many agree to vote with
the few, through compulsion, the effect
will be to destroy the freedom of elections,
and to change the republic to an oli-
gharchy. But suppose these yoters do

 

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t]

ZrEES

wm

not choose to submit to be -intimida-
ted. Suppose they conclude that their
rights and liberties are in danger, and

that the object of those who seek to intimi-
date or coerce, is to oppress and enslave

them, and to make them hewers of wood and

-drawers of water,and that their safety con-

sists in their independence and demands re-
sistance. When you tell them that they
shall not till the soil to make their bread,
suppose they say we are obliged to make

- bread or die, and we cannot submit to die.

When you tell them that they shall not have
a shelter from the cold, suppose they deter-
mine that neither shall you bave a shelter
from the eold. When -you tell them they

shall not have meat,suppose they tell youthat.

they are willing to work,but thai they are not

willing to starve. What may all this come to ?

Does the history of the world furnish us no
jJessons of the masses driven to desperation
by oppression? Is our society in a condi-
tion to be arrayed, one class against another ?
Did you ever heara multitude ery for {bread ?
Such scenes have been confined to the op-
pressed of the old world, but as often as
wuch a cry has been heard, property and life
have gone down before it.

Have you, who threaten thus to in-

timidate and coerce, thought well, or
have you thought at all of the danger
you are proyoking upon yourselyes. and
uponthecountry? You say that the colored
men are ignorant, depraved, vicious . idle
and dangerous. Suppose that betrue, what
then? You will admit that they are in

considerable numbers, and in many tocali-

ties they arethe majorities. If they are as
you say they are, why is it that their vil-
lainies have not everywhere exhibited them.

selves? Why isit that your property and

lives have been safe? Why is it that you
sleep soundly at night? This would not be

_ the case, if you were surrounded only with
_ desperadoes, If these people are bad men,
and yet do no harm, may it not be because:

of some good influences exercised over them ?
Have you exercised any \ good influences
over them? Your complaint is that you
hare no influence at all. They do not vote
for you nor with you. You do not offer to
he their candidate, nor ask for their votes,
You say they shall not yoteatall. Yet some-
body or something does exercise a good in-
fiuence. Can it be the white men who act
with them,and who are so bitterly denounced

_by you as meaner than the colored men them-

selves? And while you have been abusing
those who treat the colored men generously,
aad are willing to act with them politically,

 

 

 

 

did it never occur to you, that these same
men have been and may still be in some
measure your protection and your defence ?
It may be that those whites whom you abuse
so much for acting with the colored men po-
litically, have exercised, and desire only to
exercise a wholesome influence, and neither
you, nor your wives nor your children may
know how much you are indebted to them for
the good order and safety of sucicty.

All the colored men and mean whites are
against you,you say, and they are more numer-
ous than you; and yet you provoke them with
all your power of hard words. And now
you threaten that you have the lands and
they shall not make their bread, unless they
vote with you; and that you have the houses
and they shall not live in them, unless they
vote with you; and that you have the meat
and that they shall not eat it, unless they
vote with you; and that they have to live by
their labor, and that you will not employ
them unless they vote with you; and that
they shall quit your service, though they
have not bread for to-morrow to keep their
children from starving, unless they vote with
you. This is not aimed at colored men
alone, but at all white men who live by their
labor,

Did it never occur to you, ye gentle-
men of education, property and character,
to you, ye men and especially ye \women,
who never received anything from these col-
ored people, but services, kindness and pro-
tection—did it never occur to you, that
these same people, who are so very bad, will
not be willing to sleep in the cold, when
your houses are denied them, merely because
they will not vote as youdo? That they
may not be willing to starve while they are
willing to work for bread? Did it never
occur to you that revenge, which is so sweet
to you, mar be as sweet to them ?. Hear us,
if nothing else you will hear, did 1t never
occur to you that if you kill their children
with hunger, they will kill your children

with fear? Did it never occur to you, that

if you good people maliciously determine
that they shall have no shelter, they may
determine that you shall have no shelter ?
One of the distinguished speakers in the
meeting referred to, also said that if any
white man stepped over the line (that is
voted in opposition to the Democratic party)
and afterwards attempted to enter decent
society, he should be kicked out.
Men whospeak or attempt to act thus,or who
approve or countenance such, are the personal
enenries of those against whom it is aimed

 

 

 
and should be so treated by them in all the

relations of life.

And now be it. remem)ered that in the
late election, there were more. than 20,-
000 majority of the free men of North
Carolina who voted in opposition | to
the Democratic party. Will it be safe for
the land holders, the house holders and the
meat holders to attempt to kick into dis-
grace and starve to, death 20,000 majority
of the free men of the State ?

In the Democratic convention for the

State’ of North Carolina. which... as-
sembled in Raleigh on the 13th of Au-
gust, the most gifted, and popular

speaker in the body, said. that. heretofoge,
we had been accustomed to treat Chief Jus-
tice Pearson and other distinguished gentle-

men with respect, but now they have. “dis-
graced” themselves. by uniting with the
opposition, and they are to be no longer
recognized, Whatis to be the effect: of all
this? Can the Chief Justice. and others
almost as distinguished as he, and who
have s:rved and honored the State so long,

can they submit to be kicked and disgraced
by those who have the “land and the houses
and the meat?” Will these persistent
fomenters of mischiefand treason never cry—
hold! enough? Is it not enough, that. they
destroyed the government and filled the
land with widows and orphans and bank-
rupts? Is it not enough that they have des-
troyed our peace and prosperity, our com-

mon schools, internal improvements . and |

every other interest, and left us poor and
dishonored ?
the blood of sons and brothers slain, and
their hearts biack with the basest.of crimes—
with murders and. thefts—the starving of
prisoners and the most revolting outrages
Esa women and, aged men, must they still
“havoc! and let slip the dogs of war?”
ie we never to have peace ? Are our sons
to be reared only for the slaughter field , that
these mischief makers may enjoy, to. the eX-
clusion of all others, “their lands, and their
houses and their meat,” and that ‘they may
have the refined pleasure of kicking men
better than themselves out of “decent soci-
ety?’ Our older sons were killed or crip;
pied in the late war, But three years have
clapsed. Have our younger sons, had » time
to grow up fat for the slaughter? Shall
they go into the ditches again, while others
stay at home to enjoy “their lands and their
jlouses and their meat,” and keep themselves
so “decent” that if you attempt to enter
their seciety you must he “kicked out ?”,
But let it not be >, ila that. all, who

y. # tigholl bived

With their hands red with |

 

 

have lands and houses and meat are of the
mischievous class of which we have spoken.

‘We hope that a very large majority of those

who have lands and houses and meat, are

humane, christian gentlemen, who scorn to

countenance the oppression which is threat-
ened. The Chief Justice and the thousands
who act with him have lands, and houses,
and meat, but they do not have them to use
for oppression. . And we know that some of
those who threaten, have neither lands, nor
houses, nor meat, nor have they any decency
to spare, much less, boast. But in times of
violence extreme men assume unwonted im-
portance, and we therefore call on all reason-
able and moderate men, whether they have
lands, and bouses, and meat or not, toarouse
themselves and prevent these desperate mis-
chief makers. from.again plunging the
country into. strife, anarchy and bloodshed.

The desperate spirit which is manifested
towards the government ‘has. rendered it
necessary for us to provide the: requisite
means to preserve peace and. order... We
have provided for organizing the Militia and
rendering a sufficient portion of it effective
in case it be needed to overcome violence
and execute the laws. But white and color-
ed citizens are to be organized separately.-—

| We have deemed it necessary to pass a strin-

gent law against the bribery and intimida-
tion of voters, ~The object. of these and
other measures. has. Cae only to provide for
preserving the public peace, to secure a. fair
and untrammelied expression of the popular
will in.elections, and to furnish the govern-
ment, with the means to enforce its author-
ity and have the laws promptly executed.
We now appeal to all, the law-loving and
law-abiding people of the nation, but espe-
cially to you, men of North Carolina, whose
ancestors. were the first to declare for that
Independence under which the Union was
formed and. liberty secured ;. to, you, who
were the last to-be-driven-into secession and
rebellion against the Union—to you, who
were the most bitterly reviled and the most
grievously scourged by Confederate tyrants,
during the dark “days of treason and blood;
We appeal co you, men of the mountains, of
the mid lands, and of the seaboard, to come
forward in defence of the Union, the Consti-
tution and the laws, and to command the
peace! Make known. to these ever-restless and
turbulent revoltitionists, who once deceived,
and then. oppressed. and ruined, you, that
freemen have rights which are sacred ; that
they establish governments and make laws to
be obeyed.; and that they possess the will
and power to enforce their rights and to de-

*. P P goreet , , hus en €
Ft 5 Ea! : a 2 3S geaisiy Sei b ne as | et tes

 

(FEN Color Control Patches

 
i0

fend their governments and their laws against
‘the threats and violence of all who attempt
to overthrow them.

We need peace. Who among the
freemen of America has a hand strong
enough to mai ntain the authority of
the nation and awe,turbulent and rebellious
men into submission and obedience? That
Providence which has ever seemed to take
under especial care the affairs and destinies
of this Republic, has raised up for us, in
these times of trouble, such aman. In the
struggle to establish this Government, it
gave us General Washington. In the strug-
gle to preserve it against rebellion and trea-
son, it has given us. General Grant, With

the reins of Government in his hands, would |
any traitor dare attemps further disturbance:

of the public peace? They feel and confess
that their last hope is staked on defeating
his election to the Presidency. Will you,
our countrymen, allow therm to realize that
hope, and again plunge this land into strife,
bloodshed and desolation? You may avert
it and secure lasting peace by your ballots
in the approaching election. If not, you
must submit to give up your liberties, or

prepare to resist the army which General.

Blair and his President elect will “compel”
te come down upon you, to undo, overthrow
and break up; to substitute anarchy and
war in the place of order and peace. May we
be spared the dreadful scenes that must follow!

“Let us have peace!” ‘These are the
words of General Grant. Sustain him
with your votes, and you sustain peace.
Like “the still small voice” to the Prophet on
Horeb, after the winds and the earthquake
and the fire, so now to the American people
come the gentle words, “Let us have
peace.” While the discontented, the proud
and the turbulent threaten war and blood,
let this people arise in their majesty and
command the peace! And in order to
secure it for the fatare; et them place Gen,
Grant in the Presidential chair. be

We have thus plainly spoken to the peo-
ple of North Carolina, because we believe
that to apprize them of existing danger, and
to indicate whence it is threatened, is the
best means of averting it.

Ifthe disreputable and criminal threats
to revolutionize and overthrow the Govern-
ment, and to coerce the voters of the coun:
try by starvation and social proscription to
vote with those who propose it, are attempt-
ed to be executed, the most terrible scenes of
violence, bloodshed and clvil war must in-
evitably come upon us. But if those who
are warned in time, can be persuaded or

 

| compelled to abandon their treasonable and
wicked designs and practices, to obey the
laws, keep the peace and submit to the will
| of the people, expressed in fair elections,
‘untrammelled by violence, threats, or intim-
idation, good order will prevail in every
branch of society: and among all classes of
our citizens; the Government will go on
calmly and peaceably in the exercise of its
legitimate and accustomed tunctions, the
rights of all will be protected, the public
peace will be preserved, and prosperity,
good will and kind feeling will soon return
to bless a distressed and suffering people,
a#id to secure and perpetuate their liberties
for generations to come. ;

Tod R. Caldwell, = -W: D. Jones, >

Jo, W. Holden, -
Geo. W. Gahaget,

 

Samuel Forkner,
Isaac Kinney,
Jno. A. Hyman,
W. M. Moore,
Hugh Downing,
J. H. Davis,

B. D. Morrill,
Isham Sweat,

J. 8. Leary,

R. Falkner,

8. C. Barnett,
J. R. Simonds,
J. B. Cook,

EF, W. Foster,
J.P. Vest,
PLA. Long,

H. E. Stilley,

T. A. Sykes,
Jonas Hoffman,
Henry Eppes,

J. R. Mendenhall,

Wrr. Barrow,
E. K. Proctor,
Jos. Dixon,

E. A. White,
W. B. Siegrist,
T. M. Vestal,
E. W. Pou,

B. R. Hinnant,
A, W. Stevens,
O. 8. Hays,

L. G. Estes,

W. T. J. Hayes,
Jas. Blythe,

D. D. Colgrove,
R. R. Rea,
F. Morris,

el Ashworth,
C. Rhodes
T. Pearson,
avid Hodgin,

B.
JO
P

a
D

J.T. Harris,
N. B. Bellamy,

J.

RW. Lassiter,
BE. A. Lege,

F. G. Martindale,
W. A. Moore,

D. J. Rich, :

T. M. Shoffner,
Chas. Winstead,
Peter Wilson,

W. Ames,

W. G. Candler,
W. T. Gunter,

J. B. Long,

J. T, Reynolds,
Thos. Snipes, 3
A.C. Wiswall, —
G. W. Price,

F. G. Moring,

W. B. Richardson,
S. G. Horney,

L. B. Banner,
Mathew Carson,
J. A. Crawford,

8S D. Franklin,

GA. Grian

Ivey Hutchings,
Jas. H. Harris,
Abel Kelley, ~
R. T. Long,
Byron Lafiin,

C. Mayo,

W. W. McCanless
Geo. P. Peck,

J. H. Renfrow,

J. T. Reynolds,
A. 8. Seymour,
Thos, Snipes,
Jas. Sinclair,

G. W. Stanton,
J. E. A. Waldrop,
G. Wm. Welker.

4

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8. Harrington, -