The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-06-27
From the New York Metropolitan Record.
A LESSON OF PRUDENCE AND
TRUE POLICY

"A bGo0ON Of FhUDGNCE AMI
TRUE POLICY.
Our friends will believe us when we tell them
that there is party still here in the North
the party of strife and discord the party of blood
and fendish hate, and that it will leave no
means untried to provoke them to uprisings, to
futile and sanguinary Instructions in this and
that locality in the hope that it will thus be
afforded more pretexts for the execution Of its
devilish designs. At present this party is en-
gagged in the fendish, but we believe impracti-
cable work of melting the masses of the North
ern people to new war upon the South; and
TWO distinct parties are being formed upon the
issue which it has presented to the country.
We regard this movement as an exceedingly
auspicious one for the South, and, therefore, we
desire that nothing shall be done by the South
ern people thar will aid or strengthen 1t III any
way. This issue has been. presented to the pub
lie by Wendell Phillips and has already pro-
duced quite a sensation throughout the North
He has announced it as the intention OF the fac
lion, or party of which he is the head, to advo-
cate reputation of our great and crushing war
debt, if the emanci pated negro is by the radical
abolitionists. There can be no evadlng the
question now; the inferior race shall or shall
not be allowed the right to vote, and everything
else that follows and accompanies that refused
equal political rights with the white voters. We
are glad tilt the matter has been at last brought
20 head, and that the people of the North must
take their stand upon one side or other Of the
line which has been drawn righr-social equali-
~, official position and intercourse with the
white population in ali the relations of life.
The .dicals have thus defined their position,
and they have already commenced the new war
by assailing-who? President johnson. They
DO not, as we suspected from the very first, like
him; they are dissatisfied with certain indica
lions he has thus far given of his policy, and
they have all their ire aroused by their knowl-
edge of the fact that he has determined to leave
the question of negro suffrage to be decided by
the States themselves. No man knows better
:han he that the granting of such political pow
er would be employed to his disadvantage here
after, and that it would affect his pros poets of
reelection to injurious degree. He cannot
WELD to the radicals and the resolute stand he
has taken at the outset proves that he is deter
mined not to yield to them.
Now there is only one thing that can alter
this new position of parties, and give strength
20 the faction which demands political equality
or the negro-local outbreaks and instructions
Il the Southern States. All provocations must
oe met by a firm determination not to be driven
u seduced into such a disastrous, such ruinous
course The efforts of the Abotionists will be
directed towards the embodiment of the people
IF the South with the Administration, that they
may thus control its policy, as they to great
extent controlled that of the late President. It
will be their purpose to re-establish military rule
over the South as it existed during the war, and
to prevent, if possible, the restoration of peace.
They would if they could, reduce it to desert,
but we believe, notwithstanding the late procla-
nation of President Johnson, that it is his design
70 defeat their plans, and although no partisan
Of his in any sense, we believe he is entitled to
The support of every true friend of the South in
his efforts in this direction. Certain allowances
must be made for the position in which he is
placed and full credit must be awarded for what
mas been already done, and we say that for the
lirna stand he has taken ON this most serious
question Of negro Suffrage the friends Of. the
South haze every reason to- feel grat;fed.
Standing by itself this is indeed favorable indi-
cation, and while we have not hesitated to speak
without reserve of the character of his so-called
amnesty proclamation, while we have given free
expression 10 our views upon the arbitrary, un-
constitutional anti-D Democratic and un-American
policy set forth in its fourteen exceptions, we are
prepared to give President Johnson our fullest
and most cordial support in his stand against ne
gro suffrage, and in which he is entitled to the
active and earnest cooperation of every man who
would save the country from all the horrors of
anarchy and social disorder.
AS to the proclamation itself we have already
expressed our belief that it cannot be enforced to
a great extent and that in the course of year
it will become imperative altogether. The only
thing that can give it vitality will be the local
outbreaks throughout the South, and we cannot
too strongly dissuade our friends from resorting
to such suicidal way of repelling outrages.
Time and patience alone are required to heal
their wounds, but let us take care that they are
Il Il