The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-06-27

ment through the aid of loyal citizens; and to be
vigilant and active in discouraging disoyai senti-
ments, and ensuring the election of known friends
| of the Federal Government to every ofhce Your
experience, fellow citizens during the reneilon,
should attach you by the strongest ties to the gov
eminent of the United States. You have just been
delivered by the armies of the Union from one OF
the most corrupt and rigorous despotsms that ever
existed in the world Many of you have been forced
| for opinions sake, and because of your love for
the flag of your fathers to fly from the land OF your
birth of your adoption, and seek refuge among
strangers to escape the hand of arbitrary power.
| Many of you have been torn from your homes, or
hunted down like wild beasts in the forest and forced
into the rebel armies as conscripts, to light Ter
the continued enslavement OF the coorec race, and
also for state of slavery for yourselves and your
children Some of you have been subjected to i'm :
prisonment and tortures on account OF your opln-
ions; and all of you have been deprived for years
up recent period, of freedom of speech and OF
the press and of every essential guarantee OF ber-
ty and of protection 10 person and property, wncn
Is contained in the Constitution Of the united
States. You more free citizens OF the uni
| ted States. BY your suffering in the past, and by
your hopes for the future, / adjure you to guard
well your freedom. Remember that all that you
have, and all that you can hope to be, and all OF
good that ISL for your children are lndls-
solrbly bound up with the American Union. The
ssuny of government which constitutes US one peo-
pler should be more dear to us than ever, on ac-
count of the sufferings through which have pas
sed In the language of Washington lit is ofinhnite
moment that You should properly estimate. the i'm.
mense value of your national Union to your collec-
tive and individual happiness that you should che
rish cordial habitual, and immovable attachment
to it, accustoming yourselves to think and to speak
Of it as the palladium of your political safety and
prosperitJ watching for its preservation with jea-
Gus anxiety; discountenancing whatever may sug-
gest suspicion that it can in any event be
abandoned and Indignantly frowning upon the first
dawnng of every attempt to ALLEVIATE one portion of
our country from the rest or to enfeebe the sacred
ties which now bind together the various parts"
To the colOred people of the State would say,
you are now free. Providence has willed that the
very means adopted to render your servitude per-
petua should be His instruments for releasing you
from bondage. 1t is not to be expected that you
can comprehend and appreciate as they should be
comprehended and appreciated by self governing
people, the wise provisions and limitations Of Con-
situations and laws; or that you can now have that
knowledge of public affairs which is necessary to
qualify you discharge all the duties of the citizen
No people has yet bounded at once into the full
enjoyment of the right of self government But you
are free, in common with all our people, and you
have the same right regulated by law, that others
have, to enter upon the pursuit of prosperity and
happiness. You should henceforth sacredy observe
the marriage relation, and you should provide for
your offspring You can now not only learn TO
read yourselves, some of you have been able TO
do heretofore but you instruct others, and pro-
instruction from others for yourselves and your
children, without fear of punishment. But to be
prosperous and happy you must labor, not merely
when you feel like it, for scany support, but
industrously and steadily with a view to making
and laying up something for yourselves and your
families Ifyou idle you will become vicious
and worthless if vicious and worthless you will
have no friends, and will at last perish. "In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou bread all the days Of
thy iife." The same Providence that has bestowed
freedom upon You, has told you that diligence in
business is required of all his creatures and you
cannot expect that your race will escape ultimate
extinction, fyou wilfuliy violate disregard this,
ono nf prpa ndc does NOT
mean that one may do as he peases, but that every
may, by industry, frugaliry and temperance. i'm
prove his condition and enjoy the fruits of his
labors, SO long he obeys the laws. have pre-.
judice against you. On the contrary while am a
white man, and while my lot is with my own color,
yet sympathize with you the weaker race; and
cannot forget that during the rebellion many of
you fought for the preservation of the Union, and
that those of you who remained at home in the then
slaveholding States, were, forthe most part, doce
and faithful, and made attempt by force of arms
to gain even their own freedom. will see to it,
far can, that you have your liberty that you
protected in your property and persons; and that
yon are paid your wages. But on the other hand,
will set my face against those of you who are idle
and dissipated, and prompt punishment will be in
ficted for any breash of the peace violation of
law. In fine, will be your friend long as you
shall labor, matter how feebly, if honestly and
earnestly to improve your condition. 1t is my du-
ty, as far as may, to render the government ga
terror to evil doors, and praise to them that do
well;'-and this will endeavor to do in relation to
the whole people of the State of North Carolina
'without fear, favor, Affection reward, or hope
of reward"
And now, "with charity for all, with malice to-
ward none" enter upon the discharge of the duties
assigned me by the President earnestly and solemn.
Iy invoking the good people of the State to aid me
in the work of reconstructing the Government and
in restoring the State to the protection, benefits
and blessings of the Union
Done at our City of Raleigh, the 18th day of June
in the year of our Lord 1865, and in the eighty
ninth year of American independence
..s -. WILLIAM w. HOLDEN,