The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-12-19

j. Crozier Ramsey, and Hon. r. B. Reynolds
all formerly of Knoxville, Tenn, have been par
coned by the President. DR.. Ramsey is now
and has been for the past year Or two. a resident
| of this county. We hope he will now recover
his property near Knoxville.
MEMORIAL OF THE LEGISLATURES
The Legislature of North Carolina adopted the
following memorial to President johnson, praying
for the restoration Of civil government and law to
the State:
To His EoceUency the President ofthe Z. S.
The Memorial of the General Assembly OF
the State of North Carolina respectfully shows
that this Assembly was appointed, elected, and
convened in strict accordance with your Excellen-
cys plan for recognizing the States lately at war
with the Ufited States. The people of North
Carolina embraced with zeal and with loyal
spirit your ExcelIencys plan for the restora ton
of the State to the lights Of member of the
Federal Union, and since the surrender of Gen.
Johnson, they have been universally actuated by
fixed and honest desire to be faithful citizens of
the United States.
According to your Exceency's- instructions, a
Convention Of the people was held in October,
which Convention repealed the ordinance of Sc
cession, declaring it never to have been in force;
abolished forever the institution of slavery, and
forbid the Legislature ever to assume provide
for debts contracted for the war. The Conven-
ton also provided for an election for Governor
for members Of this Assembly. and for various
local officers, and Immediately after the meeting
of this Assembly, the amendment to the Consti-
tuition of the United States. abolishing and pro-
hibitng slavery, ratified with almost perfect
unanimity.
: The late elections were held without excite
ment or tumut, and in good faith towards the
government ard Constitution of the United
States and whatever differences of opinion there
may have been as to men, the people were unit
in their desire to do all that your Excellency re-
quired them to do and to live in peace under and
in obedience to the general government of the
United States
Your memoralists therefore respectfully desire
that the civil law may be restored, and the State
permitted to resume its position member of
the Federal Union. They make no complaint of
the military authority here, but on the contrary,
would bear cheerful testimony to the wise regard
of your Excelency for the interest of the people,
and to the efficiency and courtesy of the officers
who are, and have been, in command in North
Carona.> But it is respectfully and earnestly
submitted, that the wisest and best system of
military rule alone, will necessarily fail in accom-
plishng what the circumstances of this people
require.
They have for generations been accustomed to the
exercise of civil law, to the machinery of State
with Governor, Legislature, Courts of various
grades, and county organizations. Hundreds of i'm
portant and vital interests awaiting the care of
local legislation and local officers and the sad de-
solutions of war, material and moral, demand that
life and energy should be Immediately impalt ted to
every agency of society. The interests Of the peo
pie of North Carolina the interests of the people
of the United States; ii is important to the whole
country, that the great resources of this region
should be developed that the soil should be cutl-
waited with hopeful energy and thrift; that trade
should be revived; that schools should be esIab-
lished; that crime should be punished, and health
full rooral tone promoted No human being in North
Carolina anticipates the possibility or the desire or
renewed rebellion here, and all'the inhabitants CT
the State desire to perform their obligations to the
country and to have the national credit sustained
But the present state Of suspense aud insecurity
of long continuance will necessarily result in the
most deporable injuries Ii is natural that me lale
tremendous contest should make sad breaches In
society, and open the way for fearful harvest OF
ruin and crime The people so severely crippled IN
their pecuniary resources and IN the loss or nearly
all their implements of industry, are in danger OF
becoming hopeless and hearlless. Honest and use
full enterprise IS at a stand works of internal ina
provement are likely to be arrested and go to de-
cay, moral agencies of every kind are angulshlng,
the tendency Immigration is checked and the all
pervading power of the civil law, executed by nu-
merous and efficient agents being no longer felt,
there is security in the dealings between man and
in check, and oppression, fraud, violence, and wrong
in all their countless FORMS are left to prey on every
community. If the threatened process OF deInoral-
cation is not speedily checked by the life nfus'ng
power of efficient civil authority and by the restor-
alton OF moral power North Carolina, instead of
being a useful and profitable member OF the Federal
Union. viii be scourged by the outlaw and bandit,
and will fall into condition of which she VIII De
only burden TO the General Government. In view
of these considerations, important to the entire
nation your memorialisls respectfully ask that the
machinery of the civil government of the State may
be restored to protect our rights and punlsh all
crime, and be thereby enabled to preserve our an-
cient fame as moral pure and aw-asiding people:
And they would ask this much, even if, for reasons
that good to your Exceency, North Carolina
is permitted to her position in the Fed
eral Union.
When North Carolina gives her pledge she does it
honestly. She has again rendered her plighed faith
to the government of the U. States, and she has
manifested her spirit by acts that speak for them
selves. There is no disloyalty among her people,
no thought dream of another rebellion. They
not ashamed of their courage, however, nor OF
their honest tenacity of purpose and desire to be
free; and they feel assured that the brave and gen.
erous people of the North will respect in them that
manhood which upon an hundred fields has won the
applause of gazing world.
They have cheeriully given up their slaves, and
they are actuated by sincere desire of pro-
noting welfare and happiness of the unfortunate
negro between whom and them, there very many
old and tender ties.
Your memorialists present themselves to your
Exceilency and the Representatives of this Great
Nation with as honorable a purpose as ever &C.
tuated any people.
Tendern. TO your Excellency the heart felt thanks
of the whole State for your just and magnanimous
policy in the past, your memorIalIsts would COM
mend the above considerations and requests TO your
early and earnest regard and respectfully ask that
they be laid before the Honorable, the congress OF
fha Tnita Cd