The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-06-20

vigilant and active in discouraging dsloyal senti-
ments, and ensuring the election of known friends
of the Federal Government to every office. Your
experience, fellow citizens, during the rebellion,
should attach you by the strongest ties 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 despotisms 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 fly from the land of your
birth or of your adoption, and seek a 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 fight for
the continued enslavement of the coloreG 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.
mp to recent period, of freedom of speech and of
the press, and of every essential guarantee of ber-
ty and of protection to person and property, which
Is contained in the Constitution of the United
States. GU once more free citizens OF the Un-
ted States. By your suffering in the past and by
your hopes for the future, adjure yon to guard
we'll your freedom. Remember that all that you
have, and all that you can hope to be, and all OF
good that is in for your children, indis
soluhly bound up with the American Union The
unity of government which constitutes us one peo-
ple," should be dear to- us than ever, on &C
count of the sufferings through which have pas
sed. In the language of Washington, sit is ofinfnite
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
rlsh cordial, habitual; and immovabe attachment
it; accustoming yourselves think and to speak
of it as the palladium of your political safety and
prospert5 watching for its preservation with jeal-
I GUS anxiety: misunderstanding whatever may sug-
gest even suspicion that it in any event be
abandoned; and indignantly frowning upon the first
dawning of every attempt to ALLEVIATE portion of
country from the rest to enteeble 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-
stituons and laws; or that you can now have that
knowledge of public affairs which is necessary to
qualify you to 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 pursuirof prosperity and
happiness. You should hencefcrth sacredS observe
the marriage relation and you should provide for
your offspring. You now not only learn to
read yourselves as 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 scanty support, but
industriously and steadily, with view making
and laying up something for yourselves and your
| families. Ifyou idle you will become vicious
and worthless; if vicious aud worthless you will
have no friends, and will at last perish. ''in the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread all the days of
thy life" 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, if you wffully violate disregard this,
one of his great commands. Freedom does not
mean that one may do as he pleases but that every
one may, by industry, frugaly and temperance. i'm
prove his condition and enjoy the fruits of his own
abors, so long as he obeys the laws. have pre-.
iudice against you. On the contrary while am a
white man, and while my lot is with my own color,
yet sympathize with you as 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, the most part, docie
and faithful and made attempt by force of arms
to gain their own freedom. will see to it, as
far can, that you have your liberty; that you
protected in your property and persons; and that
you are paid your wages. But on the other hand,
will set my face against those of yod who idle
and dissipaed, and prompt punishment will be in
ficted for any breach of the peace violation of
law. In fine, will be your friend as long as you
shall labor, no matter how feebly, it honestly and
earnestly, to improve your condition. 1t s my du-
| ty, as far as may, to render the government ia
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,
s'wihout fear, favor, or Affection reward, or hope
of reward"
e 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
ly invoking the good people of the State to aid me
in the work of reconstructngth 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 1885, and in the eighty
| ninth year Of American independence.
| WILLIAM W. HOLDEN,
Provisional Governor.
BY the Governor
JOS W. HOLDEN Private Secretary.
| 1.-THE, newspapers of the State will insert the