Journal of freedom. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1865-186?, 1865-10-28

uAACA VAC ACdu Vi 00uhtOr DOOIII1LEs /
and other mistaken conservatives, princi-
pies were abandoned in like manner In
Iowa, Massachusetts and Minnesota, the
party fearlessly announced its true prln-
ciples, and without fear Of losing the
custom-house, or something else, unfold
ed the banner of liberty and equal rights
to the breeze So far as we have yet
heard, the intelligence of the voters in
these States has justified this honest an
nouncement.
In the North, as well as in the South,
the ambition OF men results in the de-
m~eralization of the ballot-box. Unprin-
clpled scoundrels subvert the purity of
party principles for selfish reasons, or
conservative, "weIldrilled'' party sche-
mers make unwarranta BILE concessions to
encourage assertions from the opposition
without thinking of the wholesale aban-
donment Of their own doctrines. But we
are mainly interested in affairs that per-
tain to North Carolina, and will trust the
people of the North to work their own
salvation, while we beseech and pray the
men of acknowledged influence and in
telllgence in the South to make a COM
Dlned effort to indoctrinate our people
with due appreciation of the require
ments OF justice. Let every one of the
many men who, in their own consciences,
acknowledge the injustice of our present
flaws regarding the black man, but speak
his mind publicly, and the result will be
that prejudice will fee, abashed at the
array of intelligence and ability thus
brought against it.
The influence of the Ignorant is one OF
the greatest evils of a Republican form
of government, and is the best argument
which is offered by the opponents of ne
gro-sufrage. The ignorant masses Of
the South were led by their prejudices
into the late war, and it is probable that
to increase the ignorant mass of voters
would be to increase our present distress.
Buttake the power to influence away from
ignorant whites and give it to the intel
ligent blacks, and then, our condition is
improved. This proposition is. not q
feasible one, however, as ignorance would
vote it down therefore, we are reduced
to another, and, after all, the best and
most enobling scheme, that of education
From It's past history the South should
learn a lesson, and the education of the
masses should be the paramount aim Of
its legislative enaetments. Give us light,
and the State will not be. disgraced by
having members in it's General Assembly
who cannot sign their names, as has
been the case in times past. Give
us a practicable free school system, and
Raleigh need not have in it's Board of
Commissioners men who cannot sign
their names, as is the case now. Give
us honest, capable teachers for the mas,
ses, and we will soon discard the unman-
ly prejudices that now control us, and
be truly a free and independent people.
In a previous number of the JOURNAL
we announced it as our opinion, that
there is a certain class of people in this
State who would only send their children
to school when obliged by law. Such a
law is a stern necessity, if we wish tc
retain this body of people in our voting
community. But if such a law should
be considered obnoxious or impractical
BILE, we can effect our end by educatin g
others to a due sense of the responsible
ty of the ballot and then deprive these
worthless cyphers of humanity of its
use. Reform is needed throughout the
whole land. Thorough, searching and
radical reform can only make our coun-
try what it should be. New ideas must
take the place of old fogy doctrines, and
our people must be made to realize the
errors of the past, and to use cur past
experience, bitter as it has been, in guild
ing our future. Slavery, the great cause
of ignorance, has been displaced by the
shock Of arms, and being rudely torn
from it's stronghold, the jagged frag-
ments remaining will puncture the ma
tons wounds and keep them constantly
bleeding unless we remove them. Let
there be but one cry but one object and
aim during this generation, and let that
be education. Education, broad and
comprehensive, including all classes and