The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-11-28


representatives. to congress, every citizen who
had advocated the doctrinesof secession be-
fore the war, or taken conspicuous part in
the military conflict, delicately forebore to
ask for seat In congress. Although human
experience has taught that those who fright
or wrongly have exhibited manly courage in
military conflict. rarely disregard the terms
Of capitulation when conquered, in this state
no one who had favored the initiation ofthe
war, or distinguished himself in the field du-
ring its progress, asked to be made a mem
Der of congress. Every senator and repre-
sentative elected had always opposed seces-
sion until the United States could no longer
protect his person Or property.
Up to this time we thought the wise and
nagnanimous policy Of the president was
about to produce, at an early day, the benif-
cent results he contemplated. A few days
before the meeting of congress. after we had
complied with all those supposed prelimina-
ries to national reconciliation, speeches of
distinguished partizan leaders of the con-
gress, soon to assemble, gave us preinonitions
of the purposes of the dominant party. I
need not remind you of the chilling shock
we received when the action of the domi-
nant party in congress announced that our
members, Irrespective of their qualifications,
would not be received, and that the Union,
for the preservation of which so many lives
had been lost, and so frightfnl national
debt had been created, should he practical
ly dissolved until it should be the pleasure
of the dominant party to restore it. Up to
this time, this fraction of the congress con-
templated by the constitution of the United
States, exercise the legislative power witl-
out declaring when. if ever, or upon what
conditions, the people of the other states
they govern shall have representation, and
the recent elections in the dominant states
sanction this action.
1t is proper to refer to the action of the
people and the authorities of this State in
the interim of these extraordinary national
movements.
Net guerrilla party existed in the late
rebelliOus states. In this state not a single
instance has occurred where sheriff has
had occasion. since the surrender, to require
posse or other and to execute civil process
Our bench of judges have executed their
duties in manner which would have given
lustre to the judiciary of any period, in the
history of the world. The steadiness with
which our judges have held the scales of
justice has, at last, extorted pralse from
those who studied to malign them. A few
of the agents of the freedmen's bureau, and.
l gr,eve to say, a few of our own people,
who seek to propitlate the favor Of our con-
querors by furnishing aliment to their un-
just preiudices, have sought 10 make the
impression, at the north, that freedmen and
Union men could not have justice at the
hands of our courts. To this end, emlssaries
have been employed to traverse the country
and record er parte statements to cast odium
on the administration of justice; petitions
have been covertly gotten up by some of
our own citizens and sent to the president
of the United States. charging disloyalty to
our people and favoritlsm to our courts, to
embitter against US the virtuous classes of
the north. Amongst us these Vaccinations
are we'll understood The virtuous and in
telligent men of the north who have settled
among us, and especially the soldiers who
stood in front of the fight, ON both sides, in
the late conflict of arms, ,lespise these SIAN
ders. Through the agencies of whole-soulcd
men, public opinion, it is hoped, will soon
reach a healthy state. Our Judges, unmoved
by these unworthy imputations. and unawed
by intimations that they would be suspend
ed from the exercise of their functions, if
their adjudcations did not accord with the
dominant power, have silenced SANDER it.
SELF No murmur is now heard against
the fairness with which justice is admins
tered in our courts The fearful increase of
crime-a natural consequence of a civil war,
in which disrespect for the rights of nom
combatants was .uthortatively counter
.f 20, kasp ro,~s1
ly repressed, and reverence for justice is
having its natural triumph
Our legislative department has been anx
iously endeavnrlng to alter our code to suit
our novel situation. and to bring order out
of the chaos produced by the late convul-
siOns.
This review of our national affairs brings
US to the present period.
In June last l received. from the Hon.
William Fl. Seward, secretary OF state of the
United States. communication herewith
transmitted to you, covering an attested copy
of joint resolution of congress, proposing a
fourteenth article as an amendment to the
constitution of the United States. 1t pro-
poses:
1st. That "all persons born or naturalized
in the United States. and subject to the ju-
risdiction thereof, are citizens of the United
States and of the state wherein they reside"
2nd That no state shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges
or immunities Cf citizens of the United
States"
Sd. That mo state shall deprive any
person of life, liberty or property, without
due process of law, nor deny any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection
of its laws"
4th. That representation shall be appor-
toned among tie several states. according
to their respective numbers. counting the
whole number of persons in each state, ex-
Guiding Indians not taxed. But when the
right to vote at any election for the choice
of electors for president and vice president
of the United States. representatives in con-
gress the executive and judicial officers Of
the state. or the members ofthe Legislature
thereof. is denied to any of the male inhabi-
tants of such state, being twenty-one years
of age and citizens of the United States, or
in any way abridged, except for participa-
tion in rebellion or other crime, the basis of
representation therein shall be reduced in
the proportion which the number OF such
male citizens shall bear to the whole num-
Der of male citizens twenty-one years OF age
in such state.n
9Th. That mo person shall be senator or
representative in congress, or elector of pres
ident or vice president. or hold anv office,
civil or military, under the United States, or
under any state, who, having previously
taken an oath, as a member of congress, or as
an officer of the United States, or as member
of any state Legislature, or as an executive
or Judicial officer of any state, to support the
constitution of the United States, shall have