The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-17
sound views.

i We clip the following letter, written by
John W. Fomey, from the Washington
Chronicle of the 9th inst Mr. Forney's voice
is for peace, and he says 1.-THE Southern
States to-day are practically in the Union. ~
In speaking also of the qualification of ap-
plicants for seats in Congress, which he says
isnow the only remaining question of inn
portance, Mr.. Forney evidently favors the
modification of the test oath for the benefit
OF sound and wellapproved loyalists." We
have italicised the most important parts.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press
Gradually, yet surely, the difficulties in the way
of restoration are subsiding, and that which was
believed to be among the probabilities, viz:
difference between the prominent and controlling
intellects of the National Union organization,
may now, think, be wholly discarded. There
is, in fact so little to quarrel about that he aciR be
tenpts to make head against those necessities uhc
demand peace on the basis Of something Ike the Pres
ident po1icy 1t does not seem to be doubted
that the question of suffrage will beadjusted with
the consent of nearly all parties. by an amend
ment to the National Constitution making voters,
instead of numbers, the foundation of representa-
tion in Congress. What after these remains for
division and dispute? Shall we fly into rage at
the President if he appeals to Congress to admit
loyal representatives? While there may be a diff
ference of opinion in regard to applicants unable
to come up to the full extent of the required OBJ
legations, there should be little of this spirit
against the Tennessee delegation. The continual
exclusion of the members from that State would
be not only inexpedient and unwise, but very
much like prescription and l do not wonder that
there is good deal of restiveness among their
friends. The Southern States to-day are practically
in the Union. Both branches of Congress hare re-
cognized this fact United States judges, marshals
and other officers have been nominated by the
President and confirmed by the Senate; the ma
| chinery of Federal taxation has been applied to
them, and revenues collected; the Post-oflice De-
partment has extended its operations into all parts
| of the South
| No one act of the Government, in any of its
! branches, executive, judicial or legislative has
tolerated for moment the idea that the Southern
| States have been moment out of the Union
What remains Is simply matter as to the qaalijt
cations Of the applicants To attempt to establish
system of conditions looking 10 protrdcted roba-
ton is neither 10 Improve the temper Of the people Of
the South to strengthen the common friends of
the Administration in the North. Whenever a sound
and arel approved loyalist presents himself for ad
mission to Congress, it .could be the height Of ias
| tce to keep him out While politicians falter the
great work goes on. The truths preached are al
ready producing natural consequences As
| stated in my letter of yesterday, the late slave
holders are beginning to see that they can profit
| more by free than slave labor. Let them be fully
convinced that humane treatment and the gener-
| Gus enfranchisement of the freedmen win bring
| more money into their pockets and they will not
wait long to be forced coaXed into the expert
| ment Even on the vexed question of suffrage,
Mr.. Walker, the just elected Governor of Florida,
| the following passage that this right once given
to the blacks, their recent masters will not yainly
look to them to exercise it at their bidding:
"The world has never before seen such body of
slaves. For, not only in peace, but in war, they
| have been faithful to us. During much of the
time of the late unhappy difficulties, Florida had
! a greater number of men in the army, beyond her
limits, than constituted her entire voting popula-
tion. This, of course, stripped many districts of
their entire ms-bearng inhabitants and left our
females and infant children almost exclusively to
| the protection of our slaves. They proved true
to their trust. Not one instance of insult, out
rage or indignity has overcome to my knowledge.
| They remained at home and made provisions for
| our army. Many of them went with our sons to
the army, and there too, proved their fidelity, at
tending them wien well, nursing and caring for
/ them when sick and wounded. We all know that
many of them were willing, and some of them
anxious, to take up arms in our cause. Although
for several years within sound of the guns of the
vessels of the United States, for six hundred miles
along our seaboard, yetscarcely one in thousand
voluntarily left our agricultural service to take
shelter and freedom under the flag of the Union,
1t is not their fault that they are Free they haO
nothing to do with it that was brought about by
the results and operations of the war;
| 1t would seem, from this witness, as if Presi.
dent Johnson's declaration, that if the right OF
suffrage is given to the colored men of the South
it would in many cases be controlled by their for
mer masters was not SO far from the truth as il
was believed by many to be when it was made
Looking over the whole ground, repeat he will
assist to make cause of trouble who cannot prog
nosticate from these indications that we shall
soon bid farewell to the passions and the preu
dices that embroiled our country in civil war; and
take in hand the grander obligations of state O.
civilization and peace. 1t would be an extraor
dinary anomaly if, after having conquered SC
much and erected so many monuments against
the encroachments ofa new rebellion, we should
not be able Commanding, as we do, nearly three
fourths of the States geographically and polti
cally) to control the destinies of the Union fol-
generations to come. Esen if the insurgents il
their sererd States enabled to obtain local con
troll, rhch cannot last IN viec Of the fact that nea
populations constantly speeping in, to couer
and occupy the erpaases long made desotate By tn
bighting influences of human Slayery, the power
happily to shape the desti les of our country viii
be with those who saved it from ruin