Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-05-24


tanned the most earnest and solemn condemnation
of Bureau that has not only become the great
engine of Radicaism, but crying curse and dis
grace to the government. We Will at future
time refer to this matter again
| During the absence of writing Editor, we
shall be under the necessity of availing ourselves
of the brains of more experienced pens than we
profess to WELD and on the present occasion we
copy from the Richmond Examiner the following
editorial, which meets our views entirely. The
Examiner says We often have heard of break
ing the back bone of the rebellion. This stalwart
back-b bone in fact broken. The Southern
people laid down their arms and ceased to fight.
The men who fought bravely and successfully on
many fields were towards the end, found to be
absent from the ranks The armies which had
been counted by hundreds of thousands before,
had dwindled then to tens of thousands The
generals in command surrendered their armies,
following the tact behest of the people, who had
concluded that surrender was best.
"What was it that brought about this conclu-
sion q? Chief among the reasons the circum-
stance which was Observed that ali parties at the
North seemed anxious to return to the principles
of the Constitution. These were the terms pro-
posed by Mr.. Lincoln at Hampton Roads These
were the terms proposed by the Republican party
in their Baltimore Platform. These the
terms set forth with great care and emphasis by
the Democratic party i'll their Chicago resolutions.
And these were the terms which seemed to be en-
dorsed at the polls by the votes of three millions
of Northern
''When the South laid down her arms, gave up
slavery, abandoned the issues for which size had
fou, fOrr vears with barOisno a
better reward she had at least had this ccnsola-
ton in her humiliation and defeat-that, after ALL
she would return to that Union which her own
statesmen had founded and resume her place I'M
der the eegis of that Constitution which the wis
dom of her own sages had established. The only
change in that Constitution which had been pro-
posed was that which related to slavery and to
evince the sincerity with which she accepted that
modification for the sake of the rest the first acts
of her several State Legislatures after her surren
der were acts formally ratifying the proposed
amendment.
'''Return to the Union and the principles of the
Constitution. This was what all parties at the
North insisted upon her doing. This was what
Mr. Lincoln, at Hampton Roads, proposed his
whole demand, excepting only the abolition of
slavery This is what had been virtually stipula-
u
and this is what the South supposed she was do
ing in laying down her arms and surrendering at |
discretion.
What now, is the situation of affairs She has |
returned to the Union as far as any steps of her
own can effect the return. In doing SO, she has
committed no act which is pretended to have
worked forfeiture of her right to the protection
of the Constitution, And yet, she finds the doors
of the Union barred against her. and she has yet
to enjoy single one of the high privileges and
franchises guaranteed by the Constitution. -
Though out of the Union as to representation, she
is in the Union rs to taxation. Though out OF
the Union as to the right of trial by jury and the
privileges of the civil courts she is in the Union
so far concerns the capacity of being prosecu-
ted in star chamber conclaves, and of being tried
and sentenced to pay veXatious sums OF money to
negroes by extra constitutional courts. She Is III
the Union to all purposes which are of advantage
to the government and to the negroes, and out of
it as to all that can benefit her own citizens-l
And now, it is decreed, that she must remain out
of the Union long enough to be disabled from the
high constitutional privilege of participating in
the election of Chief Magistrate of the Union
American selfgovernment is not to be self govern
ment for her. She is to be governed not by man
which Sne nelped TO eleCI OF even euJOyeu Iue |
privilege of endeavoring to defeat not by the
elect of majority of the sufrageans of the whole
Union not by of the popular choice but
she is to be governed by a. Magistrate elected by
faction, cunningly and ingeniously contriving to
disfranehise her herself and her friends, and whose
leading passion is one of chronic and morbid hos
tility to her interests
'sThis is the sort of ''return to the Union and
the principles of the Constitution " which she
enjoys. Enthusiastically perpetuate this state Of
things is the worthy and appropriate Office of the
party which now controls the legislation of this
Union at Washington Worthy descendants are
these men of Adams, and Quincy, and Hamilton, |
and Jay, and Franklin, and Morris Is possible
that shameless apostacy from the sacred
principles and recorded traditions of country,
can much longer be tolerated by the public opin-
ion of America ?"
The Witnesses against Mr.. Davis.
Baltimore paper having published what was