The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-22

| to the designs OF the government ahu
brought back to loyal feeling and sentiment
thousands who had been misled. A eau
tious vet decided movement was COM
menced, looking to the embarrassment of the
rebellion and the ultimate restoration of the
Union. In North Carolina, especially, peace
meetings were Systematically planned and
held in the several counties until they were
suppressed, at the instance of Mr. Davis, by
proclamation of the Governor
This movement continued to gain such
strength and botlness that the rebel Govern
mcnt had to suspend the writ OF hGbeas cor
pus Hundreds of Union men were impris-
oned or murdered the property OF Others
was destroyed and their families outraged.
| Patty lines were never more distinctly
drawn than they were between those who
advocated l)etce on the best attalnable terms,
! and those who denounced as traitors all who
dared even whisper anything but total separ-
ton and independence between the Union
| lists and the seccssionlsSt; and these lines
were often drawn in blood.
| Such was the effect Of the proclamation of
! December 1863. Those who wished to com
ply with its terms, but were prevented by
| surrounding circumstances were the pcrsecu-
ted Unionists, embracing the rcpentant us well
as those who had never wavered.
| Liberality and justice require that " the
will be taken for the deed"-that those who
lamation. but could not, should be placed on
the same footing with those who did. 1.-THE
! work of reconstruction is to be committed to
the Enthusiastically loyal" and treason
made odious," let the line of distinction be
now drawn where it was in 1896.
1t is the only just and practical line of dis
tinction that can be drawn between the 10y
alists and the disloyalists; between the I'm
ionists at heart and the conscious, persistent
II RI: cti IT,1i,,
men of 1864 '65 from the secessionistS of
that day. who prosecuted and outraged them
because of their suspected attachment to the
Union. and their disatfection to the Conted-
eracy.
An oath applying this test would effcctu-
ally place the government OF the Southern
States in the hands of the Union men, and
exclude every secessionist; and no 9th
cr test can do so without excluding thou
sands who were at first misled but who re-
pcnted and afterwards perilled their lives
and estates in support of the Union. There
need be no apprehension that this oath
would be falsely taken. The status ofevery
man at that time was distinctly known to
his neighhors The line was clearly drawn
upon this test. and upon 1T hundreds were
Imprisoned outraged, and murdered. BY
the same measure let the prosecuted Cnlon-
lists have their reward
because while the President would boldly
deliver them over to degradation incurred on
account of their adherence TO the Union in
the dark DAYS of treason and blood. the Con
GreSS seems to make no definite distinction
between them and their late and present per-
Spcuturs and enemies. But, should Congress
recognize and uphold them by some just and
discriminating action they would take cour-
age and boldly and successfully work for
the interest Of ihc Union. Thus would the
true element of the South stand prominently
forward and make secession and treason
bow its head. Now traitors are bold and
arrogant while the true loyalist is mortified
and silent the peace of the country is still
disturbed, and the Union still unquestiona-
bly, in danger.
Let tins be the test.
- y B.. do soiri!iniy swear, on the Holy
Evan-cists of Almighty God. that on the
itu day Of March. 1864, and at all times
thereafter. would willingly have complied
with requirements of the proclamation of
the President IT the United States, issued on
the Sth day Of December, 1863, had safe
opportunity of 50 doing been allowed me;
that on the said 4th of March, 1864. and at
all times thereafter, [ WAS opposed to the
continuance OF the rebellion. and to the cs-
tullishment otthe so-calletl Confederate Gov
ernncnt and voluntarily gave no aid or en-
couragcment thereto. but earnestly desired
the success Of the Union, and the suppress
sion OF all armed resistance to the Govern
hrnccforth faithfully support the Constitu-
ton OF the United States. and the Union of
the States Hereunder