The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-03-28
Restoration.


Stewart for universal suffrage and universal
amnesty, does not seem to meet the approval
of the Southern press. The organs of the
unsubdued, rebellious leaders do not regard
the offer of amnesty as in any sense a COM
pensation for the humiliation of negro suf-
fage We could have told the Senator this
before he offered the proposition. These
leaders consider themselves entitled to am
nesty. No obligation is conferred on them
when they are pardoned, and consequently the
clemency Of the government excites no graf
itude. This, with some honorable exceptions,
is their view of amnesty. They are simply
overpowered, and do not even admit they
were mistaken in their efforts to destroy the
government. They do not regard secession
asa crime. They are in no sense penitent
for their attempt to secede, or for the innu-
merable calamities which have resulted from
their conduct. They remind us of the indi-
vidual who thought he was dying, and sent
for neighborwith whom he was at variance,
for the purpose of confessing his fault, so
that he might depart in peace with all men.
The neighbor came, their differences were
talked over, the dying man asked his pardon
and was freely forgiven. But as the neigh
Dor was about to leave the room, he said to
him, "Now remember, if I die this is all
right; but if get well, we shall be just as
we WERE"
''When the devil was sick the devil amonk would
be;
When the devil was well the devil monk was
he'
When the earthquake tramp of Grant and
Sherman's armies was still sounding in
their ears, aud as long as they feared con-
fiscation and punishment, they were as quiet
and submissive as lambs; but now, when
they feel that the danger has passed, they not
only claim their pardons as right, but they
insist on the absolute control of affairs in all
these States. They denounce the Union men
here as /" towards" and traitors to the Con-
federacy, because they wanted peace during
the rebellion; they refuse to walk under the
flag; and they are prescribing Union men
from office as fast as they can, and filling the
offices with men of their own stripe.
The President was right, so far as the cot
ton States were concerned, when he said the
colored people would vote with the seces
sionists. They would be obliged to do it
because the secessionists own nearly all the
lands in those States. If the Confederate and
State governments found means at every cleo
ton, to coerce veteran white soldiers to vote
for and against certain candidates, the seces-
sionists of the cotton States would encountei
but little difficulty in compelling the pool
unlettered, unsophisticated blacks to do the
same thing. We incline, however, to the
opinion that it would be different in the Dor
| der States The colored people would be
freezer here than in the cotton States, and
would therefore, in all probability, vote with
the Union men.
After all, it seems to u.s. the only just, safe
and practicable plan is that Of the President
Let the States continue to exist as States
let it be left to them to regulate suffrage
basing it, according to Mr.. Doolittle's prop
osition, not on the whole population, but OF
tile voters; and then let the Presidents plar
be carried out by some provision which vii
place the insurgent States, from constable:
up to Governors, permanently in the hands
of I" Enthusiastically" loyal men. This is the
only plan which promises justice all round
and which will secure repose and prosperity
to the country. We beg members of Con
gress to ponder these things. If we simply
patch up the Union on aninsubstantial basis
it will he in danger of future commissions
Place all poaeer IL these States IN the hands q
the traest Union men that can be found, ana
not only aciU tie rights and interests Of thu
freedmen be fully protected, 6ut the Union "a
self aoiU be safe against aay combination thai
may be formed Of Southern secessionists aad
Northern copperheads. These lines are traced
by an unconditional Union man, who ha'
suffered for his opposition to the Davis DIES
potism, and whose most cherished wish il
to see the Union re-established on the ever
lasting basis of loyalty, justice, and truth.