The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-10-10
OCTOBER 10, 1866.

Massachusetts, SO choose to deny the right
to vote because of want of sufficient proper
ty or intelligence, or because of color, she, as
North Carolina, may do SO. This is mat
ter for the people of each State, and let it be
recollected often, and not lost sight of by
them, ut this time especially, while efforts
are made to prejudice and mislead the pop
ular mind for the purpose of carrying the
elections
A purpose to carry elections through ap-
peals to the passions and prejudices of the
people mainly in relation to negro suffrage,
sectional hatreds and animositiesengendered
and increased by the late civil war, and
desire to obtain Office even at the risk of har-
mony and loyalty and Union, stand in the
way of assent to the third section. This
section does not deny to any person the right to
rote. 1t simply imposes disability upon
the classes of persons named therein to hold
ofice,at the pleasure of two-thirls of the Con-
gress of the United States.
The number of persons in North Carolina
who would be disabled from holding Office
temporarily, would be comparatively small,
and doubtless, Congress would so soon and SO
fast as possible make haste to remove that
disability in all proper cases. This section
is Objectionable to the people of the State
certainly to none more Objectionable than to
those who are seeking and expecting to hold
office, but, without inviting or preferring the
disfrancisement of any person-will they not
accept this as part of the whole measure
proposed by Congress, and already ratified
by New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, New
Hampshire, Tennessee, Nevada, and Oregon,
for the sake of the restoration of the Union,
and the settled peace and harmony of the
American people
Shall there be less confidence had in the
magnanimity and justice oftwo-thirds of the
representative of all the States-those of the
State of North Carolina and of every South
ern State, who will compose Congress upon
the ratification of this amendment, than has
been voluntarily yielded to one man, the
President of the United States who assumed
that all government in the States lately in
tebellion was dissolved. and therefore as
Commander-in Chief of the Army and Navy,
and in virtue not of military law, but of un-
defined and undefnable war powers, denied
both the right to vote and the right to hold
Office to any but unmistakably loyal men,"
or whomsoever he might designate, accord
ing to his own will and pleasure
But it may not be profitable to recur for
any purpose to the past. tits gone, and
cannot return. Let there be buried with it
all causes of internal dissension, all threats of
dissolution of the Union, all desires and ex-
pectations of separate government, all heart
burnings griefs and hatreds, all recollections
of the losses Ofproperty and desolations OF
home and kindred and blood, on the part of
both parties so receetly arrayed in civil war.
Let the people look not behind for Constitu-
tional principles or precedents to guide them
on according to each ones own plan or pol
icy, or any special plan or policy, whether of
the President or Congress, or of Southern or
Northern political leaders, but let them look
forward to the end, the restoration of the
Union to be attained at once as to North
Carolina, by simply accepting and ratify-
ing in General Assembly the proposed
amendment as condition, not of degrada-
ton, humiliation or injury, but condition
offered by, and acceptable to very large
majority of the people of the United States
who alone have both the right and the pow,
er to "ordain and establish" or to alter,
amend or annul their written Constitution.
The remaining, the fourth and fifth Sec
tions of the amendment need no comment
The people have already assented solemnly
through their representatives to the accept
ance of the fourth section, and the fifth is
merely part necessary to the enforcement of
the whole.
People of North Can olina, ought you not
to accept, voluntarily, the proposed Consti-
tutional Amendment, and instruct your rep
sentahves to the next General Assembly to
ratify it on your behalf2 This is the SIM
plest plan, the surest policy, the best condio
ton on which our State may be restored to
relations of harmony in the Union. 1t is
needless to discuss whether the State is in or
out of the Union whether upon the Procla
nation OF the President, as Commander-in-
Chief of the Army and Navy, the insurrec-
ton is at an end, and therefore the Constitu-
ton is over all again, and the right of repre-
sentation and all other rights intended to be
secured therein, are restored, or no longer
suspended, or, in what relation, according to
the theories of the Constitution, or practice
of the government, the State may be. We
attempted to dissolve >pur relations to the
Union and maintain new relations to anoth-
er and separate de facto government, during
the civil war. As party protesting to be in
dependent OF, and acknowledging no allegi-
ance to, the party or government against
which you were arrayed, you have been con-
quered. 1t might be discussed, what indem-
nifty for the past and security for the future,
the victorious party have the right, accord
ing to the principles of international law,
witch they may construe against you, to re-
quire. But, it is proposed by the victorious
nv fbo, e., fn hov
but this treaty, these stipulations, this condi-
raised heretofore, the ratification of the pro-
posed Constitutional amendment. This shall
be the end of all hostilities out of the Union,
and the beginning Of peace within the
Union.
Citizens of North Carolina ! Consider
this amendment, and we invoke you to re-
member always and everywhere. that if the
war be ended as to actual hostilities, the
nation is not again at peace. Hearken not
to those who proclaim peace while you are not
restored to the Union. Already predictions
are made of another civil war, which, if it
comes at all, must come Upon all more dread
full than before, come scourging, devastating,
desolating, exterminating, in part, us as a
people.
Soldiers of North Carolina You who
have surrendered to victorious power in
good faith, and renewed your allegiance to
the country, keep that faith and determine
to maintain that allegiance to the country
for the sake of the honor and welfare of
North Carolina. Hearken not to those false
political teachers who would deceive you, in
that, any portion of your fellow-citizens, or
fellow-soldiers, or any any party of your
fellow-countrymen would now seek to hui
initiate or degrade you. llwho love the