Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-05-03

error. and when q man calls himself con-
sentative, he means wrong. When the
Radicals in any country are pushed OH,
there are few earnest men left. Returning
I will say that, contrary to the will OF nine
ty-nine out of one hundred of the men who
raised him to his high position, johnson
adopted policy of his own, and for
eighteen months governed you as he chose,
aud you humbly bowed to his commands.
He assumed all that Congress now assumes;
and you who endorse the President should
never speak of the usurpations of Con-
gross. my policy" ruled for many months,
and then persisted under the stern con-
domination of the American people, and
will rise no more to curse our, you, or your
country Congress at length settled upon
plan of reconstruction-mi military recon-
struction. And let me say that this bill
had no father, but was made up of contri-
buttons from various quarters, and was
the result of much anxious thought and
prayer. It is wiser than we then knew; and
[ verify believe that it was framed by the
hand of God.
Sine the passage of that bill there has
been a mighty change in the South. In
some of the States where outrages upon
freedmen were of daily occurrence, not a
single case of murder of colored man
has been reported to the authorities for
weeks. This is not owing to the presence
of the military; for while all of US have
dread of power when it is used against us,
yet you are not the people to be intimida
ted in the cause of right. 1t is owing to
the fact that to the black man we have con-
fded the ballot for the protection of their
life, liberty and happiness. The result is
plain. You colored men are respected and
feared for your power. Your hands are
weaponed, and everybody knows it. Great
laughter, ana cheers from blacks. The
plan of reconstruction will be adopted, as
tidings from all parts of the country pro-
claim: manhood suffrage will be acknowl
edged and men who can take the test oath
will go to Congress. The whole people,
from the Potomac, or even from Maine, to
the Rio Grande, will be divided into two
great national parties. Let all who favor
the bondage of men, who are opposed to
universal suffrage, favor the denial of citi-
Zensip and cling to the heresy of secession,
all who hoped to get in Congress and then
manage to repossess the reins of Govern
ment, go together, and [ hope they will.
There is a party to which they can go,
which has always sympathiZed with them,
for the Democrats have upon every ques-
ton voted against the rights Of the colored
man.
Upon the other hand, let all who believe
in the sublime creed of the Declaration of
Independence, that all men are created
equal, who are for manhood suffrage with
out qualification, for building school-hous-
es; who wish to live under the old fag and
die for it if necessary; let them go with the
great National Republican party; for here
[ give notice that the Republican, flag will
be carried in triumph all over the land, and
thousands will be ready to die in its de-
fence [ need not ask this emancipated
throng where they will go, for they we'll
know who fought their battles, maintained
the credit of liberty, and gave them the
ballot as their due. Applause.
am opposed to black or white mans
party, but am in favor of that party which
carries the flag of freedom and keeps step
to the music of human elevation. But, my
friends, maintain the dignity of your new
born citizenship, entertain no revenge
against any, let the past prejudices be for
gotten and deeply buried. Good good i
Do nothing to ALLEVIATE the races; for you
have your rights, and no power Oh God S
earth can deprive you of them.
A new era is now upon us, and the great
American Republic is marching on to pow
er and glory, and will be the leading ma
ton of the world. You will be it's citizens,
and as good as any Of them. Your vote
must be for equal rights, liberty, education
and the development of your resources
Discard the curse of black and white men
the whiskey bottle. Dread it as your
worst enemy. Support your government,
and go where you belong-to the great
Union party of the United States 1t has
moro strength, weight and intelligence,
than any other party which ever existed in
the United States, and nineteen-twentieths
| of the Christians North are its strong sup
porters. Let me lay down its platform,
and if there are any here to-day who, hav-
/ ing been convinced Of past errors, are now
DESTROYS to do right, let them nobly come
forth and stand with us. If any amid the
smoke of battle have cast aside their delu-
sions, let them squarely come out and
march with us to victory. We are for equal
rights, unity, liberty, humanity, justice,
the development of resources, and free
education. Come, then, and put the pow
er in tho hands of progressive men, who
will mako this old Commonwealth, as it de-
serves to be, great-sl magnihcent-State.
And now, IN conclusion, let ME remark
that the great party which in few months
will canter over the presidential field with
less resistance than ever before, does not
beg for votes. But we know you will come
| right, and are confident that old Virginia
will soon be foremost in the ranks of radi-
calism. Don't wait for others, but come
| HOW, IL you accept GneSe principles, and
then you will assist in the further dissent
nation of the doctrines of Peace, Human
| ty, Justice and the religion of Christ.
After Senator Wilson retired, Major j.
i FL. Lee advanced, and addressed the assem-
bled freedmen for nearly an hour, and we
regret exceedingly that the space already
devoted to Mr. Wilson forbids our doing
justice to the second speaker
! He proved to the freedmen that slavery
had foryears existed in the Northern States;
that the first slave ship was there built, and
that only when the Yankee, with proverbial
shrewdness, discovered that he was not
making money by the institution, u scheme
of compensated emancipation WAS introdu
ced. by the Senator's own admission, Vir-
glnians were the first and leading emanci-
pationists, and he was prepared to prove
that when Virginia voted for emancipation,
Massachusetts,, Vermont and New Hamp-
shire defeated the measure. The Virginia
Assembly prayed the King to stop the in
human traffic in slaves, and always desired
the suppression of the slave trade. With
all due respect for the memory of the good
hearted Mr.. Lincoln, the speaker showed