Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-03-29
The whites and Blacks,

Our columns yesterday contained The rs
port of two transactions which are most
significant in their bearing upon the new
order of political affairs. We refer TO the
election of Major John Hughes as the sue
cessor of Judge Manly III the State Senate.
from Craven county, by n unanimous vote,
the negroes voting, and the proceedings of
the meeting Of the colored people III Co
lumbia, S. c., on Monday last, at which
speeches were made, by invitation, by
General Wade Hampton, Hon. W. T. Des-
saussure and other prominent citizens,
and by Rev. David Pickett and Bey
erly Nash, prominent black men of Co
lumbia. 1t was Il political meeting OF
blacks, who were recently slaves, addressed
by their former masters, by invitation, as
being the persons i'll whom they had the
most confidence and to whom they could
look for advice and assistance Ill the i'm
portant responsibilities devolving upon
them under the recent Act of Congress.
We refer to these facts simply to show
that the whites and blacks of those two cities
have not been brought into antagonism,
either by the action of Congress or the ef
forts of designing men who are seeking to
seduce the blacksfrom their respect for, and
confdencein, thosepeople among whom they
were raised, and to whom the have always
looked for advice and sympathy; and also
to suggest to our own people their duty in
this crisis. There is and can be no natural
hostility between the white and black peo-
pie of this State, and any effort to organize
against each other will end disastrously.-
Under the necessity to live together, their
political SIS we'll as their material interests
are identical, for what promotes the peace,
good order and stability of our local and
State Governments, must equally promote
the general welfare of the citizen. be he Ia
borer or capitalist.
That efforts are being made to secure
the support of the blacks by per-
sons who have neither the interest
of chat class or of the State at heart, is
undoubtedly true, and will meet with some
success from those whose ignorance can be
imposed upon or whose ambition can be
falsely fattered; but the large majority
know too we'll upon whom they rely for
advice, for sympathy and for support to be
deceived into any such action, and the con-
duct they have displayed at Newborn and
Columbia will be characteristic of what we
may expect throughout the South The
mutual good will and sympathy existing
for years between master and slave, cemen-
ted by friendly intercourse upon the play
ground andaround the familyaltar rejoicing
over the same blessings and sympathizing
over the same troubles and minglipg their
tears over the same graves, will now, in
their new relations, prove more powerful
than the newborn zeal of those whose
friendship Is based upon personal interests.
We hope, therefore, that our influential
citizens will do naught in this crisis, by OPP
position FOR inaotion, TO forfeit the conf
dence and respect the colored people now
have for their old friends and present en-
ployers let the example of Gen1 Hamp-
ton and Gen'l Wise, the old man elo-
quent," be followed let the newly enfran-
chised blacks know what is their interest
and their duty, and, our word for it, they
will do right. The interest of every re-
spectacle man in this matter is the same,
and our country can only be again pros
porous and our people happy by the coop
Grafton of all good citizens, white and
black, whether at the ballot-box OF in the
ordinary business relations of life. Finan-
cial prosperity viii follow political tran.
guilty, and OH attempts to fomeat diacord