Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-04-12
litioal institutions of tbe south would l4ostirh
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occupation and military control. Il the
presence of troops was necessary to en- |
force the rights of the freedmen, the OBJ +,
vious remedy, i'll republican form OF gov |
eraimealt, was to give the enfranchlsed race,
by means of the ballot, the power to en-
force respect for their privileges as citizens.
The advocates OF universal suffrage are
certainly friendly to the colored people
therefore it is certain they wish no misfor-
tune to the communities in which the col
orcd people must continue, for veal or
woe, t.. dwell Far from It, on the con
| trary, they believe that this additions to
the representative population Of tile cOun-
try in addition to its military power and
its means Of production, must result, mot
only i'll great and substantial good to the
nation at large, but that great and sttbstan-
tial blessings must follow to the people OF
| the South. It is not SO much my, purpose
to convince YOU that these measures will
accomplish tie beneficial results contem-
| plated by Congress, rs it is to commend
| them to your Judgment and appreciation III
| their true purpose and object, according to
l1mysbelief; and also, gentlemen, to assure
YOU that it IS Ill this sense, and with these
| hopes. that, SO far ir3 my duties are CON
cerned these acts Of Congress will be exc
cuted That the results to yourselves, to
your popter1ty, and to your common cOttn-
| Try, may strengthen and endear the ties
that must henecfortll make our destiny in
separable, is my PRAYER aud will be nay ear
nest endeavor. .:.-
/ Gentlemen, ! commend to you the
brighter aspect Of the future. There has
never been an important experiment III
I public affairs, that has not suggested the
gr..vcst doubts and difficulties, AMI espe-
cially is this true i'll the matter Of suffrage.
Every large addition to the voting popula-
ton Of Il country has excited the alarm OF
many who fancied themselves among the
wisest Of their generation. When un1YCr-
sal suffrage was granted TO the white race,
it WAS predicted that it would involve the
downfall of the Republic. The naturallza-
ton laws, and the consequent encourage
mcnt given TO emf grafton, have brought to
our shores millions Of Europeans Of every
race and cline. At the outset it was pre-
dictCd that this foreign element would rev
| olutiunizc our institutions and break down
our experiment Of free government. Great
Britain, in 1882, by the reform bill added
Il very large number to the voting popllla-
ton Of that empire Many British states
men maintained then, that, as Il necessary
consequence, the decline and downfall of
i England was imminent, il. not Inevitable.
Now we see the leaders of the Tory party
originating and advocating a measure OF
enfranchisemCnt, compared with which the
Reform bill of 1882 was insignificant.
Gentlemen, ! commend to you that in
choosing your course you should not as
sumo that every possible danger is inevita-
BILE Take the risk. Do all you can to
4 avert unhappy consequences butcllrg and
clcaye to the brighter hope. Let lis have
faith III our good fortune. Let lis believe
that the bcneticent result is practicable, and
if it be true, as many Of us have been adj
monishcd 10 believe by the events SO un-
f0lesccn and ln8crutable Of the past few
! yoa,fs,--~if it be true that in this epoch OF
| War, emancipation and Acknowledgement,
i we are IN the hands of higher Providence,
leading us to the fuifliment of destiny We
perhaps but dimly see, let us have faith that
that same Providence which has conducted
us thus far through many hazards and diff
culties of the experiment of republican free
dom, Will yet lead us safely through the
dangers and difficulties that now seem to
lie in our way. Let us have faith that in
the future, as in the past, liberty and free
men may vindicate themselves against the
Sneers and doubts of their enemies.
The history of great Commonwealth
proves that in proportion to their freedom
they gained Ill prosperity and power, as III
culture and military renown. Power thus
developed is conservative to nations and to
civilization. It may be that for a brief
6 period while the new order Of things is in
y process Of adjustment, the productive ca
! pacity of the South will be impaired. This
+ cannot last long. The Cotton crops raised
: by free labor last year under greater dis
, advantages than arc likely ever to occur
' again, sold for as much as the largest crop
ever raised in the South. Before many
Fl years the most prosperous, opulent and
+ contentcd agricultural population in the
= world will cultivate the territory lying be
:, tween the Potomac and the Rio Grande
1 m conclusion, let me borrow an illustra.
- ton from the most brilliant of modern his
+ torians. Ariosto tells a pretty tory OF {;
j fairy, who hy some mysterious law o
= her nature was condemned to appear al
! certain seasons III the form of IL fou
:, AMI venomous snake Those who injured
j. her during the period Of her disguise
;, were forever excluded from participation il
y fhc blessings She bestowed. But to those
= who, III spite Of her loathsome aspect, pit
Il led and protected her, she afterwards re
+. vcalcd herself III the beautiful and ccles
:. tial form, which was natural to her, accom-
. panied their steps, granted all their wishes
=. filled their homes with wealth, made then
= happy III love and Victorious i'll war. -
It Such a spirit is Liberty. Attimes sho take!
'. the form Of IL hateful reptile. She grovels
If she Kisses, size stings But woe to those
n who il disgust shall venture to crush her
> And happy arc those who, having dar red tc
+, receive her i'll her degraded, frightful shape
n shall vt length be rewarded by her i'll the
, time Of her beauty and glory, Great
/. Cheers. .: ... ..-...,-.D ..-r
l. 1t Il Late hour III the evening, Genera
* foiel>les III response to the sentiment offer
q cd by Col. 0. y. Andrews, President Of the
n chamber Of Commerce, said = ,..[..,
T. Il trust that nothing more will be e2
v pocted of me than to return MY sincere
t thanks for this hearty manifestation Of you
- kind regard and esteem. To do less thai
y that would be to subject myself to the re
.e proach Of failing to apprsciate, q fiatterint
J. compliment. It is IL bad practice i'll civi
10 aud political affairs, to mako for mino i
st the plain and simple duty to obey orders
IN But this must venture to say, that shal
C, endeavor at the close of my laborB amon
a. you, to deserve al expression Of. your con
~ tidence similar to that with Which yo
=. cheer me- now i'll the commencement OF IN
task. .~. o.. -.....- 49,. = ..r- ..
70 The following was the toast offered h
~ Colonel Andrews