The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-07-24
The People of North-C Carolina are go-
ing back to the Union under the pres
ent Acts of Congressl

At the close of the rebellion, in 1866, the
President of the United States offered to the
people of this State plan, by which they
might have returned to the Union. They
jected this plan.
Congress and the people of the North
stood in silence for nearly twelve months, to
see if this plan would be accepted. It is
useless now to state how or why it failed,
but it failed. Every one remembers how re-
joiced our people were in 1855, at the pros
pect of returning to the Union. Immigra-
tion to the State set in, business revived,
business enterprises of various kinds were
projected and begun, money was abundant,
and labor was we'll rewarded.
But in 1866, after this plan had failed, i'm
migration ceased, emigration commenced,
business was paralyzed, business enterprises
were abandoned or postponed, money be-
came scarce, and every thoughtful person be-
gan to indulge gloomy forebodings.
Who is it that says nay to these state
ments?
In 1866 Congress came forward with its
plan of reconstruction. The Howard amend
ment was proposed by that body. One
Tennessee accepted it, and was at
once restored to the Union. But the people
of North Carolina, through their Legislature,
rejected this plan by large majority.
Congress then, after having waited many
months, SO as to enable our people to see and
realize their situation, passed and offered to
us what is called the Sherman and the Mill
tary act The President vetoed these acts,
but they were made laws over his veto, and
he promised to carry them out in good faith.
1t appeared to be probable that our people
would accept them, and go back to the Un-
ion under them. But the President went to
work to interpret and construe these laws
The result was, a large majority of our peo-
pie became dissatisfied with them, and the
military commanders appointed to carry
them out were embarrassed and hamperedin
their movements, insomuch that Congress
felt Obliged to re-assemble, SO as to explain
them and take the necessary steps to give to
them force and effect That body very soon
passed supplemental act on the subject,
which will become law in the course of a
few days over the veto of the President.
Meanwhile business is more and more un-
settled, money is becoming seareer, and the
people are nearly on the verge Of despair,
many of them fearing confscasion and inde-
finite military rule.
Who is that says nay to these statementsa
The substance of all these acts is, that as
soon as the people of North Carolina, inclu-
ding the voters of both races, shall frame
Constitution without color, placing the
whole people on the same footing precisely
| in respect to their political and civil rights;
| and shall elect nine members Of Congress
who can take what is known as the s'iron-
clad" test-oath, then, and not before, the State
wiU5e admitted as nsea6er Of the Unson.-
Certain steps are necessary to effect this re-
suit. The line between the friends and the
| enemies of the Union is at last distinctly
drawn. Every one can see it. Those who
are for taking the necessary steps to return
to the Union, are Unionists !; those who OPP
| pose these steps are dasulonists. There are
but two roads before u.s. We must either
resist the United States by force Of arms, 6r
by sullen and stubborn opposition to the acts
of Congress that provide for reconstruction;
or we must rise up and go back to the Union.
Which Of these tao roads soSU aar people
take? We can not foresee the result Of our
taking the disunion road. But we realize
the present, and we can Judge of the future
by the past We know that our condition is
now deplorabie; and no one can deny that
as time after time we have rejected the
overtures of the national government, the
terms imposed upon US have been more and
more severe. And 1T is our opinion, formed
after much reflection, that if the people of
| this State refuse to return to the Union un-
der the present laws, confscetiea on a large
scale is certain. We do not utter this as a
threat, but simply give it as an opinion. We
have seldom been mistaken as to the past, as
our readers know.
But the people of North CaraSn9 are going
back to the Union. By this time next year
her people will have free Constitution, and
a loyal State government, and her nine men,
bers will be in their seats in Congress.
In the course of few weeks the registra-
tion of voters will begin. This will be COM
pleted by the LIST of October. These regis
tered voters will elect, about the middle of
November, one hundred and twenty dele
| gates to Convention. They will vote at
the same time for and against Convention.
But 1t is said a majority will vote against
Convention. We do not believe it. But if
they should. we tell the disunionists and op-
ponents of the government in advance, that
| a C0ngention wiU nevertheless he held and
| a Consultation formed. That Constitution
will be submitted to the people, and if re-
jected, 1t soU aeuazheless Be accepted 5y the
Congress, and the new State government ,oiU
be pst in operation under it. a
But it is replied, this would he revolution,
or resistance to the authority Of Congress-.
Not at all. Congress can enable and cure
as often as it chooses. That body win be
constantly in session from December, 1857,
to October VT November, 1888 Congress
| will take care of its own IT will protect