Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-13

| man (tfG. Bt0ther. The Tanner says
:" For the information Of parties at dis
lance, who know not the antecedants OIL
character ofthe colored congressional canttl
| date, we viii state that James Patrick flick
ling was formerly d slave, the property OF
Mr.. james E. Young of Brooks county; he
is carpenter and building contractor and
has always borne good character.
TO the Citizens Of the First Congressional
District Of Georgia:
QU1rMAN. GA, Aug. 30, 1867.
Editor Quitnanu Banner:
In your issue OF the 9th inst, you We're
pleased to call attention to a rumor that
had announced myself as a candidate for
Congress at the next election. Your para
graph was not authorized by anything that
said OH the subject; but, premature as it was,
am not disposed to complain, or deny the
TACT that [ then had and still have pur-
pose 10 make the issue fairly and squarely
with those who are playing upon the negro
| element, and who would make him the in
strument of securing for themselves place
and power in the present appalling pro-
| gramme of despotism, anarchy and ruin.
| [ am not ambitious for the notorety of q
candidacy for Congress-, nor would l con-
slider myself elevated to post OF honor
were l elected to a seat in the present Con-
gress but considerations Of the gravest
moment to my own race, and to the coun-
try at large, impel me to the conviction
that the surest remedy for Radical evils is
for the South to return coiored representa-
tives, in preference to stfeng thening the Rad
lcal vote by sending any of their white re-
representatives. at present among us. [ am
sufficiently posted in the political affairs of
this country to know that it is utterly i'm
possible for any white man from the ex-
Guided States who has any claims to re-
speciality, intelligence or craftsmanship,
to obtain a seat in either House of Con
gress. The patriotism, intelligence and
virtue Of the white race at the South are
ostracised the great intellects of the coun-
try are under the ban of Radical proscrip-
ton and the descendants of the fathers of
the Republic and the champions of Consti-
tutional Liberty are no longer permitted
to bring to the councils of the Nation the
inspiration they derive from the halowed
memories, patriotic teachings aud inlmor-
tai virtues OF their great and glorious an
cestry. This prescription affords the most
conclusive evidence of u determined pur-
pose on the part of the dominant party to
suppress truth, and to employ such iustru-
meuts only as are capable of being used for
the propagation Of error and the perpetual
ton of party ascendancy.
There is nothing more certain than that
there can be no reconstruction under exist
ing legislation, except on the Radical ba-
sis, and by the entire rehabilitation of the
Southern States which, IL my humble
Judgment, means anarchy, war, and the
early destruction of the colored race on
this continent. OF course ruin will result
l. l., =, I II
must suffer untold evils in the seQuel Of
oar destruction. 1t is, therefore, the duty
of every honest man at the South, black
and white, to look this question squtrely
III the face, and If possible, avert the i'm
pending ruin.
1t is not improbable that coloreI dele
gates to Congress will be rejected, but it is
folly to ignore, OF blink ut the fact, that we
now form Il part aud parcel OF the political
machinery of the government aud the cor
relative right Of holding office is an inner
eut part Of the American system, and must
follow, us the night to day, the right to
vote. These are the paramount attributes
of citizenship in Republican Government,
and especially SO III America. The fran
chise has been conferred upon my race,
either as d matter of right, or for the pur-
pose of using us lbs instruments to carry
expressing the white people of the South.
do not believe it Was bestowed in love, or
upon consideration Of right; and the means
employed to control our action yeriies this
conclusion. We are expected, aye, reqUir-
ed to cOuSOrt OF cooperate with three class
es OF persons III carrying out the recon
structlon measures, and in promoting to
office individuals who are tolerated by the |
Radicals themselves only because they are
capable of doing the dirty work the less
vile refuse to DO. We are not permitted
to heed the councils of the wise and good |
of our own land, either IN matters affecting
our own domestic welfare. or the good Of |
the country at large, but most nauseating |
feast is prepared for our digestion and we |
lra not only atfectionately led up to the |
high carnival, bat menacing y instructed |
and impertinently commanded to drain
each cup to the dregs, and to swallow down
all the ingredients of the Radical cauldron.
We are not expected to have opinions of
our own, or to indulge the poor privilege
Of free and unrest1alned exercise of the
suffrage bestowed upon US. Empowered
to vote, we cannot be voted for, urged on
to the exercise Of the most important and
most sacred privilege of citizenship, we
learn from the very zeal of those who SO
eagerly clamor for our suffrage, that their
friendship IS but another name for
5elf-interest, and party trickery-that the
vote the vote is the charm that tunes
their harp of thousand strings, and that
hat secured, the music, and the sweet
meats of the festival, will be exclusively
Appropriated, while the voter will be polite
y informed that his services can be dispen-
led with until the next election. Ii
And with whom are we so earnestly and /
70 cordially pressed to participate ? I have
'aid that there are three classes. First, we
ire supposed to DO base enough to stoop to
! Shiny association with regard to renegade
'ebels who, in 1861, were blatant and ram
pant Iankee-eating secessionists, who, in
he hour Of their country's peril, deserted
Ter standard, and who, by the way of ex-
use for their Infamous conduct, drifted
nto what was then called toryism, and Ii
low side with the radicals, because, like u
3enedict Arnold, they have no friends on
he other side. The second class is COM I
posed of that lower stratum of society,
which is tui ned to the surface only when )
'lolent connections throw up the filth they L
eed on-the spawns of humanity, that j
never had thought, a principle, country, Ii
II God, and who are only useful to the 1t