Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-09
TO TgEPEOPLEOF NORTHCAROLINA.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF n. c.,
Rdlei0h, August 3, 1867.

| At these elections no person is to be al
lowed to vote, unless ne shall furnish evil
dence of his right to vote from REGISTRARS
I appointed in pursuance of said acts.
All male citizens, white and colored, who
| have resided in the State one year previous
to the day of election with certain excep-
tions), will be entitled to vote, upon produ-
cling the certificate of the Registrars.
It is expected that instructions will be is
sued, at an early day, from Major General
Sickles, who has been appointed by the
President of the United States, to carry out
the provisions of these acts in North aud
South Carolina, explaining to the Regls-
trars their duties, and giving his constitute
ton of the acts as to the persons entitled
to register; and those to whom this right is
denied; and these.instructlons 1t VIII be the
duty of the Registrars to obey.
AS understand these act, no person is
to be allowed to register or vote, who, at
any time before the war; had held any Of
fee under the United States, or any State
Office, g created by law for the admlnistrs.-
ton of the general law OF the State Or for
the administration OF justice, and AFTER
wards engaged in instruction ana rebel
lion against the United States, or gave AID
and comfort to the enemies thereof. L
presume. in the expected instructions from
Gen. Sickles to the Registrars, be will give
a construction to these, rs well as any other
provisions Of the acts, touching the right
OF REGISTRATION, which may seem to HIN sUS-
ceptible of variant Interpretation.
It is believed that nearly all the coAo-ed
yoters,-above q years old and who have re-
sided a year in the State, will be entitled,
under these acts, TO register, anu they Will
register and vote.
There is no means OF making an estimate
appr0ximating certainty, as to the number
OF white male residents, above the age OF
q wears. who will not be allowed to vote.
At the last census-1660-th total white
male population was 313, go, and the total
male colored population was 1871, 349; and
at the excited election of Governor III I06O,
112, $50 votes were cast
The effect of this legislation, by the con-
quering power of the nation, makes tho
negro in the excluded States, as to civil and
political rights, the equal of the most IA
1ored class of the whites, and the political
superior of most of those who held office
in the State before the war.
! Whatever may be the final settlement of
the questions IS to the political equality OF
the two races or the superiority OF the one
over the other, it s,certain that for 4 long
time to come, unless humanity Is TO be
shocked by the expulsion or annihllatlon
of one race or the other, this State Is to bo
inhabited by both races and it is the man
fest interest of both races to live to-
gether in peace and friendship, each act
ing kindly towards the other. Every
good man, who is q wise statesman, Will
. use all his influence to avoid everything
: tending to antagonist the races. Ii one
class consolidate to gain political ascendan-
cy, or effect any other object deemed spe-
cially beneficial to such class, 1t will GER
= tainlv lead to counter combination, and
hostility between the classes, I'M urious to
| ILL., I 70 NO
or the other.
[ have not heard Of, and have no idea
that there exists, among the white popula-
ton, any combination, public or private,
to consolidate the white vote, to the preJu-
dice of the blacks nor have [ the slightest
suspicion that any such combination is
contemplated
After the Registrars shall have decided
who are to have the privilege of voting, the
persons 50 registered will be called upon to
vote for or against the call Of State Con-
vention, and for members Of such COnyen-
: ton.
These acts provide that, in case a maj or
: ity of the voters shall vote for Conven-
6 ton and elect members and If such Con-
vention adopt a Constitution which shall be
ratified ''Dy majority Of the persons vo-
; ting on the question of ratification > and
g when Congress shall have approved the
same and when the State by vote of It's
Legislature, elected under said COnstitu-
ton, shall have adopted the amendment to
the Constitution of the United States, pro-
posed by the 39th Congress and known as
S article IA and when three-fourths OF the
, States shall have ratified said 14th article,
then ''the State shall be declared entitled
: to representation in Congress, and Senators
S and Representatives shall be admitted there
from on their taking the oath prescribed by
: law"
The sole object Of this address is to urge
r on every citizen of North Carolina to re-
, gister, who may be entitled to register
and [ have gone into this recital OF some of
the provisions of the acts Of Congress- to
enable you to understand the reasons which
induce me so to advise you.
If you do not register, then you will not
be allowed to vote for or against the call Of
? Convention, which is expected to make
the alterations in your Constitution, con-
templated by these acts Of Congress, and
such other alterations as the Delegates may
deem proper.
If you do not register, you will not be
allowed to vote for any delegate to the
4 Convention.
f When the Convention shall have pro
e posed a new Constitution, if you shall not
have registered, you will not be allowed to
vote on the ratification or rejection of the
proposed Constitution, however much you
may admire or abhor it. And if you do
Y not register, you viii not be allowed to vote
d for members of the Legislature, who are
4, : to ratify reject the proposed 18th article,
u as an amendment of the Constitution OF
7. the United States.
[ have no hesitation in urging upon
, every citizen, who is allowed the privilege
of voting under these laws, to register sc
as to vote, if he choose, on these questions.
n No citizen allowed to register and vote,
a who fails to vote, will have any right tc
o. complain, if those who do register and
q vote. should adopt a Constitution which
D should be ever SO oppressive and proscrip.
= | tive.
IF Whatever Constitution may be adopted
O will no doubt contain provision making
j, it difficult to amend it. Hence every citi
,s zen, allowed to do SO, should do what he
~ can to make the new government as good
% as possible.
% Let me ask each Of you, who is allowed
r. to vote and register you willing to sur