Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-03-15
Our Duty.

Our Duty.
1t Is not to be wondered that the grind
ing tyranny Of Congress, added TO previous
troubles and misfortunoa, have served to
render many of our people utterly hopeless
for the future. The past year was not d
profitable one to our farmers, and the anon
aIous condition Of the country is such as to
prevent an influx of capital and population,
while the labor upon which we must now
RELY, upturned by the sudden emancipation
Of our slaves Ill 1869 Is even more unset
tied than last year, n consequence Of
injurious Influences and unfortunate agita-
tions. 1t is at this peculiar luncture that
Congress adopts measures which tend to
Bubvert society and strike at the very foun-
dation of our social system. Our system
of labor. which we had hoped to have set
tledupon Il permanent basis, mutually beneh-
cial to employer and employee, is again con
fused, md under the operation of the mill
tary government, we fear capital and immi
grafton will shun our shores 1t is for such
reasons that many people declare them
selves disguised with political affairs and
are determined for the future to eschcw all
connection Herewith and since resistance
is more than useless, will tamely and silent
ly submit to tyranny.
Amoments reflection, however, is enough
to satisfy any one of the fatal error of such
a course If our best citizens are to stand
aside and take Nc part in future elections,
our State Government must inevitably pass
into the hands of those who, by reason of
theirignorance and inexperience, are totally
incapable of discharging the duties devolv-
ing upon them; or worse, into the hands of
a lawless and dishonorable party of politi
cal Adventures and freebooters, whose mis-
rule will make in our State pandem0niuna,
worse than that which exists in Missouri,
West Virginia and Tennessee. If the ma
chinations of the dominant party are sue
cessful in keeping the Southern States out
ofthe Unionuntilaftert the Presidential cleo
ton, and thus secure Radical triumph,
which after all is the present goal of their
expectations, it will indeed matter but little
who represents us in Congress or holds the
Federal offices III our midst, but we must
not forget that should a Convention as
semble under The provisions of the
Sherman bill, not only the amend
ments to our State Constitution, rendered
necessary by that act, will he under COLI
sideration, but the whole instrument will
be liable 10 be altered. If our law-abiding
AMI peaceable citizens, therefore, absent
themselves from the polls and give up the
Convention to such men as will meet in
Raleigh on the 27th Of this month. it will
be seen that the ten thousand persons dis
franchised under the act IF Congress will
be more than quintupled. by the Nol til Cnr-
0IinianS assembled III that body, and their
discriminating oaths will extend to profeg-
sions and trades, which will render it al
most impossible to live under the opera
tion8 OF the amended Constitution.
II is DANCE rous delay for us now to stop
to discuss the illegality of the measure
adopted for our government and the gross
violations of the Federal Constitution made
i'll its enactment. These matters will most
assuredIy be tested before the proper tri-
bunal. For the present, this act is
the law of the land, and until repealed
OF set aside, we must conform to it
So long as the South had any option,
degrading and unconstitutional terms were
rejected, but now the aspect of affairs has
changed, and law is forced upon us by a
power more potential than constitutions.
1t therefore is plainly the duty of all good
people not only to vote themselves but urge
upon theirneighbors the absolute necessity,
In the initlatory steps of the new govern
ment, to do all in their power to shape mat
tiers SO that out of the wreck of our State
Constitution we may save the conservative
elements of our fundamental law. In doing
this taste may be offended, and unpleasant
difficulties and positions met with, but they
must be subordinated to duty. Whoever
may be the competitor, let good men, our