The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-22

down. Cries. ut yes, yes. but tney Will
again sinsaway their day of grace, and who
will then stand up between them and the
wrath Of an offended and just government !?
History will record that the most glorious
government ever founded, was the govern
ment of the United States of America.
TApplause1 And yet there were those, who
attempted to annihiate that stately fabric,
which has been and shall continue to he for
ages to come, fellow citizens, the delight
and wonder of mankind. There was gov
eminent set up by Jefferson Davis, and it
ruled with a rod of iron. Did it confiscate
any body's property? Let me institute
comparison. The United States government
has not confiscated any ones property. What
Why, it contiscated and sold lands and stocks,
and every vestige of property left here by q
Northern man, owned by Northern man,
or due by Southern to a Northern man.
It had its receiver who sold this property
at public auction, and they went so far i'll
the service of picayune government, that
they sold old umbrellas, mashed hats and
dirty shirt collars. [Shouts of laughter and
applause.] This you all know to be true
Now, let me ask you who are the confiscators
Who are they? The only way to escape
confscation is to close in promptly and
cheerfully with the reconstruction acts, and
done, there is no danger. But if you follow
such leaders as Governors Bragg and Ora
ham, and reject the reconstruction acts,
tell you, unless you are ready to fight to pre-
vent it, that the title of no man to his land
who is not undoubtedly loyal, will be safe.
This is no threat. 1t is simply prediction
more in sorrow than in anger, founded on
some knowledge of the state of the country
and of the purpose of Congress. Some
people, on the street corners and in rebel
localities, talk about another war. If it
should come it would not last long. The
flower of the late rebel army would take no
part in it, for they have tried it once under
the most favorable auspices, and are salts
fed; and as for the inflated heroes who have
been threatening to fight for the last seven
years and have not even poEp ID cap, and
who now spit great flakes of fire at the
Yankees why, fellow-citizens, all the houses
in the State would not furnish enough
bomb-proofs for them in the event of anoth-
er war. Laughter
First the Presidents plan was offered to
the people. GOV. Graham was mainly in
strumental in marring it, and Judges Manly
and Ruffin contrived to defeat the adoption
of the Constitution made under it, This
was done no doubt because it contained a
clause forever prohibiting slavery in North
Carolina Then came the Constitutional
Amendment, which was likewise defeated.
1t was opposed upon the false assertion that
it conferred the right of suffrage upon the
colored people. Now they oppose the re-
construction acts of Congress upon the same
grounds. The shoe pinches them just there.
[Cries of yes, and hear Gov. Graham ad
vises the rejection of these laws upon that
ground mainly "A voice, 1--WE amt going
to do it'll But, fellow-citizens, Congress is
a loyal body, and it will see that its acts are
carried out. If you vote down this plan OF
Congress, what guarantee Is there that the
whole of the Southern States will not be
treated as conquered territory, without
right save that allowed them by the laws of
ware Suppose Congress should say these
States, so contumacious and rebellious, shall
cease to exist as States, thus wiping out
every vestige of title to land, held under the
seal of the State2 I say every acre of land
in this State is held under the broad seal of
North Carolina. When that seal is extin-
guished, the titles are likewise extinguished.
Then no titles can be remade except to loyal
citizens, unspotted by treason. There must
be no blemish upon the reputation OF such
II man for consistent lnyalty-he will have
to take and subscribe to the iron-clad test
oath. or his previous acts of treason will
seauestrate his lands forever and forever.
But they say that Congress will not do such a
thing, and yet they say in another breath,
that Congress disregards the Constitution
and will do anything to Cypress them. Out
of their own mouths are they judged-for
their own argument is that might makes
right with Congress, and if they are honest
ly convinced that that is so, they will do
well to consider before they vote against the
laws of Congress and provoke its anger.
[ Applause
Then, fellow-citizens. Gov. Bragg said
that unless the colered people went with his
friends, and against the Republican party,
they would be exterminated or expelled
the country. Yes, my colored friends,
if you will vote with the intelligent, chival-
rous secesslonists and copperheads, laugh
teri you will be permitted to remain here;
but if you dare to exercise your rights as
frcemen, the threat is that you will be ex-
terminated or expelled the country. 1t is
high times, indeed, when old rebel leaders,
who have slept in their shells for two years,
giving no signs OF life, come forth with the
declaration that unless seventy thousand
freemen vote as they may choose to dictate,
that they shall be exterminated!
When I contemplate the condition OF the
oolored people past and present, am forced
to regard them as among the most torbear-
ing, thoughtful and sagacious of all peoples
mat ever recelVeu oF enJoyeu HoeiIy. Ahu
vet they are ranked as beings who are mark
I'd out for exterminationto for political offences!
They are charged with designing to incite
war of races they are bullied and brow
beaten on public occasions, but their con-
luct has been uniformly above reproach and
lbove suspicion of honest men. Had they
desired war of races, what better oppor-
unity could ever have been presented to
hem, than during the rebelliona Then
t was that they protected and supported the
lefenceless women and children of those who
we're battling to keep them in bondage. Did
hey raise finger against your wives and
title ones thena Who will say that they
lido No man. And when they were set
rec, did they give up their time to wild
;arousals and riotous demonstrations? No,
hey accepted their freedom with joy, but
continued to labor, and to-day they are till
ng the lands of the Southern States with
cheerful activity, and mixing only in public
Lffairs because it is their duty so to do.
Where, then, does this slanderous charge of
war of races come from? From the lips
# the same bad men, who melted the peo-
,le to war in 1861. 1t comes from the Sc