The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-18
The u. l.. Ats Defamers.

be had.
The u. L. Ats Defamers.
Take up the record of those who are nov
so bitter in their abuse of secret organiza
tions, and it will show that, at some time
other, nine out of ten of them have bee
connected with some secret order. We
not propose to enter into any abuse OF sue
characters, but simply to show the consls
tency of the course they are now pursuing
Secret organizations have ever, and will con
time to exist and good or evil has beer
and will continue to be, the result, accorG
ing to the object sought to be accomplishe,
| by them. The old and time honored ordc
of the Masonic fraternity dates further bach
perhaps, than any other now extant. 1t ha
been abused and lnaigned, and, we regr
to have to state, that some of its Votarlcs al
first in dcnuncation of the Union League
simply because they imagine its teaching
conflict with their political anteceden
IN their efforts to overthrow the govern
ment. Others who attached themselves t.
and were devoted members of, the Know
Nothing organization, are loud and wicke'
in denouncing those who desire to carry GU
the principles it was said to inculcuate.-
Others who attached themselves to an orde
known as the Knights of the Golden Circle
| from which, doubtless. the Confederate vigl
| liant committees were generally selected, ant
whose avowed objects were to hunt down an,
harrass all friends of the Union, and ar
most loud of all in their denunciations
any and everything into which they canno
pry into and control. Such characters, above
all Others, certainly have. the least right, or
show of reason to denounce secret organiZa
| TONS What would these calumniatOrs hav
thought of patrol appointed in the days o
slavery to visit the negro cabins at night
with cowhides if they had, before starting
| their rounds, sent a runner to notify Their
victims What would have been thought o.
General Grant if he had notified the enemy
of his designs in all his military opera
! tiOns2
But whence cometh all this opposition to
the Union League! Who and what are
they Have they been, or are they now, the
friends of the Union? Watch them, hear
them, enquire of their political antecdents,
investigate their records, sclutiniZe their OBJ
jects and aims, and you will find that they
are allied with those who have spurned
every overture of the government looking to
reconstruction. You will find them warn
ing the freedmen not to join secret organiza-
tions; not to league themselves with the
Unionists of the country; not to vote with
them, and they dared, they would force them
not to do 1t; yea. they would force, and the poor
white man too ,tofight for their reinstatement.
Talk about loyalty in one breath, and in the
next denounce the Unionist and their League
pretend to love the Union, and hate its
true friends. All such loyalty is a farce-a
humbug-a cheat, and he that Can be de-
ceived by such is fool, and he that will be,
is knave.
Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Webster,
Jackson, Clay, and last, but not least, Lin
coin were leagued with the Union. All the
patriots of the Union were leagued together
in such strong bonds of love for it that all
the traitors in PtnttenOniuna could not burst
them. The organization of the Union
League is not a secret nor new thing
Through its instrumentaiity the Government
has been preserved, and liberty and freedom
secured, not only to the white man, but also
to the negro. Its mission is sublime and
righteous, and will succeed Opposition to
it, by the enemies of the Government, will
prove the very gist Of its success. The
freedmen may be warned as with voices of
braying jack asses, yet it will avail nothing;
for they already know the League is an
auxiliary in educating them and their chill
dren. 1t is doing the same thing for the
poor whites. 1t is disseminating much
needed knowledge throughout the South.
ana tillS Is the secret OF Sucn stern OPPOSE
ton. 1t did not begin in the South with
leading rebels and the aristocracy, hence
this bitter opposition. They well know
that the diffusion Of knowledge among the
masses is death to treason and traitors. It
begun at the wrong end to suit the enemies
of the governmental begun at the loyal
end, and an effort to stop its upward and
onward march, will prove as futile as that to
overthrow the government. May 1t prosper
and spread until every youth in every State
and Territory can, with facility, read the
Bible. the Declaration of independence. and
Constitution, regardless of race or condition
The calculations of those who, through
disaffcction and hatred to the government,
oppose the Union League, will. in the end,
prove as abortive as all their plans and sub
terfuges heretofore Mark the prediction.
How long will men oppose everything
that is potent to their very best interests, the
secret of which is reconstruction upon just
and equitable basis2 Just so long as OBJ
stinate opposition and hatred is persisted in
against the Union and its friends and up
holders. This is the key to the solution of
the whole question. -Hende7'soHgiHe Pi0neer-