The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-25


the South. The North had the good
sense to get rid oft, while the South
was silly enough to try to perpetuate
it. The sin was national, and the sui
fering has been so too There is no good
reason now why the two races should
be at enmity, but many reasons why
they should be friends. Our common
interests demand it, and I trust our
hearts feel it,, Surely slave owners can
entertain no1hnworthy prelud1ce,s
against people who remained with
them faithful to the last and tor6ore to
participate in struggle which after
!, 1853 was avowedly for their freedom.
After that period they knew that one
army was fighting for freedom and the
other for slavery. And yet they re-
manned faithful, kind and obedient, pro-
tecting and feeding the families of those
who were fighting to perpetuate their
bondage. Here again in this remar.
kable contest, we see conduct so contra
ry to the promptings of human feeling,
that we are constrained to believe that
merciful Providence was guiding the
whole matter, with wisdom above the
reach of man.
Then let us be friends and work together
for our mutual benefit. My advice to the
white man is, be kind and just to the color
ed man, make fair and liberal contracts with
him, and stand up to them, even to your
hurt; and it is precisely the same to the col
ored man. Heretofore the colored man has
had but little opportunity to form general
character; it will not be so hereafter The
broad world is now before you, and you will
soon make some sort of 4 mark upon it
Your conduct and your dealings with men
win soon make you general character
You can make it good, bad or indifferent,
Just. as you see proper. Honesty, industry,
ECONOMY, sobriety, intelligence truth and
virtue will secure for you all that any man
should desire. You should also look to the
virtue and integrity Of your children
Teach them to speak the truth from the time
they first begin to lisp, for you know that
those who oppose your enfranchisement are
in the habit of charging the whole race with
falsehood, and indeed we all know too we'll
that deception was an incident of slavery;
but since the principle has fallen, let the in
cident fall with it.
The responsibilities and duties of freedom
and citizenship are important, and you must
now qualify yourselves to discharge them
intelligently and honestly. If you fail to do
so, you will soon find level not very much
higher than slavery. Every good white man
will encourage and assist you to prepare to
meet and discharge your new duties as citi-
zens sf.-
While 1 tell you that those who are de-
nouncing the Yankees and swearing that
they are your best friends, are mere time
serving demagogues, let me also say to you.
beware of any man whether of Northern or
Southern birth, who tries to inhame your
passions nd0prejudices against the white
race and to build up a colored party on those
passions and prejudices. He who does it is
an enemy alike of the white and colored
man, and is seeking some personal advantage
at the expense of the country. To say moth
ing of right and wrong, see what madness it
would be for you to form party on such
basis in North Carolina. You only consti-
you can get large portion of the whites to
join you, you will be in helpless and hope
less minority. How can this be donel By
throwing banner to the breeze, with Union,
Liberty and Equality before the Law, in
scribed within its folds. Let hate and pre-
Judice have no place there Elevate your
selves, but pull nobody else down. Go for
the education and progress of mankind,
without regard to race or color, and invite
all to come forward and assist in the devel
opment of our common country. These
principles are good for the white man and
good for the colored man. They are founded
upon rock and cannot be moved. You
will then have a party of principle, and not
of race or color
While would rejoice to see all men unite
upon platform so reasonable and Just, | do
not believe that the millennium has yet arriv-
ed. l cannot close my eyes to what is going
on around me. On the 9th of March last,
attended IN Raleigh, the largest and most
enthusiastic convention that ever assembled
in North-C Carolina and we there threw the
banner of the Republican party, the only
national party in this country, to the breeze,
with the principles which [ have just stated
inscribed upon it. In order to carry out
these principles we endorsed the measures
adopted by Congress for the reconstruction
of the Southern States, and had hoped un-
til recently that they were to meet with no
opposition; but Gov. Perry of South Caro-
lima, and Gov Sharkey OF Miss, have de-
ciared warfare against the whole plan, and
no doubt they have many followers 1t is
said that several prominent politicians in
this State are advising and encouraging OPP
position, but I will call no names, as do not
A'ii ~ oio'i any SCuGlCllldu pOSltlOil uuLll
he takes it publicly for himself. 1 regret to
say that have recently heard that there is
another portion of our people who are en-
deaVoring to defeat the proposed measures
for very different reason.
The opposition on the part of the whites
is based upon the idea that if they can only
drift over present troubles, and stave off for
q season any settlement, there will be reac-
ton in public sentiment, and the colored
man will not be permitted to participate in
the affairs of government. On the other
hand, have heard that a portion of the COL
ored people have been induced, by political
adventures, to believe that if the measures
now proposed are defeated, Congress will
then confscate and divide cut land. 1 feel
confident that neither class will succeed in
accomplishing their purpose; though they
may do great deal of harm by delaying
the day of our prosperity. 1 will say to the
whites that, SO far as human rights are con.
cerned, no steps will be taken backwards on
this continent, and will say to the colored
men that if they defeat the very plan that
Congress has devised for their elevation, thew
will thereby do themselves more injury than
all their enemies are able to do them. And
will say to both, that Congress will under
stand it all, and they are not going to pun