Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-10
From the Salisbury old North State.
Col. Halls Speech.

u
| We are indebted to Col e. d. Hail for a
lcopy of the Wilmington Journal containing
This speech in the Senate on the resolutions
affirming the loyalty of the people of North
Carolina. We intended to publish por
ton of this speech, but during our absence
it has been mislaid SO that we cannot
find it.
Col. Hall frankly admits that he was an
original secessionist and assumes his part
of the responsibility for the war. We know
that he was gallant soldier in the Confed-
crate army, and honestly and manfully
stood by his principles to the last When
he surrendered and took the oath Of am
nesty he did so honestly and in good faith,
and, we doubt not he is as loyal to the
government of the United States to-day as
any man in the State. He is very severe
upon that class of men who were at first
loud in their prOtestatiOnS of zeal for the
Confederate cause, but afterwards aban-
doned it in the hour of its peril and now
claim to have been all the time Union men
and clamor for the prescription of large
number of the people of the State because
of their participation in the rebellion. This
class of men he denounces as traitors to
their own treason"
But there was another class of Union
men for whom he entertained very differ
ent feelings. For those Union men who
stood firmly by their principles during the
war-who had been consistent-he enter
tanned the highest respect He admitted
that during the war when passion was at a
white heat full Justice had not been done
them, but since the war had closed, he said,
the people of the State had extended to
them again their accustomed confidence,
and that all were now loyal to the national
government. For proof of this he appealed
to that class of Union men themselves.
As he sent us a copy Of his speech, we
cannot but regard it as an appeal made to
oursef as one Of that class, and we have
too much respect for Col. Hall not to re-
spond.
We believe, with Col. Hall, that the
great body of the people of North Carolina
are loyalty disposed to the Government of
the United States. We believe that all
idea of a separate government has been
abandoned by them forever. We believe
that they regard the question of secession
as settled finally and forever by mode of
decision from which there IS no appeal
We believe that they can now be trusted
by the Federal Government, and that by
trusting them it will make them it's friends
We believe that the heaviest blow which
the Union men of this State have ever re-
ceived has resulted from the action of Con-
gress in not admitting the Southern States
to representation in Congress at once upon
the reorganization of the State govern
ments by President Johnson. II this had
been done, the Union men--the true Union
aen,-thOse who never faltered in their
devotion to the government of their fathers
would be held in much higher estima-
ton in the State than they now are. The
reason is obvious. They could then have
pointed to the liberality, magnanimity and
benefcence Of the government of their
choice as a reprOach to those who had en-
deavored to break il up. Instead of that
they are themselves tainted by thier former
opponents with being subjected by that
without representation, and are unable to
make any satisfactory defence of it.
Yet we believe that most, if not all, of
that class Of Union men appealed to by
Col. Hall possess the confidence and re-
spect, ifnot the esteem, Of every highmind
ed and honorable man in the State. And,
however they may stand in public favor,
candor compels us to say that to the ex-
tent of our information, and in our opin-
iOn no Union man has been prosecuted in
North Carolina for his political opinions
since the close Of the war. 1t is true that
they are sometimes sneered at by a few con-
temptible scribblers and witers who are
unworthy of notice, but whose prostitutions
Of the liberty OF the press are falsely held
up at the North as the reflex Of public senti-
ment at the South. We al!ude to such ed
itor8 as declared OF allowed others to de-
clare, through their columns, that any
man who could take the test oath,
houerey honestly or conscientiously he
might be able to do SO, was an infa-
nous scoundrel-such as have no respect
for an infeXible adherence to principle in
an opponent, and who called upon the
government of the United States to send
discharged federal soldiers here to fill the
offices now held by such. Such creatures,
however, I'VE believe, represent no body
but themselves, and sooner or later will be
held up to the merited scorn, contempt and
Indignation OF an outraged people
1t is with much pleasure that we note the
fact that almost every gallant soldier of the
Confederacy, like Col. Hall, fully appreci-
ates that honesty of purpose and. devotion
to principle in consistent Union men which
prompted the former to hazard their lives
III defence of their own. It is mainly such
war men as skulked the fight, or who re-
signed their commissions in the army under
threats of court martial, that now sneer at
honest Union men. They are like the lit
tie animal called skunk, (vulgarly known as
the pole cat) achich injores only by the force
Of It's OWn intrinsic tim.
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
! We give below, as a matter of public in
terest, the state of the vote upon the CON
stltut1Onal changes proposed for adoption
at the last General Conference, viz the
change of name to the /" Episcopal Metho-
dist Church" and the introduction of lay
delegates into the Legislative assemblies
of the Church. 1t will be seen that the
sentiment in favor of these changes is i'm
! ,5Cl1y i IL ~,