The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1867-05-29
IL II passed new homestead laws, ena-

OlliS tlC pun ~ ODluIu ldUu.
In short, it has gone on, step by step, do
ing first one thing for US and then another,
and it now proposes to enfranchise our peo-
pile all over the Union. tbs the only party
which has ever attempted to extend our
privileges, and as it has in the past always
been trying to do this it is but natural that
we should trust it for the future.
While this has been the course of the Re-
publican party, the opposition has unitedly
opposed every one of these measures, and it
also now opposes the enfranchisement Of our
people in the North. Everywhere it has
been against us in the past, and the great
majority of its voters hate us as cordially
now as ever before
1t is sometimes alleged that the Republi-
cans of the North have not been actuated by
love for us in what they have done, and,
therefore, that we should not join them. We
answer that even if that were true, they GER
tainly never professed to hate us, and the
opposition party has always been denounc
ing the ;"d-n niger and Abolitionists"
with equal feryor. When we had no votes
to give, the opposition placed us and the
Republicans in the same boat, and now we
reckon we'll stay in it. 1t may be and pro-
badly is true that some men acting with
the Republican party have cared nothing for
the principles of that party; but it is also
certainly true that ninety mine hundredths of
all those who were conscientiously in favor
of our rights were and are in the Republi-
party, and that the great mass of those who
hated, slandered, and abused us were in the
opposition party. @-
= - *
Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor
figs of thistles. A tree is known by its
fruits" The Republican tree has brought
forth good fruit, while the opposition tree
has been worse than barrch it has been
very Upas tree to us politically. But, say
some of the members of the opposition
party, we intend to turn over a new leaf,
and will hereafter give you all your rights"
| Perhaps they would, but we prefer not to
put the new wine of political equality into
the old bottle of sectional animosity" and
"caste feeling" We are somewhat fearful
| that those who have always opposed the ex-
tension of rights are not sincere in their new
professions. We want to wait until we see
| some fruits. When a sinner processes con-
version, it is expected that he will join the
church-not that the church will join him;
and so if these men are honestly converted
to the doctrine of "the equality of all men
before the law" it seems to US they ought
to join the Republican church-the one
which breaches that doctrine and is trying
to induce the whole world to embrace it.
| Another fact should be borne in mind.
While few Conservatives are making guard
| ed promises to us, the masses of that party
are cursing US, and doing all they can to
"make the id niggers stay in their place.
If we were, therefore, to join that party it
would be simply as servants, and not as
equals. Some leaders. who needed our votes,
might treat US decently, but the great major
ity would expect US to stay at home until
election day, and then vote as our employers
dictated. This we respectfully decline do
ing. 1t seems to us safest to have as little as
possible to do with those members of the
community who delight to abuse us, and
they are nearly ifnot quite all to be found in
the ranks of the opposition party.
Another principal reason why we insist
upon being Republicans is that we love the
Union, the stars and stripes, the national
colors, and the whole country, North as we'll
as South. Now it is too well known to be
denied that the mass of the opposition party
in this State hate tbe flag, the General Gov
ernment, and the North. They do not even
try to cultivate different feeling, and for
us to join them would be to become respon-
sible for the sectional strife they are trying
to perpetuate.
But although we have planted ourselves
immovably upon the Republican platform,
it is our earnest desire to remain upon good
terms with our political opponents 1t is
our intention to use the power We may OBJ
tain for the benefit of the entire community !;
to give Justice to others as well as to exact
it for ourselves We know of no reason
why those who differ with US and vote for
different men should insist upon warning
against us for acting according to the die
tates of our Judgment, and we are certain
that there will be no difficulty in the COM
munity unless our opponents begin it. To
live peaceably with all men is our earnest
desire, and we pledge ourselves to use no
improper means to carry our points. Will
the opposition meet US in. the same spirit
If they do, all will be well; the asperities of
the past will be softened, and peace and
prosperity prevade the land.
It cannot be disguised, however, that
many men calling themselves Conservatives
are disposed to use unfair means to carry
their points The press of Mobile and other
parts of the State contain numerous threats
that those colored people who do not vote
as their employers command will be dis.
charged; that the property holders will
4 combine, import white laborers, and dis
d charge their colored hands, &c. Numerous
instances have come to our knowledge OF
persons who have already been discharged
because they attended Republican meetings,
and great numbers more have been threaten
| II o<or Il
the argument these men propose to make
use of, and with it they expect to succeed.
In this expectation they will be mistaken
and we warn them before it is prosecuted
2 any further that their game is q dangerous
3 one for themselves. The property which
y they hold was nearlyall earned by the sweat
. of our brows-not theirs 1t has been for.
feited to the Government by the treason Of
its owners, and is liable to be confscated
whenever the Republican party demands it
The great majority Of that party is now op
posed to confscation, but if the owners Of
property use the power which it gives them
to make political slaves of the poor, a cry
will go up to Congress which will make the
party unit for c0nfscation.
Conservatives of Alabama, do you propost
to rush upon certain destructionG Are yor
mad that you threaten to pursue q polio,
: which could only result in causing thousand'
of men to cry out to their leaders, "Oul
|, wives and little ones are starving because w
stood by you; because we would not b
slaves 7" When the nation abolished SLAYER,
you used your local governments to neutra
, lize and defeat its action, and the nation an
swered by abolishing your government ant
II enfrancbising u.s. If YOU now use your pro