The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-07

/ State of North Carolina and know very well
what the disposition of the. colored people
is in reference to this matter, and call upon
you to remember this one thing that you
shall givefree expression to the sentiments or
the people that you represent.
Now in reference to this confscation which
every one of you know as well as 1 do, that
! it is not material matter to US whether the
property of the peopleof the South is confls-
Gated or not. I stand here to-day as man
that gave three years to the government OF
the United States to put down this bloody
rebellion, and furthermore stand here to-
day representative of the people of the
Eastern portion of this State; and l know
every representative from that portion OF the
State will vote to lay any such resolution
as that upon the table. If the white people
of the South will act honestly by the colored
people that are citizens of tins same State,
the Congress of the United should not con-
fiscate their property, but as long as they
take the advantage of our people and refuse
to give them remuneration for their honest
labor, and cheat them as they do, from time
to time, in contracts; then the Congress OF
the United States will be very certain to con-
fiscate their property and do not care If
they do. (Applause)
There is a living in the State OF North
Carolina, for every man, let him be as white
as the driven snow, or as black as the
darkness; and if the white citizens of N.
c., will only give US a fair show as the old
man said in Massachusetts,. He was up in
his Church, and his son ran up to tell him
there was Il whale stranded on the beach;
the old man started to leave his church to go
and get the spois; but the minister of the
church said he would not allow the men to
leave; that lie would not have the peace and
order of the church disturbed but he very
deliberately took his hat and says after he
got down to the bottom of the steps. now,
let us have fair race" Give us a fair
chance; that is all we want; the white peo-
pie have always been down to the bottom of
the steps and now zoe have got down there,
and we want fair race, and if you don't
give US fair race, you will be sorry for it,
for the Congress of the United States will
confscate your property. (Applause)
In some portions of the State our former
masters will not even rs much as sell US land;
and you talk to me about confscation. 1t is
the duty of every liberty loving and law
abiding citizen to endeavor to put the lands
of the South into cultivation, and the only
way We can get them into cultivation, is by
the Congress of the United States taking a
decided stand. and make these men, that are
owners of the land come forward and either
sell it to us or give it to us. (Applause)
Now. move that that resolution be laid on
the table. The motion of the gentlemen
to lay the resolution on the table was lost.
Mr. Hood of Cumberland County, adj
dressing the Convention said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: / rise in the support of
the resolution, and l support it, after mature
I will give you my reasons
for doing so. 1t has been stated by the OPP
position, that we the colored people of the
South, are two lazy to support ourselves; it
has been said that we cannot support our
selves unless we are fed out of the public
rib. This is one of the weapons that has
,een used against the Republican party that
t is in favor of confiscating the property of
he mass of those who have rebelled against
he government of the United States.
The colored people of Cumberland Coun-
Y are not in favor of confscation; and they
intend to proclaim it before God and high
1eaven, that they arc able as people to
Import themselves, and they want no other
mans property.
I know that my people want no other
mans property; they only want to maintain
heir rights; they only want that the rights
iven to them by the general govern
lent shall be maintained, and they shall
e allowed the privilege of working for
heir living, and receive the proceeds of their
abol.
If this resolution had been laid on the ia
lie, and it had gone forth from this Conven-
on that it was the voice of the coored peo-
lie assembled here that it should be laid on
lie table. it would have destroyed the party
/ North Carolina. Suppose Congress now
ere now to take the property of the white
eople and give it to us, and some twenty
thirty years from now, when your children
ave grown upto manhood, and have become
reat men as they will be in the rising gen.
'ations. doctors, lawyers and whatever else
on want 1 say at that time, when your
lildren are seeking honorable positions in
,ciety, if some one comes up and says to
lem, :" If it had not been that the property {
the white people was taken from them
nd given to you, you would not possess
hat you have" you would turn over in your
raves were that thrown into the face of s
our posterity. [Applause.l S
Mr.. Cook, of Johnston Hanging over {
1r heads is cimiter sharp and bright, and t
tell you, sir, that now, as this resolution l
,mes up, we are tampering with something |
e don't know anything about. The MEM t
er who made the motion to lay the resolu- q
on on the table, has done right. That man
attled in the field before the city of Peters s
urg, and for five mortal hours lay beneath '
he storm of shot and shell. he and his COM r
Ides. I was there with, them. I am re- &
resentative of JOHNSON County, and t
of those men who fought so s
eli and nobly; and now are they to give {
way, sir, the only hope they have that the
eople of this State will give to them their t
gifts. The people of this State have @
5pe in confscation, and if that is taken
way the Republican party give away the t
over they have gained. Applause. I
lould prove recreant if did not stand on t
lis floor, sir, and demand that the black
an and the poor white men of North-Car-
ina, and of the whole South, shall have
cir rights. You say we don't want confis-
tion. No, we do not want it; but it is n
e great beacon light which lights you on n
liberty. L
A vote was then taken by counties on the
otion to lay the first resolution of the COM a
ittee on the table, which resulted IN ia
n of the negative-yeas Al, nays So.
Mr. Coleman, of Cabarrus:
1t is with reluctance that present myself be- q
re the assembled delegates of North Carolina, I'll
Convention assembled intended to say ! A
thing on the occasion. had hoped that the =
solutions adopted by the former State Conven-
o,,II how hnnVN uad hnr rnnt ,r,0