The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-04

| was Incorporated for the purpose of putting
these States under the control of none but
loyal men. know that it is unequal in its
j operations, but say here to-day that any
person SO DISTINGUISHED, who proves HIM
self friend to liberty and equal rights, will
7 be speedily relieved by Congress. L know
: that to be so.
Then there is the provision in relation to
) the payment of the National debt. That
debt is sacred 1t must be paid but we
cannot and will MT pay debts contracted in
support of rebellion, or pay for slaves eman-
cipated And now you cannot blame us for
: demanding these guarantees.
We well know that the South cannot re-
cover from the effects of the late war for a
generation to come. The power has depart
ed from you. 1t now resides in the great
Northwest. Let me tell you this. You are
in the habit of calling the Eastern people
radicals. but those IN the Northwest are far
more radical than we are. They stand upon
their own feesimple acres and call no man
master hut God They are the power in
this nation, and they will see to it that the
Constitutional amendment is adopted and
enforced.
And so too with the military bill-which
is called the Sherman bill. Let Inc say here
that no one Especially entitled to the credit
of that bill. 1t was first introduced into the
Senate by Mr.. Williams, of Oregon, as mil
itary bill pure and simple. Mr. Sherman
offered an amendment. The bill with the
amendment was referred to the committee.
Mr.. Stevens opposed Mr.. Sherman's amend
ment, and the bill was reported to the House
as introduced in the Senate. Mr. Bingham
offered the amendment of Senator Sherman.
Mr.. Blaine took up part of the amendment
and proposed that. 1t failed, the bill passed
and came to the Senate, when Mr.. Reverdy
johnson offered the amendment of Mr.. Sher-
man again. The Republican party held
caucus, and appointed committee of seven
to draft Il bill Incorporating the amendment
at the head of which committee was Senator
Sherman. This bill was moved as "a sub
stitute for the House bill pending in the Sen
ate and adopted. 1t was sent to the House.
slightly amended on motion Of Messrs. Will
son and Shelabarger, returned to the Senate
and concurrcd in. Thus the bill became a law.
We builded wiser than we knew, and veri-
ly believe this measure to be the greatest act
of the 39th Congress. In the 10th Congress,
the individual who addresses you to-day Of
fered supplemental bill We had heard
that there was danger of conflict of author
ity and bloodshed without further legislation
on our part; that there might be two or more
conventions called, each claiming power I'M
der the law as it stood. l thought the true
policy was to register all who desired to vote
and had the right SO to do. To-day am
glad to see that officers have been assigned
to duty, and that you are beginning to Or
ganize for the work Hold your Convention,
adopt Republican constitutions, elect men,
bers to Congress, who can take the oath of
office, and before the 4th day of March next
| North Carolina will be again represented in
the halls of the National Congress. And
| when this great work is done, | hope that
sentiments of harmony and peace will pre-
vail | know that there are some who still
cherish bitter memories of desolated homes
and bloodstained fields. But how else could
we have acted? The issue was upon u.s.
Had we done otherwise, the Union would
have been forever rent asundcr, and no tongue
can tell what woe might have betallen either
section in that disastrous event. And now
that slavery has gone to an infamous grave,
trust it has borne with it those sentiments
of hostility towards the government that
fired the hearts of the Southern people. Let
us re-kindle the embers of equal liberty in
the breast OF every man, and make the fires
of patriotism burn anew in the hearts of all.
What should you now do to aid in recon-
struction? In the first place, say to those
who are disfranchised, go to work, be patri-
otto and sincere in all your efforts. Invoke
you to use your influence for good, and Con-
gress will certainly remove your disabilities.
In the next place, let all the people cheerful
ly carry out the law.
There has been no conduct so noble as
that of our Christian women, who toiled
and labore(i for the sake of suffering human
II r,fyh fho A M
ladies living in atfluence and wealth have
come down here to instruct the poorpeopie,
white and coored. And in the discharge OF
this holy duty, they have been sneered at
and ridiculed by persons unworthy to be
their servants Our good people are praying
for the education of your black and white
population-that feelings of unkindness may
Weld to sentiments of brotherly charity and
affection Yet it will be long time before
unkind feelings are effaced. We have none
towards you-no spite or malice to crafty.
But [ know enough OF human nature TO
know that YOU will not soon forget. Your
leaders will remember their lost cause, and
their ruined aspirations, for Il long time to
come But 1 am still hopeful and thankful
in the belief that these things will pass away.
Your soldiers fought on SIX hundred battle
fields, with heroic valor. l am proud OF
their courage, for they are my countrymen.-
But while history shall record their feats of
bravery, it will also bear this record to poster
ity, that the ideas, objects, aims and purposes
of this war were human slavery, and thus 1t
will receive the condemnation of all future
ages Its memory will blacken and blacken
to the "last syllable of recorded time" This
is punishment enough. Indeed, had L
been President. 1 should have pardon
ed all at once save few. [ have recommen
ded the pardon of Stephens, Clay, Mallory,
Vance and others-only one pardon have
refused to sign. Then should have encour-
aged all the people to 60 to work. 1 never
believed in the 100000 clause. I may be
too generous, but this is my opinion and that
of the people where live.
Now let me say to those, who are still de-
luded and adhere to the principle ofsecession;
to those who still believe that slavery is
right and do not love liberty and equal
rights; to those who look for a reaction in
the North, we expect you to denounce and
oppose us little while longer. Qaughter.)
Now you place your confidence in the North
ern Democracy. They lie to you, and you
lie TO them. Uaughter.) They so act as to
kill you politically, and you so act as to kill
them. Uaughter) You cheat them, and
thew cheat Won CONTINUED laughter.) It