Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-10-11
Registration Returns.

the white majority will be much larger than
our exchanges surmise, or that the pub
lished returns seem to indicate, we get
from the Greensboro Patriot the complete
returns from Guilford county, which shows
that 2, 494 whites have registered against
LOGO for the negroes, leaving the former
in a majority of 1,434, while the tables
heretofore published give the whites only
SCI majority, making a difference in their
favor of fire hundred and Serenty-ttree in
this one county.
There are doubtless many negroes re-
gistered illegally, both from ignorance and
design. We have seldom conversed with
gentlemen who do not know of negroes
who have registered improperly, the cause
of objection being the want of proper age.
No doubt, when the books are again opened,
fourteen days before the election, in accor-
dance with General SICKLEs' order upon
the subject, that many of these names will
be stricken from the rolls, while many
white men, rejected or suspended on ac-
count of having held militia offices and
other positions not within the disqualify-
ing clauses of the Acts, will have their
names entered upon the registry. In this
way, even after we have the full returns,
will there be a decided change in thsrela-
tive voting strength of the two races.
There is another fact which has been
called to our attention, that may also
change somewhat the proportionate regis
tered and voting capacity of the whites and
blacks. Many negroes leading a wander
ing and vagabond life, andnot afewindustri-
Gus and Woodworking ones, having chang
ed their residences between the sessions Of
the Boards, have had their names placed
upon the registry in different counties, de-
termined not to forfeit their right of suf- !
frage from any want of conformity to the
law. In this way their voting strength |
will not equal the number registered.
We know not what will be the effect upon
the vote of the race incident to their very
general change of home at the end of the
year. We know that, for two years just
past, there has been a very great emlg1a-
tion of negroes to the States south of us, |
where, of course, they must reside for one
year before they become eligible voters. |
There has also been a large accession Of
negroes in the eastern counties from those
of the west, within the State, and it is to /
be presumed that this same thing will
occur this winter. And even in the east
ern portion of the State there has been
much running from one county to another,
for no feature of the negro character has
been more marked, since they became
freedmen, than migrating disposition,
frequently leaving the most pleasant homes
and comfortable situations for no other ap-
parent purpose than a change.
These are all considerations which must
enter into calculations upon the result in
any question involving great changes in
our fundamental laws, which must be sub
mitted to the vote of the whole people. Even
with decided white majority under the
powers granted to District Commanders to
re-district and sub-divide the State into
voting divisions, it is possible to so locate
the representatives as to give to the negro
minority the supremacy in the Convention. |
In Virginia, with white majority of nearly
fifteen thousand, and with majorities in |
ffty-three of the one hundred and two
counties, it. is asserted that, owing
to the arrangement of districts, the
blacks can elect ffty-nine of the
one hundred and five delegates. In
Georgia, where the white majority is less
than two thousand, the negro supremacy is
much more striking, as the State has been
divided into voting districts. In the
former State, it is, we suppose, the result
of accident, owing to localities of the
counties, while the papers of Georgia allege
that there it is caused by party calculations
and manipulations
We doubt whether this state of affairs
could happen, by chance, with us, on &C
count of our more decided white majority,
and the collection of large bodies of ne
groes within a few counties, and we will not
believe that here political managers will be
permitted to interfere in the administra-
ton of affairs in the interests of their party.