The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-10
The Resister...The Convention.

The heIlStcr assumes, DeCauSe Iue Cou-
vention did not think it necessary to adopt
resolution deprecating coniscation, that
that body has laid itself open to the charge
of being 70 confscation. We do not agree
with the Register in this assumption. No is
sue had been made before the people on this
subject No speaker or press, recognized as
opponents of the Republican creed, had ia
ken ground for confscation as proposition
on its merits. Nearly every delegate was
present under instructions given by meetings
to sustain the March platform, which con-
tains no alusion to confscation. The Con-
vention thought it safest and best, under the
circumstances, to adhere to this platform,
and to the reconstruction measures of Con-
gress. In doing this it neither opposed nor
favored confiscation 1t did not commit itself
beyond the action of Congress, and, strictly
speaking, it had no right to do so, for the
Republican party of this State is yet in its
infancy, and was based on the reconstruction
measures No speaker in the Convention
took ground for confscation, save in the
event of the defeat of reconstruction under
the present acts by the persistent opposition
to them of rebelliOus leaders. The Conven-
ton was not disposed to encourage these
leaders by the assurance in advance-for
that would have been the effect-that confis-
cation in any event would he " repugnant to
republican liberty" We have no idea that,
in any event, coniscation would be general
or sweeping in its character, unless the Con-
gress should be provoked to extinguish the
State and place the people under Territorial
forms but rebellious leaders who involved
this people in war, or who wickedly contin-
ued the carnage to the end, or who still, af-
ter having agreed to submit in good faith,
continue to fan the fires of resistance to
the will of the nation, must be given to I'M
derstand that if by such course they pre-
vent the return of this State to the Union,
they will have to answer for their crimes by
the loss of their estates, if not their lives
That is all. Is there any confscation in
that2 1t seems to us it is only punishment,
long delayed, for crime. The Republican
party of this State has taken no new posi-
ton on this subject; and therefore, there can
be no good reason why ga feeling of pro-
found distrust" should be awakened, or why
any one should be " alienated" from the Re-
publican organization.
The same remarks apply to universal suf-
frage and disfranchisement, even in strong
er sense; for while the reconstruction acts,
which the Convention endorsed, are silent
on the subject of contiscation, they expressly
provide for both universal suffrage and re-
lief from Acknowledgement. To endorse these
acts is, therefore, to endorse both these pro-
positions so far as the principles they con-
tain are involved. The remaining question
is only one of time. The former-u universal
suffrage-will take effect as soon as the
Howard amendment is adopted and the
State is rid of the reconstruction acts by be-
ing fully restored to the Union; and the lat
ter-relief from disability-is with the Con-
gress, and will doubtless be taken up at the
earliest moment that body may deem it safe
or expedient to do so.
The Register says, eve accept the plat
form adopted, and the resolutions which
were rejected, as the true Republican plat
FORM" We reply, we accept the platform
adopted, and reject the resolutions referred
to, as the true platform. We can not serve
the party and at the same time add to or
take from it's platform. If we have right
to add, we have a right to object to and re-
ject. 1t is unnecessary to say that such a
course, if not in itself dsrespectful to the
Convention, would speedily result in the dis
organization and defeat of the party.
We are as much opposed as any one can
be to white or colored party. We have
no such party in this State, nor are we like
ly to have. At present, as the result of re-
bellious feeling which ought long since to
have disappeared, the Republican party of
this State numbers more colored voters than
white. We are glad that all the colored
people are Republicans, and we are sorry
that more of the whites are not Republicans.
But we are gaining, and will continue to
gain among the whites; but whether we do
or not, tile State must be reconstructed. Our
neighbor says, reconstruction can not take
place on basis which alienates q majority
of the white people from the government"
Then, in our opinion, it can not take place
at all, for majority of the white people of
the State are to-day hostile to the govern
ment.
We regret the allusion by our neighbor to
Ger tain leading Republicans, as likely to 60
with it in adding to the platform. There
should be no division in the Republican
ranks. There will be none in our opinion,
that will seriously affect the party. The
uouchstone of fidelity for the present is the
platform. Gentlemen are entitled to their
views and opinions as private citizens, but
when they speak for the party they can do
SO only By the platform. The subjects which
the Convention declined to incorporate spec
ifeally in the platform, should not be used
or he allowed to create discord in the nomi-