Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-20
Political Matters i'm Richmond County.
ROCKINGHAM. N. c., 9th Sept, 1867.
Toco1.c Ir7iforc TTilo,, To1,9.170L.

my letter of August goth. AS soon as til;
certained I will inform you. Registration
has not been completed, but, from the bes
information have been able TO obtain, the
negroes have decided majority Appriseo
of their strength. and the danger OF defeat
should there be divisions among them, the
negroes met at the Court House on Satur
day for the purpose of nominating and uni
ting on a suitable person to be sent as {
delegate to the Convention. Nomination
was deferred until every portion of the
county could be represented, and for further
evidences of unanimity. But it was an oc
casion of considerable demonstrations
Several addresses were made--some I'M
couth, nonsensicaI and entirely inappropri
ate, and Others unexceptionable, and better
than was prepared to hear. Among the
most prominent, a desire to elevate and
benefit their race prevailed.
[ said in my first letter that the negro
has invariably looked to the white man fo1
Instruction." The assertion has been sds-
they: "Let the wrongs Of the past, and
our prejudices, be buried. If you have
wronged us, IRE .fo1Yire you; if we have
wronged you, zee hope .yOn acW .forgire us
We do not desire the c0nfScoti0n Of .y0m
Lancis; We do not ecDecGt0 be inriheI into y0u7
hOuses, nor escort jour- ochite h1tlieS; and il
one of our nuInbcr were to attempt such a
thing we would not blame you to say, and
we would say it ourselves, 'arcuy 1uiM Mal
negro ,ciM Ills acooAy Aeod.' We hope we
may not be compelled TO seeA oar friends
Gdr0od. Our home is in North Carolina,
and we have no desire to seek another
Help us to make support by giving us
employment on your lands let lis educate
ourselves and we will make better citizens
give us your friendship and cooperation,
and we will do you good"
This is cOmmendable and prOmissory-
No complaints are urged-no charges made
The only thing asked for is q fair chance
and if this is their ultimatum, have no
doubt they will have it. The right of g fair
play" will be cheerfully given to them
The real friends Of the negro are around
them and among them, and ready to do
them good. From what source has the ne
gro derived his support since his liberia
ton Has it been obtained from men in
the South, who profess to have been loyal
to the Government of the United States
during the war q? l think not, for there
are very few men who were unquestionably
loyal, who are, or were, able to help them :;
and those of them who are able, are the
stingiest creatures on earth. Have the
Nor hcrn people, who profess to be SO phi
lanthropic, furnished them with supplies 4?
Not to any great extent-enough, perhaps,
to feed the sick, lame and blind few DAYS
Hasit been derived from the fields and farms
OF those who were formerly their masters :?
[ think it has. The very men who are still
represented to be unconscionab!e uncon-
trollable-uncompro mising-and who, it is
said, would become insurgents We're j: not
for the interdictions Of law, are the true
friends of the negro. Having owned them
they have no antipathy against them, bat
sympathize with them, and have given
them a chance to live. These, [ say, are
the real friends of the negro. Not those
who speak the softest words, wear smiling
faces, associate with them, and strive to
arouse their prejudices, embitter their feel
ings, and persuade them to look upon the
Republicans as their only friends The
white man who puts himself on a social
equality with negroes, stoops lower than
they ask him to do, or rather aspires to a
higher position than they think he is emit
tied to: they look upon him as insidious;
the first lmpiesslon produced is that he is
dishonest
In regard to voting they seem to want
instruction, but it is q foregone conclusion,
that in this section one of their own color
will be nominated and elected as a dele
gate to the Convention. That this would
be the case seems to have been unforeseen
by their white conductors, who, like the
crow, that charmed with the beautiful
plumage Of the peacock, gathered some of
the feathers and rugged himself out, but
scarcely had strutted out in his pride and
commenced the exhibition OF himself, be-
fore the peacOcks and crows seized the in
trusive gentleman and not only stripped
him Of his beautiful feathers, but actually
disowned any affinity with him, are frus-
trated IN their purposes, ''standing on the
corners of the streets with their fingers in
their mouths" looking forlorn and heart
less, deserted by white man and negro too
Is it right? | think it is.
Well, L have said considerable about he
groes and negro politics. l cannot help
noticing the signs of the times, and draw
ing conclusion as to the final result. The
an-absorblng question now is, what party
shall gaia the ascendancy, or who shall
govern this country? The negro vote,
therefore, is regarded as an important bal
ance of power to obtain it the Repubii-
cans would foment q war of races. They
would disturb the peace and harmony of
the South, prevent its restoration, and
shackle the industrial and commercial pur-
suits of both North and South in their
rivalry for political ascendancy. lam glad
to see that when the worst passions of the
colored people are appealed to, and their
best friends denounced by the invidious
Radical aspirants, that they still show
disposition to stand by the Southern peo-
pie, and that they have sense enough to
foresee the result of allowing themselves to
be used as the tools of men who care for
nothing but their own interest and eleva-
ton. 0 TEMPoRA.
Registration in Columbus County.