Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-27
From the Raleigh Register (Radical.)
ry,,,e Conyentf0n-The Standard

from the Raleigh Standard, IN reply to GU
own structures upon the proceedings OF tn
Convention. We are gratified to find In
q tone and sentiment essentially dltferen
from those which marked the efforts o
most of the speakers in the Convention
Let us take the following passage from tn
editorial, for instance, and compare it witt
the extracts which we append from th
speeches
s'The same remarks apply to universal suffrag &
and dsfanchsement, even i'll stronger sense
for the reconstruction acts, which the Convention
endorsed, are silent on the subject OF confiscaton
they expressly provide for both universal sufrag
and relief from Acknowledgement. To endOrs
these acts is therefore, to endorse both these pro
positions so far as the principles they contain ar
involved. The remaining question is only on
of time The fOrmer-universal suffrage-Wil
take effect d soon as the Howard amendment i
adopted and the State is rid of the reconstruction
acts by being fully restored to the Onion and TIL
l2tter-reIief from disabiity-is with the Con
gress, and will doubtless be taken up at the CARL
est moment that body may deem 1t safe or expe
dent to do 500
Here we have the editor Of the STANDARD
committed unreservedly to universal suffrage
and relief from acknowledgements. Thu
was precisely what we desired and urged
the Convention to declare. He also ap.
pears to think that the abandonment OF
confiscation is only ''question of time. .
This is progress in the right direction, and
it may be hoped the editor will persevere
in it But We regret to say that such was
not the spirit of the Convention, if we are
to judge of it from the resounding applause
which greeted such utterances as the fol-
lowing:
Mr.. A. II. Galloway. colored Of New
Hanover said he was opposed to contis-
cation" but that he favored " taxat;o !"
and explained what he meant, as follows:
Il want to see the man who owns one or
two thousand acres of land ta.ced a dOla3'
on the acre, and if he can't pay the taxes,
sell their property to the highest bidder
let the Sheriff sell it, and then we negroes
shall become landholders." applause. J.
This speech was made before the unpalata-
BILE resolutions were offered, and seems to
foreshadow ''policy which is to be sub
stituted for the "mild confscation" of
Thad. Stevens.
When the anti-confiscation resolution
was up for consideration, Mr.. MADISON, col
oIei, Ct New Hanover, protested against
its passage, as something that should be
left to Congress; and added, significantly:
Fellow-citizens let me say to you here
to-day, particularly to every representative
of the colored people Of this State, repre-
sent y0uT' pe0pJe honestly. : Now, in
reference to this coniscation, which every
one of you know as we'll as | do, that it is
not material matter to us whether the
property of the people of the South is con-
fiscated or not" Again; eff the white
people will act honestly" &c, with the
colored people, the Congress Of the Uni
ted States should not confscate their pro-
perry. Bat as long as they take the advan-
tage of our people, and refuse to give them
remuneration, y &c, then Congress will be
every certain to confscate their property,
and [ do not care if they do" (Appiause.)
''It is the duty of every liberty-loying 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 land come forward
and either sell it to us or give it to us. -
Applause This Mr.. MADISON is evidently
a man of intelligence, and of decision and
frmness. His speech gave tone to the de-
bate, and was conclusive argument in the
minds of large majority of the colored
delegates against the resolution.
Mr.. Coleman, of Cabarrus, white said
'This question of confscation, gentlemen,
is not a question of principle. (Applause.)
1t is barely question OF expediency, and
what right have this Convention here to-
day assembled to pledge the Republican
party Of North Carolina, to say that we are
opposed to contiscation, when we don't
know what may occur next week or next
month? (Applause.) : : [ wish to say
in making the remarks that am making, [
do not commit myself on the question of
cOntiscation, for or against it; but claiming
to be Republican, L am opposed to add
ing plank to that platform that may sink
it forever.
Governor Holden said Il subscribe to
the sentiments which have been advanced
by my young friend from Cabarrus. I
commit myself neither for nor against con-
tiscation for the present. l stand here fairly
and squarely by the nation, and upon the
utterances of the glorious Congress of the
United States" (Applause.)
No one who heard the debate and wit
messed the applause with which the senti-
ments so threatening to the peace and
safety of the whole property-holding white
population, was received, could fail to
draw the inference that an overwhelming
majority of the Convention was in favor OF |
cOnfscatiOn. The remarks of Mr. MADISON, |
who seemed to be the ruling spirit, and
Mr.. Galloway, from the same county of
New Hanover, are applicable to every man
in the South who owned slaves or held
property, and who cannot purge himself
from the charge OF having in any way given
aid and comfort to the rebellion. Gallo |
way would tax their lands at the rate of |
one dollar per acre, and Mr.. MADISON would |
compel them to sell or give their lands to |
the colored people. Their remarks are of
course as applicable to those who were
Union men. as to those who were rebels
for the slaves of the former will demand |
homesteads and education no less than |
those of the latter. They strike at ex-Gov-
ernor Holden, Mr.. Pool, Mr. Dockery and |
Dick, no less than at ex- Governors Graham |
and Vance, and the Sc Confederate" Gene |
rails Hill, Hoke and the Ransoms. It was,
therefore, eminently proper, in forming
political association, to which the first
named gentlemen, and thousands like them, |
were to be parties, that they should have |
guaranty that their property is not to be |
confscated. It is mockery to ask them to /
join a party which holds threat over their
heads. It was also due to the material in
terests of the whole people of the State, |
that the Republican party should repudiate
such sentiments. There can be no har-
mony or prosperity, no pecuniary conf
dence between man and man, while the great
body of the lands and estates of the people
are believed to be subject to confscation.