The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-31
So For the Standard
ia the Colorod People Of NOrtl- Carolina.

FRIENDS AND FELLow-COUNTRYMEN:
1 trust YOU will pardon me for saying few
words to you on subject OF great import
ance to US all.
Various reports prevail as to my opinions
in REGARD to a Convention. and have been
| written to by so many of you on the subject
that I cannot answer you by letter, and
therefore adopt this mode of giving my
opinions.
1 am fixed and earnest in the opinion that
we ought to vote as one man for a Conven-
ton Our best friend is the Congress of the
United States. That body gave US our free
dom, and it has passed laws to secure that
| freedom to us so that it cannot lie taken away.
These laws provide, first, that all of us
should register our names so as to make our
selves voters. This must be attended to
first. If you neglect this, you will not be
allowed to vote. Secondly be sure to vote
for Convention This is part of the plan
which Congress has provided for making
your freedom sure. Your right to vote
hangs on this law of Congress providing for
Convention. Congress says, g here is the
right offered to you. We want to see if you
can govern yourselves. You must take care
of this right to vote. You can do this only
through q Convention. If you fail to call a
Convention this law, which secures your
rights, will fall to the ground as of none eff
feet: and who can tell when or how this
right will be offered to you again ? 1t is not
your State that offers you this right, but it
comes from us, the Congress-"
Let no one vote against Convention with
the hope that confscation will come if
Convention is not called. Practical selfgo
eminent by our race will be put off, if
Convention is defeated, and even our liberties
NAV be placed in peril; but contiScation will
surely not result from our voting down plan
for our good and the good of the country,
which has been offered to us by that same
friendly body from which some of you ex-
pect confiscation. If confiscation should
take place, it will proceed from Congress
Is it reasonable to suppose that that body
will listen to you, and dof or you what some
OF you think good thing, after you have
shown your contempt for it by voting down
a Convention, which is an important part of
its plan to secure your rights and restore the
Union think not.
Let me, therefore, earnestly urge you,
first, to register your Names secondly,
to vote for Convention and for avowed
and tried Republicans to represent you
in the Convention; and thirdly, to vote
for the Constitution which will be formed
by the Convention. Let me beg yow to keep
these things IN mind, and do them. If Iknow
my heart 1 am deeply attached to my race.
! have thought much of these questions, and
would not deceive you. My earnest wish
is that all our people of both races should
live together in peace and harmony; and
that we should avail ourselves of the recon-
structiOn laws of Congress to restore the
State to the Union.
Remember, my friends, let US first register
our names Then let us vote for a Convcn-
ton. And then, to finish the good work, let
us prepare to vote for the new Constitution,
and for good and sound Republicans to rep
resent US in Congress and to fill our State
offices. Very Respectfully,
JAMES H. HARRIS.
Raleigh, Aug. 80, 1867.