The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-01-09
The M|feklp Staudard.
RALEIGH. N. Q.
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY Q, 1867.

RALEIGH. N. @.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY Q, 1867.
We alluded, few days since, to the fact
that Memorials, under the auspices of Hol-
den, were in circulation among the negroes
Of the State, praying Congress to enfranchise
them, and to disfranchise fve-sixths of the
sohite voters of the State of North Carolina.
So far from this most atrocious proceeding
being concealed, Holden, himself, in person,
Aoutrages public sentiment by appearing in a
negro meeting and offering resolution look
ing to the same infamous design Sentinel.
Our neighbors are giving way to theirfeel-
ings. They ought to keep their temper, and
act at least with some show of reason.
The rebels of the South have been offered
the right Of suffrage for nearly two years, if
they would SO exercise it as to restore the
Union and promote sound national senti-
ments. They have refused to accept suffrage
on these conditions, but have abused the
right by voting for traitors in preference to
loyal men, and by doing all they could to
prevent the restoration of the Union. They
were offered in the Howard amendment the
privilege of deciding, under the shield of the
Constitution, that colored person should
never vote; but they refused this privilege
with scorn and contempt We solemnly
warned them fSwhat the result of that re-
fusal would be. That result is now well
nigh upon them. 1t certainly sciU be upon
them as soon as Congress can act. If negro
suffrage is distastefpl to them, they may
blame themselves forit; for we tell them the
Union must3be restored, and we must have
one great, common, national government, in
preference to anarchy md INSTRUMENTATION,
no matter what the basis of that government
may be.
But Holden is abused because he has at
tended "a negro meeting.f If we are not
mistaken, Andrew Johnson has repeatedly
set him the example in this Inspect. He at
tended many negro meetings. in Tennessee,
and told the colored people be would be
their Moses, to lead them out of bondage
into land of liberty. He boated that he
would free the slaves, and give them ian
equal start in the race of life withthe white
man." by bcstowing on them all thor rights.
In his speeches from the portico of tAe White
House, addressed to the colored peopk ofthe
District of Columbia, he has told then time
and again that he was theirbest friends that
be would, and could do more for them Than
even Mr.. Stevens and Mr.. Sumner. IN is,
himself, the author of qualified negro ssf-
frage, as shown by his letter of August, 1861,
to Gov. Sharkey. Why not assail him 70,
addressing negro meetingss'
The colored people of this State voted in
all our elections up to 1885. The Conven
ten of that year deprived them Of this right
by majority of only out of vote of 1917
On that occasion the great William Castor
said, that ga person of this class, who pos
sessed freehold, was an honest man, and
perhaps Christian, he did think should moi
be politically communicated, and have an
additional mark of degradation fixed upon
him, solely on account of his color" The
late Gov. Morehead took the same view,
and earnestly advocated the right of the
colored man to vote. On a test vote such
men as William CASTOR, John NJ. Morehead,
Alfred Dockery, Asa Biggs, William Dob
son, Kimbrough Jones, Kenneth Rayner, Da-
.vid L. Swain, John d. Toomcr, DR.. James s.
Smith, and Henry Seawell, voted in favor Of
negro suffrage. If our conduct is "infa-
NOUS" we are certainly in good company.
And now, what are you going to do with
man who thus outrages public sentiment, y
and who is guilty, IS you say he is, Of in
cendiary" conducta Why not have him in
dicted UNDERGONE of your old slave laws for
stirring up iinsurrection among "the ne
groess" Why not indict him for treason
Why not excite mobs against him, as you
did from July, 1868, to the close of the re-
bellion2 He admits that he is not true to
the Confederacy. Can you submit to that
Indict him, mob him The is guilty of the
Infamous" conduct of appearing in negro
meetings p The tells " the negroes"-that is,
your negroes, as they used to be-that they
have rights, and that traitors, who might
have had tile right to vote, have deprived
themselves Of the right by their own con-
duct. Do something, gentlemen. Secession
howls in the blue season" for its victims,
and yet no one is indicted, or arrested, or
mobbed for appearing in negro meetings. "
"Incendiaries" are abroad, telling "the ne
gro" he is frqe-their infamous" conduct is
notorious, and yet no bill is presented to the
grand jury, 10 one is indicted and punished.
Verify, the days of the Confederacy" are
numbered. It does really seem that we are
once more in the United States of America.
So mote it b{, brethren.
"Dar are, said sable orator, addressing
hic hrethren IS two roafla tn die world ne