The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-02-27
lFrom the Right Way.I
Letter from a North -CarOlinian.

LGbItI 1IUu d XNVl lCu-NdkOAAn1oAs
Mr.. EDITOR :-,Presuming that your col
umns are open to the discussion of matters
of public interest, address to you the fol-
lowing letter for publication.
The most important question which now
presents itself is, "What shall be the terms
of reconstruction 2" Considered in the alb
stract, the interest of North Carolina, as a
State, requires her admission into the Union
at the earliest possible period; on the other
hand, as citizens of great nation, we can
only admit of reconstruction upon those
terms which will secure national tranquility
and national justice. These essential conel-
tions will not be realized unless the delegates
frame constitution which guarantees the
right of suffrage to the Freedmen.
1t is not at all surprising that the propo-
sision should excite wonder and alarm at its
first announcement This is the result Of our
past habits of prejudice The abolition of
slavery would have sounded no less strange
l. eve years ago. But, to assist In exposing
this prejudice, let us see how the feathers"
looked upon it.
In the Congress which framed the Articles
of Confederation, there were only two States
which objected to allowing the free colored
inhabitants of one State to enjoy all the priv
ileoes of free citizens in the several States;
and one of the two States referred to was
South Carolina At the time of the adop-
ton of the Federal Constitution, there was
but one State which denied suffrage to the
free eelored inhabitants in its organic law;
and that State was-South Carolina. In the
organization ofa dozen Territories, down to
1912, this right was recognized by Congress.
1t was recognized in solemn treaties with
France and with Spain. Free negroes voted,
as we all know, in North Carolina, down to
the amendment of the Constitution in 1885
The thing was done in the days of Wash
ington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Hamil-
ton, and Adams; what objection applies in
principle now that was not applicable thens
OBJECTIONS URGED.
But it is urged on the other side that the
African race Is, inferior, and, again. that the
freedmen are too ignorant to enjoy this priv
ilege.
In reply to the first, would merely remark
that the fact is assumed. The temporary
predomiaance of ruling race is no index Of
any virtual superiority. So might Persia
have thought once, so Greece, SO Rome, so
the Arabians an d the Turks yet their power
Has DccH tJiOhCli, oilSt tilC VI
slaves that toiled in irons have given laws to
the conquered provinces of their former mas
tiers immqnei9ut' LOng0bardorum legs acceptG-
But the blood of the white man already
courses through the veins of nearly forty per
cent Of the colored race think Of Judge
Gaston's expression {" 1t poisons morals at the
fountain-headnO The black man has had no
opportunity for development. He has been
kept down, as we have been told, by two cen
turies of oppressive We legislation.
The refutation of the second objection,
that they are too ignorant, lies in nutshell
The argument pre- ives too much, and is there
fore valueless II the principle it assumes be
correct we are inc apable of fself-government;
for where is the line to be drawn2 If none
be permitted to vote but those who are fa-
miiar with all our constitutions and the
workings of the Government, l fear the list
will be sadly dim lnished. Jefferson laid
down the republican doctrine on this point,
and it is, & He who fights or pays should
vote" There are other objections in the ma
ture of rose water se,ltimentalism, and GER
tain clinging to "hallowed associations :"
but these are too trivial to require notice.
REASONS FOE EXTENDING SUFFRAGE TO THE
FREEDMEN.
assigned for a general reason why suf-
frage should be extended to the freedmen,
that national tranquility and national justice
could not be secured without it. But more
in detail.
The agitation 'ef the question uiU be contin-
ued. The party which has been laboring so
long for the abolition of slavery will never
yield the point And then this party, which
has already taken such deep root, will grow
and expand with wigor and luxuriance
which could not have been hoped for before !;
and this for very obvious reasons. You
must hear it sounded in your ears upon
every occasion; at every turn you must meet
with persadyecsting its claims; you must
hear it from the stump and, if you 90 there
you must hear the 8reeclmen, in council as
sembled, demanding why they are denied
the only means of main tanning their freed
ON. 1t will haunt dhe councils of the State
and nation, until at last the decisions shall be
in favor of human 8,ert-v; and then YOU will
not only be subjected to the modification of
defeat. but this by those whom you now af-
feet to despise.
Fit be not granted, hss colored race wIl
become dissatisfied ana dangerous class
amongst as. So long as II e negro was in (as
he thought) state of hop eless slavery, his
thoughts rose no higher than TO enjoy his
hours of rest after hard an unrequited toll
as best he might, or, ait anos It, to make his es
cape to some happier cEme. But when his
fetters have been knocked T, and he stands
upon the earth in the .dig1 .ity of his man
hood, he has other asl1irati ons. He opens
his farm or his workshop, or. by other means
with habits of industry. sob.riety, and econo
my, he acquires competenc y. He sends his
children to school, They read the New
Testament, and tindquiteeth or truths taught
there than those they were ira ined to believe
1t contained. The farthera abe advance, thu
more indelibly do they se,ethe mark of infa
my impressed upon them. They becom,
restive. They have no love TO. r the Govern
ment. They are ready to gra sp any hanC
which will help them up to re; ii freedom
They take counsel with theM fe llow-unfortu
mates: and upon this fusion of chatting spir
It's you blow to make the hest m ore intense
lhere eoiA be danger Of intraa acar aoit
the c"toreo race. am aware sla there ar
those who will not allow that AN q prior
reasoning upon the nature OF IN ankind il
general applies to the negro, wh@r: :dicule tn
idea that he has either sensibilitw or intelli
gence. Such view is very unius t. So ia
as circumstances have permitted th cir devel
opment, the negro has exhibited every CT
pacity and every virtue that we a scribe t
man. See his fidelity to his fellos his S
lent endurance, his fortitude Loo at til
care with which hesaves his scantyt arning:
that he may have something for his wife an
children and look at these in th dusk
twilight of a Saturday evening, IH W an