The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-04-03
been proclaimcd, unless the Proclamation Of |

king, the terms of peace are yet to be pro-
clailmcd Among these terms, as we have
shown, we have right to impose coniisca.i
ton of all their property; to timpoverlsil
them, as Andrew johnson has told US; TO
"tlivide their large farms and sell them to
industrious men" This is strict law amt
good common sense. Now then, without
reference to any former act, VIC have right
to seize the property named in this bill, and
ten times more. You behold at your feet
conquered foe-an atrocious enemy. Tell
him on what terms he may arise and depart
or remain loyal. But do not embrace HIM
too hastily. BE sure first that that there is
no dagger in his gir,lle. The President has
been throwing thick around him DEGREES,
and proclamations and speeches upon sub
jccts wholly beyond his Jurisdictions He
assumes that his declaration of fact creates
a fact. however false it may be. His Con-
situations dictated to hordes of Rebels; his
declaration that the States are States in the
Union; his proclamation that peace is
restored, lie has cunningly put forth as
cumulative evidence of the condition of the
Confederate States. Not any of them is any
better than waste paper. All put together
are but accumulated nonsense. Does he
expect to deceive or to bewilder Congress
by such incoherent assumptions? think
that Congress will proceed in that calm, UNI
imprisoned, but ,unwavering course which
distinguishes the statesman from the DEM
agoguc Having, as I conceive, justified the
bill which l seek to have enforced, let US
now look to the provisions of the bill under
consideration. The first section orders the
contiscation of all the property belonging to,
the State Governments and the National
Government which made war upon us and
which we have conquered / presume no
one is prepared to object to this unless it be
those who condemned the conquest. To
them lave nothing to say, except to hope
that they will continue consistent in their
love of the Rebels; to show an exuberant
humanity into which is merged and sub
merged all the exalted feelings ofpatriotism
The second section requires the President to
execute an existing law which he is sworn
to execute, but the performance of which
oath is in allegiance Certainly such law
Should be enforced or repealed; it is a
mockery to allow it to stand ON your statute
books and be not only not enforced but
violated every day by the Executive Gov
eminent. The third section furnishes more
convenient and speedy mode ola Judicating
such forfeiturcs, and more consistent with
the military condition of the conquered
States. The fourth section provides, first,
that out of the lands thus confiscated each
liberated slave who is male adult, or the
head of a family. shall have assigned to him
a homestead of forty acres of land with 800
to build a dwelling) which shall be held for
them by trustees during their pupilage. Let
US consider whether this is a just and polite
provision Whether may be the fate of the
rest of the bill most earnestly pray that
this may not be defeated. On its success, in
my Judgment, depends not onlythe happi-
ness and respectability of the colorcd race,
but their very existence. Homesteads to
them are far more valuable than the immcdi-
ate right of suffrage, though both are their
due. -Four millions of persons have just
been freed from condition of dependence,
wholly unacquaintcd with business transac-
lions, kept Systematically in ignorance ofall
| their rights, and of the common elements of
education, without which none Of any race
are competent to earn an honest living, to
guard against the frauds which will always
he practiced on tie Ignorant. OF Judge of
| the most judcious manner of applying their
| idDOi. I)ut lcW VI tliClu IiCClldIllCS, dEu
none of them skilled manufacturers They
| must necessarily, therefore, be the servants
and the victims of Others, unless they are
made in some measure independent of their
wiser neighbors The guardianship of the
| Frecdman's Bureau, that benevolent institu-
ton, cannot be expected long to protect them.
1t encounters the hostility of the old slave
| holders, whether in official or private station,
| because it dcprives these dethroncd tyrants
Of the luxury Of despotism. In its nature, it
is not calculated for permanent institution
| Withdraw that protection and leave them
prey to the legislation and treatment of their
former masters, and the evidence already
furnished shows that they will soon become
extinct, or be driven to defend themselves
by civil war Withhold from them all their
rights, and leave them destitute of the
means Of earnings livelihood, the victims of
| the hatred or cupidity of the Rebels whom
| they helped to conquer, and it seems proba-
| Die that the war of races might ensue which
the President feared would arise from
| kind treatment and the restoration of their
rights doubt not that hundreds of thou
sands would annually be deposited in secret
unknown graves Suchis already the course
of their Rebel murlcrers; anditis done with
impunity. The clearest cyidcnce of that fact
has already been shown by the testimony
| taken by the "Ccntral Directory" Make
| them independent of the their old masters,
| SO that they may not be compelled to work
| for them upon unfair terms, which can only
be done by giving them a small tract of land
/ to cultivate for themselves, and you remove
| all this danger You also elevate the charac-
ter of the freedman. Nothing is so likely
to make a man good citizen as tomake him
a freebooter. Nothing will so multiply the
productions of the South as to divide it into
small farms. Nothing will make men so in
dustrous and moral as to let them feel that
they are above want, and are the owners of
the soil which they TILL 1t will also be of
service to the white inhabitants. They will
have constantly among them, industrious la
; borers, anxious to work for fair wages. How
is it possible for them to cultivate their lands
if these people were expelled If Moses
should lead or drive them into exile, or carry
out the absurd idea of colonizing them, the
South would become q barren waste When
that wiscst of monarchs, the Car of Russia
compelled the liberation of 25,OO0,000 serfs
he did not for moment entertain the fool
ish IDEA of iepriving his empire of their la
Dor, or of 70 5bing them of their rights. He
ordered their former owners to make some
compensation for their unrcquite,l toll by
| conveying to them the very houses in which
they lived, and a portion of the land which
| they had tiled as serfs. heexperimcnt has
been perfect success. It has brought the
! prosperity which God gives to wisdom and
justice. Have they not right to it I dc
not speak of their fidelity and services in thi: