The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-07-03
SPEECH OF W. A. SMITH, ESQ.,,

aud loyal to the United States government du-
ring the struggle through which we have all
passed If they stood firm then, under the
threats Of q fierce and tyranical despotism, / am
certain they will be found doubly true to-day
and that they feel as do, whom they have SO Of
ten honored with their suffrages, that the Repub'
1can party is the only true and loyal party to the
Union in the whole country. 1t i the only one
which We can join with safety Why? Because
the old Democratic party breathed the breath OF
3 troubles. 1t conscrpted your sons, forced on
theswar, and is now trying to heap infamy on you
and your children because of your loyalty to the
United States government 1t fostered an aris-
tocrisy In your midst, and made you hewers OF
wood and drawers OF water. They held office SO
e long that they imagine the offices are theirs by
Inheritance. BY their policy they would crush
Z out every hope of the Union man, and hand him
down to posterity as degraded wretch. Shall
we Join such party? No-neyer! Then where
shall we gov 1t is necessary for our safety and
: that OF our country that we organize. Then we
will be able to stand in sef-defence against the
traitors-our prosecutors. They say we are mean
white people, that any man who joins with us be-
longs to the "nigger party" They wish to treat
; us with contempt socially, Boosting that they are
!, the elite, having the education and property
They say they were true to the Confederacy and
being whipped, will now be the truer to the u.
8. government, which they attempted TO destroy,
than we, the loyal people of this country, who
have retraced our steps and done all we could to
restore the country and undo that which was &C
complshed in an hour of excitement; who came
out openly and boldly for Reconstruction long be-
fore the termination Of tic war.
We believed we were wrong in that war. But
we had affection for our own kith and kin being
destroyed in battle and love for our own State
So long as the rebellion continued, we saw no
hope, but felt that destruction was raining upon
our heads. Therefore we did all we could to ar
rest the course OF that war, by voting for uncon-
Z. ditional peace, whenever an opportunity presen-
ted. Now the havoc is ended; terms of recon-
struction are laid down by the law and treaty,
making powers against which we fought. Shall
Z we accept Or will we permit the colored man
to remain an apple of discord between the North
and South Let us not fear the odium of our
would-be masters, cast upon us by their SANDER
GUS tongues, but march up and fulfil the require
ments OF the reconstruction act. Let us make
this State government truly Republican, accor-
ding to the Declaration OF Independence. What
is the platform of our partyl "The Constitu-
ton of our country; the liberty of its citizens;
political and civil equality to all" Are not these
sound pianks? They are watchwords to be han
ded down to our children's children
Some pretended Union men during the war,
are now trying to slip off the platform, and go
back to the desh-pots of Egypt. Their excuse is
that Gov. Holden leads the Republican party of
North Carolina. They say that he was once q
Democrat and advocated secession. Yes, my
friends, but if he had refused to have acted he
did, in the commencement of the war, the halter
would have been fastened around his neck and
himself swung into eternity, for being traitor
to the Confederacy He rode the storm, trying
to direct its course or to quell its wrath. For
attempting to do so, his Office was mobbed; his
life sought constantly by the satraps of Jefferson
Davis. Do these fce-ke hyp0crites, who now
bark at Lis heels, consider that then they thought
him no secessionist. Yes, they called him
traitor to their beloved CoHfederacy, and that is
/. WHY they hate him now '--.t.. ~
If he committed wrong in advocating seces
sion in certain contingency, he never thought
that contingency had arrived, when secession
fired into Fort Sumter. No, sir, he was then
fighting against secession. But admitting for
arguments sake that he was all his accusers
would make us believe him, is he a rebel now =
No, his acts, his very soul gushes for the Union
he receives the jeers and taunts of traitors,
when he might join them, and be bright jewel in
their crown. They know that he is their supe-
rior in intellect and craftsmanship; but he is not
the man to join the traducers of his country. Ii
he has sinned, his sins are forgiven, and like
the prodgal he has returned to the defence of the
old mansion. Who has done more for the defen-
ders of their country than he has
But, frllow-citizens, how much can his aceu-
sers say? Can they say that they humbled them
selves to the government, and will do better for
the future? Are they willing to accept the terms
OF the surrender, which was unconditional? No
sirs Are they willing to return to their allie
glance to the government? No sirs. They wish
to dictate their own terms. Have they repented
OF their sins and acknowledged their wrong in
bringing SO much woe upon the country? No
sirs. They yet boast that they were right-and,
therefore, have nothing to feel sorry for but only
wish that they had the power to have crushed the
Union forever; and they would crush it now, and
all those who were for the Union then, and now,
would stand poor chance in this country if they
had the power. Can you tiust such men Would
Congress have done right to have trusted such
men to rule over Union men? Could Congress
trust men who once swore to protect and defend
the Union, and then troke their oath voluntari-
ly, to hold the offices Of the country, without re-
pentance? They have shown no signs of repen-
lance They are in the country boasting of their
treason, and looking up omit as the stepping stone
70 ONCE and preferment, and trying by unfair and
foul means to destroy such men as Holden, be-
cause they refuse to bow to Baal, and still ac-
knowledge themselves the vassals of these odious
secessionists and unrepentant traitors to their
country. 4
But Gov. Holden asks for no office, neither do
his friends wish to hoist themselves into office if
they can not take the required OATH but wish to
see the traitors to the government hurled from
Office, and men who can take the required oath
put IN their stead. l am DISTINGUISHED. l can
neither bold office or vote on account of aiding
and pbctting the rebellion, and justly so too vet
have Joined the party that caused the disability
70 De put up on me-. Did join it spaniel like,
!. u.
because believed the Republican party nearer
right than the Democratic party, and that it is
J better friend to the people as q whole than any
other party In fact, fellow-citizens, there are
only two parties in the United States That is
the Republican or Union party and the Demo-
cratic party. There is a small faction in this
State that denominates itself Conservative but
Z they are nothing but Connerheads in disguise.
and will before long come out in their true col.
Z. ors- Also lew extreme men at the North who
rrxff ha1 IL IL. oSk
but like the conservative faction of this State
Lney nave but little influence the great mass Of
Republicans OF the North, and will finally give
up that point and consolidate themselves with
, the great Republican party. taif atI
~ see here to-day many colored people who are
anxious for information upon political subjects.
That Is right. You have been ignorant hereto
fore of political parties. can tell YOU now that
tnere are az many tricks in political parties and
partlzans as In any other trade, and you should
Z watch them, all You should learn which is
right; therefore, it is proper yon should attend
whenever there is speaking. Don't refuse to 90
because you know the speakers to be secession
ist formerly, or copperhead democrats now
3 Hear all sides Of the question andImake up your
minds VINO to vote tor You are free men. and
congress has given you the right of suffrage
use It cautiously and honestly for the benefit of
tne whole Union and not for or against any race
= Some people have told you that your old mas
ter's lands would be divided out 70 you. be-
neye 1t originated In the South during the war.
ior the purpose OF heating the blood of the iguo.
rant men OF the South against the North
b Mrs Stevens of Pennsylvania, offered a bill in
Congress to that effect, but 1t got but little en-
couragenf Y and was laid upon the table for fu
lure aeos PALE, This has caused great many Of
you TO think and talk of nothing else. That an
: pears to be the wish oisa great many of your
: race. You want land without buying ii, and Won
apparently would not care what become of The
party which advocated your cause for the last AZ
teen years, Or even the Union If you could get old
ed, however. The most intelligent of your race
] 90 not wish 1t and would not have Mr.. Stevens