The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-02-19
b.. From the Asheville Pioneer.
Z REPUBLICAN MEETING In MARION.
MARION. N. C.. Januarv 28th.. 1868

To previous notice Republican Meeting was
held in the town Of Marion, Mcdowell
County. on the 25th instant.
A procession was formed in the lower
part of toxn.and in good order proceeded
to the Court House In the absence of the
Chairmanut3 the County Executive Commit
tee, Mr.. J2TaBurAs was called to the Chair,
and the proceedings opened with' prayer.
1t appearing that M response being made
by those invited from abroad, except your
letter addressed to the Committee, it was
called farand DIR. W.. w. Gilbert was re-
qnestefl to read it. which he did in most
impressive manner and which was atten-
lively listened to and extensively applauded.
The Committee hereby tender you their
sincere thanks for your able letter, with the
request that you publish the same, with the
proceedings of this meeting, in the Ashe-
vile Pioneer. 4s at 1855
e. G. SrRAUD, W. W. GILBERT.
WM!A. MCCALL, w. T. CRAIG,
JOHN FALKNER, Col. JAS. GARDEN.
q JOHN Ross. 50 al nE
The following is the letter referred to
above: - nu2is 9If a%
= AsHEv1ILE, N. c., January 81, 1868.
Ia. the Republican Executive Committee Of
/. McDoreu County:
GENTLEMEN :-It is with much regret
that cannot comply with your urgent re
quest to attend your meeting at the stated
time. Many solicitations and invitations to
attend meetings Of Il similar nature have
been recently extended to me. 1t would at
ford me much pleasure to be able to comply
with all of these, and especially to meet my
friends of Mcdowell County.
Feeling it to be my duty, however, to re-
spend in some shape to the call OF my friends,
Twill venture few thoughts for your con-
sideration on paper, this being my proper
spere of operation at present.
Let me, in the first place. admonish Re
publicans not to falter in the discharge of
their every duty. On their efforts and sue
cess depend the future welfare, peace and
happiness of our country. The Republican
party, by means of loyal organizations, has
proved successful in the late elections The
recent signal defeat of the instigators and
propagators of the destructive war of the
rebellion, Ivy which they led and drove thou
sands of our tellow-citizens into premature
graves, and by which thousands of widows
and orphans are left in u helpless condition.
bears evidence that they will no longer rule
people they have ruined. Not satisfied
with the power they usurped in passing con-
script laws. to force men into Il war against
their best interests and their honest convic-
tions; not satisfied with the passage of a
law to 1.-THE the hard earnings of the peo-
pie; not satisfied with arbitrary impress
ments which have left the people in a deplo-
rably destitute condition, they now seek hy
appeals to passions and prejudices, to form
q" white mans party" with the sole Object
of placing themselves again in power. The
programme is to prevent the return Of the
State to the Union. by raising the eternal
howl of Niger The result of the late cleo
tions taught the Secessionists and leaders of
the rebellion that they have not only forfeit
ed the confidence of all honest white men,
but that they have also lost the confidence
ofthe freedmen. The time was, with these
very same leaders. when poor, lahoring
white man was nowhere by the side nf these
same negroes, who have spent their lives in
toiling for those who plunged tie honest,
unsuspecting, unassuming laboring masses
of the people into an unhoIy, tratrlcidal war,
which, had it been left to themselves would
never have occurred
Can any sane man fail to see that if the
Secession-Copperhead party, which has
falsely assumed the name of Conservative,
could control the negro vote as they once
did his labor. they would be as silent us the
grave on the question of negro equality
negro supremacy, &c. ? 1t is not the negro
alone that has reused their efforts to estab-
liub Il =,
the great principles OF the Republican party
respect and protect the rights of all man
kind the world over. 1t is because its teach
ings and doctrines are death to tyranncal
aristocracy which would crush out the last
vestige of liberty and equal rights among
the tOiling masses of the country, without
respect to race or color. The struggle is be-
tween a Mouidbe tyrannical. aristocratic,
oigarchy, and the hard listed yeomanry of
the country.
This same Secession Comprehend party re-
fused to accept even President johnson s
protfered terms of reconstruction, by elect
ing men to the Congress of the United States
who were not acceptable, save one, your
humble servant, from this your own district.
among the mountains in which liberty loves
to dwell. They refused the mild terms first
offered them by Congress, the only law ma
king power of the Government. which left
the Acknowledgement of the freedmen entirely
in the hands of the whites of the State, and
which admitted all white men to vote. ex
cept few specified by the President. On
account of this persistent refusal to accept
any terms, Congress passed tho present re-
construction acts, extending to the freed
men the right to vote, and at the same time
excluding those who had taken an oath to
support the Constitution of the United
States, and afterward voluntarily engaged in
rebellion; hut making II provision whereby
the disabilities of such might he removed.
We hesitate not Ia give it as our opinion
that Congress will ut the earliest practica-
| bic moment, relieve all who assist, in good
faith, so far rs lies IN their power, in the re-
construction OF the State under these acts
| Under the provlniuns of these acts, North
Carolina has elected nm overwhelming ma
iority of Republicans to frame Constitu-
ton. In the election the people ignored
old party hacks. They have elected from
this Congressional District honest and true
Republicans, without exception. who, while
they will extend Ia the black man justice,
will not neglect the rightssa and interests of
their own race
The free negroes in North Carolina, up to
the year 1885, were allowed the right ia
vote. 1t was no disgrace to our fathers. in
in the purer days of the Republic to vote
with the negro. 1t is no disgrace to us to
vote with him now 1t was the work of the
Secession Copperhead party that forced the
necessity OF extending the elective franchise
| TO the freedmen and II UOod cumeS ont N
Nazareth, let the white Republicans accep,
it, and make the best of IT,
have already extended this letter to &
Il L Il L 4