Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-07-10
It secures religious freedom.

and maintain"
It declares that perpetuities and monop-
olies hereditary emoluments and privi-
leges, and &c post fuctO laws are contrary to
the genius of free State, and ought not
to be allowed.
Tt declares that human slavery is % for
ever prohibited within this State
It provides that all property shall be tax
ed according to its true value in money"
thus establishing the only just system of
taxation and for the protection of both
the poll and the lands, it provides that for
State and County purposes the poll tax
shall never exceed two dollars, and that
this tax shall be &C equal to the tax on pro-
perty valued at three hundred dollars in
cash, thus balancing the land against the
| poll tax, and preventing injustice or OPP
preston to either.
| 1t makes the most stringent provisions
| for maintaining State credit.
! It provides for homestead for every
head of family, and, as far as it was pos
sible to do SO, secures such homestead
against all debts or obligations.
It very tenderly provides for the rights
| of married women, by exempting ali their
property from the debts of their husbands
and giving them power, with the assent
| of the husband, to convey such property
as they may choose.
/ It provides for the poor, for the orphan,
) for the deaf and dumb and blind, for the
insane, for idiots and inebriates, and, in
, fine, for all who are benighted, wretched
and forlorn.
It separates from each other the three
great departments of the Government,
legislative, executive and judicial and it
makes them all dependent on the people
as the only rightful source of power.
1t provides that every male citizen shall
| h, TOW, oIor 20,
ceptions shall be eligible to Office. SUI
frage has thus been bestowed upon ALL
The colored man has the same right with
the white man to vote and hold office |
do not inquire whether it was necessary to
do this to accomplish reconstruction. 1t is
sufficient that justice is always necessity
in founding governments that are to oper
ate upon all, and that without it no gov
eminent can be expected to endure. The
ballot, thus bestowed upon our recently
enfranchiscd people, will remain with them.
There is no power that can deprive them
of it, without plunging us into protracted
and terrible civil war. -Four millions of
human beings, who have once tasted the
blessings of freedom, would not surrender
these blessings without struggle. They
would find powerful friends here and else
5 where in the country. Greater calamities
and snfferings than those endured by our
r people in the late rebellion would come
upon Us with such 4 struggle, but the re-
1 suit, though long delayed, would not be
, doubtful. Liberty for all would again
? triumph, Those who had provoked such
a "war Of races would disappear from the
earth, and their possessions would pass
2 from their children to the conquerors.-
/ There can be no danger of such conflict
, if every one will faithfully submit to the
J Constitution and laws, and follow the
things that make for peace and good will
: among the people, Tie friends Of recon
, structlon will prevail hereafter, as hereto
fore, not only in the State but in the
: nation, and the colored people, will, there
} fore, retain the right OF suffrage, and exer-
else it as it IS in common with the while
race, with no qualification save that of
manhood. There is no reasonable ground
to fear that it will not operate benefcially
| for all. The repugnance to (which exists
| among many of our people, will gradually
| subside, when they shall be convinced by
t actual experience that nOue Of the evils
} they anticipate have resulted from it.
| This Constitution, fellow-citizens, must
Z be administered by its friends and sup
j; porters. The people have SO decided. The
i interests it guards are too precious to be
+ committed to any extent to unfriendly
v hands Every office and every employ
/ to the most exalted, must be filed by the
friends OF reconstruction and of the new
f State Constitution. So far as the Execu-
2 tive is concerned this purpose will be in
= tleXlbly maintained, not only from sense
| OF prOpriety and justice, but as indispen-
| sable to full and fair trial of the princi-
l pies contained in the Constitution. These
: principles are dear to the friends of liberty
and of the Government of the United
States; and no opportunity should be af-
forded to those who are opposed to them
i to occupy official positions or to have en-
Payments, in which they would be
: tempted, as they certainly are disposed, to
4 peTvert, distort or misapply them. The
r friends OF the government must conduct
the government in all its departments
: Yet it does not follow that others will be
y singled out to be wronged or oppressed
: The people do not Cypress or wrong any
4 one when they say that certain persons
r shall not have Office, account of their
nOIitical OniniOns Office is O DriYilepe