Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-09-11
For the Journal.
Pearson Letter,

, what could have induced the Hon. r. M.
Pearson to have written such q document.
Yea, such a political document For ii
, was safely seated in his position of honor
and preference, that man was Richmond
Mumford Pearson. For if Johnson's pol
icy is to prevail, the said r. NJ. P. was
&C. j." for good behaoior; if the "recon-
struction acts " are the ticed policy, then
he is &c. j." for eight years.
Honor, good sense, and yea, policy
would have told Judge to keep out of pol
, itics, and if his advice was needed at ALL
give it without leaning to either side as a
partisan.
But, Messrs. Editors, I know Judge Pear
son !; if there is any man upon this green
earth in whose heart ambition is the lead
} ing voice, Ito even the trampling upon the
most sacred rights of other persons,) that
man is Richmond M. Pearson. There is q
Supreme Court of the United States there
will be, or is vacancy; in the course Of
events some Southern man is entitled to
the appointment. To be &C. j." of
IN. c." before the war, was ambition and
glory enough for a plain North Carolina
lawyer, but now State rigALs is supposed to
be dead, and to be Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States is a
greater honor than that of &C. j." of
. North Carolina. Upon that seat the Hon.
r. M. p" cast his wistful eye. He had
prepared this " celebrated letter " before
the 4th of July last,-not to see the public
should Mr.. Chase be nominated, for then
the "Hon r. NJ was safe but, alas
Hon. Eoratio Seymour was nominated; a
pure aid spotless patriot, who would never
put on that bench man who sought and
begged the nomination from both parties,
so he dates his immortal production the
Goth of July; has mysterious, extracts taken
= from it to feel it's way and so certain of
Gen. Grants election, OF [ might say in
1 auguration, that it is given to the world
: for bold and Judas bid for a seat on the
. Supreme bench of the United States.
That, Messrs. Editors, is the whole secret
l of the celebrated Pearson letter. Had the
honorable man, "God save the mark, " be-
lieved in Seymour's election we would have
t never seen the letter. 1t is Il bold, high
: handed bid to Grant for a seat on the Su-
, preme bench, and not for the welfare OF
: North Carolina.
= Oh what q fall was there in the Judi
ciary of North Carolina, my legal brethren,
3 and political corruption fiourishes over us.
An old fashioned lawyer,
! R1cH'D Roe.
PEARSON s LETTER.
p. S." If the Reconstruction acts
are void, then Johnson s policy is void, and
{ the negroes are still slaves"
This is false, and the decision in the
matter Of Hughes, Phil. 81, will prove it
{ so. Mark this significant language
"there would seem to be no doubt as to
the power of the Executive. either as Presi-
3 dent or as Commander of the Army, to ap-
point Provisional Governor" and through
his fundamentally, enable the people of
the State to meet in Convention and take
, measures to fill the State offices. Now if
f there is no doubt of this power, the Con-
vention called, pursuant thereto, abolished
? slavery themselves, and the people them
selves ratified the ordinance by an over
whelming vote, which destroyed slavery
without reference to the ratification of the
, the 18th amendment by the General
Assembly {" of Johnson s policy '') proposed
by Congress abolishing slavery throughout
the United States.
Upon the ratification of that ordinance
none voted but such as always possessed
, the right under both the State and Federal
constitutions, though the franchise was re-
stricted upon principles of International
law (See Hughes case.
r Now note the diversity" Under the
: Reconstruction acts the Provisional
Governor whom all law and reason deemed
{ legitimate, was replaced by Military
Dictator in the shape of a Brigadier Gen
eral whose orders, yea, military ORDERS
(which are always confined to soldiers, J
we're made the law of the land. By
orders Courts were held, Judges, Mayors,
Magistrates, Governors, Sheriffs and Con-
stables were chosen aud displaced. Dover
was laid off, executions were stayed or de-
layed, marriages were validated, exemp-
tions of property were set apart to poor
debtors. suits concerning land titles were
tried Jurors were drawn and qualified, per-
sons were allowed to vote who were denied
the elective franchise by the Federal as
y, we'll as the State Constitution, by which
alone it was regulated new and unknown
: tribunals were established, persons were
: tried and convicted, Conventions called
and General Assembly formed, in all of
which the people and the State had no in
/ terest or voice.
] Now could the learned reasoning in the
- .s matter of Hughes" been based upon the
. ss Reconstruction Acts,'' and the great
foundations of the common law and inter
u national law been made to apply or cited
: to defend the action of Gov. Holden as
i that of Gov. Worth, in view of the effects
;. stated above of the military orders? The
mere statement of the question answers it,
No! But the learned &C. j." in that case,
9 it is believed, in the paragraph next before
/ the last, or 5th, as it is known, left unloose
little loop out of which he could creep.
The only point have endeavored to ex-
) plain is not whether the Congressional or
i Johnsons policy is constitutional, uncon-
Il stitutional or "extra- a-constitutional," not
e whether slavery is or is not abolished, but
r whether the case of ''in the matter OF
o Hughes B" undoubtedly settles the point
n that it is abolished and finally abolished,
e by the people of North Carolina without
n regard to the action of Congress, johnson
J. or the " reconstruction acts"
No legislation under the reconstruc,
ton acts " has abolished it, but the said
case clearly settles the question, else Ian
:: guage that we have been taught from our
't cradle means nothing. I thought best,
s Mr.. Editor, to call particular attention to
), this point in the " learned Judges letter,
rs it was the only one, if believed, that was