Wilmington journal., 1868-04-03

stitution did not intend to provide for them.
It was pressed upon them to do SO, but
they refused by solemn vo;e on all occa-
sions. It was proposed to provide that
whites and blacks should not intermarry
that whites and blacks should not go to the
same schools; that whites aud blacks should
not muster in the same companies, and
that black officers should not command the
white militia that poor white children
should not be bound to negroes that mar
riages between whites and blacks should
remain void !; but these Radicals always
voted down such propositions and treated
them with derision and contempt This
they did, we'll knowing that the Legislature
could not provide for such distinctions. :
They did this on purpose to tie the hands
were about, for they had legal counsel in
Washington if they had none in the Con-
vention, whom they could, and no doubt
did, consult.
Then there is cirH and political equality,
beyond cavil or question.
But is this matter of Importance Il is
of incalculable Importance. There are TO-,
900 negro voters in the State, and they vote
almost as one man they hold the balance
of power; indeed, THEY WILL RULE. In
many of the counties they can and will
elect every officer if they do not do
SO now they will just as soon as their
power is established under this Con-
stitution, and now they uniformly
elect white men meaner and lower
in the scale of decency and respectability
ties, elect the Justices of the Peace, Com
missioners, Clerks, Sheriffs, Registers and
all other officers they can impose such
taxes as they please; they WILL RULE! Does
anybody doubt that they will, if this Con-
stitution is established ? They give the
sole encouragement to the Radicals they
BOAST that they start with 10000 NEGRO
votes they could not have shadow
Of hope without them the hope is, they
may be able to sEDUCE and CORRUPT Is, 900
white mem
Social equality, in a agovernment like ours
is sequent Of political equality, it springs
from constant and unrestrained recognition
of perfect equality of right and privilege.
It follows political equality as night follows
the day, and thus the Constitution, that
establishes the former, as certainly estab-
fishes the latter. Cau anybody doubt that
if children, white and black, are sent to
the same school that if whites and blacks
board at the same hotel and eat promiscu-
ously at the same table; sit in the same
seats at church; travel in the same cars, sit
in the same jury box SOCIAL feeling by
and by will spring up, that such sociability
will grow until, at last, it will become CON-
mon and then the evil, the ruin, will be
complete ? If we make negro Governors,
Judges Legislators, Congressman and Off
cials of all kinds, can any one say this
will not give such officers and their families
more or less SOCIAL position with all classes,
if not at once, by and by? Itleads directly
to this the consequence Is inevitable! In
the baneful effects of the POLITICAL equality
forced upon us by the sword, under the
legislation of Congress, the present Radi
cal candidate for Governor, ". ". Hol-
den, did not hesitate, it is charged, to
walk down Fayetteville Street, in this city,
with the negro Galloway from Wilmington,
and to drink with him the President of
the lato Convention, Calvin J. Cowles, did
not hesitate, it is charged, to go to a Res
taurant in the City of Raleigh, and order
supper for himself and several negro dele
gates to the Convention, and to eat and
drink with them. Northern men in the
Convention, claiming to be gentlemen,
openly associate with these negroes, re-
ceive them into their rooms at the Hotels,
and confer, and consult, and Jest, and con-
verse with them, just as they would do with
the most accomplished white man ! Many
white men IN this State dtWdYS h00tCCnS, J
have already intermarried with negro sconaen;
there is Il noted instance Of this in Fay
etteville, where man of property, and re-
specially connected, defying the feelings
of his friends, the laws Of the State and
common decency, by virtue Of s. military
order," married negro woman and lives
with her in his own house. openly, as his
wife This is one of the cases the Radical
Convention ratified by express ordinance.
Ali this is but the beginning. Pass this
Constitution, and no one can conceive of
the horrible end ! Pass it and the hands
of the people will be fast tied they will
be helpless and hopeless Consider these
truths, white men, everywhere, and rush
to the ballot box, and as you love your
lives, and your wives and children, VOTE
AGAINST THIS INFAMOUS CONSTI-
TUITION