New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-17
A REPUBLICAN VICTORY MEANS PEACE-A
DEMOCRATIC ONE WAR.
THE LETTER OF CHIEF-JUsTICE PEARSON OF
NORTH CAROLINA.

10 He OOhSdbutttc PuItYs au dldIlutu al thc NvH
dtion OF the country, and fear drifting into
another civil war In my opinion war clouds" are
as dark now as the Winter Of lS6O6l. We then
promised "peaceabe SECESSION" we now TO have
peaceable nullineatlOn under these circumstances
feel It to be q duty to make known the reasoning by
which have arrived at the conclusion that every man
who has interest At stake, and who wishes to have
peace and avoid bOOdshed should vote for Grant and
Colfax Being member OF the Conservative party, and
having been elected ChefJustice Of the Supreme Court
the nomination OF both parties by unanimous vote
the people fair presume that have their conf
dence and that what say will be considered calmly as
the advice OF friend who has motive save the puc
good. trust TO be held justified by the emergency Tor
expressing my opinion and 10 be allowed TO DO so wth
out out being drawn into the vortex OF politics. WIN my
views silence would be criminal God Almighty IofDlu
Of races Violent politicians ayow their purpose 10
agitate, turn things INSIDE down, nuy, ana Drng on
rather than submit to let the negroes vote
and hold Office But is it not the part OF wisdom and pat
TOtsm accept the situation" and try TO make the
most of a bad bargain, rather than make bad worse
cannot others seem TO be able to d0 exclude r0m my
mind the fact that the South attempted revolution and
was suLjugated and condition is one OF the bitter
fruits Of rebellion "Let us have peace" This Is the
point on which my opinion rests.
The New York Convention declares State Govern
ment creation OF usurpaOn ana OF course not en-
titled to the allegiance Of the people, and prOclams the
lutionary, and VOID "-Omitting the word nul lest II
might call up unpleasant recOlections OF the days OF
notification, when the strong will Of Jackson prevented
II the Reconstruction acts are VOID so are the re-
negroes arc still slaves This leads to But is said,
Slavery and secession" dead Issues my, or now
Admit however that the only object deprive the
freedmen OF potica rights How can that DO Effected
Some say IL il be done by the ballot and not by the
bayonet" Howi That's the question The freedmen
are now IN possession Of the right to vote OF course II
they vote the Constitution cannot be amended so the
only mode Is to carry out practically the doctrine tnat
Reconstruction acts void and Constitution IS
OF no effect This IA notification and disguise IL as they
may must result in History furnishes no instance
Of 100000 OF people backed they are IN our state by
clear majority of 10000 votes being deprived OF political
rights which they have enjoyed for years IL cannot be
done without civil war. 1t Is against the order OF
nature
My countrymen 1t time pause and refuse longer
al. al NJ win
card prejudice and passion and act on our own Judgment
70 what should be done under the circumstances by
which We find ourselves surrounded
The most violent members OF any party provided mat
they can get members enough AZ the start 70 make re-
spectacle showing always carry their point Tor reason
put aside, vtupCratOn and abuse are hurled at an VINO
hesitate he is not friend OF me south, ne 5 ,so1
creatures OF feeling join IN the canOr, ana so IL goes
Won and were opp0sed 10 secession, the bulk OF the
peope opposed It. vet we were hurled into IT. After the
ordinance, like true men, We adhered to our state ana
rendered faithful allegiance to the up 70 tne
who estimate what we lost by ~
will specify instances where bad was made worse by
L Welabored under supposed Inconvenience in not
beng allowed to carry slaves INTO the territories ana
owing to the prcjudCes against Slavery, fugitive slave
could not he reclaimed undor the act OF Congress without
more cost than lis value. To remedy tins the south
O. AT the Fortress Monroe conference it was in our
power TO be restored TO all the rights OF state pro-
vded would submit 20 gradual emaneipaton that Is,
every negro born after day 10 DO liked should be free
AT the age of IL But the cry was independence or
omen the sDrlu. caIpa.g9 without Reimbursement OF
100000 negro sOulers wn;ch was Impossible OF poss
bic fatal to our cause The result %a T ,nn
millions OF freedmen IN our midst! 90 Dao was again
3 what was to be done with the freedmeni The idea
OF four millions OF people" not slaves existing IN our midst
without some political right, was out OF the question
Such condition Of things has never "th Tue memory
Of and never viii exist. IL Is against the eternal
laws OF nature AZ that time we had it in orr power TO
put all things right by submitting 10 qualified negro
suffrage. That l., let every freedman VINO could READ
and write owned say 300 worth OF property have
the right 70 vote Not much harm would have come OF
this r the negro vote would have become scattered and
neutrallIed But no!l This ID white mans govern
ment" Prejudice excluded reason How did IL result
The stale is reduced TO military district with provi
government, subject 20 the order OF the General
Commanding" The freedmen are entitled 10 full sun
rage and the right hold office These terms imposed
by the General Government have been submitted to aud
acted upon clear majority or 10000 votes mas liked
tne matter. So bad was again made worse.
Let ask. why DID Gen. Lee s'rronderi Because he
could help H. For the same reason we must submit
10 the political not the social Or that Is thing under
our own c0ntIoD equality Of the freedmen THIS is the
situation the question s shall We 20 on and make bad
worse, or shall We Try 10 make the best OF It'll
What the reason that the negro vote instead OF being
scattered Is concentrated with the full force of SOLD
columu n carried by the violent opposition made TO
the Will OF tho General Government IN regard TO recon.
structiOn.
The freedmen have stil underlined impression that
there Is still wish 10 reduce them 70 slavery. They
tauly have a well founded belief that there Is detern
nation 70 deprive them OF political equality.
This makes them pull together remove the pressure
and their vote will be neutralzed and unless MISTAKE
The mower ana effect Of the superiority OF the white man.
aided ne by education and the possession VI the
wealth " the country few years they viii vote
before 1886 In the boroughs of Newbern CASTOR Hills
boro, Nash, Halifax. Daniel. Saubury, McIay, Eden
ton Johnston Wilmington and Meare3, II then
subject OF remark; THE free nj ygers always vote for
the most respectable men" How Is this pressure 10 be
movcdf by giving them assurance that "aCquiesce"
and are content 10 allow them political equality. How is
that 20 be syenf by electing Grant and Col
fax Then we shall have peace. aud the country will
have rpp,,e which lt so much neei- But elect the
didaes OF the other party TINS cttnes the freedmen
maj we are NOT content to let things stand as they are
ia lggI
solid column against Us, supported Dy What has been
called an derslou the mean White men," but supported
I,y enough 20 give them majority OF 10000
votes What the to be result Agitation, OF course,
nm ther il treason 10 fear worse may come OF IT, Has
il ever been known that four millions OF people after
towing political rights for years could be reduced To vas
yj,o iyifbnnt "A civil gari and such "a civil war! The
mind reyos at its contemplation. The have just
passed through Is rs nothing compared To H. SOME sue-
gest, How can our condition. Dc made worse we nave
a Legislature composed Of VINO pay no taxes but
have unlimited power To tax us We have incompetent
Judges, colks, &c our ancient mode Ol JuIlclal pro
ceedUg is torn up by the roots and many who are
strangers TO ~ are put IN blgh places 80 nuch OF ths
true il tobe regretted We must accept the situation
and make the most of 1t. Divine inspiration teaches us
IL hard 10 kick against the prcks' Are we not my
friends measure TO blame for TINS condition or
thingsf Had we at earlier day come out openly for
reconstruction, according To the General government Is
IL not fair TO presume that the conservative element
would have entered largely into the composition or
the Convention and Legislature ana OF the hgh places
OF trust and cOntdencel -, e,-
lncll equality n only satisfy them we do 80 IN
good faith by voting FOR Grant and CofaX Then there
~ I'M be an end OF the strife The contemplation OF war
and bloodshed will be put far from The freedmen VIII
become satisfied that Il Is for their good interest To allow
us 10 have the guidance OF public affairs and the Innate
power and vIgur OF the white man Will convince tie
world that We are able carry weight OF four millions
uuuosed on as unacCOuntabie DEGREES Of Proyl
dece and st work out destiny the grandest re-
uubic that has ever been known among the nations.
IL Is said by some 1.-THE political equality Of the freed
man fixed fact" but t Is necessary 10 agate ana
buster about notification and IN order To restore the
Constitution and states rights ana to turn Tine RADICALS
out OF office. ,,...,.
In regard To restoring the Constitution and State rights.
no OF that the reconstruction measures OF the
President or OF the General Government fOr an act
passed over the yeto act Of the GOVERNMENT are IN
accordance with the provisions OF the Constitution III
also clear that they are not unconstitutional but extra
constitutional tat acts done 10 meet an emergency
moi orrseeu y the trainers OF that instrument. such
fine decision OF our Supreme Court, by the cOncuring
onuion of three judges, Battle, Reade and Pearson. IN