The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-02-12
,sg nartz M oan asaiin cain ndthiag b


tried in s85, but they did more harm than y
lgopd. The appeal is constantly made that =
tht Republican party should be @t'berae.T-.t -
When was it ilberal When were eirS'in rs enc
l mics even just a. lfG1 aJi ia ogss hnA .
I The secessionists who now pirate for lib =
erality, as they prated for, got it, and abused
! it in 1855, were anxious during the rebellion
to make every citizen Of this State renounceil
his allegiance to the United States and take
AT, oath to the Confederate States. or in de
fault thereof to be driven from the State. and
have his PROPERTY sold to bear his expenses
out Of the Stats; What party was illlberal
| then Have these men repented OF their;
evil deeds 1t they have, where are the
fruits meet for it?' iigiT 9ai iao1i 19'1Ei =
Let US reconstruct the State on the basis
| of the reconstruction acts, It may not be
necessary to put the Howard amendment m in nsi
the State Constitution, for it is to be ratified d
bv the Legislature and to bea part of the
federal Constitution; but equal political
and civil rights should be. a leading feature
4 in the State Constitution, and no man should
be allowed to vote or hold Office who will
not solemnly swear to maintain those rights
This is simply in accordance with the acts
of Congress. We would not go beyond.
these acts, but it may not be safe to fall short
of them A citizen says he submits to the
will of the nation. Very well. let him SO
swear. q 1t can not hurt him to do it. II he
says he does not submit, lie may claim anda
/ get protection to his person and property,
but surely he can not justly expect to WELD
i political power. Yet.he may submit hereaf-7
ter in good faith. This would be well. We
/ would be glad to. see him do it. Having
seen the practical workings of the govern
Z ment under the new Constitution, he may
come forward and say, Gentlemen,'I am
now satisfied. I had doubts and fears, but
they have vanished, can no0 swear that
I. accept the political and civil. equality of
all men; that will faithfully obey the laws
of the United States, and encourage others
so to do" A registry law for voters would
be necessary 1t would be two years after
the next election to be held under the recon-
structon acts before this law would be en-.
forced, and this would give ample time for
reflection and for testing manhood suffrage
and the political and civil equality of the
two races 1t must be borne III mind that
no test, established by the Convention would
have any effect as to the elections to be held
under the reconstruction acts
But, it is answered. that oaths are inexpe-
dient or useless. Congress does not SD think.
An oath may be mild, or severe, or vindic-
tive, or retrospective, or prospective, but it
is nevertheless an oath. Every one comedies
that there must be an oath, and the only
question is as TO what it shall be. 1t is not
necessary TO make it yindictive or retrospec-
tive. Let it bind n0aO and hereafter. He who
is not reconstructed after all that has taken
place-he who is not ready to submit in
good faith to the will of the nation and the
laws of the land, is no more fit to take part
in governing this people than Mr.. Davis or
Gen. Lee would be. Let the oath represent
the sunshine of loyalty. Let those who will,
get into that sunshine Those who will not,
must remain in the shade They can not
p blame the loyal for this; they must blame
themselves 81 s..r -..... s
Universal amnesty does not mean the
right to govern loyal men. 1t simply means
pardon, and consequent protection to life
and property. The right to vote is the
highest of ali rights. To, hold office is a
privilege. If the right to vote be conceded,
how can the privilege to hold office be with
held? s7- o. -csA
30 The colored-man has the right to vote be-
cause he is a free MAN. He does not say
to any man, l will swap you universal
amnesty" for my right to vote. It is his
right, whether amnesty be granted or not.
There is no connection, it seems to us, be-
tween the two propositions. aa .