The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-11-11
The Verdict.


tant lesson. 1t demonstrates that no fac
ton can ever receive the suffrages of the
American people unless it recognizes the di-
vinity of manhood rather than the divine
right of kings. The Democratic party ig-
nored the sacred rights of man and, while
proclaiming that ours is a aohite mans gov
ernment rather than free mans govern
ment, it made the humble white voter ten
times more slave than the African bonds
men ever were. Starting with the assump-
ton, false before God, that 81 am better
than thou" every theory, based upon that
proposition, was not only an absurdity but
lie. Its fundamental principles were oppos-
ed to the doctrines of christianity, yet chris
tian ministers proclaimed them from the
pulpit in the same breath with which they
sought to turn men from sin; false to the
Constitution of the United States, yet con-
stitutional lawyers cried unconstitutional
with the same spirit that a fleeing criminal
cries stop thief; subversive of liberty itself,
yet Democratic orators profanely dedicated
and devoutly worshipped it as the goddess
of their liberty. The liberty which that
goddess would bring is the liberty of the
rich to grind the faces of the poor, the cap
italist to own labor, the strong to oppress
the weak, an insolent minority to dictate to
majority, the assassin to receive wreaths
of white flowers as reward for atrocious
crimes and the devil to rule in the hearts of
men and women. r.-..
Rebel leaders controlled the policy of the
party, and sought to elevate the pagan i'm
age to the lofty height Of the American God
dess of Liberty. Rejecting the lesson of the
war, they tried to win at the ballot-box
what they had lost in battie-to establish
under republican forms of government sys-
tenn at war with the vital ideas of the Re
public. To accomplish that purpose, they
professed new love for the flag they sought
to dishenor; with sanctimonious hypocricy
they declared their love for part of the
Constitution their success would annihilate ;
summonedto their aid every enemy of the
Union and every traitor to his country did
their utmost to array race against race, sec
tion against section, the poor against the
rich, the taxpayer against the bond-holder,
the debtor against the creditor, and the vi
cious against the virtuous. Hence orphan
asylum Seymour and d-repudiation
Blair were fit representatives.
The country was ready for change. The
ravages efthe war had not passed away;
taxation was heavy burden; national cur
rency was at a discount the South was not
fully reconstructed; Ku Klux outrages were
frequent; feeling of disquiet and appre-
hension existed among a large portion of
the people, and relief from all these troubles
was looked for. There seemed to be chance
for new parity, with grand ideas and great
leaders, to take the helm of State. But
when the Democratic party offered their
mongrel platform, and self-contradictory can
didates with all their petty devices to veil
their designs, the loyal people paused to ex-
anime their claims topower The examination
resulted in the conviction that the issue was
whether the national debt should be paid.
the national credit sustained, the national
honor vindicated, the lives and liberties of
Its citizens protected, the nation perpetuated
in peace and unity, and TREASON MADE
INFAMOUS; or whether we should have re-
pudiation, notification, assassination and
anarchy, and following in their footsteps,
revolution, disllnian, war, and treason made
honorable.
The instant thatiss was presented, the
death knell of Seymour and Blair was rung,
and Grant was as surely elected as time roll
ed on. By the election of Grant, the
people of the United States recorded the
decision that these United States are a
nation, not a fiimsy confederacy for mere con-
Venience, from which-any State can with
draw at its own option. They recorded the
opinion that these State governments, formed
under the reconstruction acts, are legal gov
ernments, and that any attempt to oyerturn
them is TREASON, and must be put down
oy the strong arm of theF Federal Government
and punished as treason. BY this decision
'he reconstruction policy of Congress is sus-
taihed by the voice of the American people;
ehe nat is sent forth that every man born up
on American soil, white or black, is entitled
u lfe equal protection of the laws: and tho