The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-06-24


On Tuesday the bill removing the disa-
bilities of those North Carolinians recon-
mended by the late Convention, and which
had previously passed the House by two
third vote, also passed the Senate, 30 to q.
The pardon is complete as it is not necessa-
ry for the bill to go to the President for his
approval or veto. since the terms of the law
provide that twoth thirds of Congress shall re-
move disabilities. .....
1t has now been two years since the Re-
pubicans of North Carolina declared in ia
yor of the Howard amendment. They did
so, knowing that its provisions banned some
of their most prominent men. but the very
gentlemen of that party who were thus pc.
liticaIly disabled, exhibited the greatest
cheerfulness, and acquiesced in the law of
Congress most heartily Since that time
they have fought the battle side by side
with those who were free, and now, in the
hour of victory, Congress comes forward and
says TO them we'll done, thou good and
faithful servants The reward is just, as ii
is magnanimously rendered.
Perhaps no article OF the Federal Consti-
tuition was ever more bitterly opposed or
more warmly advocated than the 14th. In
the Northern States it was well under
stood, and almost unanimously adopt
ed. But throughout the South its meaning
was perverted, its language distorted, and
its authors denounced and villitiedin unmeas
ured terms. Men who never read it shud-
dered at the mere mention ofit. The lead
ing rebels turned up the whites of their eyes
and uttered sanctimonious Gbs in relationto
its " horrible" provisions. 1t contained ne
gro suffrage, said they; it banned our best
men, and gave the control of affairs to "nig
gers" and mean whites 1t was the concoc-
tion of tyrants and usurpers, and it was such
apoitical abomination as to call for ever
lasting resistance. Thus they went on, and
voluntarily refusing TO acquiesce'in the inev
liable, made those who would have
been their friends their unyielding enemies
They complain of chains but every link
was forged and rivetted by themselves
They say they are political slaves, but if Sc
their slavery was voluntarily accepted be-
cause they would not . eat dirt" to use the
language of many of them; but. in 9th
er words to tell the truth. because they
could not submit to tie lao. Now their con.
dition is in the abstract pitiable, but the
Republican who pities those who never pit
led him, but have uniformly oppressed and
prosecuted him, is not to be found in all
North Carolina He does not belong to our
party. .... ..- .. ..
We say this, because the Republican plat
form and creed of faith declares no pardon
to rebels save through repentance As long
as they are neutrals, or Conservatives. yield.
ing to Democratic -copperhead-r epudiatory,
traitorous influences, they will stay out in
the cold; but when they repent and join the
army of the true and brave, and show indis
putabIe signs of change of heart, then
their claims will be considered. Bear it in
mind. The great Republican party says
yow shall not be pardoned until you repent.
Well, we all experienced in 1865 kind OF
pcnticostal repentance among rebels, which
flowed from their lips like water. That wa
not do. They must vote, talk, write, travel
labor and spend thci. money for the Repub
lican party, the nation and the government
as other loyal men do, before we will eve
listen to their cries for assistance. Let then
repent That is the condition of salvation
1t cannot be altered. .-iL
But some of our friends may think we arc
writing this to secure converts. We do moi
need them. We are telling rebels the truth
and if that converts them well enough. But
Judging from the past, the truth will only
enrage and harden them. We expect nj
converts among their leaders But the mass
OF the former Union people of 60, are really
republicans. They have been deceived
and misled by traitors. When they return
10 the tents of Israel, they will be at
nome, and not as they are now, in for
eIgn and inhospitable camp. We do
expect them TO come Lv thousauds -