The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-09-30
md efficacy Of laws binding us to obedience,

and efficacy OF laws DlnuinS US to opeuhehce,
at our peril. He did not propose to discus
the right of Congress to impose terms OF re-
for after war resulting in con-
quest and suhjugation, he regarded it rather
as question of pouer than of right. An un-
Conditional surrender, such as we made, is
not only confession of this power to i'm
pose terms, but also Solemn agreement to
submit to such terms as the conouering pow
er deliberately proposes. These may be
hard, but they are implied in the surrender,
and only the common fate OF war. As VIC
make our beds so must We lie. We played
for stakes. lost, and must abide the laws of
the game. True manhood demands this of
,ls, and true courage and fortitude will scorn
to evade or shrink from the terms of surren-
der, because danger seems to rccede from
us with the disappearance OF military power
over US, and because of the anticipated sue
cess of a political party. a..4 .ee i.
He went on to say that the history of re-
construction in North Carolina, was singu-
lar, and shows much vacillation and incOn-
sistency. The Howard Amendment was
first offered to and rejected by our Legisla-
turc, almost with contempt. Congress, irri-
tated at the rejection, passed the Sherman
bill which imposed colored suffrage. Bills
were also pending which looked to contis-
cation. Property holders became alarm
ed and pardons were applied for
rapidly by the owners who were
DISTINGUISHED, not by Congress but the Dem
ocratic President. The press in North Caro-
the acceptance of these terms. Meetings were
held and pledged to the support of these
measures and he felt confident, that in the
Spring and Summer of 1867, these measures
would have been accepted by large major
ity of the white voters of the State. But in
the Fall of that year, some Northern States
voted adversely to the Republicans, South
ern politicians, at once changed their tactics,
Gov. Graham's letter against negro suffrage,
came out, and the "White Mans" party be-
came organized.
He was no advocate of the reconstruc-
ton measures, but if relief from them was
his object, he could not look for assistance to
the Northern Democrats. That was the ia
tai mistake of the South during the war. and
will be fatal mistake now. They may hold
their Conventions in New York and set you
in flame of patriotic passion and expecta-
ton, but you are again their dupes, if you
base your action upon their promises. 1t is
avast struggle for Office and power, and yon
are swept into this Northern vortex, for their
benefit, not your own.
He would submit this plain proposition
to his audience: Suppose the Democratic
ticket to be elected, our State government
declared null and void, set aside and new
one organized after their fashion. After
four years, the Republicans again come into
power, would they not declare this work
void and restore their owl government
And will you not thus become miserable vic
tins of the alternate victory and defeat of
two furious parties, plunging yov from one
revolution into another until you are crushed
out of political existence9
But, continued he if the Democratic ticket
succeeds, how do they propose to destroy
this State government, now member of the
Union Can it be done without ware Was
any government ever destroyed without a
bloody ware 1t is q poor subterfuge, to at.
tempt, in such case, to throw the response
ity of beginning the war, upon friends of the
government North Carolina, since the tel
mination of the war, has been practica lily
out of the Union, and it has been the effort,
equally, of the President and Congress to re-
store her to the Union. That restoration
has been effected, it matters not, whether
through the ascendency of Congress or the
President, it is done by joint action of the
people of the State and the Government
of the United States, the State is recognized
as q member of the Federal Union, lawfully
Differed, and in the peaceful exercise of
nx-o ftpnfipp of
then that attempts to overthrow that gov
ernment by violence. inaugurates war and is
responsible for its consequences. This party
which now promises to overthrow the State
government, is the same party substantially,
which promised to overthrow the Union
without bloodshed, and as they failed in
one case, so they will fail in this, and involve
the country in deeper ruin. Said he, ais
negro suffrage an evil2 War is a greater
evil. Are high taxes q burden2 Another
revolution will make them greater burden.
Is the government wasteful and extravaganza
Anarchy and bloodshed will only make it
more so. The first and highest duty is to
save the life of the State. If that is lost, all
is lost, but save that and you may after
wards correct its errors 1t is better to lose
an eye or tooth than that the whole BODY
should perish"
Mr.. Bynum said further, that if the Dem
ocratic party could succeed and peaceaJzy
overthrow the State government and begin
the work of restoration anew, human fore
sight could hardly predict the result. The
people are divided upon the question of
negro suffrage, and look which way we
will, it is an embarrassing question, and he
was, therefore, convinced that the true poll
cy was to accept that solution of it, which has
already been made, and thus forever get rid
of vexed political problem.
He went on to say, that there should be
some resting point to all agitation. That a
Convention was proposed and we all took
our chances and voted upon that question
A Constitution was formed and submitted
to us, and we all took our chances and voted
upon that question. A Legislature was
called, and we again took oui chances and
voted for the men of our choice. Are we
bound by nothing, andis all this mockery9
We engaged in the contest voluntarily, and
lost, and Can we in good faith, turn round
and say it was all farce, null and void, any
how? This was trifing with the most sol
elnn affairs of life. There should be an end
to such agitation when our chosen tribunal
has decided it. - a g...5
But he continued, it is said that this is the
"white mans government" So is England
France, Germany and Russia, yet in those
countries, he knew of no political distinc-
ton between the white and the black, and
it was to a most suggestive fact that while
Spain was almost the only nation of Eu-
rope that tolerates slavery, it is at the same
time the most degraded and unprosperous
kingdom upon that Continent. If the dog
ma that this is the white mans government,
derived any significance as the rallying cry