The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-09-30

TO the peace of society. But our leaders
said no! Concede nothing! And they re-
sorted to the most desperate means to in
duce the people to reject everything. The
Howard Amendment was scorned through
out the South, and in this State even the
new constitution, framed under the policy
of Mr. Johnson himself, was voted down.
at last. after the spirit thus shown, Congress
was forced to act, in order to open the way
for the ideas that had trumphed in the war,
for the projection of those who embraced
them, and especially for the protection of
unonists and four millions of freedmen, still
threatened with black codes and other hos
tile legislation The Howard Amendment
had left suffrage to the States, just as the
Conservatives desired. That rejected, Con-
gress proceeded to pass the reconstruction
measures. These measures were not uncon-
stitutional; nor were they designed as pun
ishments. The time had passed for punish
ments. The Northern theory of the Consti-
tuition always favored CO ercion. TheSouthern
wings believed in it, until they were befog
ged by secession. Coercion was made good
on the field of battle,-an with it followed
all the rights incident to successful war. But
if this is not so, still the fact remained, that
we were conquered people, and it was
worse than folly for those who set out by
inaugurating unsuccessful war, to dictate
terms to the conquerOr. The truth is, no
written constitution can stand the test of
civil war; The Confederate constitution was
shattered ere six months, and by the very
men who now denounce Congress for usurp-
pations
But, these acts were passed-conferring
universal negro suffrage; and they have now
been executed Where are the terrible evils,
the horrors of st. Domingo, so fearfully look
ed for Where the confscation, the negro
social equality, the mixed schools, the pro-
predicted? Southern whites all vote, and
only few exofficials are excluded, probably
temporarily, from holding office. There is
no negro supremacy. Every State, District,
County, City, Town, and Village in the land
is governed by white men, and always will
be- If carpet-baggcrs, scalawags and negroes
hold power, it is only because the whites,
under the advice of misguided leaders, re-
fused to vote, or worse still, fell into the
snare of white mans party. The only
difference is, these "new men" have given US
the .resuts of the war;" al at once; and
with the pillow share of reform they struck
deep into the musty institutions, habits and
customs to which we have chung while all
the world was marching onward in the path
of progress Probably it is best that it is so,
as these results were destined to come sooner
or later. There is no doubt that in the end
the South will advance rapidly under the
impulse given her by conforming at once to
the new order of things. In North CARROLL
public credit has already greatly improved.
Again, the leaders charged, that nothing
would satisfy the Radicals and that after
all, the States would not be admitted. Ev-
cry State adopting constitution is back in
the Union; civil government is re-establish-
ed; law and order again prevail. There
are no such outbreaks and riots as those in
New Orleans and Memphis occurring prior
to the adoption of negro suffrage. These
facts fully vindcate the soundnesss of Re-
publican principles. And they vindicate
the wisdom and good faith of Congress.
Providence seems at last to smile upon us.
With fair crop planted, and better worked
hope for the return of prosperity and plenty.
The only draw back to all this, is the
spirit OF revolution spread abroad over
the whole land by the action of the
the New York Convention of July last.
That body revived in spirit, as we'll as in
name. the Democratic party of 1S60-'61.
The same old secession and copperhead lead.
ers were there, supported by class of
Wing politicians from the South, who, after
the war broke out and the secessionists be-
came odious, managed to ride into power,
but who are now under the ban, and there
fore discontinued. These desperate leaders,
taking advantage of the temporary preu.
dices raised by the reconstruction measures,
and especially negro suffrage, have not scru-
pied to throw down again the gauntlet of
war. In their platform they soemnly de-
clare all the reconstruction acts of Congress,
though passed in strict conformity to
the constitution, " unconstitutional, revolu-
tionary and void" They nominated for
President Horatio Seymour, who as Govern
or of the great State of New York in 1868,
pandered to Democratic mob, that held the
city OF New York for three days, and was
only put down by the General Government
"a mob that burnt negroes. hung them to
lamp posts, and sacked and fred orphan
asylums. They put up for Vice-President,
Gen. +. P. Blair, who was nominated with
storm of applause, solely because few days
before, he had written letter in which, adj
mitting all hope of getting rid of the recon
struction acts by peaceful means to be gone,
he boldly proclaims that the President elect
should, on his own responsibility, in def
ance of Congress and without any decision
of the courts against them, declare these
acts null and void, compel the army to un-
do its usurpations at the South, disperse
the carpet-bag State governments, and al
low the achite people to reorganize their own
governments" No such violent and reck-
less proposition was ever before heard of in
this country.
Thele were good men in the Convention,
but this platform and these candidates con-
clusively prove that the extreme leaders car
ried everything before them. The effect is
seen and felt all over the country At the
North the passions of war are fully aroused.
Throughout the South resistance is openly
avowed. Officers of the law are defied au-
thority is disregarded; public dues are with
held. In some instances, persons accepting
offices under the new Constitutions and
sworn to support the laws made Hereunder,
denounce the whole as null and void, and
of no binding force whatever! In Others,
parties are prevented from supporting the
authorities or accepting office by threats of
violence and by business and social ostra-
cism. These leaders arc determined that
the reconstruction acts shall not succeed.
They don't want the Republicans to succeed
in pacifying the country. 1t would be dou-
BILE death to them. They were the men re-
ally defeated in the war. They brought it
on. They failed in their schemes then, and
they are now doubly sore headed doubly
desperate. They are satisfied with nothing.
They grumble at everything. They deceive