The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-02-05
vieIdsa against ly0a:. a:.a It.is to the ijustiGe

enemies were entrenched behind the passions
and the prejudices of society, and supported "a
by all tile prestige that former rank and II
power had given them, The flag az Of your
.ctunsryifoated above you, endan it was in
scribed your motto, :" equal and exact justice !,
to all mems Of whatever race Or former con-
idititon. Upon the banners Of your enemies
was written, 6 Caste, Aristocracy, and un-
yielding opposition to the nationalwili.? AS
the contest opened, and as you measured
al arms with your enemies, you we're cheered 4
.by the immortal spirits who in all ages have
dedicated themselves to Liberty and JustlcYe, e..
The memories of the hundreds of thousands L
who fell in the great war to suppress
the rebellion, and who died happy in the
hope that their blood would cry from the
Ground" until the existence of the nation
undivided should be perpetualiy assured,
Inspired you and sustained you in the dar-H
kest hours when "bloody treason" seemed
again to g flourish over us" Thus cheered
and sustained, having in view only your
country's good, you scattered your enemies
| before you. You have met and overcome,
| to great extent, the prejudice of ages
You have bridged the chasm which divided
the MEN of this nation in their equality of
political and civil rights; and you now pre-
sent the sublime spectacle of party, feeble
at first in numbers, which has dared to do
Justice, to maintain the Union, and to de-
mand equal political and civil rights for all,
in the face of long settled conventionalities,
preiudices and passions, which no party in
any country had ever previously been called
to confront and overcome.
But your work is not yet complete. The
final issue is staked on the next election
We must ratify the Constitution, md PIT loyal
men in poocer. Unless this be done, all your
past labors, sacrifices and sufferings will
have been in vain. But not this alone
Should you be defeated now, not only will
you lose the great benefits in store for you,
but the course you have thus far taken may
prove your utter ruin. The colored race, if
they should pass again under the control of
the rebel leaders of the South-which is
highly probable if the present reconstruc-
ton acts should fail-would soon find them
selves reduced below the Russian serf to the
level of the peOn with no rights save those
that belong to the beasts that would live
and then perish in common with them on
the soil. Every noble hope, born in their
souls of the electric fire of Freedom, would
be forever quenched in midnight darkness
You, loyal white Leaguers, with the coiored
race, have fully committed yourselves to the
Congressional plan. You could not recede.
If you would. Should this plan fail in
North Carolina, from your want of energy,
what would be your condition2 That
"hideous mark, placed uponyou during the
rebellion, for your devotion to the Union,
would be sunk still deeper into your fore
heads. Your names would become re-
proach, and the finger Of rebel scorn would
point you out in your most secret retirement.
What hope of redress would you have when
you were bound hand and foot, with the heel
of your old oppressors on your necks?
But there are higher considerations than
these to stimulate you to action. Every in
terest of the State demands its restoration
to the Union at the earliest possible mo-
ment. Our soil and climate, from the sea-
shore to the Tennessee line, present almost
Iron, coal, copper, marble, plumbago, and
other minerals lie hidden in inexhaustible
quantities in our hills and valleys, while the
broad belts of the gold and silver region
richly reward the abo.s of the miner. Our
forests abound with the most valuable trees.
Our rivers and streams, as they flow to the
sea, waste enough power to turn the ma
chinery of all America. Our past history,
previously to the rebellion, presents a long
succession of pages of which VIC may well
be proud, illustrated as they are by early and
continued devotion to constitutional liberty,
and by probity and sense of honor as a
people and as State, on which there is no
stain. Why should our agriculture and
commerce languish, and our rivers run idly
to the sea? Why have not Northern enter
prise and capital poured in upon us, to en-
hance the value of our lands, to employ la
Dor, and build up our industrial interests
The answer is, because scc haze not been restor-
ed to the Union. Under the auspices of
those who invo lved us in rebellion, and who
though the conflict cf arms has ceased, con-
tinue as rebelious as they ever were by their
opposition to the national will, we are
growing poorer every day. These leaders,
instead OF inviting immigration, are repell-
ing it by their sectional counsels, their silly
repinings over the unhappy past, and the
narrow-minded, malignant manner in which
they treat those whom they are pleased to
term 'Northern adventures" and "Radi-'
cal cmissaries" Gentlemen of education
and character who have come among us from
the North, to invest their money and to share
our fortunes, instead of being welcomed by
these leaders as American citizens and as
friends, are misrepresented, ,maligned, and
helaup as the enemies OF our people These
leaders 9are thus intent on our, ruin. q They
can see nothing worthy of approval in pub
nc affairs which does not promise to. con-
tlnue them in their illgotten power. They
sit upon this distressed and Impoverished