The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-04-01
For the Standard.
. JoHNsTM CouNry,- N. q.


The hand hills gave notice tina. G. B. San
ders, L. R. Watldell, James 81. Abel, Seth
Woodall and Commissary Parker, would
address the people, and desired everybody
to come. / concluded would 60 and hear
what the secesh gentry had to say. Mr..
Parker opened to about twenty white Re
publicans. three blacks and four sore-headei,
sheep-stealing, lying. sccessionists. He said
he was not a candidate for any Office. and,
therefore, was entitled to belief; he WAS ap
pointed with Others of the secession disu-
nionist stripe to canvass the county to tell the
people how to vote He said Beulah District
had done badly in the last election, and voted
for Republicans, but presumed they did SO
on account of ignorance, and he had come
to enlighten them. [Great applause from
the four sore heads He said if the Consti-
tuition was adopted he was afraid his chill
dren would be bound to niggers, and if not
bound out they would certainly have to go
to school with them, and have negro Cap
tains put over them in the militia. Yes. fel-
low-citizens, we will have niger mayor of
Smithfeld, and niger constable, when if any
of you come there they will put you in Jail.
/ [Applause from the four sheep stealers.
Yes, fellow-citizens, this Constitution will
do away with the County Courts, (Amen
says the Republicans that s what hurts me-
Yes. fellow-citizens, 1 will have to so to
work. My time will he out, as no one will
employ me in the Superior Courts, as know
but little law, Zone old Republican said you
look like you are able to work. Yes, but
hate to do it so bad-work was intended
for niggers and poor white folks. Yes yes,
says the sheep stealers. If this Constitu-
ton is adopted, any poor man can 60 the
Legislature if he can get votes enough, and
that will ruin the country. None should he
elected unless he was opposed to the Consti
tuition and in favor of secession. He said
he was a peaceable secessionist, and had
done some pretty lodging during the war
was appointed Commissary, through the IN
fuence of George v. Strong, of Goldsboro',
who arrested the Infamous Union men du
ring the war, and sent them to Salisbury to
perish. l want to pay him back now by
doing all can for his election. But fell
low-citizens if you can get up another war
you may count me out of it, as think it
enough for US to do to start it. without hav-
ing to fight after it is begun. He closed out
by an apology for his poor speech, when the
sheep stealers gave him three cheers and
tiger. u..,.e .a.s5 -lt a.
Mr. William A. Smith then arose and said.
| if what Mr.. Parker had said was true. he
| too, would oppose the Constitution. But,
fortunately he did not believe word of his
speech in fact. he knew the whole of it was
false; that the Constitution had left it to
the Legislature to organize the militia that
the Constitution left it to the Legislature to
organize the public schools; that the Con-
stitution left it to the Legislature to say
by law who should be jurors. and the
gentleman's speech was nothing but clap
trap and an electioneering dodge of the Sc
cessionlst to deceive the people. But the
people were too intelligent to be deceived
by such stuff Mr.. Smith continued he
said he himself was opposed in part to the
constitution, but not for the foolish reasons
which Mr.. Parker gave. He thought there
should have been property qualification
for members of the Legislature and other
officers. And the Judiciary should have
been elected by the Legislature, as formerly.
But knowing that this was the best terms
we would ever get be was willing to accept
it, and 60 for the constitution. He said if
this constitution was voted down Congress
would disfranchise more of our citizens, and
order another election at great expense to
the State, when, in all probability, we would
get much worse constitution. He closed
his short speech by advising everybody to
lay down party and go for the Republican
candidates, which would give peace and
prosperity to our State.
Mr.. Avera of the Spring Board Notoriety,
next addressed the people, he agreed with
his friend Parker in all that he said, and
very solemnly read over some old newspapers
such as the New York Day Book, Warrenton
Courier, Halifax Chronicle, and several other
penny newspapers which the Copperhead
Secession party had sent him. He seemed
awful fraid his children would be bound to
a niger and advised every body to go
against the constitution, as it was now tax
ing the peoples cotton, turpentine, and to-
bacco. and if it was voted down, this tax
would be taken of. A Republican in crowd
told him that was a great reason why the
Constitution should be ratified for then we
would be received back in the Union, and
our members to Congress would vote against
such taxes being laid upon our people, but
if We voted down the Constitution we
would have no hearing in Congress, &c.
Avera looked confused, scratched his head
and quit. A most intelligent man.
The same speakers met at O'Neill's Dis
trict the next day, but there were only thir-
teen people there-eight white Republicans,
three colored people, and two sheep stealing
secessionists. On the 2tst, the canvassers
met at Selma. They had given notice that
Judge Fowle and other distinguished speak.
ers would be on hand But the meeting was
q foilura Tho Ill A.. N
stitution before they 60 to the meetings, be-
cause they have been fooled into one war,
and they wish to look before they leap. this
time. However, there was few on hand
and Mr.. Abel addressed them for three hours
in his usual argnmentative style, against the
constitution, convincing every one that the
constitution was right, and he was wrong.
Col. Cook replied to him in an eloquent
style, convincing every one in the crowd
that Mr.. Abel was demagogue, although
very clever gentleman. l,
The next on hand was that long, lean.
lantern-jawed, Massachusetts, copper. head
Yankee, Preston. He read a short piece
from the New-York Day Book, and got
down. He did not know what constitu-
ton was, but was well versed in making
wooden nutmegs
The meeting then closed, when the crowd
adjourned to Sharp's GROCERY. Abel treated
TO gallon OF rot-gut whisky, which he de-
,, clared was the strongest argument that had
, been made on his side, which caused two or
three fights, without any damage being done
on either side 40 4 -. -
forgot to say Mr.. Waidell was there.
the defeated candidate for the Convention.
The last time saw him, he was with Gag.
Smith, on their way to Smithfeld, we'll