Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-03-12

To BE CONTINUED.
Negro Suffrage In North t'aroIiun.
Some of the timid Conservatives" Of the
North Carolina Constitutional Convention,
having in minority report expressed their
fears as TO the terrible consequences of es-
tabishing negro suffrage in that State,
Mr.. Hood, colored delegate from Cumber-
land, in brief speech, gave these so-callcd
Conservatives such scathing rcbukc that
were the spirit Of decency left within them
they would hang their heads in shame for
ever. We make the following extracts -
Mr. CnAIRMAN: IL ask the Indulgence of
the House for few moments on this sub
ject, the Importance Of which will appear
from the number and variety of the reports
coming from the committee. / want to say
a word respecting the opinion of that por-
ton of the minority report representing the
sentiments of what is called the Conserva-
tive party of this State, presented by the
gentleman from Cleav and the gentle
man from Orange. This report expresses the
serious approximations of these gentlemen,
and the party they represent, respecting the
enlranchscment of class who have here
tofore been denied this right. | would re-
mark that the class referred to have already
been eniranchised by the highest law-mak-
ing body in this nation. 1t is not now a
question whether or not we shall confer
right not possessed, but whether we shall
take away a right which is already enjoyed
under the present provisional government.
suppose that is not denied that all not dis
franchised for crime have u right to vote ut
any and oil elections. | make this remark
4.
sion with some people that we are here in
the attitude of beggar-. Such is not the
case. We are here in accordance with the
Reconstruction measures of Congress, to Sc
cure 10 ourselves the rights we now enjoy,
by virtue of the wise and just measures Of
the Congress of the United States, u body
composed OF men among the best that ever
lived. II it were possible to take from the
colored people at this time the right Of sui.
trage, life itself would be to them but beg
carly portion. The idea of those who were
formerly slaves, living in this country with
out the means to protect themselves from
the diabolical prejudices of Il portion OF the
iate .o-callcd masters, is simply ridiculous,
and on the whole absurd. You might as
well talk of the safety Of flock Of sheep
with pack of hungry wolves let loose upon
them, as to take at this stage of action the
ballot from the colored man and then pirate
about your willingness TO protect Him in the
enjoyment OF his civil rights Viewing the
matter IN this light, we expect TO maintain
the right of suffrage, at whatever cost
come veal or woe. And Notwithstanding
the serious fears of the gentlemen of the
Conservative party, this might us well he
plainly understood by that party now, as
hereafter.
THE CAUSE OF REBEL FEARS.
nm not surprised at the apprehensons
of the gentlemen. | admit there is some
grounds for their fears-somc motives that
might impel them to endeavor to take from
us The power Of protecting ourselves against
those who would bring about our desIruc-
tion. No doubt they often remember the
atrocities that they and their party hayc in
iicted upon this people. The suilerngs
that they have been called on to endure at
the hands Of the oligarchs, they now claim
to represent-the would-be lords Of creation.
They remember, too, the thousands of
this people who hayc been murdered by de-
grces, year after year, under the operation
of the most cruel bondage that ever mortal
being endured. They remember, also, the
shrieks of that distracted, hoait-broken
mother, whose lovely babe was torn from
her busom and sold as an article Of mcr-
chandse to the highest bidder, to be carried
the mother knew not where. They rcmem-
ber how husbands and wives were torn
apart--how the strongest ties of filial and
conjugal affection was disregarlcd. How
the wives and daughters of culored men
were outraged to satisfy the brutal and the
liendish lust of men protesting to belong to
higher order Of beings. Isay, when all of
these things a considered, and when it is
remembered that there is just God on high
and that the laws of righteous reiribution
have not been repealed from tho statutes OF
the Almighty, | do not greatly wonder at
the gentlemens apprehension.
When these oligarchs, whose hands are
still red with the blood of this people, as
well as with the blood of tho murdered
white Unionists, remember these heinous
crimes, it is not wonderful that they should
feel serious apprehension at the idea of their
not being rulers in this land, knowing what
would he just it they were made to suffer
the due merit OF their crimes.
But notwithstanding all this, it would
seem to me- that a moments reflection ought
to calm these fears. Have they forgotten
that when the late civil war, had assumed
its most fearful proportions, when every
able bodied white man was called to the
front, to engage in war waged for the single
purpose of binding the chains tighter upon
the slsves-ihnt these very slaves, fully ac-
quainted with the nature of the struggle,
sensible of their strength, sensible of ths
helpless condition cf the wives snd children
of their oppressors, yet remained passive,
laboring for the support of the families OF
those oppressors.
| 1t would seem to me, that this should
have been an eileclual bar, to the slandcrous
insinuation offered here this day, that it is
dangerous to put into the hands of this peo.
| pie, the means to protect themselves, against
the hellish prejudccs of these incorigible
thieves and robbers, who would to-day, il
they had it in their power, rob the cradle OF
every black woman in the land, and reduce
the whole race to a state of slavery, worse il
possible, than that from which they have
Just escaped.
To my mind IL amounts to riddle, be-
yOnd the comprehension of all angel, how
any man, with a heart in bin could have
inditcd matter so full of ingratitudc, toward
Il people, by whose sweat and unrequiet
tell, he has been made whatever he is
ALL ooLoRED PEOPLE NOT NEGROES.
But we are asked what reason is there fol
advancing the negro to higher position
than white women and minors? BY negroe.
presume they mean the colored people
That the term black and negro are alway,
synonymous, deny. That they sometimes
are, admit. The gentlemen who prcside
in the editorial chair Of the Sentinel ha
seen fit to hold me up TO riiiculc, us bein,
ignorant of the race to which belong
confess, that am surprised that, that gen
tleman has so little regard for his reputation
as scholar, that he should manifest 50 grea
ignorance, respecting one of the largest di
visions of the Eastern Continent.
The people OF Africa differ as greatly a
the nations of Europe. You might as wei
call an Irishman Scotchman, as to call
Mongolian an negro-you might as well cal
an Englishman IA Dutchman, as to call N
Ashaniee negro. There is my friend from
Granville, Mr.. Mayo, who is full bloode
Mongolian, and Yeti Is constantly rcporte
as a negro. There is my friend Mr. lIaye
of Halifax, an Ashantee with some mixtur
of Chinese, and yet he Is set down as ne
gro. Webster is appealed to, but Webste
proved too much for the purpose of the OF
: position. Webster proves that the negro