The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-06-24
stitution by $1,000 votes over the opposi-
ton. loud applause5 ~ a : - -

tell the truth, but they did tell the truth in
one respect. Since the ratification Of that
Constitution they have endeavored to carry
their threats into execution. They have
systematized plan-you will pardon me for
this diseression--of refusing to give single
white man in the State who voted for the
ratification of that Constitution days
work if they can help it. They refuse to .
employ single colored man if they can
help it. They refuse to allow those who are
working the land to be paid from the crops,
have pound of bacon or peck of meal,
and when they are applied to their answer
is $50 to your Yankee friends. We told
you we would starve you out, and we will
do it." They pirate this all over the State
But myself and Others followed in their foot I!
prints, and we told the colored people that,
let come what might, the liberty of their
children and their all was involved in the
ratification of this Constitution. We told
them, let come what might, that on the 21st
of April last, to go to the polls and to vote
for the ratification of the Constitution that
secured their liberties and the liberties of
their children, and Gou and their country
would provide for them. Loud and pro-
longed appause) am here tonight rep
resenting the loyal sentiment of that State,
although in suffering condition; and
while l am here in this beautiful hall to
speak tn this vast audience that are COM
fortably seated Qaughter) or standing, if
you please, amidst all these demonstrations
of joy, believe me when tell you, I feel very
sad hearted. feel so because I know the
amount of suffering that is now existing in
my own State. cannot be forgetful of the
fact that while stand here, hundreds of
poor little creatures are tonight in distress,
hanging to their mothers necks and crying
with hunger, made by the authors of this re-
bellion, and who are trying to prevent the
reconstruction of the country on loyal and
inst basis. We had great odds to contend
with down in North Carolina. They had
the government against US, because you
know as well as l, and better too, that our
volunteer Moses" Qaughter,l do not
mean the good old Moses of Old, mean our
North Carolina Tennessee Moses, and, sir,
l do not think it is very improper for me to
speak of the President in this way, for we
were both born very near the same spot in
North Carolina, and so far as birthplace is
concerned we are brothers. Qaughter) but
thank God we are in no other respect.
daughter and cries of "goodD l say we
had all this to contend with because our
volunteer Moses had deceived us. The reins
of the General Government in the hands of
that recreant. and the reins of the State
Government in the hands of the very men
who sought to break it up, no man in North
Carolina except he be a rebel can be elected
to any position in our local government.
not single man. Every officer from the
Governor to the read master was filled by
these rebels. We had that to contend with.
We had all these things to content with,
hut notwithstanding them all, We defeated
them and accomplished our purpose Gap
plause.) Now the colored people and the
white people are just as sound, and nothing
hut decentralization, which they hope to ac-
complish within the next few weeks, will
give them the next fall election. have
concluded to advise the colored men thus
If you find that you are going to starve, you
get something to eat anywhere you CAN
Laughter and applause And if these gen.
tlemen will eXtort from you promise to
vote for them next fall, tell them yes, and
have the authority of Senator Ross, in the
impeachment trial, when he says that man
has a right to change his opinion, and we
will change ours next fall. Loud laughter
and prolonged applause.] '- ,'-a
But-the question comes home to every true
loyal man and true loyal woman in this coun-
try-for what are these people thus being
prosecuted? For what are they thus treat
ed? What intolerable sin have they com
mitted against the Southern people and
against the general government? What
crime do they stand convicted with? For
no other crime than loving liberty, voting to
ratify constitution that secured to them
and their children henceforth and forever
that liberty which is guaranteed to an Amer
lean citizen. Because the coiored people
could not be unmindful of the great fact,
fact that will accompany every colored man
to his grave, that it was the great Republi-
can party that not only gave him his liberty,
but it was the same party that enacted laws
securing him in his liberty, and that gave
him the right to 90 to the ballot box and
vote for loyal men, who could give him JUS
tice They voted with that party. and they
will forever vote with that party cloud APP
plause.) That is all they are guilty Of
Now we are told that if the Democratic
party nominate certain candidates that there
is fear among some that they will defeat the
colored vote. Now, my friends, let me assure
you in the name of 1000 colored voters in
North Carolina, and | think can also as
sure in the name of the 100000 loyal black
voters in the South, no candidate that the
Democratic party might reach down and
bring up Uaughter;) no candidate that the
Democratic party might reach up and drag
,bI = ,f
phere of heaven who would accept the nom
inaton at the hands of the Democratic par
ty, no such man could obtain the support of
the black people of the South. loud ap-
plause) AS have said before, on another
occasion, if the Democratic party were to
nominate an angel We would not vote for
him, IN that the very fact of his accepting a
nomination of the Democratic party would
be evidence of his being fallen angel
Uaughter) And in my humble opinion he
would have fallen very low when he shall
first rest on a Copperhead platform. Gre
newed laughter.) We were told after the
election in Ohio, by our Conservative friends
on the stump,-and here let me say, that one
of the abest judges in the State, Judge
Fowle, had to contend against everywhere
with the best of my ability, but white peo-
pie rallied around me, and the colored peo-
pie are always right-Qaughter)- Il say,
when We heard that Ohio had gone so strong
against suffrage, and New York and Penn
sylvania, why every Conservative orator,
every backwoods pettifogger, every magis-
trate pleader, mounted the stump and spoke
in tones as loud as thunder to the coored
people" Ohio has gone against you; New
York has gone against you; Pennsylvania
has gone against you" and up here in this
little State, where the people have been era
zy for the last ten years-Connecticut