The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-09-23

d. w
Hon W. W. HOLDEN, and other members OF
the Republican Committee.
LETTER FROM GEN. wIcKHAM.
HANOVER C. a., Va, Sept. 9, 1868.
: To Messrs W " Holden, N. s. LiHls1Seld
and j. H. Harris: ~ II
GENTLEMEN Your letter inviting me to
participate in Mass Meeting of the Repub
licans of North Carolina on the 18th inst,
has been received.
l regret very much that engagements
which | cannot postpone, will prevent me
from being present.
most cordially concur in the objects of
your meeting. The election of Grant and
Colfax regard as the only means of bring
ing back prosperity to the Southern States,
by giving us speedy and definite solution
of all the difficult questions that now embar-
rass US; whilst on the other hand / think
the election of Seymour and Blair would by
upsetting all that has been already settled
by the reconstruction acts, and by giving
new hope to the disunion party, which I" is
not dead but sleepeth," bring upon US fresh
disquietude, and by keeping alive issues of
race and section, involve US into further dis
asters.
have always regarded the Old North
State as particularly worthy of admiration
for its patriotism, wisdom and prudence, and
most earnestly do hope that she will now
exhibit that patriotism and wisdom, by
coming forward TO swell the majority, by
which General Grant will be elected Presi-
dent of the United States.
Very respectfully,
Your ob't serv't,
VIM. G. WICKHAM.
His Excellency, Gov. Holden was the first
speaker.
SPEECH BY GOV HOLDEN
Friends and Felloac- Citizens We are glad
to see you all on this occasion. When the
rebels have t,eir convocations they meet by
hundreds; but when the true men of the
country rally together for the preservation
of their liberties, they come by thousands.
Applause. You leone as the winds come
when forests are rended; you come as the
waves come when navies are stranded" You
are here, my friends, on the present occasion
with the clear notes of the buge, the
hoarse rumble of the drum and the t;iunders
of artillery. You are here under that glo-
rious ensign, which is at once the idol and
the admiration of all true hearts. More than
all that, you are here, stalwart, determined,
free men, resolved under that flag by the
blessing of God, having strong arms to main
tain your rights at all hazards. 9&G
shall not attempt anything like speech.
There are so many present who are better
qualified to address you than am, that
shall confne myself to only few observa-
tons. .i. z =
lowe it to you and to myself to make an
ailusion personal to myself I have the hon
or to be, at this time, as expect to be, God
willing, for the next four years, the legal,
lawful, constitutional Governor of North
Caroline. Applause My friends, the reb-
| els, say that this State Government, organ
lied under the law-making power of this
nation, is null and void, but they forget at
| the same time to state that they themselves,
under the very same acts of Congress, from
the End day of March 1867, to the 4th day
July 1868, held office and governed this
people under those very acts which they now
say are unconstitutional. [Applause1 I
mean the reconstruction acts of Congress, be-
cause those acts recognized those men in
power and continued Them The. difference
is that in that case they held the offices, and
in this case we hold the offices. GApplause.
| hdo 40 q NCiy lebil opCClLuCu III IcUcl CODSlS-
tency and honesty. 1t is said that the bare
election of the rebel Democratic candidates
for the Presidency and Presidency will
vacate these Offices; that those of US who
have been invested with power by the votes
of $4,000 of the freemen of North Carolina,
will have to retire, sneak away from these
mighty rebel Democratic candidates if they
should be elected. Gentlemen, skey never
made, On any occasion, a greater mistake.
I say to you here, and now. that it is the fixed
purpose of the present Government of North
Carolina, sustained as that Government will
be by the Congress uf the United States sus.
tanned as that Government will be by the
| Supreme Court of the United States, and
sustained also, simply and solely because he
: cannot help himself, by Andrew johnson
because even he is forced to do it, say sus
tanned even by Andrew johnson himself in
his late orders to the Generals in these
States, that at all hazards, and under all
circumstances, these governments, erected
under the authority of Congress in these
/ Southern States, aoiU be maintained Ap
| plause.] It is useless to say how they
shall be maintained. If war shall again oc
cur in this country; if there be in the coun
ellis of Heaven purpose again to rain dowr
upon this people the calamities of civil strife
| all of who,are here assembled, the whole Re
publican people of this country, North ane
South, when that strife shall be upon us
will raise their hands to heaven, and solemn
ly affirm before God who sits in judgmen
upon the world. that they are not responsible
II war comes, it will come from turbulent
mutterers of sti1ed treason.n 1t is now bu
three years since traitors were beaten to tn
earth and compelled to beg for quarter b,
the legioDs under Sherman and Grant ant
other great men. These foul traitors now com
forward put on airs, and assume that the,
are the persons in whom is to be vested thu
control OF the people in these States, whit
and black.
Fellow citizens, I do not see it. you do no
see it, our Republican allies in Vermont di,
not see it. and the result was thirty thousan,
majority for Grant and Colfax. [Applause.
And the news from glorious old Maine !