Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-09-04
reconstruction measures of President John


son. and the negroes are still slaves p
The measures of President Johnson were
those of President Lincoln. The Senate
and even the House concurred in them,
and they would concur in them still if they
had but the man]iness to resist the leader
| ship of a couple of fanatics. Sumner and
Stevens. The will of the party surmount-
ed everything. A lever was needed in the
South to unbalance the Democratic North
ern majority. That lever was made, and it
is now used, despite every remonstrance
both from the Conservatives and the Re-
| publicans. The Radicals had their hand
on power. The peaceable tendency of the
opposition would not, and will not, resort
to any warlike movement. It will be left
| to the people of the nation to decide this
verata res. If they decide the reconstruc.
ton measures of Congress unconstitutional
and void, who will resist ? The people
have that power. Do you deny ? If they
therefore pronounce in favor of Democra-
cy, will the Radical party wage war on its
! will Hold on You will get yourself ex-
actly where you were in 81, if you say
yes.
Certainly four million of colored men
will not resist. Vain was the resist
ance of the South, with all her brilliant in
tellect and genius Vain, vain, vain would
be their resistance, even though led by the
few dim lights Of the renegades But
there will be no necessity for any such
fimsy plea, for any such vote catcher
The white mon of the South will do their
duty to the men of color We will do it
IN the Constitution, and not extra the Con-
stitution. The sequence of d bloody war
led to the liberation of the slaves. Lin
coin proclaimed them free. At the close
of the war the Southern States in Legisla-
ture assembled acquiesced in that procla-
nation. Slavery was dead. Resurrection
was impossible. President johnson had
nothing to do with the matter. The ne
groes are no longer slaves, and never will
be, unless they be slaves to that party
which tramples Oh all right private and
public. The great Commoner, so-called,
and SO far as its Worcester's rendering,
very true, Was the only one who publicly
declared that he and his party were work
ing unoonstitutionally. We are no lawyer,
but we profess to have brains enough to
see the illogical reasoning of the Chief JUS
tice. His 20, 600 0otes clear majority will
have very lite to say if Seymour carry the
North and Northwest.
Some Of us are, perhaps, moral prodi-
gals. But we are not known until defined.
Besides prodigals there are things called
prodigies. Which Is the Scion of Rich
mond Hill prodigal or prodigy
Your son rebels he is still your son,
but is he entitled to the rights and priv
leges of child until he atones, and is re-
concied to his parents %
Ell tn Brute !-Atonement! Lashed into
poverty, plundered, probed, prescribed.
prosecuted, buffetted, tread and spat up
on. Atonement Reconciled to our
parents Who are they? The Ra-
ideals Forbid it Heavens! Who
else can they be, if, in the language Of the
Chief Justice, the son-who L suppose he
means to represent the Conservative ele-
ment in this State-is not rec0nciled 10 lis
parents, and, if reconciled, receive those
rights and privileges to which he is en-
titled Then we have rights and privile-
we won't get them unless we all
become recOnciled to the Radical family =
Hurry up, boys, and get your toes scorched!
Drink i'll the boon offered you. Drink
deeply or it will not ''sTIcK p
The &Qndt0W calls the Judges patriotism
and that s. his letter is another
plea for law and order against revolution,
violence and bloodshed. Holden's scribe
outdoes Holden in his harsh and Grabbed
O
- smiling cheek,
A pOONlV annie rotten AZ tho heart -