Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-01-01
NeRrn SuHHaGe.

30 from no preJuulceS W bue ldCe tIpu oo
wish to deprive them of any right or privl
lege to which they were entitled or which
we're necessary to protect them in their
rights of person aud property. we APP
pealed in the face of the preiudices OF our
people TO grant them tho right to testify
in the Courts, when we met opposition
| from Governor Holden, Superintendent
! OF Public Works Harris, Senator and Mi
| litia- Major General Jones, aud other IA.
yorite leaders aud office~hoiders of the
Radical party of the present day. We
| favored it upon principle and because 1t
was right and proper, if not absolutely
necessary, that they should be allowed to
testify in the Courts. Witnesses should be
judged ny their credibility and intelli-
genoe. and not by the color Of their skins.
This right was given to them after des-
perate struggle, in tho face Of the votes OF
almost every friend whom Governor Hol-
den had in the Legislature, several OF
whom now hold high and lucrative seats
in the Radical synagogue by the votes Of
this same race which they attempted to
prescribe.
We in like manner opposed negro suf-
frage upon principle. We knew before
| the experiment was tried, as surely rs We
are convinced now, that there was not
enough intelligence or independence among
them to exercise the elective franchise for
their own or their cOnntrys good. We
knew that they wonld be used 10y design
ing, and too frequently by bad men, for
selfish purposes. Wher they were in ex-
cess the responsibility o. the representa-
tive to his constituents, which IL needed
even to keep good men at all times remind
ed of their duties, would be destroyed.
Men who owed their election to the iSao-
rance and preiudiccs Of the electors, would
want one Of the highest Incentives of re-
representatives.. Nay. those who represent
only the more ignorant and iguoble por-
ton Of tho community are apt to lose their
own self-respect, if they ever had any to
lose, aud degenerate into political thieves
and plunderers, if to plumber and rob were
not the original motives of their conduct.
We have only to refer to the members OF
the present General Assembly-for we al
ways like to give application to our re-
marks--to furnish ''locai habitation and
a name" to our observations-as evidence
of the total disqualification of the negro to
exercise the elective franchise. In the
history Of no State or country can psral-
lei be furnished of such entire and utter
incompetency and dishonesty in represen-
tatives than is presented in the Legislature
of North Carolina. Such reckless extraya-
gance, such wantcn misrepresentation. such
contemptuous disregard of local and gen
eral interests, such wholesome bribery, cor
ruption, plundering, robbery and stealing,
is without limit, as it is without precedent.
A generous rivalry between sections for the
honorable favors of the State has ended 10
a corpartnership to deplete the Treasury.
Debates in which the learning and integ-
rity Of North Carolina combatted in friendly
and manly strife for the veal of the State,
has now deprecated into petty and disre'
putable quarrels among pals FOX division
of the spoils. Ignorance, corruption and
responsibility struts with brazen effront-
cry in Halls where once intelligence, integ-
rity and responsibility modestly held sway
The conduct Of the New Hanover mem
bers furnishes probably the most glazing
Illustration of the incompetency oF the
negro TO vote intelligently and without
prejudice. Abbott, and his successor
French, and Estes, who were elected almost
exclusively by the votes Of negroes, have
shown the most wanton and michievons
indifference to the welfare of their own
county and section. There has boon no
scheme to iDiure the commerce and the
railroads of this city, to lessen the value OF
the property and to deplete our popula-
ton, which has not had an earnest, ii not
an honest, advocate in them. They have
taken the lead in urging the approprla-
tons of vast sums for roads IN direct con-
hict with our interests-yea, have wilfully
violated their own chosen constitution to
do So Against the solemn protest of tho
Stockholders of the Wilmington and Well
don Railroad, of which Estes is State
Director, he is still endeayoring to place
the Chatham Railroad bonds on the mar
kets again.
These men know that if they were re-
sponsible to an intelligent constituency
there would be no party discipline sufficient
! to save them from political death. Yet the
poor negroes, who must be seriously in
iured by the votes and influence OF such
men, will adhere to them from ignorance
and prejudice. They know this and COW
ardly take advantage of it to strike lick
at the welfare of the very people whose
prosperity is linked with those whose votes
give them the power thus to stab it.
| Such are some of the evil results OF
negro suf1rage-eviIs which cannot be Cor
rected until experience and education
qualify this race to use the ballot with in
dependence and without prejudice. This
power has been violently and illegally
conferred upon them against the judgment
of the better class OF whites, and wa be-
lieye preiudicial to their own interest and