Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-09


that heuceforth they wonld faithfully sup
iport, protect and defend the Constitution
of the United States and the Union of the
Estates formed Hereunder. Bnt few of our
citizens declined to take this oath and
never did people subscrib. TO ali obligation
And in order to conform themselves to the
new order of things, aud accept fully the
Ipolitical situation established by force OF
arms, the Southern people went beyond
this. For although President Lincoln had
officially declared that he had neither the
will nor the power to Interfere with slavery
in the States, the South gave its solemn
obligation that it would abide by and faith
fully support all laws and proclamations
made dnring the war with reference to the
emancipation Of slaves.
!, The heroism aud devotion that has ron
dered the Southern people illustrious,
wherever manhood and patriotism are re-
, garded "a virtues. should have been es-
teemel the best guarantees that these obi
cations were not entered into with era
ven spirit, but in the hope of peace and III
1.-THE interest Of the future prosperity Of Il
common country. y courageous devotion
to principles, which stood the severest tests
to which mems honesty of purpose have
been subjected was the snrest evidence
that present declarations could have been
confided in.
The quiet aud, under the circumstances
manly, submission to the demands made
upon them. seems to have inftamed their
conquerors against tho Southern people.
Their cheerful con cessions were responded
to by renewed eXactions, cvincing by
degrees determined purpose TO degrade
them The South was not only called
upon to acquesce fully in the Legitimate
results of the war; but is now asked to
make treason o1ious" The noble men
who bore our banners i'll triumph over the
bloody fields OF Manassas, through the
memorable swamps Of Chlckahomlny,
amid the terrific charges Mt Chsncelors
VILE and sealed their honest devotion to
the cause in which they had embarked by
the devoted attempt for mastery, against
history, almost against hope III the des-
perate struggle for victory from the Will
derness to Petersburg, aud in the stern
and sullen retreat to Appomatto3 and
those who at Bentonsville illustrated the
mighty power OF true patriotism in the
hour of despair, must be denounced by
their own people as traitors, or, if dead,
their memories must be dishonored and
their blood despised. The virtues and
deeds of the dead jackson must be ignored
or remembered with excavations. and the
character of the living Lee must be
biackened with abuse, and the iniquities
heaped upon the illcstrious prisoner at
Fortress Monroe applauded.
In order to be regarded as loyal and to
be restored to the Union, the Southern
people are not only called upon to belle
their natures, but must themselves volun-
tarily execute the bond of their own
infamy. They must not only submit to
great humiliation. but profess that they
cheerfully submit to ii as the iust need OF
their traitorous actions.
To-day the South would have been glad
to have united with the North in honest
and grateful rejoioings at the return Of this
national holiday. Throughout the North,
! excited orators to more excited auditories
will utter patriotic harangues because re-
turning peace has restored over this great
country the blessings of the Constitution
and the Union. Tens of thousands of loyal
tongues will utter excavations against
England's tyrant. as their chosen readers,
with faultless articulation, read from the
| tai document of our old rebel forefath-
ers, how swarms Of officers have been sent
to harass the people and eat out their sub
stance how standing armies, in time Of
peace. have been kept among them, with
out their consent how they have been
subjected TO jurisdiction foreign TO the
Constitution and unscknovledged by their
laws how taxes have been imposed with,
out their consent how they have been, 10
many cases, deprived of the benefits of
trial Ivy jury how their charters have been
taken away and their most valuable laws
2p0hSn9u now TIE CIVIL government uaS
been made subseryient to the military
how their seacoasts have been ravaged,
their towns burnt, and the lives Of their
people destroyed how domestic Insured,
tons have been excited among them and
how their petitions for redress, in the most
humble terms, have been answered by re-
! peated injury. Throughout the length
! ana bread h of the prosperous North, will
countless multitudes, filled with patriotism,
and in The enjoyment of all the comforts
and lu4urics of teeming wealth, and clothed
in the psnoply of intense loyalty, and
blinded with the completeness OF their
success, respond with fanatical zest to each
separate count in the terrible bill of in
dictment, and denoance as disloyal and
traitorous, those who might suggest that
tho substitution of 1.-THE present Congress-
for {" the present King of Great Britain -
in that remarkable paper, would be but