The weekly standard., 1869-11-03
our Position and Course.


The Wilmington Journsl has long and
somewhat heated article in reply to the ar
Eticle entitled 0Retribution, = published il
the STANDARD some two weeks ago. We
sha lnotreply in detail to the journals article
for the reason that it is based entirely upor
IL supposition that in saying that "anothel
power" was preparing to crush the Ku Klux
we referred Ito use the Journaps language
| to .ssecret organizations outside the law"
We meant no such. thing, and the Journal
| had no cause to form such anlopiuion. As
all necessary information has been obtain
ed. and we shall not interfere with the
operations of any plans. we have no objec-
tion to state 10 what "power" we referred in
the article entitled 'Retribution." We meant
that the United States government, having
had officers in plain clothes quietly investi-
eating affairs in Orange and Chatham, is
preparing to take hand in the matter, and
ifthe Ku Klux can resist regiment or two
of Federal cavalry they are much more skill
full than such cowardly murderers generally
are. The oath Of the Ku Klux is known,
and it is of such nature as to make every
man who acts under it a traitor to the Uni
ted States, and we have small hesitation in
saying that if they persist in their murderous
career they will incur the penalty of death.
This will show the Journal that it has en-
tirely misapprehended our meaning, and
that its article, deduced from false premises,
does us injustice. 5rrIoaT -a
We will now say, that we may be fully
understood, that we shall never counsel, nor
can we sympathize with, any proceedings
outside the law of the land. If such are
committed we shall wish for the punish
ment of the guilty, let them belong to what
party they may. ' 10
Fair and open political strife is one thing.
Murder is another. ,,a, t aH +"
And we could, never sympathize with
murderers, nor would we lift one finger to
save them from the penalty of their crimes.
We have no sympathy with any secret
political society, for we believe and know
that, in free country, they work evil to
the people. I
We belong to no secret society-political
or otherwise-and never shall
That which we think, we are not afraid to
speak openly, and we would do nothing tha
we should not be willing for the whole
world to know. If we have anything to
say we say IT, and it stands on record
for US. No man in North Carolina
deprecates violence more than does
the editor of the STANDARD. We have
used every endeayor to prevent it, as our
record will show. We have advised resis-
tancs but never assault. We have told men
who were attacked by murderers to defend
themselves. We say so again, and if we
were about to die we would repeat that ad-
vice, for We never could advise men to die
like towards without striving for the life
COP gave them.
The Journal says that it is moderate and
wishes for peace. .t ..-sst q H,a
We, unfortunately, have not observed the
moderation which the Journal processes to
have shown, nor yet its desire for peace, but
we will accept its statements as true. Let
the Journal and the papers ofits party use all
their influence that these terrible murders
may cease, and let the LAW provide the
punishment for crime. If criminal is
caught, let him be handed over to the law,
which alone has the right to punish him.
Let not men take punishment into their own
hands and thereby become as great criminals
as the wretch they murder. In all this we
will aid and sustain the Journal and its
friends, whether the guilty be Democrats or
Republicans. We will do it fairly and hon.
estly, and without fear or favor. d
Is not this proposition fair one9 And
will the Journal and its party friends drop
their partisan bitterness and unite with US
in work which is of the greatest impor-
tance to the people OF Noftn carolina
They may have the credit of the work
all we wish to see North Carolina again
at peace, that her people may be happy.
Concerning the somewhat bitter and un-
kind remarks the Journal makes about the
editor of the STANDARD we have no reply to
make, feeling that our course requires none.
In all that we have done, we done what we
believed to be right We have knowingly
done injustice to no man, and to no section
of the State. For our course while editor of
the STANDARD we have no apologies
nor explanations to make. 1t is before the
people of North Carolina. They can judge
of it for themselves, and, when the heat of
political parties is considered, they will find
that it has ever been moderate and depreca-
tory of extreme measures. .