Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-10-01
For the Journal.
Protest Of the People Of Orange.

In pursuance of previous public notice,
the citizens of Chapel Hill and vicinity as.
sembled at tho Township House at u
o'clock. on Saturday, the 25th of Septem-
Der, 1869.
On motion of Andrew Mickle, the meet
ing was organized by tho appointment of
John r. Hutchins as Chairman, and J. M.
Alexander as Secretary.
At the request of the Chairman the
object of the meeting was explained by
DR.. VIM. P. Mallott, who thereupon moved
that committee be appointed to prepare
resolutions expressive Of the sense of the
meeting. This motion having been pnt
to the house and carried, the following
gentlemen were appointed On the com
mittee DR.. VIM. ?. Nlallett, r. II. Lee,
J. II. Watson, H. J. Stone, Col. W. L..
Saunders, Hon. T. M. Argo, Foster Utley,
W. J. Newton, A. MckIe, J. F. Freeland
and Fendal Sontherland, Esqs. The com
mittea, alter having retired for consnlt.-
ton, returned and unanimously reported,
az follows
We, the people of Chapel Hill and vicinity, have
heard with surprise and Indignation of tho ap-
polntmcnt by Governor Holden Of a socrot spy in
our midst. This has boen done in tho face OF tho
fact that We have quietly and patiently, during
the whole time almost since the close OF tho war,
submitted to grievances and icdi.rnitiea scarcely
to be borno at all by trccmen. We have sub
mlttcd patiently to the organization i'll our midst
OF negro eaSues, whose chief officer in the State
was Governor Holden himself. We have sub
mittod patiently to the appointment by Governor
Holden of negro magistrates for this community
and to hs failure to appoint white magistrates
also, after having been retitiOned so to do We
have submlt:e ed patiently to the action of tho
Board of Commissioners of Chapel Hill, of which
MIR. Solomon Pool. President of tho University,
ID a member. IN unanimously eecting negro
constable over white competitor, not
withstanding that thereby the whole admin
istration of the law was thrown into the hands
of negroes, and that in this whole vicinity
there WAS neither white magistrate to Issue
process nor white officer to execute it. We
have submitted patiently to the destruction of
the means OF support for ourselves and families
by the wi hdrawal OF patronage from the Unver-
sity consequent upon the appointment and per-
sistent retention in Office of faculty obnoxious
to the people of the State. We have submitted
quietly to the Introduction in our midst OF
armed negro soldiers under pretence OF guarding
college property.
We have submitted to these things partly be-
cause we were poworIess and under despotic rule
partly because We hoped for brighton days, and
desired to throw no obstacle in any way that
promised TO open to us the means to provide
tho better for ouselves and little ones.
We find, however, that patience and submits
sion do no good, and are Of opinion that the time
has come whom We ought to declare our senti-
ments, and especially to express tour indignation
at the insult put upon US by the appointment
of mana man Of bad characterize spy Sc
crotly upon our actions. We do therefore de.
clare:
LIST. That the act of Governor Holden in CIV
ing a cOmmiss0n on the 9th of August, 1869,
under the broad seal OF tho State of North Caro-
limo n a m q IT. ON&n civ
bad character as chief detective for the State
Of North Carolina, ls outrage upou the poo
Pile of this community AMI OF the State at large,
and il is palpable violation of the substance
and spirit OF the 18th section, lat article of the
State Constitution, which declares that "Gener-
al warrants whereby any officer messenger
may be commanded to search suspected places
without evidence Of tho act committed, Or to
seize any person or persons not named, whose
offence is not particularly described and support
ed by evidence. arc dangerous, ana ought not to
be granted"
I'd. That the action Of Governor Holden in re-
fusing to appoint white magistrates when re-
quested 80 to do, and the action of the Board of
Commissioners. of which Mr. Solomon Pool,
President of the University, is member, in
unanimously eiectlng negro Constable, thereby
putting tho whole administration OF tho law in
the hands OF the negroes, was an outrage upon the
people OF ths community, and demands tho
qualified COZ formation Of both white and black,
tending to develop an Unnecessary antago-
nls.u between the two races.
1naC AFTER r6IusaI OF tho magistrates OF
this county to sign request to the Governor in
order to justify him under tho law in Quartering
armed troops in our midst in time of peace, any
further attempts in that direction will put at
hazard the peace and quiet of tho community,
4th. That it is our belief that as soon as tho
secret society known as tho Union League, an as
ISOLATION formed, as we believe. to organize Op-
preston and in violation OF law, shall have been
disbanded, all organizations entered into to ward
off such oppression will also be disbanded.
9Th. That while in our opinion it is the imper-
ative duty of every good citizen first to sock
dress for grievances and repatriation for in uries
by the ordinary process of law, and while we be-
Hove the welfare of the State demands that the
most profound veneration and respect, and Obe-
dance be paid to tho law and it's duly cOnstit uted
officers, We are yot not prepared hastily with
out reserve to condemn good citizens and true
men who in self-defence resort to other means
because they tail to obtain from the law that pro-
lection and security which they have right to
demand.
9th. That in our opinion the redress OF griev-
ances by any other process than that provided
by law, is liable to 80 great abuse and fraught
with 80 much danger to the peace and harmony
of the State, that we think it ought to DC resort
ed to only in the most extreme cases, and then
only with tho utmost prudence, caution, discre-
ton and Circumspcction.
7th. That in Justice to the colored people OF
this community we feel it to be our duty to say,
that as a general rule they have deported them
selves with becoming and gratifying prudence
and moderation, in spite OF the persistent at
tempts made to arouse their passions and excite
their prejudices against the white people, and
that from them as people, il left to themselves,
we apprehend no trouble.
On motion of Mr.. Argo, the report oil
the committee was, after few remarks,
unanimously adopted.
On motion, the Secretary was requested
to send q copy of these proceedings to the
Raleigh Standard, Sentinel, Wilmington
Journal, and to the Hillsboro' Recorde for
publication.
On motion, M. J. 3. Mason was allowed
to have his opposition to the adoption OF
the report of the committee entered upon
the record.
On motion, the meeting then adjourned.
J. r. HUTcHINs, Chairman.
s. M. ALEXANDER, Secretary.
In Springfield, Mass, an association is forming,
for the purchase Of some thousand of acres ..
land near Wilmington, North Carolina, to be sold