Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-10-29
Governor Holden's PTOclama tiOn

Governor HOLDEN has issued his Pro
clamation declaring four counties of the
State, viz Jones, Lenoir, Chatham and
Orange, in State of instruction. Our
readers are fully advised of the condition
of affairs in those counties, and the causes
thereof In an issue or two ago of our paper
in replying to the threats of tho Cover
nor's organ, we said /: owe fear our
Governor lacks either the will or wisdom
to avert an outbreak" His Proclamation
convinces us that our estimate of that Of
fetal was well founded. Governor HoL-
DEN has pronounced the guilt of one of the
offending parties and the innocence of
the other. Outrages have been commit
ted in these counties and the fears Of good
men have been aroused that serious out
breaks might occur. Good citizens all over
the State looked hopefully to the Governor
for relief. They trusted he would forget,
party preiudices, his personal enmities-
that he would recollect that he was North
Carolinian, and that the peace and order
of his State was in the issue. They have
been disappointed the Governor has issu-
ed partisan Proclamation calculated, if
not intended, to excite an already exasper-
ated people-to foster and foment discord
and not to aliay it,
a series of outrages, consisting of MUIR
dors, arson, Robbery, barn-burning and
larceny, carried on for months by mem
bers of the Loyal League and spreading
terror throughout Jones and Lenoir coun-
ties, caused the formation of counter Or
carnations. These were doubtless organ
lied originally for self-protection, but in
censed at the bold and heinous outrages of
the Leagues, the passions of the members
excited by the murder of innocent men, wo.
men and children, and the flames of burn
ing dwellings, their acts have been, in
some cases, as lawless and violent as was
those which gave excuse and cause to these
organizations The murder of Colonel
NETHERoUTT, while surrounded by his fami-
ly at evening prayers, and the burning of
his dwelling. his wife and children de-
prived by the act of husband and father
and homeless the murder of the FosCUE
family, including father, mother and child; ;
the burning OF barnes the highway rob-
berries; the numerous thefts committed en-
tirely by members of secret, oath bound
organization, under control of strangers
and vagabonds, left in that Immediate Sec
| ton by assertions from, and the debris of,
the disbanding Federal armies excused, if
it did not Justify, the formation of organ
izations for self -protection. The law was
Intellectual to stop these crimes. Neither
the Military Commander at Charleston
nor his subordinates at Raleigh or New
bern were disposed or able to check them.
The citizens felt no confidence 10 the abili
! ty or the will Of the irresponsible men in
whose hands General SICKLEs and CANDY
had placed the execution of the laws All
was chaos and confusion. Violence begat
violence, and murder induced murder
Bad men Knocked at the majesty of the
law and bad officials did not desire order
and peace, and did not possess the moral
power to restrain the commission of
crime.
a sOmew hat similar condition of af-
fairs was brought about in Orange
and Chatham, until recently two of the
most quiet and orderly counties in the
State, by pretty much the same class of
crimes committed by members of the 10y
al League. From their settlement Hills
! boro' and Pittsboro' have been the seats of
learning and refinement, and noted for
the high literary, social and moral tone
CT their society. The University of the
State, situated near the dividing line of
! the two counties, has given character to,
and exercised a wholesome control over,
the people. These influences have been
felt, and Orange and Chatham hold envi-
able positions in the history of the State
Latterly organized bands of Loyal Leagu-
ers have in quick succession threatened
and committed rapes, burnt BARNS and
stolen horses and mules. Appeals to the
Governor have only been responded to by
the commissioning of an official spy of no.
toriously bad character, and the efforts of
good citizens to put down lawlessness
been met with insult from the ''official Or
gan of the State" Yet when the Cover
nor of the State sees fit to call public at |
tention to these outrages, he has nothing
to condemn III the barn burners, but finds |
fault only with those VINO punished them.
He prefers no charges against the vicious
ravisher, and expresses no sympathy for
the innocent victim of his wicked lust.
but threatens only the defenders of female
and helplessness. Throughout
the entire Proclamation only the offenses
of one of the opposing organizations are
recited, while those of the other, for which