The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-05-04

Union also. Ii the Issue OF arms to prevent
this state of things had not already been
tried, and resulted in our defeat, then
there might be some semblance of reason
to hope that this government, thus con-
stituted, might be overturned, and put
again under the exclusive control of the
white man. But the facts being as above
stated, there is no hope in that quarter.
Experience has demonstrated the fact, that
the more violent our opposition to the de-
ter1nined will of the nation, the more com
plete has been our discontinue and over
throw. John Brown sleeps in q felon's
grave, but his fall but nerved the arm which
laid US low. Sumner lives to congratulate
himself that the former slaves of Brooks
now give laws to the descendants OF the
latter.s Revels, a negro, one of the mud
stills of society,"" sits in the seat occupied by
Jefferson Davis. Hedrick, driven from this
State by mob, returns after the sword has
conquered its peace. Is there nothing in
all this to make US consider, and reconsider2
If our cause was just, was it not lost because
of the spirit of intolerance and persecution
which characterized many of the acts of its
champions Persecution will advance any
cause, for persecution is injustice. Prinelli
was scourged for saying the stars would not
fall. Campanella was seven times put to
the torture for affirming that the number of
the worlds was infinite. Harvey was perse-
cuted, for having proved the circulation of
the blood, Galileo was imprisoned, for
saying the earth turns round. And yet who
doesnot now believe all these things2
The opinion assiduously inculcated and
generally received, that the Republican party
imposed negro suffrage upon us in a spirit
of revenge and for party purposes, deserves
reconsideration and candid investigation.
We happen to know, because wehaye heard
it with our own ears, that Northern Demo-
Gratis laid their schemes and plans with the
| design and desire of forcing this question
of negro suffrage upon the people at the
ballot-box, indulging the vain hope that
they could overwhelm the Republican party
with defeat upon that issue. We see the re-
suit However all this may be, we can see
| other and better reasons, for the course of
] the Republican party in this respect, than
those usually attributed to it The negro,
| in state of slavery had master, whose in
terestit was to protect him in at least some of
his rights. In state of freedom, such as he
found himself in at the close of the war, it
was easy to foresee that he would be abso-
lutely without any protection, when the
army should be withdrawn. Was it not
natural and proper, that those who gave
freedom should give him protection Was
not the ballot the cheapest and the best pro-
lection they could afford him? We must
view this question without passion and
prejudice, if we would arrive at phllosoph-
ical conclusions upon it. So few are able
to do this, that we will not at present per-
rist in this line of argument.
To return then, to our argument, ad-
dressed to the friends of law and order, on
the subject of the Khan, we reassert that
every member of the community is vitality in
terested in this matter. In state of society
under civil government the people constitute
one body as a whole, of which, the individ-
ais are component parts. An injury inflicted
upon one is really inflicted upon all. Hence
it has been well said, that the public good
is in no way better promoted than IN the
protection of each individuals rights. The
worst citizen is not the poorest and the
most ignorant, but he who wantonly tram
piles upon the rights of those over whom he
has the power mo man who considers,
for moment" says Blackstone, would
wish to retain the absolute and uncontrol-
led power of doing whatever he pleases the
consequence of which is, that every other
man would have the same power; and then
there would be no security to individuals,
in any Of the enjoyments of life Political,
therefore, or civil liberty, which is that of a
member of society, is no other than natural
liberty SO far restrained by human laws, (and
no farther,) as is necessary and expedient,
for the general advantage of the public.
Hence, we may collect that the law, which
restraints man from doing mischief to his
fellow citizens. though it diminishes the
natural and increases the civil liberty of
mankind $50 -
These maxims of the common law are
time-honored, and have received the appro-
baton of our people heretofore, but in
certain and limited sense We have always
regarded them as applicable to the white
man, but we have never dreamed that the
negro was entitled TO any of their benefits.
And this consideration embraces the sum of
all our difficulties and troubles 1t is our
unwillingness to look upon the negro as a
man, entitled to all the rights of humanity,
that causes these reactionary and irregular
movements amongst u.s. Again, as a thou
sand times before, we go back to our bibles
to prove that the Hebrews were allowed to
hold in perpetual slavery and bondage the
heather around them, failing as before to
discover that that slavery was net one of
color, and that if sohite man should happen
to be heather, he might be consigned to
perpetual bondage. Asserting, as the fol-
lowers of Cromwell are said so have done,
that ''the earth belongs to the saints of the
Lord and that we are His saints we
are struck with bewilderment and disgust,
to find the civilized world around US de-
handing that We shall acknowledge with it
that the saints of the Lord are those of
every tongue and kindred and nation and
people who do His will, in recognizing as
of one blood all the nations of the earth
and in loving their neighbor as themselves.
. How long o, how long?
Whatever we may think of the problem
of selfgovernment, as now presented, with
the negro as component part OF civil SO.
ciety, it must now be worked out. No
amount of clandestine or guerilla warfare.
no reactionary movements, no guards" of
the constitution, as it aoas and no vain re-
grets over the past, gone as it is forever, can
prevent it. And we respectfully and conf
IDENTIFY submit, that no people upon the face
Of the earth are more deeply and gitauy in
terested, in the successful aoorking out of this
problem, than the people Of the South. These
Kuklux Klans have it in their power to
disturb the peace of society-to annoy and
hinder, but that is all. They will sooner
or later see their folly and desist. or persist
ing in their mad career, bring down upon
themselves the power of a government,
which will sweep them with the bosom of
destruction and an injured and lndig-
nant people viii say, :" Amen" P.