Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-03-11

physical power, failed in conflict with the
North upon a principle Of government
we do not expect them to regard US less
worthy citizens when we have yielded the
contest and &C epted their Interpretation.
The Times does not seem to appreciate the
enormity Of the outrage upon our dearest
feelings, which we see daily perpetrated
This blindness is objectionable III the
educators of public sentiment. Can we be
blamed for disowning such creatures as
those who now hold the places of honor In
our homo government and III that OF the
nation as our representatives Has the
Times asked its northern readers to change
position with us only IN Imagination and
try to realize what would be their feelings
and their conduct? We do not profess to
be perfect. but We do know that when We
chose our own representatives, honesty
and ability characterized them. When the
North appointed them, as at present, want
of integrity and incapacity are their strlk-
ing traits. Virginia has shown that when
non-interference was tolerated, the South
ern people do overcome prejudice, have
laid aside sectional animosity, and are true
to Justice and plighted faith. Because
Gov. Scott, of South Carolina, introduces
ignorant, i'll bred and absolutely disgraced
negroes and more degraded whites into the
social circle Of has family, is it to be ex-
pected. or does the Times intendto enforce
that we shall likewise debase and depraVe
ope' families The Times has quoted ex-
tracts from certain Southern Journals.
Calmly and dispassionately viewed by
those who can and do realize the present
condition Of the misgoverned South and
the habits and practices of large majority
of the Northern people, who have come
among us since the war, those quotations
are as natural as that harvest should tol-
low seed time. No reasonable man looks
to the establishment of the States rights
administration of the Government so long
as the present prevalent opinion OF the
whole country shall continue. The South
simply wishes that we may be allowed the
same freedom to regulate our social, IL
dustrial, and, anQer Tie Constitution, our
political household, as is enjoyed by the
rest of the country. We cannot feel hu-
initiation for devoting all we possessed to
O principle, but we do writhe under the
torturing degradation with which the
present system would wish TO crush us. If
Northern men and Northern women, gen.
HeDaeu and ladies at home, come here and
forfeit their claim to these high titles
by association with former slaves and
whites lower in the state of society than
the alayes, are we to be regarded rs OPP
posed to g social and sectional reconstruct
tion" because we refuse to such North
erner8 the positions from which their own
acts Justly debar them We will say that
we want peace we earnestly desire to re-
establish our prosperity, and We will cor
daily welcome Northern people who come
here to do good. and who do not insist
that we shall adopt the practices and HABITS
of the parties TO whom we have alluded.
Every privilege that we have can be en-
joyed by the Northerner, but it need not
be expected that we shall forget the teach
ings of honor and of manhood, nor abandon
the practice of virtue and morality. We
shall, ae people, keep our pledged faith, bu
we shall still speak and act like men. We
cannot submit to wrong, will not be ira
duced, without exposing the wrong and
holding up to scorn the malignant false
hood which would defame every virtue and
wallow il every vice.