Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-04-15

crime and disorder in the cities of New
York and Boston from day to day than il
the whole State of North Carolina. AND
yet the whole North would be shocked i
the Governors of New York and Massachu
sctts should declare these cities in a state
of insurrection, and call upon the Fedora
Government for troops to be quartered in
| their midst, and demand the suspension OF
| the writ of habeas corpus.
| We do not believe that there are dozen
men in Alamance county, nor, indeed in
| the whole State, who dream for O moment
of a combination to resist either the
Federal or State Government. Ii there
be such We do not know them, nor endorse
| them. We believe that any quiet. law
| abiding citizen from any part Of the Union
can enjoy his life, his liberty, his reIig-
ious faith and his political opinions with
as much freedom in Alamance Enty, and
in any other county OF North c roIiua, as
he can anywhere in Massachusetts.
We admit that there may be Instances of
outrage, but We are convinced that where
the perpetrators are detected they can and
Will be promptly arrested and punished by
the civil authorities, ard IN any event we
cannot see how the military can detect an
unknown criminal any sooner than the in
jured parties or the civil authorities.
We now state distinctly that the great
the vioIators of law that We fro"n upon
ell combinations to resist constitutional
authority ; that we desire to promote peace
and hArmony--tO develop our resources,
and bring our State back to her former
prosperity, and to that end we invite aud
encourage ali good citizens from all parts
of the Onion who have honesty, industry,
and capital, TO make their homes in our
midst. and assure them that they wi be
fIIEV TrOtHctaI IN I'll their RIGHTS
Because we think this proclamation Of
Governor Holden, and his call for troops,
with the suspension CT the writ Of babeas
corpus, will produce false impression
abroad, deter immigration, and prevent
capitalists FROM Investing III our State, We
deem it our duty TO protest against it.
We also protest against it because we
have reason 10 believe that it i prompted
by partioan spirit to iahueuce and con
trol the approaching elections ana We dc
most solemniy protect aGalGSg 11e DIin-
ciple that the bAyOnet must b. invoked Oh
all occasions il times OF prOfoand peace.
Il is tie idea If the dcspot, and II once
established our liberty IS gone and Ies
potism follows. We therefore protest
against this proclamation, because it pro
duces false impression of the condition
aud feelings Of cur people, and because it
teaches the doctrine THAI our republic must
be ruled by the bayonet.
Onr people unanimously accepted the
results of the war; we have submitted to
every demand Of the Federal Governm emit !;
we regard the question Of suffrage and
civil rights as settled and not to be dis
turbed; we are as much part Of the Union
as New York; we are entitled under the
Constitution to all the rights and privil-
eges of a coequal State, and if New York
is entitled to manage her local affairs with
out the interference of the bayonet, SO is
North Carolina.
We address this communication to you
because we see that our members Of Con-
gress, instead of defending the character
and interests Of North Carolina in this
matter, are actually supporting measures
to harrass and cripple her.
And because We see the falsehOOds OF I'M
scrupulOps adventures who came among
us to plumber our people and whose crimes
have driven them from our borders, and the
misrepresentation OF scheming, disap-
pointed politicians are formally laid be-
fore the President and Congress and her
aided forth as truth, and no one stands up
to refute them, we therefore appeal to you
in the name of Justice and truth to espouse
our cause and let the nation know that we
are not lawless and insuboralnate peo-
pie.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
II. LAMAR BEALL,