Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-07-15
From the Raleigh Sentinel.
To the People of North Carolina.

| 40 Ehc HcOpIc Oh aFOIlnns
When the last Legislature was about t,
adjourn, thu Conservative and Democratic
members thereof issued brief address Il
the people of the State, SO moderate in it
tono and so unexceptionable in its char
acter, that the severest partisan ecrntiny
has not hitherto boon able to point on
any part of it to which just exception car
| be taken.
| Among other things, it counsellcd I'm
der all circumstances, obedience to the
| laws of the land and opposition to violence
| of every kind and description and that a
| redress of grievances was to be properly
sought by tho people in change of public
servants, by and through the peaceful
means Of tho ballot-box only
That address has been sanctioned and
adopted by thousands of our people in
primary RsscmbIagos, and may be fairly
taken as the exponent of the views of the
great mass of those who oppose the politi
cal party Row in power in the State.
That tho opponents of the party now in
power have acted up to these professions
cannot be truthfully gaineaycd Acts of law
less violence, it is trne, have occasionally
been committed, but these have been CON
fined to neither Of the political parties OF
tho State. They have been owing in O
great degree to tho state of the times and
no small degree to the nisgovernment un
der which our people have suffered and
yet suffer.
With an inefficient State government,
known to be wasteful. cxtravagaat and pro
fuse OF the public money, beyond the
measure of anything hitherto known in the
State; enforcing systems and amonnta of
taxation most oppressive and burthen-
sOEle, with no returning benefits to the
Il ~ - 7 J. H. a
have generally remained quiet and obcdi-
emit TO tho laws and constituted authorities,
and havo never been more SO thar in the
last few months past.
notwithstanding this, to the great sur
prlS0 Of many, the Governor of the State,
acting rs We believe, under evil --counsels
and for sinister purpo6es, has thought
proper lately to order the enrolling, equip
ping and calling into active military State
service Of n large body of armed soldiery.
C6ulct and orderly citizens of whatever
shade OF political opinion cannot but have
witnessed this extraordinary movement
with serious concern. What does it mean?
Arc these troops TO aid tho civil authority
merely Hitherto thero has been no re-
slstGnoo TO that authority III any part of
The State ana we cannot and 90 not be-
lieVe That armed men. and especially in
such numbers, arc needed for any such
purpose.
Is martial law to DO virtually declared,
the writ Of hnbeds corpus suspended and
the person and property Of every citizen
placed ut tue mercy of armed men, clothed
with power and having 10 inclination to
respect the rights Of others ? From what
appears in the Governors organ, tho
Standard, those things arc not only to be
inferred, but seem to be justified.
But, by what authority of law, we beg
to ask, docs our Governor do these things?
We ere not aware OF any. And if he VIC
late8 tho law how can he expect others to
observe it?
In every point Of view this grand mill
tary movement is mischievous. It will
entail On enormous expense upon our al
ready O7ertaXcd people, and instead of
public peace. In q word. it is sheer usur-
patton Of power, which, in better days, no
Governor of the State would have dared to
assume. The time, too, is most inoppor-
tune An important election is near at
hand. It is more than suspected that
these armed men are to be used in scme
way TO overawe tho peoplc and control tho
ensuing elections. We do not undertake
TO assert that such is the case, though it is
believed by many OF the best and most or
DERBY citizens of tho State TO be true, and
many circumstances arc coming to light
day after day indicating some such design.
But, if in fact, no such wicked design ex-
lists on tho part Of these high in Authority,
whit guaranty will tho people have that
their rights will be respected by their sub
ordinatcs in command. md by the rank
and file Of such II forco composed, as it
will be, in q great degree, of the very worst
material in the State
We submit these matters to the calm
pc7 I tin11 C.f thu 1oncYOla Of In GIoka
We believe this military movement is
fraEght with danger to the peace and good
order of the community, and that it en-
dangers the rights and liberties of our reo-
pie. We call, therefore, upon all rcdectiEg
men, Of every party, creed md color. to
fro.gu il down before further mischief
comes Of it. We counsel no violence, but
let the mischief makers see and be made to
know that the rights and liberties of
people are of moro value than the mere
success in m election of n political party |
Or the prolonging of it's waning power.
70 our own political friends especially in |
these trying times we would again counsel |
peace, quiet, fOrbrarance and obedience to |
he law of the land. Let no provocation, |
& it can possibly be avoided, drive you
ntO any violent measures to redress your |
wrongs. The peaceful means of the bal |
OF box is yours, and if exercised "s it
Mould be they will afford ample redress |
or the grievances under which you now |
abor. These means you have q right to |
quietly but freely and independ- |
entity, and We trust that yon will not fail |
o DO so, unawed by the frowns of power,
md unmoved by lts threats. If this is
lone, we think you may confidently rely |
upon success at the coming election, and |
hereby secure q restoration at no distant |
lay of peace, good order and q greater |
tate of prosperity to the people of the |
State.
THOMAS BRAGG, |
Chairman Cen. Ex. Com.
NJ. A. BLEpsoE,
4. S. MERRndoN,
Il. IL. BATTLE, Jr.
@. M. BUsBEE.
J. FL. MOORE,
r q DEC Dr-zpr,r