Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-04-22
NO. II

at Kinston, N. c., praying this Presbytery
to organize them into church at that
| place TO be under the care OF this Pres
bytery. A committee was appointed with
regard 10 the matter. Revs. 3. C.. Alexan-
der and Luther McKinnon were elected
Trustees on part Of this Presbytery FOR
Davidson College.
The account for contingent expenses
due Synod was allowed.
The account of the North Carolina Pres
byterian was allowed.
EVENING SESSION.
Resumed labor at 7! o'clock.
Reports from committees were read
until s O'clock, when a sermon was
preached by Rev. T.. McKinnon, from
Luke XXIV-30
After services the Presbytery heard
Church reports until adjournment.
FRIDAY MORNING. April Is.
Presbytory met at 8! o'clock.
The minutes Of yesterday were read and
approved.
Revs. Fl. L. SingIetoa, c. Shaw and
James NJ. Sprunt, also Elders Robert
Mckenzie aDd Alex. Sprint appeared in
the Presbytery and took their seats.
rrEsT ORDER.
The reading of the reports OF the Agent
of Sustentation, (Rev. 81. L. Singleton).
This report created spirited and lengthy
discussion, and occupied the morning ses
sion until adjournment.
ELDER.
7. S.-We find here large and generous
hospitality and every attention we could
wish or desire. They have corn, wine, oil
and every sort of good thing to tempt tie
appetite aud taste.
Chief Justice Chase ON the Fifteenth
Amendment-"RcnI Rights Of any state
Rot Impaired"
In response to an invitation to attend q
ratification celebration of the fifteenth
amendment at Cincinnati, Chief Justice
Chase has written letter, which is given
below:
''WAsHINGToN, d. c., March 30, 1870.
accept my thanks for tho invitation
rendered on behalf of the colored people
of Cincinnati to attend tho celebration.
My duties will not permit me to be pres
ent except by good will and wishes.
'Almost q quarter of q century has
passed since some of You probably heard
me declare MAY, 1S45,) that all legal dis
| tinctions between individuals of the same
| rYs
ces as origin and the like, are hostile TO
the genius of our institutions and incom-
patible with the true theory of American
| liberty; that true democracy makes no in
| quiry about the color of the skin, or the
place of nativity, or any other similar Cir
cumstances Of condition; and that the ex-
clusion of the colored people as body
from the elective franchise is incompati-
| ble with true democratic principles
| LOFT ~nII hat thCcn
pies have been at length made part of
the supreme law of the land. Many, no
doubt, would have been glad, as [ should
| have been, If the great work consummated
! by the ratification Of the fifteenth amend
| nent could have been accomplished,
through the States, through the amend
ment of the State constitutions; but the
delays and uncertainties prejudicial to ev-
cry interest lnseparabIe from that mode
of proceeding seemed to necessitate the
course actually adopted. Nor does the
| amendment impair the real rights of any
| State. It leaves the whole regulation of
suffrage to the whole people of each State,
subject only to the fundamental law that
| the right OF no citizen to vote shall be de-
MED or abridged on account of race, color,
or previous condition of eervitude. It is
to be hoped that each State will SO con-
| form it's constitution and laws to this fun
damental law that no occasion may be
! given for legislation by Congress. But
| the best vindication Of the wisdom as well
| as the Justice of the amendment must be
| found i'll the conduct of the large class OF
citizens whom you represent. On the oc-
casion to which have referred ventured
to say that the best way to insure the
peaceful dwelling together of the different
races is the cordial reciprOcation of bene-
fits, and not the mutual infiictiOn of iDju-
| ries.
q cannot now give you better counsel
| than [ offered then. Go forward, having
perfect faith in your own manhood, IN
Gods providence, adding to your faith
virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to
knowledge patience. and to patience tenn
perance, and to temperance brotherly kind
ness, and to brotherly kindness charity. -
Why not signalize your reioicings in the
| rights secured under the fifteenth amend
ment by urging upon Congress the prompt
removal of all political disabilities i'm
| posed upon our fellow W-citizens by the
| fourteenth amendment, so that through
universal suffrage and universal amnesty,
peace, good will and prosperity may be
established throughout our country? Every
| good man must rejoice in the progress
| which the colored citizens of the United
States have made in education, in religious
culture, and in the general improvement
of their condition. Every good man must
earnestly desire their continued and accel-
Grated progress in the same direction ; all
public and private interests will be pro-
NOTED by it, and it will insure at no dis
tant day the cordial recognition of their
rights, even from those Of their fellow-cit-
izens who have most earnestly opposed
them. No man can now be found who
would restore slavery. A few years hence,
if the colored men are wise, it will be i'm
possible to find man who will avow him
self in favor of denying or abridging their
right to vote
8" S. z. CHASE"