Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-06-17
From the New York World.
North Carolina Reconstruction.

North Carolina 1econstructfon
We invite the serious attention of intel
igent and patriotic citizens Of all shades
of political opinion to the fearful picture
of the working of Congressional recon
struction in the ancient commonwealth of
North Carolina, which is given in q proc
lamation issued on Monday last by Gov.
Holden of that State. Tho language of
the proclamation itself might be open
to comment and criticism, were its subject
matter less grave and important. Govern
or Holden speaks not with the assumed
dignity and simplicity Of a real chief ma
gistrate representing the States collected
will for which he speaks, bnt in tho depre-
catory and almost apologetic tone of an
official who feels that he does not carry
with him that silent force of free peo-
ple's Legitimate choice, which is stronger
than armies. Yet on what subject does he
utter this bated breath of denunciation
and remonstrance
The Governor declares that in various
localities of the State over which he pre-
sides outrages of the most dreadful de-
scription have been repeatedly perpetrated
during the past year by bands of disguised
malefactors. He describes these bands as
belonging to the ''ku-Klux Khan" The
designation is commonly believed to have
been adopted by an organization which is
said to have originated at various points
in the South in local opposition to the ty-
rannical measures of the Radical Con-
gress, and it is quite likely that Governor
Holden's proclamation may be used, if in
deed it was not intended to be used, by
Radicals at Washington as all excuse for
attempting to intilct new term OF military
despOtism upon the unhappy State to
which it applies.
But its true significance will not escape
the people. however it may be perverted
by the politicians, Of America. In the
American Union before the outbreak Of
the civil war no State was more remarka-
BILE for the general quiet and good order
of it's population than North Carolina. Its
inhabitants, sprung,.for the most partfrom
aEsturdY stock of Scotch and North Irish
Presbyterians, were God fearing, decent
and determined people. At Mecklenburg
in 1774 their fathers had anticipated the
action by which at Philadelphia, two years
later, the united colonists severed the bond
which bound them to Great Britain. Their
history for ni4ety years was the history of
a model republican State-laW-ab abiding,
TRANQUIL and contented. North Carolina
went into the secession with reluctance,
and she accepted the results of the strug
gle with decorum and with dignity.
How, then, does it happen that IN such
q commonwealth as this, after more than
five years Of poaoe, we hear of consp1ra-
oies, Of cruel and lawless companies of brl-
gands ranging her fields, OF 1nottens1ve
persons prosecuted and put to death The
answer is obvious and simple. Disregard
ing alike the principles of the American
Constitution and the precepts OF sound
policy, the Radical majority in Congress
chose to deal with the people Of North
Carolina as with province conquered by
the sword. They inflicted upon them
government not of their own choice, ad-
ministered by men in whom they had no
confidence, and supported by Federal
bayonets in lieu of the public opinion OF
freemen. This government naturally has
proved powerless to restrain the exces-
ses of the bad because it has proved power
less to command the sympathies of the
good in the community. The scandal Of
the existence OF such d government has
excused, in the eyes of high spirited and
resolute people, the vagaries Of those Who
under the pretext Of resisting its oppress-
ions, chose to band themselves together
fer the qualification either OF their pollt1-
cal passions or Of lower and less pardon
! able appetites The same causes which
bred the raiders and reevers of the Scotch
, Highlands out OF deeds like the massacre
of Glencoe, and called the ''White Boys
3 into being out of the dreadful eXcesses of
the British conquerOrs in ireland, have
been at work in North Carolina to breed
the like results. The government itself OF
the State being without the law, it lacks
the one great force before which individu
al outlaws quail. The same deplorable
Q social conditions which compel the decent
t people of South Carolina to submit il
:, silence to the outrage of seeing their State
Q represented in Washington by /. SCAMP
already once practically expelled WITH dis
: honor from Congress, make the Executive
|, of North Carolina impotant to enforce pub
1 lic oider Those conditions must remain
i unchanged SO long as the system endure
+: under which they have been generated
Men do not gather grapes of thorns, no
figs of thistles. Rotten borough will re
! turn rotten members. A people forbidden
TO make their own laws will not rally t.
! enforce the laws which are made for them