The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-10-19
Honor to whom Honor is Due.

A few months ago the State was torn with
internal dissensions. Bands of men, mask
ed and armed, rode through our fields and
forests. They swept through our villages
and rert the night with savage outcries.
They held midnight gatherings in the
woods, and pledged themselves 10 hostility
to the colorel lace and to the Republican
party, with blasphcmous oaths, accompanied
by circumstances of unuttcrable horror, and
"beyond belief"
And their oatLs, thus taken, they execu-
ted. No conscience, no fear of Almighty
God, no human compassion, no terrors CT
civil law, no outraged public sentiment, not
nor the death agones of innocent men
withheld them from the consummatinn of
their deeds of violence and blood Men
high in public esteem as the standard of in
telligence and honor in the Conservative
party looked on and were silent, or gave a
quasi appreciation by styling these execrable
deeds "a species of wild justice"
The local authorities were also silent and
powerless The strong arm of the Federal
Government failed to protect the peace of
North Carolina.
One man had the power to crush out
these crimes, and that man was the Gov
ernor of the State He did use the power
entrusted to him by the Constitution
He proclaimed an insurrection, as by law
he was empowered to do. He called out
the militia by virtue of his power as Chief
Executive. And where before was terror,
disorder and crime; there now is security,
order and peace.
True this was not done without complaint
on the part of those Violators of law. Many
Conservative journals were found willing to
commit a pious fraud and defend lawless-
ness where it seemed to promise good to the
party.
The more honor is due to Gov. Holden
for his unfinehing discharge of his duty.
IC uOuOl 10 SuC SllCI cuSt'SC L Cdi-
son, who, threatened with assassination, and
traduced and slandered by malicious tongues
gave judgment according to law and evil
dence. The more honor is due to his able
and upright Associates, Justices Dick and
Settle,
And here We are most happy to do jus
tice to the leading Democratic journal in
this State. 1t frankly acknowledged the
existence of these outrages In its issue of
Sept. Sd, it says: -.....
sit is, however, palpable, that disguised
persons have gone through different sections
to scare people, and in some cases it is
charged, to commit crimes" -a.. a
Its unwillingness to have the Conserva-
tive party held responsible for these crimes
is quite natural. Candor compels us to con-
fess that 1t seems to us that the Conservative
party was so responsible. r..
The crimes themselves are facts of history.
They were established by unimpeachable
testimony in open court. They were noto-
rious in hundreds of neighborhoods. Thou
sands of witnesses are living to attest them
Many, very many, bear on their bodies the
marks of violence inflicted by these gowned
aud horned Conservatives. Thus is our CO
temporarys testimony confirmed. But, now
thanks to the Governor, order reigns OF
this the same journal is a witness. 1t de-
votes whole column to proving that law
is enforced in North Carolina, and adduces
in evidence the fact that colored man
guilty of an infamous crime, is to be hung
therefor. We say again the Governor de
serves the honor which this Conservative
journal thus awards him.