Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-04-01
From the Raleigh Sentinel
ADDRESS
To THE
PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

unon tho welfare of the State We hav a
great struggle before us in the approach
ing August election, struggle with foe
before whose massed columns our banner
has twice gone down. What disasters TO
the State have followed these defeats we
will not stop to recount here; the story is
but too familiar to you, We but desire to
advise you to that course which seems best
to Us, for Kidding our State forever from
the calamitous rule of the Radical party.
This Radical party, in the General Assem-
bIy, have been at last, though reluctantly
forced by the potent voice OF publ1c opln-
ion, to grant what the State Constitution
rightly construed already secured TO YOU
a popular election on the first Thursday ID
August next. Esteeming the free exercise
of the ballot as they do, one Of the most
sacred rights of freemen, all OF Our people
without gard to party, condition or col
or. will receive the announcement with
pleasure The right OF the people to rig
idly scru linize the acts OF their Hepresen-
tatives, and to correct all abuses of power
by the peaceful remedy OF the ballot box.
is one which freemen should never IND, :
ferently exercise or tamely surrender. The
election in August next, although confined
to the choice of members OF Congress,
members of the next General Assembly,
the various county officers and an Attorney
General, is one of sufficient import ance to
call out every voter and to actively enlist
the energies and time Of every lover OF the
State.
TIE dominant party are organizing thor
oughiy for the approaching campaign, ana
you imperil every important interest OF the
State if you fatter yourselves with the hope
that it will surrender the government with
out desperate struggle. We feel conf
dent that an equally jealous and determ-
ined effort on the part of the Conservative
people of the State will insure them a
thrice glorious victory in August next.
| But to achieve it, they must be united and
thoroughly harmonious. In the presence
of determined enemy we cannot afford to
divide among ourselves. The past glories
or defeats of old political organizations
should be among the things OF the past. In
the battle we are about to join against
Radicalism, reckless extravaganza, corrup-
ton, swindling, in becility and partizan
tyranny, why should we stop to enquire
whether our leaders were IN the past Wings,
Democrats, Unionists or secessionists, SO
they but lead US to victory and save us
| from defeat, the result of which would
be nothing less than absolute ruin to the
State That man who now attempts to
! exhume the buried past, 10 revive the
prejudices born Of issues long since dead,
and which ought to be forgotten. will, in
| tentionally or unintentiOnally, contribute
! to the strength Of our common enemy
| Let the chickering's Of the past be hushed !;
let US rise above the d~arfed idea that
would lead us to inquire what a man. poll
ties ere in the past let US bat ask, IS he
an opponent Of RadIcalism, is he honest.
is he competent? Upon this broai CHI
elevated platform you can invite the good
| Of all parties and races to Join uu against
that party which has levied and collected
taxes, without stint, with one hand and
scattered them with wild extravaganza with
the other that has introduced into our
Hall of Legislation corruption hitherto
unheard of there that has elevated to pc
sitions of trust and profit men wholly I'M
worthy of confidence, that has altered and
confused our laws until the admin -tration
of justice has become costly, and its attain
ment uncertain that has sought to sub
ordinate the civil administration to mill
tary spower by proclamation of martial
law and petition to Congress for the sus-
pension of the writ of habedS corpus :, that
has more than doubled the current ex-
penses of the State government that has
enormously increased the State debt that
has cast foul blot upon her hitherto fair
escutcheon, and that for want of states
manship, and for utter disregard Of the
necessities of the people, is without
parallel in the history Of this or any other
State. With such cause ours, against
such party, the undivided ranks of con-
servatism must prevail.
In the last contest i'll this State the
principal issue was upon the question of
colored suffrage and the civil rights OF the
colored race. That matter has been de-
cided. upon a solemn appeal, by the
people of the United States. The guar
antee Of their rights has now become a
part of the Constitution. To that Consti-
tuition we have ever been willing to defer,
to the laws made in pursuance of it, we
yield, and ever have yielded a ready
obedience.
The reconstruction ac;s of Congress,
with the civil and political rights they
confer on the colored race. we regard as a
fnality We accept them IN good faith.
We are one Of the States Of the Union. -
Let US seek to forget the bitterness OF the
past, to build up the places made waste by
the unfortunate war, and to promote the
harmony and prosperity Of all sections Of
our great country.
The colored man now enjoys the same
political and civil rights as the white man
We accept this status rs fixed by the
Constitution Of this State and the United
States in good faith. We regard it as
final SETTLE me Mt OF the question. It now
becomes our duty as good citizens to ele
vate him morally and Intellectually.
The Chief Magistrate of this State, the
head and front of Radicalism, has seen
fit to declare one of our counties in q state
of insurrection, and to call upon Congress
to suspend the writ of habeds corpus
throughout the State. We declare there
is no sufficient cause for this extraordinary
action of Governor Holden. There is and
has been no armed resistance. No upris-
ing OF the people. No outbreaks TO dis
turb or hinder the full administration of
the civil law. We assert that there is not
a county in the State, in which any Sheriff
or other peace officer may not go unattend-
ed, and with perfect safety, and execute
any process upon any citizen of the State
It is true that murders and other outrages
have been committed, but they have not
been confined to any particular locality, or
any political party, and when Gov. Holden
represents to the President and to Con-
gress that these acts are evidences of dis |
loyalty, he is guilty of wilful libel upon |