The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-06-01

hepuOilcan Candldate ior. the ofhce OF AT
torney General y iai4 ,sioiaIisn0hi29 ~
i return my thanks for the fiattering man
ner in which the nomination has been ten
dered. kfe -tith
Not having heretofore been Republican,
was sure that I had no right to compete
for nomination before Republican con-
vention, against gentlemen who had co
operated with that party in its former con-
tests. To all who proposed the matter to
me, / have uniformly expressed nv intention
not to be . competitor before this conven-
ton with any Republican, particularly
the very amiable and excellent gentleman
who.naw holds the Office r am informed
that there hasnbeen no such competition,
and therefore feed myself free to accept, and
to thank you for, the compliment. ~
l have be, a member OF no party for the
last ten years, and with the exception of 70
ting at the election in November, 1868, have
taken no part in public affairs for nearly four
years ..,.,,.,.,. n r,i.,fae- iitg ~.
aave, however, been an interested obser-
yer Of the course of public events, and have
cndeayorcd 10 be Informed as 10 the sub
stance OF what was passing. sedq5l6,
At the clasc of the late war was ,dispos-
ed to CO operate to the extent oil my power
in the reorganization of my State. Cut off
as We were during that war, from any par
ticular knowledge OF what was passing in
the other parts Of the country, and disposed
from what we knew of the past, and of the
Presidential election of 1864, to believe that
President johnson and Mr.. Seward were
well informed as to the views of the United
States in regard to settlement, those who
took part in the earliest attempts at reorgan-
ization, among them, thought that a COM
pllance with the suggestions IF the Executive
branch of the general government Womb be
in compljance with suggestions OF the gov
ernment itself that there was mo- d. f6pulty IN
II Teseryevh6 To- Nho Ierxcsented, Tint Xofern$
mcnt hat qnetien hsyihg <becns scttlcd
among tlamSeI xq and TIE EXECUTIVE being
put forward rs that represent NATIVE. In this
| notion-this mistake, as it Afterwards prov
ed TO be-were conceived and carried out
all the measures of the Convcntiopymnd also
of the General Assembly OF 1866 'G6. Some.
thing was suggested then, but as it seemed
10 me, not with authority, that the Prcsi-
dent had misconceiycd his powers, and that
tile scheme he bad inaugurated would be
INSTRUCTED, and fail 1t will be remembered
that it was several months after the meeting
of Congress before any practical meas
ures were agreed upon by the majority. 1t
was long doubtful whether Congress would
make point Of setting aside what the Pres
ident had done as being nulity. a
So soon as l recognized that the question
was fairly made, l gave it consideration, and
was satisfied, as a lawyer, that reconstruc-
ton was a legislative, and not an executive
function. l so expressed myself to all to
whom had any occasion to communicate
my views. ,.t...,r ..... .-... f
| did not believe, and do not believe, that
any party within the United States who
chose to carry on Il ''war to the knife and
that knife to the hilt," against the United
States, could upon any reasonable, practical
hypothesis. claim that the constitution
of the United States remained at all times
q standing Trcaty Of Peace for them under
whatever military results of the war; If the
South had carried the Flag during that war.
and been the successful party, they would,
no doubt, have administered the same doc
trine in practice to the party defeated.
There is no such thing as peaceful secession,
and equally, and for the same reason, there
is no such thing as peaceful and de jure re
storation of seeding communities to the
political rights and authority which existed
ante bellum! The settlement of the terms
upon which men representing communities
recently seeking the life of the country, shall
regain its hOnors and be admitted to share
its secrets, is of necessity according to the
rules of national law, and is obviously leg
islative, and not an executive function.
Although making no question of its
potoer, I did not give my consent to the ex-
pcdicncy of what Congress proposed to do.
questioned that expediency very decidedly.
1t is upon this point that change has come
over my views. am in particular a con-
vert to the view that, for proper settle
ment of the controversy, it was necessary to
invest the colored man with political rights
have earthly considered the matter, and
am entirely satisfied, that, to make sure aud
complete the gift of freedom, it was necessa-
ry that he should be allowed to vote, and to
hold officel These trust have come to be
considernte people Of the State. At all
| events ayOw them to be mine.
Looking back then upon the record made
by the Republican party in regard to recon
struction, am free to say that regard it as,
in the main, upon all matters on which an
issue was made with it-righti 1t has
had questions OF the very first magnitude
to discuss and settle. History has rarely
greater questions to review. l make no
doubt that enlightened public opinion in
Other lands endorses it, and that when his
tory, at the distance of many generations,
shall make up her sentence, will pronounce
this reconstruction as being, in the main,
wise and liberal. say this conscious that
have taken no part in 1t, and that the glory
of it is entirely for Others. say this after
calm and heightened consideration of it.
After Congress had announced that the class
of men to which belonged should exercise
ton, quietly took my seat as a looker-on,
and, with some change of opinion as the
matter progressed, such as l have announced
has come TO be my judgment. H
With regard to the conduct of reconstruc-
ton in North Carolin, wish to say in par
ticular that the action of the Convention in
leaving the political franchise undisturbed
calls for loud commentator upon the score
of liberality The constitution adopted by it
bans no man! Voluntarily,it conceded to all
the citizens of the States liberties which, at a
later period, when passion might have been
supposed to he more nearly reduced to ST.
cncc, it required the honest and wise inter
ference Of President Grant, and a long and
severe contest, and great art and manage
| Iueut Us WCii upon Iuc paiI vi tuc fOtLS
public to exclude the test of Virginia.
This will be remembered to the lasting and
great credit of that Convention and their
abors when time shall have quelled all ex-
citement upon the general question.
As q professional matter, | may be per-
mittcd to add in this connection that en-
tirey approve of those features in that con
sritution which abolish the distinction be-
tween law and equity aud the forms of ac-
tions. 1t is CREST advance in civilization
in that regard. and. as it may be said that
nothing less than a social revolution could
have made it forcible here, so that rcyplu-
ton among its many items of devastation
and loss may fairly be credited with this as
an item of improvement and gain. . ,.,orI
In speaking thus ofthe principal features in
the plan of reconstruction, / win not be ua-
dcrstood as endorsing all that has been done
in this State or in the nation, in the way Of
reconstruction should surrender or con
ceal strong and deliberate impressions, il
did. 1t may be conceded that mistakes have
been made by the actors in this work which
upon ordinary occasions-in Conventions
considered with reference to the average I'M.
! portancc of Legislative measures, might justly
be regarded as OF great concern. In the
transcendent scenes however, and among the
heroic events through which the Republican
party has passed, and done its work, these
mistakes will be regarded as merely casual
and of value wholly secondary. The greate'
matters have been treated with eminent sue
cess. The lesser may well be RENTED to the
reconsideration and correction of the future.
1t may safely he said, that what history
shall recount of the actions of this party
will be recountctl to its fame and its praise
what of its actions are not to its fame and
praise, history will forget
But, gentlemen, it is not enough in this