Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-01-14
The War BII-Its Necessity.

We have already reviewed the Legisla-
tive War Bill at some ler9th-its legal eff
fects, the dangerous and extraordinary
powers granted by ii. its origin, and the
causes which will force it's adoption.
Those who favor and urge the passage of
this Bill pretend to be governed by the be-
lief that condition Of violence and law
lessness exists in certain counties of this |
State, which cannot be restrained by the
controlled by the civil officers of those |
counties. 1t is alleged, moreover, that |
the victims of these outrages are "loyal |
lists, and that on this account only are
they prosecuted and prescribed. 70 cap
ture and punish the members Of these IN
lawful organizations, and to promote the
peace and order of society, it is contended
that it is necessary to invest the Governor
and the Solicitors with powers, the most
extraordinary and dangerous alike to the
lives, liberties and property of citizens. The
Conservatives Of the lower House of the
Legislature, with the aid of two Republi
cans, who valued the peace of the State
and the lives of its citizens more than their
fealty to party, have delayed the passage
of this Bill. The minority in the General
Assembly, the Press of the State, and the
people in their primary meetings have pro-
tested, and, We fear, protested IN vain
against the enactment Of this war measure.
We look for its passage very soon after She
re-assembling of the Legislature. We have
HoDn0Dno1 It oo mara cloak for willfD1
wanton, premeditated usurpation of pow
ers expressly prohibited b. the Constitu-
ton. We believe it is intended TO terrify
the people in order to prolong Radical as
cendancy in the State. It is conspiracy,
fully in keeping with, and part of, the
programme of the Legislature holding over
for four years, by means of which the peo-
pie Of the State are to be deprived of their
rights, their property aud their liberties.
There are two sections of North Carolina
where these Radical conspirators allege that
disorders are so rife and violations Of the
law so frequent and outrageous that the
officers are not able to suppress riot and
murder-whero men are punished and
killed for opinions sake. These are the
counties of Orange Chatham, Aiamance
and portious of Wake. and Jones and
Lenoir. We have more than once given,
as we believe, just and reasonable opin-
ions as to the origin of most of the viola
tions of law which have taken place in
those two localities. Indeed, murders have
been as frequent and more blood thirsty
in Robson, if we may except those of
Colonel NethercuSt and the Foscne family
in Jones, than in other portions of the
State, bnt as they were always committed
by blacks upon white citizens they have
cast only a momentary horror over the
State, and are left to slumber in the
memories Of the relatives and friends of
lie victims and to prey upon the fears of
II e survivors.
1t is convenient, when party measures
ale to be subserved, to trump up outrages
or exaggerate those which have been COM
miGted, and give to all political bias; but
when Radical officials have about sucked
the last drop of blood from the citizens of
the State, and wish to invite other flies
into their coy parlOrs, they hold out in
ducement6 to settlers by telling the real
truth as to the peaceful condition of our
State. If settlers and immigrants had
nothing to fear except from the violence
and lawlessness of our people, and if the
salubrity of our climate, the fertility of
our soil, the wealth of our mines, the
cheapness of our lands, and the welcome
from our citizens, were not dimmed by
Radical taxation and debt, resulting from
fraud, corruption and extravaganza, North
Carolina would, indeed, be paradise for
hundreds of thousands of the industrious
people of the North and of Europe.
But what is the real condition of
the people OF the two sections of the
State to which the provisions of the War
Bill are especially intended? At recent
term of the Superior Court of Chatham,
the Grand Jury, composed of members of
both political parties, and of both races,