Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-02
Ee4 SraE soldiers.

Federal soldiers @e6m 10 D9 tl6 great
bugbear by which President GRAFT and
the Radical party expect to frigbten our
people into their luppcrE, CT through which
they expect to manage the elections IN the
South. We are threatened continually
with IS National" troops, and many de-
tached oompa MES are QaarteTed about
through the coanery, and are moved to
points where il IS thought that their
presence will have d good political in
huence. Judges, with false statements
aDd feigned feara, ask for their protection
to hold courts. CowaEdly and lying foSo>
nue. officials pretend to require thcis as
sstance 10 execute the laws. Every
Radical official in tie Stale, from Governor
Caldwell to the petty constablee, n1e d log
all they can to fiji the State with Federal
soldiers.
They will doubtless succeed. Whist Of
it? The Government ses ms 10 have an
excess OF troops, aud they may as well
lounge away their time III idle sport IN cur
country towns, spending their pay among
people who need tho money, a. lying
around tho Northern cities, or filing use
less gorrisons along the coass and on the
frontier We have never been without
Federal soldiers in this State since the
war. Ordinarily tho officers in commend
have been gentlemen, who have performed
their duties SIS srch, and the nea have
generally been m ost kindly dispo-ed TO
our people.
We shall rot easily forget that the adj
vent of Federal soldiers into Orange and
Alamanc8 counties rid the people of Bosher
aud his horde Of thieves, and that the
first cheek which Kirk received in his
headlong career of brutality was owing to
the presence of United States soldiers in
CaswcIl And when Governor Holden at
tenn pied to bolster mp his failing fortunes
by slauders of his native State, the officers
in charge of these very soldiers were the
foremost to rebut the evidence with which
lie and his miserable hirciings expected to
place North Carolla under martial law.
We do not believe there has been a
single exception throughout the South
ly feelings which have existed between the
citizens aud the Federal garrisons which
have from time 10 time been sent II al +
ferent portions Ct tho country. And We
anticipate the same condition OF things in
the future. There is something about
the educa$4on and association CT army Of
feels which renders them little fitted TO be
made the tools Ct partisane. They come
as soldiers, faithful to the o1ders under
which they are sent, but Of little use in
pulling political wires. So long as our
citizzns are peaceful and law abiding they
have nothing TO fear, either from the acts
ofCongress or the orders Of the President.
The United States army cannot be handled
in the interests of party, however much
the administration may desire to do 50.
The presence of Federal troops IS not
agreeable to free citizens nor is II N ac-
cordance with the spirit CT our govern
ment. Yet we have seen the fundamental
law so frequently and grossly violated IN
other ways, and we have sui mitted to so
many oppressive measures, that We can
bear this additional humiliation With some
degree of resignation. At least We can, if
we so desire, by our conduct defeat the
objects for which they are sent, which will
be victory over our oppressors as valua-
BILE as it will be unexpected. The army
will become our friends and active wit
nesscs to break down the barriers which
prejudices, falsehoods and party frenzy
have erected between Us and the people OF
the North,
Let us do our duty-let us be true to
ourselves and our country-let us be faith
full to our prineiples-let as be honorable