Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-03-31

I Answer-Yes, sir; the ordinance wal
o adopted in the very words in which wrot,
t it.
: Q1estion-That was declaring the at
{ tempted secession void ad initi0
Answer-Yes, sir; and that the Union O.
the States renamed just as it was before
a Questlon-Is the general sentiment o.
your State, in your opinion, friendly tc
the restoration and permanence of NORTH
Q Carolina as a member of the Federal
Union?
Acknowledging is more desired. In
dustrlaI pursuits now are beginning to
thrive. and there has been q considera
pie Improvement, rs I stated on ycster-
day, III my opinion, in respect to the hon
eSty OF the colored population.
Qaes'lon-Do you believe there is any
teeelIng Of dlsatfectiUn toward the Govern
ment of the United States in your State;
do not mean individual cases, but any
thing like public sentiment?
AnsWer-No sir; there is no such senti-
ment.
Question-Auy disposition to organize
an OBJ struction to the laws of the United
States
AnSwer-NO more than there is in this
District, according to my Judgment. I do
not think it is in the power of fifty men in
North Carolina, of the greatest em1nence.
to get up anything like an insurrection or
| ESDelIlOn called treason.
QuestlOn-Under any circumstances
| Answer-Yes, sir, do not think they
could produce any such impression.
| Questlou-Have you any idea that there
/ ere fifty such men WIZ o desire it +?
Answer do not think there is one Of
| any eminence ?
| Question-What was the debt of North
Carolina at the close Of the war?
| Answer-It was $14. 600. 900 or $15, ,OOO-
| | q
cast it up as an official duty.
Question-To what amount has the debt
been increased -?
Answer To about $35, OOO, 900, I think.
QuestlOn-HoW was that increase made?
| Answer-Uuder the pretended purposs
OF advancing internal improvements, and
was principally brought about by persons
who were not citizens OF the State of North
! Carolina, but who had vast influence by
having had positions as officers of the
| United States army.
Question-What attitude did Governor
| Holden occupy in regard to the creation
Of this additional debt
Answer-He made no opposition to it,
and regretted it exceedingly, because
there is no one [ know that feels more
| deeply than l do the degradatior of the
public faith of North Carolina. To pay
all the public debt that is new in existence
created by these bonds, amounting to some
$50, OO0, 600 would take one-ffth or one
sixth OF all the real estate of North. Caro-
lima, at its present tax value.
Question-What was the political com
plexion Of the Legislature that approved
of this issue of bonds?
Apswer-It was decidedly Radical or
Republican.
Question-That political organization
controlled the Legislature
Answer-Entireiy f; the League orgRni-
zation controlled it.
QQcstion-The Union League
Answer-The Union Loague, 50 called,
completely controlled it,
Question-Did or did not these leagues
embrace the bulk of the eoored people Of
the State ?
Answer-AlnlOst all of them.
Question-Were not tho leagues chiefly
! composed Of c0loYed people ?
l AnsWer-Yes, sir we have about 80,0 600
colored voters and about ITO, 900 white
voters in the State.
/ Question--YOu believe the co1ored
voters were generally combined in these
leagues .... .Hf
| Answcr--Almost universally. So strong
at that time was the feeling, that L re-
member an instance of one colored mai,
In the county of Wilson, who was whipped
by two OF the league negroes for votin g
the Conservative ticket. They were tried
for the offence, conv cted, and sentenced
to three months imprisonment by Judge
Thomas, who was elected by the Redica
party, and they were pardoned by Gov
ernor Holden. At whose solicitation they
were rardOned l know not. Neverthe-
less, it went out as public example. and
had very injurious effect, in my opinion.
Quesition-Did it have the effect to lead
the coiored men to think that acts of that
kind might be perpetrated with impunity
Answer suppose so.
, Question that the general tone OF
the leagues towards those colored people
who did not follow their lead-that of in
timidation and punishment?
) Answer-It vas SO; 1T was frowning
upon them in such manner as to create
terror.
Qoestion-Did it destroy their indepen.
dence of action?
Answer-Entirely destroyed their inde
: pendence.
Question-Tbat was throughout the
State?
Answer-That was throughout the State
so far as 1 know. I have very frequently
} stated myself. and I will use the same ex-
| preston now, that thev We're very mucf
: like flock of sheep, which always follow
/ the bell whether he jumps over fence O
e leaps into pit.
+ Question-Who first organized the lea
u CUES?
Answer cannot tell you; they seeme'
to spring up at once like a mushroom
L rose right out of tue state of affairs, AM
Governor Holden was the head president
IS Question-The president of the centrs
J; organization
q Answer-Yes, sir.
Questionable controlled it ?
Answer-I suppose he did.
q Question--W the effect of this orgar
ization to draw the colored peopl
y away from their labor at improper times
II AnsWer-It was, and to diminish the
st wages. It made them thriftless in man
% cases. A man could hardly get LAHORE
a in many cases, when he lived near a tow
where these constant assemblages too
r place. Our justices OF the peace are peac
ar officers. A great many Of the new al
pointments were men OF known bad cha
IN acter, men convicted of theft, or accuse
d. and believed to have Deen guilty of the
ad and men who could not read or writ
v Why, sir, precepts have been brought