Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-09

sincerity and truth. It is a happy idea
that s suggested this trip. It is said in
Scripture. when the question was asked.
can auy thing good come out of Nazareth :?
Philip said, "Come and see."
1t is happy thing for us that this corps
of the C nductors OF the public press, the
| fourth estate Of the realm, acknowledged
in times of civilization and liberty TO pos
sess greater powers for good CT evil than
any other institution in the land, shall see
| for themselves and report accurately to
| their thousands of readers what they saw
and heard in North Carolina. This occas-
ion is also one Ct greater importance. FOR
the reason that it is the first time siuce the
war that we have received
VISIT OF COURTESY AND FRIESDsHIP
f;om the people of the North It is what
| the newspapers say Of Vallandigh ANS plat
form. {" o new departure" Heretofore, we
have been visited only by armed soldiers.
This kind and courteous appeal to our bet
ter feelings will not be without its fruits.
We appreciate it highly, and it will have
far greater influence i'll reconciling the
country than all the armies and all the
pains and penalties which can be imposed
upon US. If we were not more susceptible
to kindness and conciliation than to force,
we would not be worthy of the name of
freemen.
North Carolina has been singled out for
criticism, for what reason Heaven only
knows, in an especial manner, within the
last twelve months. She has always here
! tofore been considered one of the most or
derly and law-abiding of all the Southern
States. The misfortune is that
THE ExIGENCIEs OF PARTY POLITICS
have rendered it necessary that We should
wash our dirty lineL in public.
From the pulpit, the press, the bench
from the stump and the Executive has
| gone forth exaggerated accounts of every
offence committed against the law in the
State, and each of them has been attrbu-
ted to partisan purposes. From these
sources the impression has gone forth that
we are band Of lawless barbarians.
| Where are the communities where there
are no violations of law q? It is certainly
not New York, nor Pennsylvania, nor New
| Jersey. It is not in America.
There may be communities where the
civil and political rights of all citizens are
undisturbed there doubtless will be a
| time when haley on peace will brood over
| the whole land, and there will be none to
molest or make afraid but it will not be
before the milennial trump sounds. Now,
sire, man cannot go out and rob his
neighbor's henroost in peace, or maui his
enemy in old fashioned style without being
accused Of a design to violate
It is referred to at once as desire to raise
another rebellion. Why, gentlemen,
the idea of another rebellion by o people
who have been go completely snbjugatt d.
is absurd. 1t is true we have disorders
among us-no reasonable man will pretend
to deny it nor would any reasonable man
expect anything else. L challenge the
History of the World to show where peo-
pie who have endured the horrors of such
a terrible civil war for four long ears,
whose
POLITICAL. SOCIAL AND MORAL CONDITION
had been SO completely upturned, whose
wealth had been SO destroyed, whose sons
had been 30 slaughtered, whose every feel
ing, sentiment and prejudice had been SO
trampleed on, have submitted to it all
with so much quiet and 80 little disorder.
IF you expect us to exhibit more obedience
and patience than we have, I am sure you
| pay US compliment. which perhaps you
do not intend, for it attributes to us the
possession of virtues which I know you
would not look for in your own people.
Again I repeat we are most happy to
see you here to learn of these things for
yourselves land not another" am only
sorry that you canrot go farther and stay
longer, in order that your information
may be more complete and accurate. OF
|
| visitors, we put our best foot foremost,
and our households are swept and gar
| nished but there is nothing among us
that We would not desire you to see.
A gentleman who preceded me assured
you that the best wine had been kept for
the last of the feast, in alluding to his re-
ception here. [ beg to assure him that
| you are only entering into the edge of the
wine district, and that the farther you go
| into North Carolina the hatkor
Greensboro is an ambitious little city,
| and does very we'll considering all things
| but it you will go with me ninety, five miles
sou Invest of this to the city of Charlotte,
| tn which place my colleagues and myself
are authorized TO invite you, in the county
Of Mecklenburg, We will show you
THE NATAL SPOT OF AMERICAN LIBERTY
and Independence, If you desire it we
will have the K. K. K. ordered out in full
force for your entertainment, headed by
the Grand Cyclops himself. (Laughter.)
can say for myself, and l believe for all
the people of North Oar Dina, with SINGER
| ity and truth, that We desire. pray for,
| agopiZ3 for, not rCcOnstr1ction only, but
reconciliation with the people of the
| North.
You must remember that We claim as
great part in the past gorIes Of the Re
| public as belong to you. Remember that
the people of North Carolina stood s3e by
side with those of Mas .achusetts and Ne"
| York in the "timss which triod mems
souls" Remember that our soil is cover
ed with the battle fields of that great re
| volution, and lis bosom is filed with the
dust of as many heroes and a. noble who
perished in that struggle as ever gave tt eli
| blood to the cause of Liberty.
There is no reason why, If you would
! give Us chance, we should not strive for
| the
HONOR AND GLORY OF THE CJUNTRY
as well as you. Il only leeds that we be
truly recorciled. 1t IS not well for a p O.
pie to continue strife sfter the conttSl /
| ended It is not we'll for one side to cher
ish exclusively traditions that would fill
the other With rage or sorrow. You have
your heroes Of tae great civil war in whose
! praises We c1nnot cordially join; we Lave
our heroes whose glories you cannot sing,
but there are common ira 1itiOLs aud CON
mon heroes WHO belong to the Who'll A;neii-
can people, in whose prai 'es we can all
| unite Let us cherish those ard meet on