The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-25

The Views Of Man Who II Not Politician
The Old North State for Greeley-The Col
ored Vote Origin Of tho K. K. K
Why the South Wants Greeley
and Dislikes Grant

A tall and somewhat slender gentleman, OF ma
ture years and erect carriage, with clear-cut and
thoughtful outline Of visage, blue eyes and gray
hair and cleanly-shaven face, has occupied apart
ments at the st. Nicholas Hotel for two or three
days past, and win tonight leave for his
home in the old North State. He has viz.
tied New York solely on business affairs, hut
having had an experience Of perhaps fifty years In
North Carolina, and having been the associate In
his early days. well In his later years, Of men
famous at the South, 1t is not altogether
unreasonable to suppose that his views concern
ing the approaching election In North Carolina
will be Of interest at this time-within precisely
one week Of the contest. This gentleman Is Colonel
william johnston OF Charlotte, N G.. President of
the Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta, and OF the
Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Railroads. Colonel
Johnst is graduate Of the University OF North
Carolina, where he studied law and was col
lege mate of Tod. r.. Caldwell present Governor,
and candidate for the same position on the radical
ticket in the present election and Of Frank Blair,
Everett and other men well known In political life.
The Colonel has never himself been politician,
and has no political ambition now During
the past sixteen years he has been identi-
fed entirely with railroad interests AT the
outbreak Of the war he became 90 war MAN. on
the Confederate side, OF course and was appointed
Commissary General Of the State by Governor
Ellis, though against his own personal
desires. He retained control, however, Of
the railroads with which he was con-
nected, and In 1868 was the candidate
for the GOvernorship, in opposition to Zebuon
Vance. This embraces the Colonel's public record,
times that historic of that old Southern institu
ton, the field of honor, and of tits, defeats and
victories In the forum.
Last evening HERALD reporter called upon the
Colonel to obtain some facts outside the ordinary
routine Of the politicians story Of campaign
prospects," The Colonel sat in his shirt sleeves by
the window, and quietly whitfield out the smoke OF
very good cigar as he detailed, with the manner
Of a gentleman Of the olden time, his opinions on
the canvass In North Carolina. He said
al was quite surprised upon my arrival in New
York to find such general impression existing
that Grant would carry our State. My experience
Of affairs there Is drawn from intercourse with
people Of all classes, devoid entirely Of the excite
ment of political discussion, and embraces their
quiet expression Of belief or opinion. I feel per-
fectly assured that
THR LIBERAL TICKET
will be successful. On Thursday OF next week.
they will carry both branches Of the Legislature by
q very decided majority, and that Merrimon's
majority for the GovernOrship, over Caldwell,
will reach fully 5000. And my reasons for
believing as do are these There has not
existed anything like perfect unanimty until now
between the Old line wings and the democrats on
any ticket, but now they are singularly united and
Jointly vigorous In 1870 Shpp was elected Attorney
General by a clear majority OF 1850. Since then
large proportion of the cOlOred population has gone
into South Carolina, Georgia and others Of the more
southerly states, and they are clear loss to the
radical vote. Then again, in that election OF 1870
there were fully twenty-five thousand white voters
who took no part in that election by reason Of the
terrorism that prevailed. These were mostly bust
ness men, and the State was full OF administra-
ton officials, such az revenue inspectors marshals
spies, that these business men found their very
means of living imperilled, and avoided the polls"
do you think they will come to the front in the
II think we shall get out fully one half, perhaps
two-thirns OF that dormant vote on the first OF
therefore this gain and the loss in the colored vote,
and combining their probable results with the major
rity given for Shipp In 1870 think eight thousand is
not an exaggerated estimate OF the coming liberal
majority And most certainly the carving OF the
State for MerrimOn will insure the state majority
for Greeley in November.
"TO what cause, Colonel, do you attribute the
emigration of colOred people from North Carolina
30 more sOuthery States ?"
dealers
IN THE OLD TIMES
carry their slaves into the more sOutherly States
The demand for labor and the rates OF compensa-
tion are now, as they were then, higher in those
States, and the freedman having learned this fact
hastens TO avail himself oil the benefits
It Is singular state OF facts, but
! assure you it is the case, and
my experience as a railroad man and by actual
contact with them. have carried over a single
road, of which am President, over two thousand
coored emgrants into Georgia and other states
south of u.s. and know that they left for the higher
rates Of wages paid there.
what Is the sentiment Of the colOred people in
North Carolina concerning Grant-do they look upon
him as their delvererf"
favor of Grant, but " Is fostered and
The negroes have had one prominent ldca
the masses OF them have-it is their lifelong idea
that the white man viii some day seek to
re-enslave them They appear, o disposed ,n to
idea OF them all, from Greeley down.
The Loyal League instils this feeling everywhere
organization. For these reasons they incline to
look upon Grant as dellverer, forgetting that
Greeley made their freedom the issue ol
his lifetime. The carpet-baggers used the
fact against the southern people, that they were
opposed 20 giving the negro the suffrage as eyi,
to bondage. They said, we have given yon this
Suffrage and You can therefore trust u.s. ana, of
course the effect Of such an appeal upon an ignor'
And you concedc that they are inf'uenceo Wy the
Loyal League ~
70 their will and have acnatcd the white people OF
the South alike from the negro and the Northern
whites by every means III their power. inefe
would bo
80 rROt Gle At THE SOUTH
bnt for the loyal )eaguers. They have been ,le
prime cause OF all disorders even in other states
than south Carolina IL was Governor Scotts (Of
South Cardinal assertion that the rifle and bali In
negro hands was the only means by which TO govern
the southern people followed by hts indiscriminate
aiming OF the negroes as mtiamen, that gave pftn
70 tue Ku klux Khan. The Ku Klux was organized
as purely defensive measure against the prompt-
ngs OF men like Scott uttered to the negroes; but I'M
prudent rash in the Ku Klux led to the condeH-
nation Of that organization. Instead or remaining
q defensive organization their fears anu, perhaps,
their spirit OF retaliation led them into acts OF Vo-
lent aggression, and for these myself condemn
them as heartily as anybody"
''How does the South look upon Grant ~
GAS u bold, though weak aud vaciatng man,
whose vaclaton renders his bodness dangerous.
lie mas supported state governments at the south
that have been
CURSE TO THE SOUTH