Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-06-28
Radical Legislative Address of ISGs

Radical Legislative Address of ISGS
We conclude this morning the publica-
ton of this notorious document. 1t is
curious to see how fully the events Of the
last four years have demonstrated the
falschOOd Of some of its main statements.
In that address Caldwell charges that it
was the purpose Of the Southern wing of
the Democratic party sto find some possible
opportunity again to raise the flag Of trea-
son, establish their still lOnged-for COnfed-
eracy, and to restore slavery" and yet this
same Southern Conservative party has,
with unexampled unanimity, resolved TO
vote for Horace Greeley for the next Pres
ident.
The Address asserted that the election Of
Grant would ''restOrc confidence, improve
the public credit, and secure the general
peace and quiet OF the nation," and yet
abroad we have unsettled troubles with
England and Spain, and indeed i'll almost
every quarter OF the globe. At home in
every Southern State, and in Illinois,
New York, and Pennsylvania, if not in
other Northern States, the peace has been,
when it suited the President, the peace Of
the bayonet. Indeed, it is a perfect
absurdity to talk about the peace
and quiet OF the country. The Ad-
dress also says i" we do not question
the legal right of any man to employ
whom he pleases or not to employ ut all, ,"
and, in spite of this, there is now upon the
10 +1,af nj
tentiary offence for a man to do the very
thing that Caldwell then asserted men
have a perfect right to do!
But we merely notice these things in
passing on to the real point and purpose Of
the Address. Caldwelrs purpose was to
rally and consolidate the colored vote for
General Grant, just as it is now the purpose
of Governor Caldwell, Mr.. Mckay and
other Radical candidates to rally and con-
SOlidatc that vote now. This is what
Caldwell said in 1868.
''Did it never occur to you, ye gentlemen
Of education, property and character, to
you, We men and especially yc women, who
never received anything from these colOred
people but services, kindness and prOtec-
tiOn-did it never occur TO you that these
same people, who are SO very bad, Will not
be willing TO sleep in the cold, when your
houses are denied them, merely because
they will not vote us you do: That they
NAV not be willing to starve, while they
are willing to work for bread? Did 1t
never occur to you that revenge, which IS
so sweet to You, may be rs sweet to them
Hear us, if nothing else you will hear, did
it never occur la you that if you Kill their
children with hunger, they will kill your
children with fear' Did it never occur to
you that if you good people maliciOusly
determine that they Shall have no shelter,
they may determine that you shall have no
shelter ,"
This is certainly one way to have emo
parlor and no kitchen,' for the torch Of the
incendiary will respect neither the one nor
the other any more than Shcrman's bum
mcrs did in South Carolina. In going
through that State just after the war
closed, we were painfully struck with the
fact that they made 10 distinction, and
that there was, indeed, emo parlor and no
Kitchen"
1t will be remembered that this Address
was issued in the Summer of 1868, and
that for twelve months and more murder
and arson, and robbery and rape We're
crimes of most frequent occurrence. In GER
tain portions of the State citizens allegc that
they found it necessary to combine, and
to combine in secret to protect themselves,
their families and their property, and
that but for the interpositiOn of these
dreaded secret combinations, the con-
,l;,;o,, - oH.,;r. 1UO,rlJ boVn b0nn with
out a parallel in the civilized world
Men will protect themselves. If they cam
not do so openly, they will attempt to do
SO secretly. But whatever may have been
| the case in the past, there is now no cause for
| secret combinations for defence. We have