Wilmington journal., 1872-04-26
Mr. Cobb's Feply to the "Ern,r
SHELBY, n. c., April 18th, 1872.
Editors Of Daily Ne,rs:

Editors Of Daily Ne,cs:
Afriend has sent me an editorial. clipped
from your paper, headed "The Era and
kev. MIR. Cobb," in which you generously
and successfully defend me from the unjust,
ungenerous and uncalled for attack OF that
paper upon myself for reporting the speech
OF Hon. Il. B. Vance, at StatesvilIc, for the
Daily Dispatch.
1t has ever been the habit of hardened
sinners to seek for solace in heralding the
sins OF others. When exhorted to confess
sions and co1trition, they usually excuse
themselves from the duty and bolster them
selves up in their wickedness by finding,
or making, fault with others who profess
holiness as if they could be made pure by
their proving others impure, or as if they
could become reputable i'll proportion rs
they make others disreputable.
Ihc hbertlne IS ever ready to SANDER
that purity that cannot be pIostituted to
his lustful purposes. The real thief is
usually first to raise the cry OF '!stop thief"
at the heels Of some innocent lad whom he
had failed to induce to become partner
of his theft. The Ere and his correspond
ent have no objection to ministers taking
part in politics, if they take part on their
side. If they can be made to prostitute
the sacred office for their own partisan pur-
poses they are very cOmmendable; but if
not, they must be branded as political
preachers or upholders Of Ku-Klux. Moth
ing but malice akin to that of the liber-
! tine, or a rebrObacy like that OF the thief,
would have prompted SO unwarranted and
unjust an attack as that cont aimed i'll the
Era. What possible grounds could there
be for the charge? Is merchant Demo
crat because he sells goods to a Democrat?
Is q fdrmer lawyer because he hauls corn
n Il q d
ent ku-kluX because he writes an ac-
count Of ku-Klux raid? CIR lawyer
guilty OF assault and battery because he
defends 2 man who has been? Did the
| reporter Of Gov. UOlden'S trial become one
| of the prosecutors because he took down
! the proceedings? And can l be charged
with being "Ku-KluX Democrat" as
| they call it, because, as a photographer, /
| undertook to report for the press political
! speech OF Gov. Vance? | have reported
some Republican speeches. Did that make
/ me Republican
| Had there been no ''pOlitical parsons" at
work in the ranks of the party TO ,Chicb the
ET0 belongs, turning the negro pulpits into
| political rOStrumS, converting congregations
| into Union leagues, to elevate themselves
and other malicious slanderers Of the
Southern people into office, there would
have been none of this cry of ''stop thief
on ku-kluN political preachers.
| am not member Of any political or
ganizatiOn, but l am a Carolinan and
love my native State. Reared within hci
borGcTs, educated at her University, bap-
tized III one Of her rivers, ordained in one
of her court houses, having suffered with
her soldiers, | can be jealous OF her honor
her virtue, her prosperity and integrity
and may my right hand forget her cltn
ming and my tongue clGave TO the roof O
my mouth" when shall strike hands with
any political leaders in helping to tear the
coronet Of honor from her brow, by de
grading her institutions, blackening the
character of her sons, disfranchising he
citizens, or running her credit. If thi
makes me a political preacher, plcaC
guilty to the charge.
The home of my childhood is here. Th'
remains of my father and my mother ar,
deposited in its Soil-that father who wa;
excluded from the benefits of amnesty, he
cause God had blessed him with propert,
which Sherman destroyed. The compan
ions of my youth arc among the dis
Fl anchised citiZenS--Or are buried in sol
dier's graves beneath its sod. Can g
with my little ones to that loving father
grave and tell them there lies taitor an
f a rebel? Can point them to the battere
doors and the defaced walls and the broker
furniture of the old homestead, show then
the holes in the floor, where the house wa
fired several times by brutal sOldiery owe
|, their grand fathers head, and tel
them lie deserved all this ? Shal
L SO far stultify myself as to bciev
that every man who was thought worth
t. hold Office in the State before the war
more unfit to hold office now than the ig
norant black man who can neither rea,
nor write? No. Can l approve OF tha
. off Ix-li iol,
) slave to hold office while l myself am ex
, cluded? If am to be branded as politi
clan for entertaining such sentiments a
t these, let me be branded. Thank God
there is citizenship, which partisan legis
f lative enactment cannot take away; ther
: is a roll Of honor, which filthy political fir
gers can never tarnish there are richie
which fines and contiscatons can neve
reach. There is judgment scat wher
, bribery can never enter.
! ours very respectfully,
NEEDHAM Il. Conn,