Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-10-16

slavery must be abolished, bnt they
still expected to make use of the col
ored population for their own ends and
IL some way to control their labor. But
when it became the settled policy of
the United States to make the colored
men citizens in reality, clothed with all
the powers and rights of citizens they
rebelied against it. Now let US reverse
the picture. Suppose Grant had sur
rendered TO Lee, and that q convention
had been called at the North to declare
that slavery Is forever tabiished;
that all bonds, State and Federal,
greenbacks. obligations, &c collected
| i'll the war against the Sonth, be void;
that all Confederate bonds, pensions,
| &c, be forever held sacred and invio-
late, how long do you think before the
people of the North would become
| reconciied to such STATE of things?
| Then you can see how the secession
element look upon the present state of
affairs. They are as much opposed to
it as they ever were. They hope to
overthrow the Republican party by
showing that Republican RECONSTRUCT
| ton upon the basis of civil and poiiti-
cal equality IS an utter future
| This is the reason why murderers can
not be punished. We must address
ourselves to the co 8 Iteration. OF how
this state OF affairs can be changed;
until it is changed, we cannot hope
for peace il the land. Tho govern
ment has said that reconstruction
shall be sustained, and it, has had re-
cent occasion to exercise its power in
one of the Gulf States. Fortunate
was it for the country that there was
a man with the nerve to do his duty in the
Executive Chair. Now what shall be
done? Every man here, it is presumed,
desires to see State authorities pre-
sumed and used in protecting life. lib
erty and property; such a state Of
things once existed and why cannot it
he again Nothing prevents but a
| only two ways of eEforcing law; one
is by intelligen. public opinion and the
other by military power. Why is it
that men are unwilling to serve as
Grand Jurors and witnesses. and 10th
to testify Why is it that Petit Ju-
rors will not convict when Grand Ju-
ries have indicted ? Because there is
an underlying public sentiment that
VIII not sustain the laws. In the
| speakers own State every citizen took
an oath not to interfere with the equal
freedom of all before the law. Yet
how could they Join III the perpetra-
tlou OF such outrages as are committed
except for public sentiment in oppo-
sition to law? Cannot the people OF
the South be brought to see that it is
vain to make war against this idea of
civil and political equality. Can they
not see that it is vain to war longer
against the Federal government, for I
despair of State authority. IF not, the
power of the Federal government
must be invoked to give protection to
life, liberty and home. It will be one
of the most solemn duties of this Con :
vention to consider when and under
what circumstances this innovation
shall be made We do not desire to
see these fair States Of ours turned
over to military rule unless there is
Lo other alternative. The Federal
| government has power to use the mil
| ltarv as a power to aid the civil laws
aud when they are not sufficient, Con
gress has power to make such laws as
may be necessary; this we should in
woke until these terrible evils are Grad
| ic ItCt:; then peace will smile and pros
perity will return to our gamers. In
! der the Federal Constitution a man
cannot he indicted except by jury in
the district where the crime was COM
mjtted. Under this law the Ku Klux,
or as they aIe now called, the White
! Laaguers, can have Grand and Petit
,Fnr.es composed to suit themselves.
Jurors should be compelled to declare,
| under oath, that they do not belong to
the White League or Ku Kiux. Under
the present law. judges are lot aU-
-
He could never understand how muir
der, arson and kindred crimes could
be considered political. They are
nothing but felonieS. Where is the
Southern chivaIry shown il going IL
man? That was not the clivalry
the South displayed in the late
| wa, Eor in the Mexican war, nor in
| he war Of 1912. In conclusion he
thanked the Convention for the honor
! conferred upon him, and urged that
in the solemn deliberations Of the Con-
! ventiOn, which were to effect every
home in the South and which would
touch the homes of the North, and
would go far to show to the eyes of
the world whether we were capable OF
Self-government or not, to act with 4
! view to the vast responsibilities placed
upon rs; We were not called upon to
pour out our hearts blood like him
who gathered the spear in his hand
and said, make way for liberty and
die" but we are called upon to devote
our best powers of our intellect to the
great task
On motion Of J. II. Speed. of Ala
bama, it was resolved that each State,
! when voting, be entitled to the same
! number Of votes as in the electoral
college. The rules of the House OF
Representatives were adopted.
On motion, it was ordered that a
/ committee of three from each State be
appointed on resolutions, to whom all
resolutions be referred, without de-
| bate.
1t was then resolved to appoint q
! ccmmitsee of one from each State to
| prepare an address upon the condition
of affairs i'll the Southern States.
Gov. Brooks, of Arkansas, moved
the appointment of a committee of one
from each State delegation, to gather
| and collate facts and statistics in re-
gard to the condition of the Southern
States.
Gov. Davis of Texas, thought this
should be in the province Of the Com
mittee on Address, and moved that
Gov. Brooks be laid on the table, but
withdrew the motion to allow Gov.
i&rooks to explain. Gov, Brooks said