Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-11-12

General BarrInRer and the Jsurna
CHARLOTTE, Oct. 20, 1875.
Editors Daily Journal, Wilmington
GENTs:-In your article of the 9th
you fall into an error. which I mus
correct before replying to other mat
ters. You assume that L favor "mixed
chools." In the Convention voted
against both mixed schools and the
ihter-marriage of the races; and have
always opposed such measures. AS
to the other points, / answer:
/. That Milton's theories of Free
Government did not have fair show
ing in England. He was far in ad
vance of his time. But all historians
unite in spplauding the order that pre-
vailed in England in the midst of civil
war, and dwell with admiration on
the unrivalled splendor that crowned
| her name and arms during the br ef
years of the Commonwealth. Aud
| when Charles the I'd returned to his
throne in 1860, the world never saw
such oppression, snch corruption, such
profigacy and such National degrade
tioD. Milton and his Republican
| friends, however. clung to their con-
victions and always declared that re-
action and royalty were no remedies
for the evils of the timss. And sure
enough, in 1868, Englaod realized q
| counter revolution that carried her
back measurably to the Free Princi-
pies of Milton aud the Commonwe ealth.
1t is these same principles of universal
freedom and citizenship that lie at the
bottom and the base of our American
Institutions. There principles often
70
all. they are the surest guarantees for
peace. order and prosperity.
II. L deny that Mscaniay ever re-
tracted his article on Milton. The
extracts you made from his subsequent
writings only prove his then distrust
of universal suffrage; but rather con-
sentiments. When Macaulay forty
ballot for ''every decent farmer and
to popular suffrage.
III. You say: 1T is not against
negro freedom, but against negro
pOVer, that we have declared war;"
[ frankly admit the abuse of power bg
the negro Governments South. go
further aud declare that it is fearful
hiunder. not TO say crime, flr these
people and their ignorant allies to as
sumo to rule and govern. But, this is
all owing as [ firmly believe, to the
mistaken policy and criminal LIunders
of Southern Statesmen, in biipdly op-
posing any kind of political rights to
these four million of people. And
pardon me, but you deceive your
selves, when you suppose that certain
elements in the Democratic party
mean no hostility TO the negro. In
Georgia, as a race, the negroes have
not held power, aud yet thousands of
them have been d'sfranchised. In my
humble opinion, their freedom would
not last day or be worth a cent to
them, without the ballot. During the
sitting of the Convention one of your
Democratic papers openly aud boldly
restrictions" and ''limit the suffrage"
in "voting on the amendments! And
this would be done, not at the expense
chisement OF thousands of white men.
Such is the violer ce of party hate.
No Sirs The true remedy Is this:
Let Democrats cease to question the
neg. his right to the ba lot and all
20 treat bim and deal with him as any
other voter. and negro power is at
an end.
~. AS to your sllusious to myself
personally, I must decline any special
reply. ] have heard SD much stuff
about what ] owe my former conn -des
in arms, that cannot but smile at the
Stiffness of such arguments. My old
1z oil TO
uufalteriug and unselfish devotion to
them and to our cause, through four
long years of unexampIed suffering
and tell, Many Of th"m now sympa-
thisa with me POLITICALLY, and many
huge hambuggery aud injustice of
such intolerance. They remember
that in former Democratic days. these
same political lights denourccd ".
A. Graham, Jno. NJ. Morehead, Jno.
4. Gilmer. sid almost every leading
Wing ae uGtrue to ths South, and as
And on one OCCASION, here il Charlotte,
ex- Gov. Morehea1 was cooliy warned
0ot TO speak in this place
Again: The people of Mecklenburg
and Cabarus, where [ have always
hy- q, aid among whom I have led an
active professional life of 80 years. bear
ample witness to my public and pri-
vate fidelity to every trust, and this
too, despite the most Infamous efforts
to crush me. L can, therefore, we'll
sff ,rd To treat with indifference, if not
contempt, all such illusions, and trust
my full vindication to the healing in
nuence of time.
RUFUS BARRTNGER,