National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-14
PHILADELPHIA AND MECKLENBURG-
THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.


When the celebration of the nations
Centennial Anniversary was first preached,
we called attention to the selfish, narrow
minded and treason inspired manner with
which it was treated by the Southern Dem
ocratic press. We did not then and we do
not now believe that the substantial bust
ness element of Southern citizenship enter
tanned any opposition to the Exposition on
sectional grounds. On the contrary, we
INSIST that the commercial communities of
both sections are deeply and jointly inter-
ested in the success of this truly national
project. This is partially proven by the
fact that representatives of those interests
have Joined in preparations for the Expo
sition, and that the more sober, thoughtful
people of the South have at last gained
hearing among their fellow-citizens for
their arguments in support of the Phila-
delphia celebration. But there remains
sufficient evidence of jealousy and of re-
vengeful feeling on the part of certain
classes of the Southern people, which ex-
hibits itself in the discussion of this sub
ject, to show that the friendly feeling is far
from being unanimous This is not the
fault of the Centennial managers. They
have done everything in their power to
make the celebration a national affair and
a national success of which every American
citizen may justly feel proud. Nothing
which may recall the faintest recollection
of the State Rights Rebellion will be per-
mitted in connection with it, and scrupu-
lous care has been taken to preserve a
strict impartiality in dealing with the East
and West, the North and South, and with
persons, corporations and interests which
may have direct or remote connection with
the political organizations of the day. In
short, the Philadelphia celebration will
prove to be non-sectional, non-political and
truly national in every regard.
But, how about the MeCklenburg cele-
bration? The centennial anniversary of
the Declaration of Independence at Neck
lenburg by the people of North Carolina
takes place next month. On or about the
Goth of May, 177j-the exact day of the
month has not been definitely determined
the good people of Mecklenburg threw off
their allegiance to the British Crown and
declared themselves independent. 1t was
an act similar to the burning of the Peggy
Stuart by the Marylanders, the skirmishes
at Concord and Lexington by the ''embat-
tied farmers of Massachusetts, and the
destruction of British tea in Boston harbor
In truth, it was simply one Of the Fremont
tons of the Revolution, and is entitled to
rank only among the numerous incidents
which preceded and led to the elimination
of the Declaration of Independence by all
the American colonies at Philadelphia in
1876. But the North Carolinians are justly
proud of it; as proud as the Massachusetts
people are of their Concord and Lexington
celebration which occurs next Monday,
and to which the President and his Cabinet
have been invited, not on account of their
political belief, but because the affair is in
tended to be national in its character, and
because the presence of the Chief Msgis-
trate of the nation and other national dig
nitaries will therefore be appropriate. But
the Mecklenburg celebration promises to be
a close communion, hide.bound, and
conceitedly sele3t affair. Its pro-
moters and conductors have been
chosen with a sole regard for their politi.
cal and Confederate antecedents 1t will
therefore be managed entirely in the inter.
est Of the State-rights, extreme Southern
wing of the Democratic party. A valued
and reliable correspondent writes "that
"Joe Johnston will be chief marshal, with
"about forty ex-Confederate generals as as
"sistant marshals, and old John Kerr, one
'of the chief ku-Klux murderers of State
"Senator Stephens, as the orator of the
Occasion" He adds: "All of the ex-
Confederate military companies Of North
" Carolina and adjoining States will be on
"hand. Their object is, in short, to make
1" treason respectable ...
Our correspondent has not exaggerated
the facts. He has, if anything, moderated
them. Ex-Confederate Major Gen. D. H.
Hill is one of the committee of a, range
ments of this Ku-Klux or White LIE, que
Reunion, and is also the editor of the Gout,8
ern Home, at Charlotte, N. G.. Some broad.
minded and patriotic citizen, learning that
President Grant had been invited to Massa.
chusetts, proposed to Gen., Hill that he
should also be invited to North Carolina /
In answer to this proposition, Hill printed !
the following scurrlous, untruthful and
infamous article in the newspaper of which
he is editor; and which we have referred TO
above: ...-'..
There seems to be Misrepresentation as to
the Invitation Of General Grant He was not /
invited by the Committee of Invitation. but |
was invited by other parties. II would be re-
but Grant is simply the head of the Radical
party He is known to oar people solely as
lie supporter Of Holden in his Kirk and Bur-