The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-02-23

Our state was DISSFaceu ny hepuD-
lican Deviltry.
From the Raleigh Neaos and Observer.
In the spring of 1865, just as the ar
mics of the Confederate States were be-
ing disbanded and the troops were re-
turning in squads to their homes, Pres
ident Lincoln was assassinated and
Andrew johnson became President.
He was native of Raleigh, and a
Tennessee Unionist His sympathies
were in some measure with the South
ern whites, although he cordially hat
ed the more influential classes of pub
lie men at the South. Gen. Sherman
had made terms with Gen. Johnston
looking to a continuation of civil gov
ernment at the South through the ex-
isting State governments. President
johnson set that aside and undertook
as President. He soon published a
proclamation granting amnesty and
pardon to Confederases, making, how
ever, sweeping exceptions of the inhu-
ential classes, and set about establish
ing provisional governments in the
different States.
In North Carolina he appointed
Gov. Holden provisional Governor
and directed that convention should
be held to make change in the State
Constitution and restore the 5 ate
through the action of the people to its
place in the Union.
Gov. Holden issued his proclama-
tian accordingly, and delegates having
been chosen, the convention assembled
October 2, '86. Its work found favor
in the eyes of the President, for the
people of all classes realized that the
effort to establish separate Southern
contederacy had failed, and they took
a reasonable and sensible view of their
situation. The convention was COM
posed of very excellent men, who wise
ly made prudent and proper changes
in the Constitution and in the laws,
conterring on the emancipated negroes
certain rights which they could not
have had while slaves. The duty of
restoring order, of re establishing the
dominion of the law, and of adjusting
the new relations of the races was in
telligently and patriotically performed.
The Convention at once provided
for holding an election for Represen
tatives in Congress, for Governor and
State officers, and for legislature.
Gov. Worth was elected Governor and
qualified. The legislature met, elected
United States Senators and continued
the work of adjusting affairs to the
changed conditions. The President
recognized the State as being again
fully in the Union. The Supreme Court
of the United States announced that
the State had never been out Of the
Union, and soon afterwards the Chief
Justice of the United States came to
North Carolina and held the Federal
Court. And SO the year 1865 came to
its close with North Carolina appar-
emily restored to the Union. All was
peaceful and harmonious, and the
people were hard at work trying to
make living.
But in Congress were some rabid
Republicans who were not content.
Gov. Andrews, of Massachusetts, said,
the war being over, the country should
prosecute peace as zealously as former
ly they had prosecuted the war, but
some were not content to let the South
ern whites return to the Union with
out humiliation and degradation. Con-
gress refusee, to admit the Represen-
tatiyes slected by the people or the
Senators elected by the Legislature
Congress had submitted to North Car
olina an amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States for ratifca-
ton or rejection, which certainly was
a recognition of her Statehood but
the faction which now took possession
of Congress disregarded all that and
would not consider that the State was
restored to the Union For some pur-
psses she was back; for others she was
not. 1t depended on how the radicals
wanted 1t for the occasion.
To humble and degrade the South
ern whites they passed Civil Rights
Bill in March, 1866, abolishing all
race distinction and establishing social
equality in public schools. in churches,
in places of amusement, in hotels, cars,
and all public places. This iniquity
the President vetoed, and it was al
lowed to rest for the time.
In the meantime Governor Worth
conducted the affairs with wisdom and
prudence and thus another year elaps
ed.
It was two years after the war was
over before the Radicals in Congress
decided what to do. Then they claim
ed that the right to reconstruct the
Southern States belenge1 to Congress
and not to the President They pas
sed bill to abolish the existing State
governments which were the result o.
the Presidents reconstruction, and
which he had formally recognized. and
to do the whole thing over again. The
President had left the affairs of the
1outhern States in the hands Of the
old voters, with certain exceptions
5 Congress determined to disfranchise
large numbers of whites and to give
the ballot -to the negroes. 1t determl
ned 10 revulutiunize the South. Ii
this way the Radical faction IN Con
gress expected u buIld up a larg'
Republicans party IN the South and t,
make the Southern States Republican
stronghnlds, SO that by their did they
could hold on to the reins of power il
the Federal government. That wa
one idea another was to humiliat,
and degrade the Southern whites. Al