The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-28
THE THING CANNOT BE-.
All the Power of the Federal Army and Civil Gov
eminent Cannot Force Negro Rule ON
North Carolina.
washington Post, Administration Organ-)

washington Post AdmInEtrauo OrganJ
Every thoughtful and humane citizen, from one en- of the country % the
other, will be appalled, by the prospect now dicernible in North Carolina. 1t
is n longer possible to believe that the clamor of the whites is merely a re-
vfval Of the old democratic trick to catch votes n ID into omcial place
and perqusites. On the contrary W. are confronted with the admissions
of prominent republicans to the effect that the question is far deeper and
more vital-that 1t Is. in TACT a question OF simple vhzato we are
carried back thirty years to the dark and bloody episode of reconstruction,
and see once more the menace Of the struggle between anarchy and organiz-
ed society. That menace is celebrating mere party lines and bringing to-
gether the whites, without reference to political affiliations, in a solid phal-
O self defense. The issue involves the preservation of enlghtened. in
situations, Of honest government of law and order, of the integrity Of the
Caucasian ice 1t is an issue that can have but me determination.
Apparently, the white republicans ave gon o far in their efforts to
keep control of North Carolina patronage They have simply repeated the
malign and sinister performances Of carpet-baggers of 'Ss-7e, and invited a
similar catastrophe. The southern people have shown already that they al
nota n will not submit to negro domination, with all that that implies. The
able of conducting a civilized and wholesome government AS far back a
1869, the northern men who went o the south to invest money and make
for themselves permanent homes and legitimate careers recognized the n
questionable fact that local negro rule was hopeNasly inconsistent with
social order and material prosperity. They accordingly joined the native
whites in all matters connected with domestic politics, while voting the re-
publican ticket in all national contests. 1t was with heir aid INC smy-
pahy that the south threw off the incubus and, after eight long years of
tragedy, stood erect at last. It seems, however. that the North Carolina
leaders hav forgotten tn lesson Of thirty year ago are to re-
vie the horrors and calamities of that abominable episode. We draw this
conclusion, 10 from the outcries and imprecations Of democratic dema-
gogues and office seekers but frm h solemn uuerances Of white republi
an officials lie. us uqoe, for example, from the public declaration of Mr.
McKinleys postmaster 1T Wilmington, made in the form Of a n open letter
to senator Pritchard:
There is a greater feeling Of unrest and uncertainty about the main
tenance of order than I have ever seen, and many, ever h los conserva
tive, feel that a RAJ conflict is imminent, than which nothing could be more
disastrous, not only o this city and county, but o our party n the state,
and rather than have riot arson, and boodshed prevail here, !, republican
though I I'm, advise giving u the local offices in this county, as there are
NJ national political principles involved in the contest.
Il had thought at first that it a merely the usual political cry and
the fight for thu Offices but I am O convinced the feeling is much deeper
than this as it pervades the whole community and there seens to be a set
tied determination O the part of the property owners, business men, and
taxpayers that they will administer city and county government"
This is from Hon. w. H. Chadbourn, a republican of high personal char
acer and of good social standing and responsibility. He is a friend Of
Senator Pritchard, and, Is We have already shown, Mr.. McKinleys' appontee
as postmaster Of Wilmington. He states that there are thirty-ix negro mag
istrates in that county alone, to "a nothing of a negror register ofd deeds and
various other officials of greater Or less Importance. This means that the
places through which the people and the government are brought into the
closest and most intimate contact ar administered by negroes, while the
business men the taxpayers, and the classes most interested in government
are, in the proportion OF at least 95 r cent whites. Is it concevablet that
the representatives of practically all the property, the education, the enlght-
ment and the civilization in North Carolina will assent to ar arrangement
sc peposterous-so impossible? We think not There is n o reason why we
should mince matters. The experime nt has been tried, under the most fav-
orable auspices, and it la proved adsmala and a tragic failure Even
General Grant, who had conquered the confederate armies in the field, could
not, with ALT the civil and military power of the country at his back, force
negro rueu upon the southern whites. The thing is out of the question. 1t
cannot be. And those who engage in such a desperate enterpris will rear
only the harvest of dimay and ruin.