The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-13
Ghe Wtessewer.
cEx. CowLEs ON THE SITUATION

q HmEkENS w
General Andrew d. Cowles, is a well
known republican, but a white man
He is prominent in his party, and his
strong advoca y of the constitutional
amendment to be voted upon next year
ought to carry weight with the renect-
ing and better class of republicans L
the state. It is a ringing paper n
while not particularly important on the
legal aspects Of a most important mat
ter it is full Of vigor and has he true
white mans spirit, and shows that the
author is capable of rising above the
~selishness and pettiness and dema-
gogy of partisans. He advocates with
ability and earnestness the amendment
that passed the last legislature, and
upon the success of which depend to
a very great extent the peace, the well
fare, the safety of the state and the
solid muniments of freemen. If that
amendment is defeated a great blow
will have been struck at the prosperity
law and order and peace of North Car
DINA. The whole contest for a white
mans government will have to be
fought over with intenser ardor and
greater determination and a more per-
tinacious and invincible will. In other
words the white men will be more re-
solved and united and plucky than in
1893.
So all good, true, liberty loving, in
telligent, patriotic citizens must desire
the success of the amendment as
that carries with it the perpetuity of
good and honest government and the
prosperity of the commonwealth, and
the personal safety of all. The defeat
of the amendment would mean rule and
ruin, a war Of races, an intenser Bit
terness, a wider spread disorder and
1awlessness, a return OF hopelessness
and the beginning Of confusion and
chaos. On the other hand, the adop-
ton of the amendment would mean Sc
g curity, enforcement of law, fidelity,
among officials, amity among the
races, the thrill of hope, the settlement
of racial contentious and misunder-
standings, the actual permanence OF
good will between the whites and
blacks.
Gen. Cowles regards the giving or
the ballot to the negroes by the fed
eraI congress as the greatest blunder OF
this century that teens with blunders.
And so it was. 1t has proved a posi-
tive curse to the country at large, n
especially to the south, and in a very
great degree to North Carolina, n
while it has been of no benefit to either
race it has been a Haunting, cruel curse
10 all. Gen. Cowles holds bravely to
, the great truth of all political science,
lying as the only base, that the white
man was created to rule, and that 1t
is his divine prerogative to do so. he
uryes that the south is moi unfrlendly
to the negroes, but desires them to re-
main. to prosper and be contenteds lie
n%articularly condemns the appointing
cof negroes to office. He arraigns the
republican administration for its PAD
treatment of the south which is unde-
uiably true. He reviews at length the
nolitical situation in North Carolina.
He shows that the Mckinley gang ap-
point negroes to Office not in the north
hut in the south. This is mean be-
vond expression and is worthy OF the
contemplate and ~treacherous and In
capable set who do it.
Gen. Cowles offers reflections as to
the protection to be afforded the ne
groes. and shows who are the only real
and sure friends of the black race. liz
discusses the subject of their educa'
ton. and thinks it has already done
much for them. He is very mucn IL
error as to the facts concerning tn
pe~nitenta~ies and the statistics. III
astonishes by the assertion that Du
few of the negro convicts can read ant
write. We venture to say that a cor
rect record of all the southern penl
tentiaries for twenty years will shoV
owe one-half of the criminals capabl
OF reading, and over three-fourths borl
in freedom. But his letter is impress
i've and praise-worthy, the productlo
of a MAJ. who loves his race and Mort
Carolina more than office or supremac
of party.