The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-29
WISE REPUBLICANS APPEAL.

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Mr.. A.. A. Campbell of Cherokee
ty. is an old editor. He for years edit
ed the only republican newspaper west
of h Blue Ridge mountains, the Muir
PHI Bulletin. He publishes in the Ra-
leigh News and Observer a long address
intended for his fellow citizens, 1.-The
white republicans of North Carolina"
He discusses the amendment at much
length, and it is an instructive as we'll
as a vigorous presentation of the side he
espouses-for the amendment. Repub-
lican always and all over, n a man
of reading and talents, he declares for
the proposed amendment and shows,
how in his judgment, it will be of real
help to the republican party. he
means to show that in a struggle like
this he is indeed a white man and will
vote with his own race and people.
He shows that the presidents of the
United States from George Washington
to little Bill Mckinley, knew the prin-
ciple embodied in the amendment and
it a been advocated by them.
Mr.. Campbell voted in 1864, for Lin
coin and Johnson and he has been a re-
publican from that time. He has seen
the ill effects of the negro ballot, even
in his trans-montane home. Read this
from him, who lives away up in Cher
okee county:
Here in the town of Murphy, my
home, l have no more voice in saying
who shall be a or town councilmen
- t. T,,- M N ~
Why is hat so? Because the negroes
hold the balance of power. : Now
the democratic party has offered .7ou
an opportunity to say by your vDte:
The negro is not our social or political
equal. Are you going to say by your
vote he is? If you do you will live to
see the day you will be ashamed of it,
and never boast of you vote to your
wife, son or daughter. I have no laud-
able commentator for the democratic
party, state or national, but L do say
/ feel grateful to them here in North
Carolina for affording me the opportun-
ity of leaving as a heritage to my fam
lily, name and pOsterity, that l stood
in the approaching election on the side
of my own race and skin II for prln-
ciple, regardless of any selfish agran-
dizement to be elevate to any position
within the gift of an inferior race of
the white man."
Mr.. Campbell quotes from h great,
illustrious Father of His Country"
President Washington. He was in the
last century the true friend and advo-
cate of an educated electorate. He
knew that a free government must
stand upon virtue and intelligence il it
shall stand at all. Hence he said in
his farewell message to the congress,
the great legacy of wisdom and patriot.
ism he left his fellow countrymen:
1T is substantially true that virtue
or morality is a necessary spring of
popular government. The rule indee
extends with more or less force to
every species of free government. Who,
that is a sincere friend to it can look
with indifference upon attempts TO
snake the undat of the fabric?
Promote then, as an object of primary
Importance, institutions for the general
diffusion of knowledge. Its proportion
as the structure of a government gives
force to public opinion, it is essential
that public opinion should be enlight-
ened."
The north values highly what Lin
coin said. Fol- that reason We copy
this from him-that the integrity of
our country and stability of our govern
ment mainly depends not upon thera
(what foreign countries say but On the
loyalty, virtue, patriotism and intelli-
gence of the American people,
Grant held similar views as did other
presidents. Mr.. Campbell hin his
party al become as formidable and
respectable" in the south as it is in the
north. He says it must separate from
the negroes. He puts the case at his
party associates in this wise:
washington, Madison, Monroe. Lin
coin, Johnson, Grant, Hayes and Pres
ident Mckinley, the present republi-
a house of congress and the dignifed
United States senators have all said
by their word and acts, tina the future
OF a free and republican form of gov
eminent TO stand, must rest upon the
intelligent elector. Now my white re-
publican friends, if You think you are
better than the negro, vote for the
amendment. If you think the negro
is as good as you are and your equal.
vote against it and pursue your favor
lite labor of love and be happy"