The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-18

6o11 Il
peace, TO educate all the children, and
to bring about that day when even
EXTREMIST partisanship should not be
able to cry out against our laws or our
methods. Thousands OF repuolcans
and populists Joined with US in secur-
ing our more than sixty thousand ma
jority. I shall. therefore. confidently
expect you, gertiemen of the legislature, |
without regard to party. to frame an
election law fair in every purpose. |
clear in every detail ana to provide
machinery by which every IA quail
fed under our constitution shall be
able { vote and shall know that his
vote is effective. We can nave safety, |
security n integrity on no other ba-
sis. / now pledge o h whole power
of my administration to secure this
end. l declared in my speech OF ac-
ceptance that i should enter upon n
discharge of my duties II elected with
great fear lest / should fail to inter
pref adequately the true spirit under
lying our change in the constitution;
but I have never for me m Ques-
one that the intimate aim or our
people was TO secure a constitution un-
der which security for life, liberty and
property could be found under the
forms of law aid not IN violation OF
them.
Our opponents nave denounced the
movement which we inaugurated to
amend the constitution. and which will
be carried out in the spirit just sug-
gested, Is revolutionary. They sought
to prevent its success by threats before
the election and in the first moments
Of passionate disappointment after the
election they began prosecutions
against certain officers of the state
for alleged wrong doing in connection
with the August election. This move
ment of ours was carried out with
such deliberate high purpose and such
noble earnestnesS that thousands OF
our political opponents Joined hands
with US in an effort to forever settle
a question which had distressed us for
thirty years. It was the uprising of
almost an entire people There was
about it, indeed, in its spontaneous
ness, in it's enthusiasm. in its determi-
nation and s~turdinesS of purpose and
in it's high aims. something of the
revolutionary spirit Of 1776. That spir-
it still lives in the hearts of North Car
inianS. 1t is a part, and a glorious
part, of their heritage-it cannot be
destroyed by persecution. A whole
people cannot be prosecuted, o VIII
they without the utmost exertion see
any of their agents made to suffer for
The defeat Of those who sought in vain
to stem the mighty tide Of popular
opinion.
LAW AND ORDER MUST PREVAIL.
We have a great state. rich in noble
manhood. richer still in her highmind-
ed womanhood; a state with countless
treasures awaiting seekers: with riches
in her fields and woods. streams and
sounds. hills and mountains, sufficient
to satisfy our dreams of wealth; with
a frugal and industrious population
ready to toll just awakening fully to
the possibilities before them. All that
we need "to complete the circle of our
felicities' is peace Let hatred and bit
terness and strife cease from among
us. Let the law every where reign su-
preme. The highest test of a great
people is obedience to law and a con-
sequent ability to administer justice.
1t shall be the earnest aim OF my ad-
miniStration to foster good feeling and
to enforce law and order throughput
the state. From Currituck to Cherokee
the law must have full sway. The mob
a no place in u civilization. The
court are the creation of the constitu-
ton and the juries are drawn from
the people. If changes be necessary in
order to secur a better and more GER
tain administration of justice, you,
gentlemen Of the legislature, can make
these changes; but it should be dis
tinctIy and finally understood of all
men that safety a be found only in
| obedience to law. 1 wish to say to the
negroes of this state in this connection
that they have been miSinfOrmed if
they nave heard that this administra-
tion will be unfrierdly to them Their
every right under the constitution shall
be absolutely preserved, they will find
security in right Id and certain
punishment for failure to obey the
law. Let them learn that crimes which
lead to mob law must cease and then
mob law shall curse our state no more.
I call upon all upright negroes to aid
me in suppressing crime in all its
forms. The white people owe a high
duty to the negro. 1t was necessary
to the safety of the state to base suf-
frage on capacity to eercise it wisely.
This results in excluding a great num-
Der of negroes from the ballot. but
their right to life. liberty, property
and justice must be even more care
fully s~afeguarded han ever. 1t is true
that a superior race cannot submit to
the rule of a weaker race without in
jury;it is also true in the long years of
God that the strong cannot oppreSS the
weak WITHOUT destruction. I said on
April 18th, 1900. and I now repeat it as
a deep conviction that universal JUS
tice is the perpetual decree of Almighty
God, and we are entrusted with power
not for our good alone. but for the ne
gro as we'll. We hold our title to power
by tenure of service to God. and if we
fail to administer equal and exact jus
tlce to the negro whom we deprive OF
suffrage, we shall in the fullness of
time lose power ourselves, for we must
know that the God who ls Lov trusts
no people with authority for the pur-
! pose of enabling them to do injustice to
\ the weak"
Let us. serve the state in this spirit
and with wisdom and the people will
continue to trust us. but II we depart
from this plain n just way, power
will dT,nn from n11r h1nEJc for fhc
amendment has. l believe and trust,
brought with it. a freedom of thought,
of criticism and of action h will be
swift to withdraw a trust bused.
With the education of the whole peo-
pie; with a fair and impartial election
law; with peace everywhere, there
will be nothing to prevent us from
working out the high destiny of our
state. Thought will be set free, opin-
ion car have its full sway and every
man will be able to declare he Utmost
feelings of his heart. We shall have