Year: 1868

We publish belo Mr.. Lash's letter of ac
ceptance which, by some oversight, has not
heretofore appeared in the Standard. Like
every thing that emanates from Mr.. Lash,
it is manly and sensible The people of the
9th District will be fortunate in securing
his services In Congress. He is one of the
wisest and most honest men in the State,
and, as such, his services are particularly
needed in this crisis. We have no doubt of
his election by large majority.


.m SALEM, March 31st, 1868


JNo. P. VEST, ESQ.,, Chairman Of the Repu5-
lican Committee Of the 5th Congressional
District Of North Carolina.


DEAR SIR Your note informing me of
my nomination by the District Convention
at High Point, on the goth instant, as the
Republican candidate for Congress in the
9TH District, is received 1t was made with
out any solicitation or desire on my part
therefore cannot hut feel that it is an en-
dorsement of my well known devotion to the
Union during the war and since. Such an
endorsement, unsolicited hy me, can not
under such circumstances feel at liberty to
decline. The great question at issue before
the people at the present time, is the restor-
alton OF North Carolina, to her full and pro-
per relations with the National Union
Without this there can be no prosperity here,
and consider 1t the duty OF every man to
accept, in good faith, the reconstruction
measures of Congress. If the terms should
be considered hard to some, all should re-
member, that it is in consequence of the
conduct of the men who attempted to de.
stroy the Union. They alone are response
BILE for it. These reconstruction measures
were adopted by Congress, in consequence
of the rejection of the Howard amendment,
which by all means should have been accep-
ted by US. 1t gave the people of the rebel
States the right themselves to regulate the
question of suffrage, with the exclusion of
only small class, who had taken an oath to
support the Constitution of the United
States, and afterwards aided in the rebellion
have carfully read the new Constitution
and shall vote for its adoption, and hope
and trust the people will ratify the same
This is necessary to the reconstruction of the
State, and if experience shall show that any
of its provisions do rot work well, they can
be changed hereafter, in the same manner as
heretofore.


Should the people, by their votes, ratify
your nomination, will at the earliest day
practicable. after the adoption by Congress
of the Constitution, apply for seat in Con-
gress as your representative; which l trust
will not be objected to on the ground of
rebel proclivities or political disabilities
am free from both of these objections, and
can take the iron clad oath of office with a
good conscience. shall urge and vote for
the reduction of the expenses of the govern
ment to the lowest practicable point. for an
equalization and reduction of internal taxes,
to the lowest revenue point, some of which
are so oppressive that they retard production
and as revenue measure defeat their object.
1 shall urge more equitable distribution of
| the currency among the States. Under the
Banking law as now distributed, the State
of Rhode Island with a population of IT'S,
| O0G has $12, ,420. 900 of National Bank circu-
lation assigned to her Banks, while North
Carolina with population of 992,622 has
only $2S0, AGO; the former has a National
Bank note issue of $40 per-capita, while the
State of North Carolina has only 80 CENTS
If this State had its due proportion, it
would have over $7,OOO,OOO of Bank issues
in addition to the Legal Tender notes, and
would give us a greater volume of currency
than we had in 1860 by at least so per cent.


Yours Respectfully,


l. e. LASH.