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THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL WILMINGTON. N. C FRIDAY. JANUARY 10. 18G8. Reconstruction Fact. In order to prove that the Radical party at the South is not a negro party, the New York Tribune asks -why the majority for He construction under the acts of Congress is Virginia. North Carolina and Georgia than in South Carolina, Mis sissippi, Louisiana and Florida, where the registered blacks are much more numerous So far as Georgia is concerned, the result of the election answers the interrogatory for the majority for Convention was not so laree as in some of the States enumerated as exceptions. But for the gerrymander ing of General Pope, who, by extending the time of voting to nearly a week permitted negroes to be brought in from South Carolina and Alabama, and moved from one county to another, the call of Convention would have been defeated. In Virginia and North Carolina, the only two States in which there was a good defeating the call of a Conven- W tion, unless, under the just administration of General Hancock, Texas be an exception, the Conservative party and press were di vided. In the former State some of the most influential leaders and the press open ly advocated a Convention, and the result was, that many thousands of the whites voted for the call. Yet, notwithstanding this fact, the Convention did not receive enough votes to secure its call, but the Un-derwood-IIunnicutt cabal owes its exis tence to those who voted against it. Pretty much the same state of affairs followed here. Such papers as the Raleigh Sentinel, Charlotte News, Salisbury Old North State, and such leaders as Gover nors Brago and Vaxce, Judges Fowle and Osbokne favored the call of the Con vention. General Canijt would not allow the non-acticn policy advocated by this paper, to voto for delegates and not for or against Convention, while the active sup port of the call by the Conservatives in the Middle and Western sections of tho State compelled us not to advise a total aban donment of the polls to the negroes and their white associates. Tho consequence is, that the apparent majority of the Re construction measures of Congress is large. The official figures have not yet been pub lished, but we doubt, with all the aid tho Convention question unfortunately receiv ed from tho Conservatives, if it receives many votes in excess of tho majority of those registered. Wo aro satisfied now, as we were previous to tho election, that non action upon the part of tho Conservatives would have resulted in tho defeat of the measure. So it seems that their strength, coupled with the division in their ranks, was tho cause of Conservative defeat in Virginia and North Carolina, while their conscious weakness in South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida, which, without any organiza tion, forced them away from tho polls, came very near securing their success in those States. Had the same course of action been adopted here there could have been no question of the result. But these are matters of the past. We hope our defeat has taught us a lesson by which we will profit in the future. The Conservative Convention will meet in Raleigh early in February, and with the organization of the party and the adoption of a platform, wo trust we shall hear noth ing more of policy but all of principle. We must take position in favor of what we ad vocate, and pronounce against that which we oppose. Wo lost the last election by unmanly fear of the wrath of Congress, and if we continue to act from policy and not from principle, we will lose the next, and may lose tho State andcountry. Government Relief Tor tlie South. The official reports of Generals Hancock, Canby, Okd, Giluoi and Scott, in regard to the great destitution existing throughout the South, is exciting a proper degree of concern in Washington. These reports have been submitted by General Howard to General Grant, with the request that they be called to the immediate attention of the President and Congress, with a view to some thorough and practical mode of re lief. Our information leads us to believe that the President will, within a very few days, lay these reports before Congress, with a special message, suggesting no spe cific plan of action, but recommending im mediate and sufficient relief to meet the wide-spread and increasing destitution and suffering in the Southern States. The leading citizens of Charleston have taken this subject under special considera tion, and in order to give practical effect to their views, one of their number has gone to Washington to place before the authori ties the appalling facts of Southern neces sities and their plans to relieve them. This gentleman, we learn from the Charleston papers, has submitted three plans of relief : 1. That Congress should authorize a loan of $30,000,000, to be lent in small sums to necessitous planters ; the loan to bear in terest and to be secured by mortgage of the Viand and a lien upon the crops of the bor growers; tho loan to be distributed by local commissioners oi approved position ana 6tandmg. "2. That the Government should lend the Southern people an amount equal to the gross amount of revenue already received by the United States from the cotton tax ; the loan to be secured, issued and distrib uted as under the first plan. ? 3. That the United States Government should sell tho gold in tho National Treas ury, in excess of the sum required to meet current demands, and lend the premium realized by its salo to tho South, upon the terms and in the manner before named. The President, General Grant, Chief Justice Chase, Senator Harlan, of Iowa, and General Howard, all express them selves as warmly favoring some measure for the relief of the suffering people of this section, and General Grant said he would, as Secretary of War, submit to Congress a communication earnestly recommending one of the above plans. Generals Hancock and Ord reconaoaend the repairing of the levee3 of Mississippi by the Government, in order to reclaim many valuable estates now in ruins and lo give employment to many thousands of freedmen, now without labor or means, who must either rob or starve, unless em ployed orvassisted by the Government. This would be a great relief in that partic ular section of the South. We shall look forward with deep anxiety to the action of the President and the le gislation of Congress upon this question. They are in possession of all the facts and know full well the necessities of the South. Without aid from some quarter, this sec tion is ruined beyond present redemption, and with its downfall the prosperity of the North also goes. "lam frank to say," said Radical Senator Spragce, of Rhode Island, in his recent speech in the Senate, ' that the market of the South is as indis pensable to our prosperity as our prosperi ty is necessary to our existence." That market is now destroyed. The same body which has checked Southern industry, tax ed Southern productions and demoralized Southern laborers, can now do something to restore this market, and as our helpless condition is rapidly dragging the prosper ous North into the same prostration, we may nope lor tne inauguration oi some practical, possibly liberal, measure of re lief. Suppression of Crime. General Canby has issued a Special Order for the prevention and detection of crime, authorizing tne uounty uouris ci Jones, Craven, Lenoir and Pitt counties to organize and employ, under the direction of the Sheriffs of said counties, an armed police force, to be composed of loyal citi zens, white and black, in the ratio of regis tered voters. In reviewing this Order the Raleigh Sen tinel gives a short sketch of the Sheriffs of these four counties, and easily divines the character and composition of the " loyal " police force which will be employed by these officials. We think our cotemporary is mistaken in regard to the name of the Sheriff of Pitt, but in name only, as what is said of Laffiin will apply to Rich. Rich, we think, is the Sheiiff by appointment of General Sickles. He is also a member elect to the Convention. Tho article of tho Sentinel is of sufficient interest to claim the space in our columns which we give to the extended extract from it, embracing as it does some historical facts of the operation of military law in this State. Says the Sentinel: "Now who are the Sheriffs who are to organize tnis loyal ponce iorcc, to be composed of loyal citizens, whito and col ored in tho ratio of registered voters t he registered negro voters in most of these counties, if not in every one of them, being argely in the majority ? So this police brco must consist principally of negroes, and the balance of less worthy men, it being what "loyal" means, according to the Radi cal Dictionary. Uut who are theso bher-! iffs ? Beginning with Jones : i "Some six weeks ago, tho Sheriff of i Jones was removed, no reason for tho removal being assigned. The old Sheriff has endeavored, in vain, up to this time, to find out upon whose complaint, or for what alleged cause, he was remo-ed. One Colgrovo, who came here as an inferior officer of a New York company of caval ry and settled in Jones about two years ago, was appointed bnerm and required o give bond and take the oath of omce. At the same time, without any reason as signed, 17 Justices of the Peace were re moved in that county, and their places filled with the names of new comers and approved Radicals, one of the number being a brother of the new Sheriff, and another Northern insolvent like himself. The Court met to receive the bond. The sureties offered, residents in the county, owned no real estate or other visible pro perty which could be reached by fieri fa cias; and one Hubbs, a merchant in New Berne. Whether this man has any sub stantial property or not, was not shown to the Court. It is Known that he has suffered his note for less than $100 to be protested in bank, has not paid it since, so far as we learn, and his creditor, who will sue on it, and is denied the right, by a recent order, to exact bail, as provided by our laws, is expecting the common fate of our credulous people who trusted these Northern adventurers. No proof was offered to the Court to show that the obligors were worth the penalty of the bond. It is not probable that the principal, or any of his sureties, is worth a dollar. But even the bond offered, had it been good as to the responsibility of the obligors, was not proved to have been executed by those purporting to have signed it. Of course, the Court refused to receive the bond. Th8 next day, or very soon thereafter, an officer, claiming to act under orders from the Post Com mander of the District, appeared in the Clerk's office with Colgrove, the newly ap pointed Sheriff; a U. S. stamp was affixed to the aforesaid paper, purporting to be a bond, and the clerk, under the order of said officer, administered the oath of of fice, and thereupon Colgrove was declared and proceeded to act as Sheriff of Jones; and in compliance with the orders of the aforesaid officer, the old Sheriff delivered into the hands of this new appointee, his tax lists, on which was due the sum of $5,000 or thereabouts. The old Sheriff had paid the amount due the State on these lists prior to the end of the fiscal vear, 30th September, 18G7, so that the balance of State tax due on these lists was due to the old Sheriff. "The new Sheriff is still acting nothing further having been done in relation to his official bond, although Gen. Canby was informed of tho material facts above stated many weeks ago. Such is tho Sher iff of Jones. "In Craven, as in Jones, the Sheriff elected by the people, a most estimable man, every way well fitted to fill the office, was removed by the military and a Mr. Flemming, another Northern man, who took up his residence in Craven, at or about the close of the war, was appointed Sheriff. Of his antecedants nothing is known hero ; but as the most worthy Northern men who have settled here, since the war, uniformly refuse to make haste to fill the offices of the county, it is fair to presume that he belongs to the class who is oppressing a distressed, conquered and impoverished people. , " The Sheriff of Lenoir is a native, was a secessionist, but has been endeavoring and has probably succeeded, in ingratia ting himself into favor with the negroes and , Radicals. Allow the citation of one f act to16u8tain this assertion : A negro, a few months ago, broke into a store in Le noir and stole therefrom a lot of goods. The store was then set on fire and burned down. The Taext morning a part of the goods were found in this negro's possession. He alleged he had bought an article, speci ally identified, of a merchant he named. He was indicted for larceny, not arson, and, tried before Judge Warren. Th e merchant of whom he said he had bought the afore said article, proved ho had never. sold it to him. The proof of his guilt was plenary. The jury convicted him and no respectable man, white or black, has been heard of who did not approve the verdict. Judge Warren sentenced him to six montfcs imprisonment. It was known that the negroes, entitled to register in this county, were much more numerous than the whitts who would be allowed to register, and that if the Reconstruction acts should be carried out the negroes would control in the neit election of Sheriff. The Sheriff no other citizen joining him iu it, and without ihy knowledge of any other white citizen, it is believed, addressed the Freedmen's Bu reau Agent in his county, a long letter pur porting tc set forth the facts proved on the trial, but carefully supposing the most material part of the evidence, concluding with his opinion that the negro was wrong fully convicted, and that the sentence was unduly severe, and praying the Freedmen's Bureau man to order his discharge from prison. Thin officer deemed it inexpedient to grant the prayer of the petitioner with out consulting hi.s superior officer. It went up, through the regular channels, to Gen. Sickles, who referred it, for investigation and report, to Gov. Worth. His investi gation disclosed the foregoing facts, and, to the surprise and chagrin of the Sheriff, disclosed to the people of his county this petty scheme. "The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft nglee." To the credit of General Sickles, he refused to in terfere. "The Sheriff of Pitt is ex-General Laffiin, of the United States Army. The regular Sheriff of Pitt was removed by our military ruler and Laffiin appointed in his place. Ho was appointed one of the poll-holelers at the late election for members of the Convention was, himself, a candielate for a seat . in the Convention; and, tho regis tered negroes being largely in the ascend ant over the registered whites, was, of course, elected. "These four Sheriffs are the officers de signated to " organize and employ an armed police force to be composed of loyal citizens," white and black, acting together tho negroes being the more numerous class. Even in the loyal North the white and black soldiers act separately. This force is to be paid out of the County Treas ury, to wear a distinguishing badge and be uuder the general supervision of the military. " Crime has been frightfully prevalent in these counties. "What el,e could be ex pected under circumstances such as we have stated ? " For somo time past, it is said, all the families in many parts of these counties never sleep at once. Somo keep watch whilo the others sleep. " Tho above facts have come to us from tho best sources. We btate them, for the information of the public, and to show that the condition of affairs in our lower Coun ties is such, that no reliance ean be plaeed upon a police improvised for an emergency, when the materials trom wmcu it is to ue made are mostly blacks, who sue the prin cipal offenders and disturbers of the pub lic peace. The action of the military may bo dictated by what they conceive to bo a wise policy, but a properly organized uhite forcoin tho State, under regular army offi- cers, it is clear to our minds, should bo j employed in our present condition, to ar- j rest the disorders which prevail in that j section. j " Poor old North Carolina ! Aillicted by tho dispensations of Providence, with scar- city of food, and with harpies at home and . women or boys ? In conclusion, he noped, j abroad, gnawing at her very vitals, can j if negro suffrage wits inevitable, it ougnt to ! any balm be found in Gilcad, to soothe thy ' bo made a property or intelligence qualili afflictionu ? Thank God! the awakening ! cation, and no objection would then be sense of justice and of mercy, on the part j made to negroes taking part in controlling : of the masses of tho North, presents to our j tne destiny of the country. : tearful vision the rainbow of hope. Agricultural Matt"- ; In response to a letter from Mr. Hkaunk, j Secretary of the Wilson County Farmers' ; , . , , -p. .m4v;-c, civ:;r,o,i I Club. Colonel i i euom writes i lie subjoined wuu, vuiuiidx letter upon subjects of great interest and j practical importance to our people, which j we find in the Wilson Carolinian. Beyond j doubt some change in our crops must be ; made, or the ruin of our farmers, nearly j accomx)lished, will be finally confirmed. j We see by the letter of Mr. Heabxe that i the Farmers' Club of Wilson Count-heartily ! tul J I endorses and commends to the attention of j Col. Fbemoot the suggestions of Mr. Henby j Nutt, published in the Journal, December j 11th, 18G7, suggesting that our railroads secure the services of white immigrants as laborers instead of the unreliable blacks at present employed. Col. Fremont's letter is as follows : Wilmington and Wteldon It. P. Co. ) Office Chief Eng. and Suf'dt, Wilmington, N. C, Dec. 30lh 1SG7. ) 3fr. Tr?. A. Ilearne, Sec'; and Treas. Farmers'. Cluh, WiUon, N. C. : Dear Sir Yours of tho 23d came to hand yesterday, and was read with much pleasure. I am gratified to know that, my exertions to reconstruct and build again our ruined homes and broken altars, and fix again our household gods to re-establish our ancient prosperity and dominion have been appre ciated by my fellow-citizens of your county. I am more gratified, however, that our people are alive to their true interests, iu developing the most important resources of their county its agricultural products. Blessed as they are in an especial manner with a productive and early soil, combined with the greatest facilities for quick trans portation to the great markets, they have but to go ahead and plant, flourish, gather and send to market, when their homes will again smile with peace and plenty. A few years ago the cultivation of vege tables in large quantities for transportation five hundred miles or more to the large cities, was unheard of. No one dreamed that such farming could be profitable. What do wo see now ? Vegetables and fruits carried to market many hundred miles in twenty-four hours, and at highly remunerative prices such as the following : Green Peas in the pod selling in Baltimore in Hay at $20 a barrel ; Irish Potatoes $8 a barrel ; Cucumbers a3 high as $45 ; To matoes a little later, at $8 a bushel. These prices ten years ago, even, would have seemed fabilous. And remember that all this is within reach of your people who live within ten or fifteen miles of our railway line. The Wilmington Journal of the 2Sih con tains a letter I received from Col. Cannon, of Portsmouth, which I hope you will copy. It will afford me great pleasure to send you from timo to time any information I can obtain on the subject of vegetable or fruit culture. The letter of Mr. Froelich, of this city, . m .1 -w- i in tne same paper, on mo grape, 1 also commend to your attention. Ptach and Apple trees should be set out immediately, and in large quantities, all along our line. It costs but little to raise these fruits, and they bring large profits. Strawberries can easily be, raised by transporting the old roots to proper beds and manuring them. They will yield abun dantly the second year. The labor question to which you allude is one that requires much thought and con cert of actiah. I am not prepared at pres ent to say what this Company will do. I am certain, however, if tho present antago nism between the white owners of the soil and the colored laborers employed upon it continues ono year longer, very decided and vigorous steps will be taken to import white laborers and attach them to the soil. While I am as true a friend to the colored man as lives, I amfree to say ho must not, cadnot, be an idler a vagrant! Wo must all work, and why should he be' an excerption to tl e rule? The laws sooner or later will compel him to earn his bread by the sweat of hk brow, and the sooner he is convinced ot this the better it will be for him and for us all. The Divine command cannot with safety be set aside by any ot the descendants of Adam, and least of all by that oranch known as the sons of Ham. I am, yours truly, S. L. Fbemont. From the N. Y. Evening Telegram. Kx-Seiiator liinuman, or North Carolina, on the Political Situation. "Washington, Jan. 4, 16G8. Ex-Senator Clingmau, of North Caroli na, has prepared a letter addressed to the gentlemen connected with the management of tne great democratic oauquei on me an niversary of the battle of New Orleans, de clining with regret, owing to a press of bu siness, the invitation extended to him re questing his attendance. He says there are passages in the letter of invitation pain fully interesting to every patriotic mind as contrasting the present with the past of 1815. He contends that a distinction must be drawn between the questions settled by the war and those now left for decision. The result of the war determined that the negroes should all be free, but it has not decided they are capable of becoming the political and social equals of the whites. The fact of their inequality has' been re cently decided in the most emphatic man ner. A great, progressive, dominant party, flushed with recent successes, sought to advance the negro to equality with the Caucasian race. The force of party power is well understood m this country. -It of ten induces its members to sustain meas ures their judgment disapproves, to vote for men they despise and to cover up frauds and crimes of which any of their number may be guilty, and yet this immense pres sure, stimulated by the idea that granting suffrage to the negro was necessary to the success of the party, failed to bring up the members to its siqjport in even a single State where a contest was recently fought on the question. The great point before the country, then, is Which race shall give w&y to the other in the United States V The white race came here from a love of liberty and es tablished their own social and political sys tem. The negroes were brought here'with out their own consent, and have merely to expect and require upon principles of jus tice that those who brought them should not leave them in a worse condition than they were found. The people of the United States are not under any obligation to crip ple themselves as a nation and destroy for all useful purposes the most valuable sec tion of the national domain. Is the rich valley of the Lower Mississippi, which Jef- j lerson acquired and JacKsouideiendeu, to i be turned into second Havti ? When all ' other civilized nations of the earth are doing their utmost to rise in the scale of prosperity, intelligence and morality, this mighty republic is devoting its best, powers, earnestly and vigorously, to degrade a large portion of its territory to the condition of Conao and Guinea. It is said, however. that suflraize is not generally conierred on i the negro, and their rights of property and j person will not be protected. "Widows and ! minors often have suits in court, but was it J cver suggested that they could not obtain I iustice because half the iurors were not! country. Hard Times. Til0 following items, collected from dif- ferent sections of the country, show the depression that prevails in nearly every branch of business. It is difficult to see , i i . where we can look for an improvement. Indeed, it is probable that the condition of the country will be worse before it is better. The Memphis Avalanche says there are twenty thousand starving negroes in that Clt' The wages of the factory operatives of Mdltown, North Stonington, Connecticut were cut down twenty per cent, on the 1st instaut. Notico hag been given ti ve8 of .several of the Fall liiver cotton miils that there will be a reduction of from 10 to 18 per cent, in their wages on and after Jan uary 1st. The Fond du Lac (Wisconsin) Common wealth says that the Chicago and North western railroad have reduced the waares tf all laborers n their employ from $1 75 to $1 25 per day. They have also reduced the number oi their section hands one-half. The New York Times learns through cor respondents in various p:irts of the South ern States that very considerable numbers of people are moving away from there to the North, and still larger numbers are preparing to move away in the sprinsr. The idea has taken firm possession of the Southern mind that their section is de stined to ruin, poverty, and negro supre macy in the future, and they complain that their hopes of better times have at last left them. It is the fear of the blacks, how ever, that most troubles them. More than 250 families in Trenton, N. J., are supportei by charity, now that the factories have stopped, and it is almost as bad in other manufacturing places. In the Pittsbur2h nail mills the em ployees have accepted a reduction of 10 per cent. Tho employees on the Chicago jtnd Great Eastern liailroad have struck again for their back pay, and will allow only engines with a single mail car to be run. Tho 1,100 operatives in Higgin's carpet factory, at New York, struck on Monday (30th) in consequence of a reduction of 10 per cent, in thair wages. Mr. Abbott Lawrence, of Boston, recent ly stated to a gentleman in Washington, that a manufacturing company, in which they were both interested, was losing $1, 000 per day. Other corporations are losing iu the same ratio. This state of things manifestly cannot long continue. These corporations must stop work. W7hat then? One hundred thousand people will be thrown out of employment in Massachu setts alone, 20,000 in New Hampshire, 10, 000 in Maine, and 30,000 in Connecticut and Rhode Island. In all 160,000 persons, male and female, old and young. Louisiana has now got its third Gover nor under the reconstruction plan. Chicago spent more than half a million on its theatres last year. Papers all over the South greet the happy New Year with the gloomiest predictions. Burlingamo may get to be a Mandarian if he keeps on. An exchange queries whether the man who writes a talo is necessarily a wag. Baden's annexation to the North German Confederation is being arranged. Beecher now crates from a pulpit made of wood from tho Mount of Olives. Du Chaillur is tho son of a Gaboon not Baboon agent of a French house. Gladstone's speech made seventeen col umns in the London papers. The buildings of the Paris Exposition aro fast passing away. Logan is still vainly dunning the Ohio Radical Committee for his $6,000. ADDRESS OP. THE Conservative Arsy asd JVavy Union. To the Honorably Discharged Soldiers nnd Sailors of this I.. ate War for the Union. Hhdqk's Comsekvativb Army and Navy Union, 1- (NTo. e97 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington. I). C, Jan. G, 1S68. J Comrades : Inasmuch as numerous calh are now beingisMied and circulated through out the States and from this city for soldiers and sailors conventions, and, in order that our comrades may fully understand from whence issue these calls, their objects, and in whose interests they are to operate, thi--address is issued : The following extract is a specimen from one of the calls referred to now being cir dilated, against which it -becomes our duty to warn you : Washington-, D. C, December, 18, 1SG7. At a conference of Union soldiers and sailer held in thio city on Monday, Doc. 1G, 18G7, to con eider the propriety of ca'Jing a national conv-n tion, recolutious were unanimously ad -p;ed re commending that an invitation ba extended to a!i loyal persons who have served in the military or naval service of the United Mates to unite in ? suing: a call for a rational convention, to be bet3 in Alay, 1858, for the consideration of national questions, and the nomination of candidates for President and Vice President of the Uuitel States. The disordei od state of public aft'airs, the resto ration of rebe to power, the desisnint' efforts to destroy onr nationj.1 credit, the failure through out the country to recognize the aat cJaiaie of the ve erana ot the rar ; these, coupled with a ele s re to perpetuate the fundamental principles of our Government, r.re deemed wufiicieut reasons tli'at the men who crushed rebellion should coun sel such measures as shall rand to preserve and protect the civil rights of a'.l the people. ling. Gen. T. 1, Ckittemxet, f Chairman. Will A. Short, Secretary. The purport of these calls would lead many to believe that these propcsjnl Cem ventions were to be held solely in the in terest of the soldiers and sailors. Hut do not allow yourselves to bo deceived by ex pediency men and designing politicians. Under the pretext of serving soldiers and sailors they are laboring to delude you into their ranks, after which the same fraud, falaehootl ami ingratitude will be,pracciced upon yon that hits been so signally evinced in the past. " 2 he disordered state of public affairs" has been brought about by this same party, which has been in power for years and by a system of usurpation and uncalled for legislation, stripped the executive branch of tlie Government of all authority to stay the tide of eviliuflicted by them, from time to time, upon the country. j " T 'he restoration of rebels to power," a paltry plea, (only practiced by the party in power, aa lately exhibited), should call the j blush of shame to the cheek of the manly soldier as he beholds a prostrate and now starving foe, ready ami willing to yield to any terms consistent with the honor antl dignity of a great Christian peorjle and na tion. " The designing efforts to destroy our na tional credit " will indeed be a small induce ment to soldiers when they aro aware of the i'uet that theso Conventions aro to be Cidled in tho interests of a party which has for its object the support of a moneyed aristocracy, which exempts from taxation, j and give3 to the rich bondholder the gold of the public treasury at a premium, while it heavily taxes every laboring man and soldier, and exacts that he should be paitl for his services iu a depreciated currency increasing the rich man's dollar and mak ing the poor man's lets. "The failure throughout the country to rtcoq- nize the just claims of the veterans of the rear" j has tio where been so openly and wantonly j exhibited as by this same party in the United States Senate, in tho rejection and refusal to appoint thousands of our brave elisabled comrades during the- past few years. "A desire to perpetuate the fundamental principles of our Government" will, no doubt, appear to many of our comrades as intended for a joke by these conventionists. when it is well known that they have been laboring with, and are now in full com munion with the party of usurpers who, by arbitrary legislation, have established mili tary dictated, inaugurated a system of tyranny, raided the negro to be the political ; superior ol the white man, created negro legislators, negro judges, and negro juries, suspended the writ of habeas corpus, und are continuing arbitrary arrests and trials in time of peace ; f jr all ed which thy can find no warrant within the fundamt niai law of the land. We, therefore, desire to ask you, frankly: Are you in favor ot the supremacy of the negro race over two-thirds of our territory? Are you in favor of negro legislators, negro judges, and negro juries ? Are you in favor of being taxed $30,000 -000 annually for the support of negro gov ernments in the Southern States ? Are you in favor of having expended from your hard earnings 812,000,000 an nually, in support of the Freedmen's Bu reau, for the encouragement of idleness, theft, and vice among the negrees of the South, while not a dollar is appropriated toward the maintenance of the widows and orphans of your fallen et mrades ? Are you in favor of continuing a finan cial policy which exempts from taxation the wealthy bondholder, who prospereil upon the misfortunes of the country, and taxing the laboring class of the people, giving to the former the coin of the treas ury, and to the latter a depreciated paper currency, thus exempting the rich from as sisting in tho payment of the war debt, and imposing it upon the poorer classes '? Are you in favor of having your com rades thrust aside by the United States Senate, when brought before it for confir mation for such ollices as are in the gift of the Executive ? Are you in favor of longer continuing the distracted condition of the country, that ambitious politicians and grasping speculators might thrive ? Are you in favor of throwing aside prin ciple, patriotism and devotion to your country to enter with political charlatans the band of usurpers, tyrants, and fanatics that now reign and rule in dire confusion ? If you are not in favor of such a course, we appeal to you to abstain from entering any of the conventions for which calls are now being issued, as these conventions are to bo managed and manipulated expressly in the interests of the party now in power, which has brought starvation and untold suffering upon the people, as exhibited in the pitiful appeals welling up from every section of the country. We warn you, therefore, against invita tions which, from time to time, will bo ex tended to you, some coming from persons and organizations having no local habita tions, urging you to participate in a na tional convention of soldiers and sailors, for the purpose of nominating candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency. Politicians, often unfriendly to soldiers and sailors, who desire to make themselves prominent, aro apt to have such calls cir culated, the real object of which is not set forth therein. Let us, therefore, be care ful not to lend our influence to any set of President makers, who aro unworthy of our commence ana support, or who would re flect discredit upon the high character of the Union army and navy. A few of the employed agents of the party in power may, at any time, issue a call, setting forth rea sons why we should join them in an effort to retain said party in power, the very evils narrated being brought about through their instrumentality. In view, then, of the misrule - under which our country 13 now suffering, we ad monish you to stand firm by the principles or which we fought, and for which so many ot oui brave comrades suffered anel. died, and to accept no invitation of any party or clique of President makers with out due deliberation, and upon full convic tion that they are pledged to the vindica tion of the Constitution, the Union of the States, and the recognized supremacy of the flag throughout the length and breadth of the land. As we contended for the su-.n-e-maoy ci law and order, the rights and liberties of the people, in the field, so let u remain true to the great charter of our freedom now, permitting none to use us for their elevation, but ever acting with the people and ior the people ; ami in so do ing peace, prosperity, and happiness will follow in the train, the heels of the tyrants now pressing upon the necks of the popu lace crushed, and our country assume its wouteil position as the proudest and freest amoug tho uations of the earth. By ,oider of the Executive Committee. Con. P. II. AntiABACH, . President. Catt. A. W. Chilton, Itecordiug Secretary. S. eciai binpatch to t' Baltimore Sun. FRO.1 VV AS1JINGTO-V. Interesting Views of Congressmen Im portant Legislation Kxpeoted Tlie Vim niine and Titxation Opinion In Ke- ga.rt to the Currency jinl Contraction Kriliittion of Taxation-AVliisItty Peti tions, &c. Washington, Jan. 5. I: is expected that Congress, after reassembling to-morrow, will at once get to work earnestly and, it is hoped, patriotically, upon the measures al ready proposed, and others contemplated, to relieve the country from the commer cial and financial disorders which prevail or threaten. Members oe. Congress just returned from the holiday viit to their homes report that they have been urged by their constituents to use their best efforts to immediately perfect the necessary legislation on ques tions of finance and taxation, to the end that these may be speedily and wisely set tled, not only in obedience to the emer gency of the times, but as well that these grave matters may bo determined before the Presidential election, anil thus keep them as free as possible from arty politics. These members represent that recently some modification in sentiment has taken place on the propositions to increase paper currency and to contract the same, tho first increase of currency being urged less, and the latter contraction scarcely at all ; that the proposition to tax Govern ment bonds has grown in favor ; that the mode and time of paying theo bonds is engaging the earnest consideration of the people ; that there is a vell-defined division of opinion except in cases where tho law in express language on this subject directs the payment in coin and it is difficult to eletermine whether there is a majority in favor of redeeming these obligations in currency. Some also represent that there is not such earnest and activo opposition to the National Banks as was manifested at the commencement of tho November "session of Congress. But abovo tdl othr eiucstiono upon which the people express solicitude, that of tax ation is, probably, foremost. Tho reduc tion of the aggregate sum collected (about five hundred millions) ia advised, and tho popular idea seems to bo that it should bo fixed, as an experiment for tho present at least, at threo hundred million dollars. It w also advised that the number of taxubablo articles be greatly reduced; that the cotton tax should be at once repealed; that the in come tax is odious and iucmisitorial and should bw abolished ; thAt the tax on dis tilled spirits should bo greatly reduced, some urging twenty, others fifty cents per gallon. They say that thcro is an almost unanimous belief among intelligent com mercial men that the present tax upon spirits can never be collected, because it is so disproportionate to the cost of produc tion, and that this tax results in a prohibi tion upon fair and open business. Such is substantially the information your corres pondent has to-day obtained in conversa tions with Congressmen fresh from confer ence with their constituents. Upon the subject of tax on whiskey there are memorials here, to bo presentee! this week iu the House, which agree with tho views above presented, and ono of theso memorials (from the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce) recommends the abolish ment ot bonded waihcut.es, and the collec tion ef the tax at the distillery, and to fix the tux at fifty cents per gallon. These reeornmendatious coincide with those ut the spirit convention held hero last mouth, ami seem to meet with general approval, except from the " whiskey ring" an'! persons engaged iu illicit distillation. The me mbe-rs of the spirit convention ap pear to be anxious to co-operate with Con-gre.-s in the adoption of a law which shall embrace the ei-sential points set fen-th above-, but there is a powerful whiskey ring hern who are esoeuetiug large sums to prevent any modification or change of tho present tax on spirits, or in the mode of collvcimg the revenue. Data. I'icsleleutial. The Washiugtem correspondent of the Worcester Spy, admitting in tho fullest ex tent the destitution, suffering and chaotic condition of the Southern States, complains bitterly of the apathy of the Republicans on the subject. Pressing as are the po litical necessities of the party in the Sonth, the Spy says it seems almost impossible to raise money enough to carry on the cam paign ; and it adds : " The Republican party, to iaaura success, to compel anil maintain peace, must have tho tea unrepresented (States reconstructed and brought hick in tims to vote for their candidate next .No vember. Failing in this, the country may as well squarely look at the issue which then sternly arises iu its path that of meeting an internecine struggle consequent upon the refusal to count the vo.e of tho Southern Democracy, which will be eurdy catt for the party's nominee, whoever it may be. Of course, the Fortieth Congress will count the vote ox no State which ia not repre sented." This programme is not inviting. The Itadicals are determined, it seems, not to admit the ten Southern States, unless they are so reconstructeel as to secure their yotes for the Iiadical candidate anel if they are not readmitted, Congress will not count their electoral votes at all, as they will cer tainly be cast for the Democratic nominee. This struggle has become exclusively one for party success and it is openly avowed that measures will be resorted to for tho sake of victory which may plunge the coun try afresh into civil war. There certainly is virtue and strength enough in the people to save tho country from such peril. N. Y. Times. ISIeetlns of the Convention. General Canby has ordered the Conven tion elect to assemble at Ilaleigh on tho 11th inst., for tho purposo of framing a new Constitution for the old State of North Carolina. Many of tho delegates aro destined, in tho end, to tho sorest disappointment. They imagine they aro to tako rank in his tory with the framers of tho Constitution of 1776, but they aro much mistaken. Wo already havo a Constitution, which Con gress has no right to overthrow, and it will yet be acknowledged by the National Gov ernment. The work of tho motley, and with few exceptions, ignorant crowd which is to assemble on the 11th, will soon bo re pudiated, and its authors consigned to ob scurity or to bo remembered only for their folly. Salisbury Old North State. Tho sterling Gazette wants Anna Dickin son to "speak out like a man." Speaker Colfax " receives " on Fridays, beginning next week, From tho Baltimore Bun. FltODI WASHINGTON. Tlie Season in VVlilngtnFoiltln. tcrcsting from MemplUTlic Minister at Constantinople, &c, Washington, January 3. Several Con gressmen arrived to-day, to be in readincs for the meeting of Congress on Monday. The season of receptions and parties will bo commenced on Monday next. Several receptions are named for the coming week including one by the ladies of the White House, and five or six at the residences of members of Congress. The President received the following dis patch from Memphis to-day. Memphis is redeemed. Leftwitch is elected mayor. Peace, order and quiot prevail. Free white suffrage vindicated.'" Upon inquiry in proper direction it is found that there i3 no foundation fur tlu. report thatE. Joy Morris, minister to Can stantinoplo, has signified or has any dispo sition to resign, or that any effort is made by the administration to remove him. The President and several members of the Cabinet have promiseel to attend the eighth of January banquet of this city. Data. The Radicals and CongroiK, Mr. Weed, the prominent editor and politician of New York one of tho found ers of the llepublioan party has tho fol lowing remarks in his last paper tho New York Commercial : Tho loading idea of Radicalism, amid the rain, destitution, and starvation that is ackDowltii;;.. ' is that, through uuiversal negro aullVage, ten n:i' represented States "m be broujld buck in ti:,,,' to vote" for the Radical candidate for I'reeuleiit. This, let it ba remembered, ia tho key to tin whole Radical programme of reconstruction. a:1 thcro ia of distress and anarchy, ruij and aliena tion, results from a determination in Congress to elect a Radical President. . "The whole cjuivcMf congressional linancial legislation has been fl-v, wasteful, and pernicious, aud exorcises a mo; depressing inlluenco upon tho industrial iote-rostx of the country. Great financial and ee'onnioii ul reforms aro needed, and it requires no prophe t t i foretell that any delay or shortcoming" in tiiis !v spect ia certain to be attended by pemtieal n vo. lution, and our representatives hael better ta!,f warning in time " Ktw York liry Coods ItlarL.it Itis a rather healthy indication that, atthi.s dullest season of the wboio year in the dry goods trade, prices of woolens, which have been depressed below those of any other descriptions of goods, show a decided ten dency to improvement and a disposition h shown to make speculative purchases. Prices of many articles are as low as thiy were before the war, but it is impossible that they should remain so long. . Goods cmnot, lor any considerable timo be sold below tho cost of production, as they have been doing; for when that point i3 reached production must cease anel tho stock we havo must begin to diminish at a very ra pid rate. Wo believe this is just tho con dition of the woolen trado now ; anel the moment the great clothing manufacturers begin to realize the fact, thcro will be a rush to buy, and prices will advance. In domestics but very littlo is doing and prices of most styles of popular goods are merely nominal. Heavy brown goods are firm, and tho market is not overstocked. Bleached shirting3 anel sheetings aro not in so great elemand, and prices are not bo well sustained as in unbleached fabrics, but tin opening of trado will undoubtedly witness an advance. Prints havo reached a point which will scarely admit of a further dc cliue; Merriniacks and Fall river makes are about as low as they were before tho out break of the rebellion. In foreign goods there is hardly anything doing, exept iri fancy silka anel dress-goods inipertcei e -prcssly for tho season. Tho auction sale:; aro very light, while tho importations havo fallen off to a very low point, anel most of tho goods arm ing go into bond. There will not bo an overstocked marke t on tho opening of tho spring trado ; but it will probably bo fully equal to tho de mand, since it is pretty certain that the Southern demand will bo light. There in great necel of goods in tho Southwest, but merchants thcro aro well supplied, and until another gooel crop gives the people tin; mean", of paying for anything beyonel the bare necessaries of life, which many of them aro suffering for now, no great de mand can bo anticipated from that quarter. Now York Independent, "2d. Tiic De-presscfl Condition of the Shipping Trade. There is a great and general depression in shipping business at all the American ports, and we hear tho most complaints from New York, becauso there theintoichis are most extended. It seems, iu fact, a work ef much more difficulty to re-establish the prosperity enjoyed by our commer cial marine before the civil war thaD we coulel have anticipated, especially in t Sje foreign trade. On this subject the Phila delphia American remarks: " The withdrawal of theCunard line fmu Boston affoids evidence that tho fore ign shippers feel the depression severely alM, although their great capital and rebources enable them to weather tho gale. "All the commercial organs of New Yoi lc, without a single exception, have been in cessantly complaining for months past of the languishing condition of tho shipping interest, and they have been clamoring ve hemently for some legislation by Congress calculated to afford relief. They wemlt hardly speak thus if tho shipping lmsine' were not suffering in New York us severe ly as anywhere else. Nearly all the numer ous steamship lines from New York to coastwiso ports, established at the close ot the war with so much energy and display, have failed disastrously and been broken up." Senator Guthrie-. On Saturday last, Mr. Justice, of Logan, introduced in tho Kentucky House of liei resentatives resolutions suggesting to Sena tor Guthrie the propriety of resigning Ida seat in tho United States Senate, to the end that tho State may be fully represented there, in case he finds himself unablo to attend the sittings of Congress. Tho sub ject gave rise to considerable discussion, in the course of which it was stated, amoug other things, that Mr. Guthrie intended to go to Washington so as to enter upon t he discharge of his duties immediately after the holidays, and tho lleprescntativo from Logan was induced to withdraw his resolu tion for tho present. On the 11th of this month our North Carolina friends are to witness the same disgusting show which we now have in this State. On that day the State Convention, (God save tho mark !; is to meet in K;d eigh. Let the State of Macon and Gaston arj up against their work, and show that the whito man can voto down tho negro party in gallant old North Carolina. Especially do we beg that some Conser vative member will move to open the pro ceedings by reading Holden's poem on the death of Calhoun. Norfolk Virginian. On Christmas day tho presiding alucr man of Mobilo liberated all Jtho prisoners incarcerated thero for minor offences. It is proposed in New York city to give all tho old Christmas trees to tho birdi in tho public squares to mako nests of. Carlotta has given up, her dowry, but has $3,000,000 left. Grant is to giro a scries of select parties this winter! Tho doctors of Mclborne, Australia, are disputing whether Hamlet vaamad.
Wilmington Journal [1844-1895] (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 10, 1868, edition 1
2
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