GOVERNOR WORTH AND PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
A. D. 1867 TO 1868.
President Andrew Johnson, as has already been stated, was
born and reared in the city of Raleigh. He went to Tennessee
after reaching manhood, and, though blessed with small
advantages as to early culture, devoted himself to political
life. He is said to have mastered the rudiments of education
with his wife's help. His native ability soon gave him position
as a politician and eventually great popularity and control over
the Tennessee people.
2. He soon relaxed in the severity of his feelings toward the
late Confederates, and thereby incurred the resentment of the
leaders in the party which had elected him Vice-President. In
the bitterness of the mutual recriminations, between him and his
late friends in Congress, there was, unhappily, evil to result
to North Carolina and the South; for to the old resentments
against the South was added a desire in many men to thwart the
President who had become their ally.
3. Governor Worth had ever been marked as a public man by the
utmost devotion to the Federal Union. He had constantly opposed
the doctrine and necessity of secession. He was now to show his
wisdom and attachment for the State of his birth. As Governor,
he was continually pressed to secure legal protection for the
people against the interference of military commanders and
courts-martial, which were constantly intruding upon the
jurisdiction of the State courts.
4. The whole system of education in the common schools had
perished in the loss of the Literary Fund. The University still
continued its ministrations, but with a diminished faculty and
patronage. The colleges, male and female, belonging to the
different religious denominations, were re-opened and generally
were slowly regaining their former efficiency.
5. Among the first enactments by the Legislature after the war,
was the law allowing negroes to testify against or for white
parties in courts of justice. This was a great change in our
law, but was now necessary for their protection, as they no
longer had masters to care for them.
6. The agriculture of the period was rapidly advancing in the
perfection of its details. Concentrated fertilizers were coming
into general use and the area of cotton culture was immensely
expanding. The farms were about equally divided as to the style
of their management. The best farmers still hired their "hands"
and superintended the details of operation in person, but many
leased their lands to laborers and furnished the teams and
supplies needed by the tenants.
7. Under the sensible and moderate rule then seen in the State,
prosperity seemed rapidly returning, but as the United States
Congress still refused to allow any representation in that body,
there was great and increasing uneasiness as to the terms that
would be finally exacted from the South in the proposed
reconstruction measures.
1868.
8. Early in the year 1868 a convention, so-called, was held to
frame a new Constitution under the Reconstruction Act of
Congress. The election for the delegates was held under General
Canby's orders, and the returns were sent to him at Charleston.
Upon his order the Convention met and upon his order its delegates
were seated and unseated.
9. In the latter part of April the Constitution thus framed was
submitted to such of the people as were allowed to vote, at an
election held as before, under General Canby's order, and by
him, in Charleston, South Carolina, the returns having been sent
to him there, declared to have been adopted. It is now
generally known as the "Canby Constitution." In June, by order
by telegram from General Canby, Governor Worth, who had been
elected Governor by the people in 1866, was turned out of his
office and Governor Holden put in his place. The only authority
for this and other outrages was the might of Federal bayonets.
10. The Legislature elected under the recently adopted
Constitution met on the 1st of July, 1868. It was comprised
largely of negroes and of men from the North who had lately come
to North Carolina. These latter were popularly known as
"carpetbaggers," and as a class were mere birds of prey who came
here for plunder. As might have been expected, the legislation
of such a body was both corrupt and injurious. Ignorant of the
resources of the State, of its people and their necessities, it
would have been a miracle almost, no matter how honest, had
their legislation not been harmful. Unfortunately, there was
added to gross ignorance the most unblushing corruption and
wanton extravagance. Many millions of debt, in the shape of
"Special Tax Bonds," as they were called, were attempted to be
fastened upon the State by this Legislature, but the people have
persistently refused to recognize them.
11. The Convention and elections of 1868 will ever be
remembered. The act of Congress, passed on February 20th, 1867,
was in vain vetoed by the President. It was made the law of the
land, and under its provisions, while twenty thousand white men
of North Carolina were deprived of the right to vote, that
privilege was extended to every colored male in the State who
had attained the age of twenty-one years.
12. The year closed with great apprehensions to all classes.
The new State government possessed neither the confidence nor
the affection of the people, and in the pandemonium of bribery
and corruption there was justification for the fears of men,
who, in corrupt and reckless appropriations and corrupt and
reckless expenditures, foresaw ruin to all material interests of
the State.
12. In Robeson county, life and property were so insecure that
extraordinary measures were adopted to extirpate the bandits who
slew and plundered as if no legal restraints were left in the
land. The story of Henry Berry Lowery and his "Swamp Angels"
will ever stand as a convincing proof of the incompetency of the
government of that day or of its wanton disregard of its duties
to its citizens.
QUESTIONS.
1. Where was President Andrew Johnson born? To what State did
he go? To what profession did he devote himself? How is he
said to have mastered the rudiments of education? What position
did his native ability give him?
2. How did his feelings toward the South undergo a change? What
did he incur thereby? How did this affect North Carolina and
the South?
3. What is said of Governor Worth?
4. In what condition were the institutions of learning at this period?
5. What legislation is mentioned favoring the colored people?
Why was this now necessary?
6. How were agricultural matters progressing? How were the
farms conducted?
7. What was the general condition of the State?
8. For what was the Convention of 1868 held?
Under whose order was the election for delegates held?
9. When was the Constitution thus framed submitted to the people?
How is this Constitution now known? How was Governor Worth removed from office,
and who was put in his place?
What was the authority for this and other high-handed measures?
10. When did the Legislature of 1868 meet, and of whom was it composed?
What is said of this Legislature? What is said of the "Special Tax Bonds"?
11. What is said of the Convention and elections of 1868?
12. In what condition were public affairs?
13. What is said of Robeson county, and Henry Berry Lowery
and his "Swamp Angels"?