ABSTRACT
North Carolina presents quite different situation and method of Reconstruction from the states studied. The war left the state in economic bankruptcy. The repudiation of the Confederate debt closed every bank, and farm property was reduced in value one-third. In 1800, North Carolina had 337,764 whites and 140,339 Negroes; in 1840, 484,870 whites and 268,549 Negroes. In 1860 there were 629,942 whites and 361,544 Negroes. The idea was to forestall any attempt of Northern white leaders and capitalists to control the Negro vote. The Negroes, however, had thought and leadership, both from the free Negro class, who had some education, and from colored immigrants from the North, many of whom had been born in North Carolina but had escaped from slavery. In the fall election of 1866, Worth was chosen Governor. The legislature agreed. Holden, the former Provisional Governor and now leader of the Republicans, changed his attitude toward Negro suffrage, and in December, 1866, openly advocated votes for Negroes.
