North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-03-05
THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
The times are still full of trouble. and deem il
our duty to keep the people of Virginia advised OF
important movements at the extremes of the con-
ederacy, that State may int genfiy and wise
~ pursue that which circumstances may inn
pei her to regard due, only her own safety
and honor, but to the rights of the South and the.
preservation of the Union. However other States
may fly off from their orbits. Virginia will, while she
with safety and honor, continue TO stand on the
basis of the rights of the States and the Union. She
will neither countenance central consolidation and
tyrannous power, the one hand. nor sunlon ten
denotes on the other. She will pursue the plain.
straightforward middle path of duty-and her con-
sentative WILL heretofore. be brought 10 bear
powerfully, in obtaining justice and In checking
dlsurganiZation.
The details of the outrages and aggIessions at the
North familiar to orr readers. They are startling
enough, it must be admitted--but they have not yet
reached point which demands resort 10 the last
extremity-she awful necessity of rupture OF con-
federcy, founded by own Washington and ms I'M
mortal compeers. How soon the fanatics OF the
North may attain the climax of madness. ana force
this dread alternative shall not dare to depict w
have not yet, however, abandoned all hope that the re-
cent lawIess acts of the North will burn into the
hearts OF the there, sentiment OF the neces'
sty of prompt and decided action 10 save the conn-
try. by crushing the cockatrce of fanaicism and
outlawry in their midst. They must do sonethi ng.
or all Southern confidence in Northern honor, and
love of law and order, will vanish like a mist.
Enough has transpired to alarm and excite the
South-but not enough to justify the extreme meas-
to which Southern brethren are preparing 10
The action of State at least, South Car
oIina, looks threatening enough. Unless wiser coun-
sells shall be waited to her by the wings Of time
unless favorable developments of the next twelve
months shall allay her excitement and soften the APP
parentIy firm resolution OF her leaders-we may en-
pect her in Convention taking measures for in
slant secession, and then real crisis will come upon
the country from which all good men will avert theT
eyes with sorrow. In reply to the National lntel-
gercer the Charleston Mercury says that, though not
quite all the returns of the election for the State Con-
vention in. yet the result be stated with su
cent accuracy. The Mercury remarks:
"'rhe Convention consists of I67 memhers-equal
TO both Houses of the Legislature. OF these we
think quite safe in saying l27 are in the words
of the InteIligencer distinctly and unalteraby for
"SEC ESSION and withdrawal of the State of South
Carolina alone from the Union - if the 1neligen
is modest and would prefer their description by
another hand they e.men who, as an old friend
from the country said ITO yesterday, " have made
up their minds that the Federal Government is a
cursed bad bargain, which it is high time to get
rid off, These men go for secession by the State
alone because there can be other secession than
by the States Individual sovereignties, and becau Sc
the withdrawal from the Union will thus in every
stage of the be under the sanction of the supreme
authority. and give to secession the same basis and
support of the sovereign will expressed in the same
form as the act by which South Carolina entered the
Union.
A minority of the Convention consisting of, we
think less than forty, opposed TO the speedy ac-
lion of the State by herself. But let not the lntei-
gencer imagine there forty submissionIsts In the
Convention. We are certain there not ten 'nem-
hers who will unhesitatingly affirm both OF the
following propositions l, That the State, as one OF
Confederacy of soverei ms. has the clear right to
secede; and, 2, that the action and position OF the
Federal Government afford ample Justification for
the exercise of that right They think 1T polite to
put off decisive action till The other States or some
of them get ready TO join us.
The minority of the Convention, as body. will
not be opposed to the majority. but only little In the
Of it, and when the decision is made, they will.
with few exceptions, take their place with the FORE
most in its defence. The act of secession will be
emphacalIy the of the whole State, and her pen
pie will unite in defending it the last extremity
South Carolina seems bent on extreme measures
and it well becomes Virginia consider whether the
time has not arrived when she should specially ap-
peal South Carolina desist from her purpose and
yet longer remain in the Unon-at least until the
North shall enact further aggressions which shall
compel Virginia to make common cause with South
Carolina and the whole South in redress o common
wrongs. South Carolina has called on Virg nia to
go with her for Southern Congress and secession.
That call now lies on the tables of the two Houses
of Legislature, and it must be considered and an
swered. Should not the Legislature take the occasion
TO make appeal. firm but respectful and kind, to
South Carolina-such We have above indicated-to
pause in her course and shver the confederacy TO
atumsl In 1882 Virginia, by such course OF bless
ed mediation, avered the passion of South Carolina
and saved the Unon-nay not similar appeal, now,
under aspects more alarming than then, be attended
by the same happy resuits 1t for the Legislature
Of Virginia to act in this matter-and to initiate a
movement, which may save the Union The subject
is of deep importance and should be maturely
considered and carefully carried ont.
Richmond Enquirer.
1Telegraphed for the New York Tribune