Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-06-20
Changes in the Free States.

Changes in the Free states.
The signs in the political heavens of the North
and Northwest are such as to rekindle hope in the
Southern heart. In the municipal and other cleo
lions which have occurred there since the Presiden-
tial struggle last fall the demon of abolition has,
for the most part, been trodden under foot by a
returning of justice, or by return of common
sense to the misguided people, or by natural love
of change, or by something else. Towns counties,
and even States that Fremont swept with a tornado
of Black Republicanism, have since faced about and
taken steps to the music of constitutional Union
bv giving good national Democratic majorities, and
eecting good national Democrats to office.
These signs are indeed cheering, If ace can only
put confidence in the stability of the concerts. We
have our hopes, but they are mingled with many
fears.
The Southern people have the character of being
an excitabe, impulsive people, and to a certain
extent and far as it is NOBLE manly and chvalrc,
this character is true. When deeds of daring arc
required-when sympathies are aroused for the
oppressed, our anger excited against the oppres-
sor we pause not to reflect on the consequences or
to count the cost; but with whole soul and
strength plunge where our impulses of right and
Justice drive US. But the Southern mind acts and
Judges for itself 1t is not carried away by hypo-
critical psam.singng political preachers that the
devil sends forth his recruiting service;
its sympathies its anger excited without cause.
We wish that such the character of the
Northern people. They indeed excitable but
their excitement is but machine built and impelled
by the trickery and knavery of hypocrites and dem
agogues. Shrewd, calculating, and with an eye
Steadfast to the main chances of making money,
they leave their priests and politicians to take care
of their incorporeal and body concerns,
and with either spiritual political hook in their
noses suffer themselves to be led to the devil to
an infracton of the Constitution with equal facility,
prorided it costs nothing. Thus were they carried
away in the abolition storm raised and guided by
political priests and demagogues; and thus we fear
they will again be carried away on the same tack,
or one fully as bad Without investigating for
themselves, they followed their wicked and corrupt
leaders until they brought the Constitution to the
brink of the precipce of destruction. Here, it
seems, they began to look about for themselves,
saw their danger, became alarmed, and the conse-
quence has been reaction and the ascendency of
sound principles in many places where they had
long been unknown or in apparently hopeless
minority. Our hope is that this ascendency will be
maintained; our fear, that it will not.
Let US hope and watch. The people of the South
should not be lulled into confident security by these
favorable omens The people of the North w,U have
their isms As long as they the prest-ridden
people they have so long been, they unreliable.
As long as they possess their present volatile char
acter they are subject to be blown about by every
wind of doctrine Let Aem steal little time from
their hot pursuit after dimes to judge for themselves
in both spiritual ard political matters, and the
weakened bonds of the Union will be strengthened
There is no need of buster or undue excitement
on the part of the South. All she has to do is to
take firm, decided and united position, and say tc
the North: ave prefer the Union provided the
Constitution is maintained in it's integrity; but
prefer disunion to a Union with broken Constitu.
ton. If you will have it so, can do better with
out you than you can without u.s." If they will no
regard our rights without attack on their pockets
let us wound them in that sensitive part.
Above all, let US not dampen the ardor of ou
true and tried friends there by sending to the ma
tiona councils of doubtful or equivocal posi-
tons. If would have them continue true to us
must be true to ourselves. Let us send men t
Congress who will sustain Mr.. Buchanan and hi
administration. To the South the slavery question
is paramount. As long as the Constitution is pre-
served we are safc Distribution sinks into insig
nifcance-t is an insane cry-when compared will
our rights under the Constitution. What will ou
Northern friends think of US. if we send men t
Congress who. by their factous opposition to tn
Democratic party, permitted the Black Republican
to elevate Banks to the Speakers chair? What cal
Know Nothing member of Congress from tn
South do but exercise factions opposition to tn
administration and thereby encourage and strength
en- the Black Republicans Let rs remember, toe
that nine-tcnths of the present Black Republican
took the initiative steps their present position
becoming Know Nothings. Two years ago the
stood side by side, and shoulder to shoulder wi.
the present Know Nothings of the South. We hav
Seen the effect home in the production of traitor
in our midst. We have seen the names of Souther
men held up as paragons of patriotism in Blac
Republican organs We must guard against treaso
at home, as we'll as against open foes abroad.
HE SECOND DIsTRlcr.-We learn from the New