Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-25

great mass OF the OOutneFH peOpie YIeict " iOtp"
the suggestions Of party leaders and village brawier
rather than think and acs for thenselyes-there Is
yet time to save the Union and secure for the next
four years an Executive who will be true TO the
constitutional rights of the South. Let the Ben
men, the Breckenridge men, and the Douglas men
agree to unite upon the electoral ticket IN eaen
and every Southern State-let theni II thought J
best, designate on the ticket which OF The three
candidates named they may prefer-and let an ar,
rangement be entered into Qor when there is VIII
there is a way) by which, in case the election OF
Lincoln emit be prevented then the electors 70 vote
in accordance with, and in proportion TO- the popu
lar vote given to each candidate respectively:
The apparent security and unconcern wnien pre-
vail among the Southern people, in view OF the dan
gers which environ us, are utterly incomprehensole
A common enemy is laundering at our gates, and
vet we arc engaged in an iuternecne war with each
other Even if we were united the odds arc against
U.S. What then, are We to expect, il we keep up our
divisionsl By our party dlssentions, we not only
weaken ourselves, but We strengthen the common
foe, who is gloating the prospect of his easy
triumph. Why are Bell men, and Breckenridge
men, and Douglas men deyouring each other, when
the danger is ave- the prospect is that ii the COM
mon enemy aided by our divisions, should succeed,
we shall not only have no party spois to squao6le
over, but we shall have no Union left? With no
Union we shall have no government as a nation;
with no government, no country, no freedom !
Why why is it that the people Of this country can
not wake up to a sense of the awful dangers that
threaten them-to the heavy responsibility resting
upon them? How is it. that they can remain so
careless and Indifferent when the very earthquake
is rocking beneath their feet? The probability OF
Lincoln's election is admitted by ALL 1t is under
rating the high spirit and indignant sensbility Of
the people Of the "Cotton States" TO suppose, that
their threats of Withdrawal from the Union in case
of Lincoln's election is mere idle and empty gas
conade. Es
What an awful thought, that in less than four
months from this time, this Union, haowed by SO
many heartstirring associations. may be rent asun-
der And yet truth EFFORTS the admission, that It
is no improbable event. What may be eliminated
out of the severed fragments, no human wisdom: can
foresee The combined intellect and patriotism Of
the South should be engaged in an examination OF
what is best to he done, and in preparing for the
evil day, before it is upon us How can this be
done calmly and dispassionatey, If all our energies
are engaged in senselcss strugglefor political SUI
premacy and partizan triumph? The times call for
self-sacrifce, for harmony and Cancellation lie
must be poor creature indeed, who can think Of
nothing but party strife and party spoils, when the
prosperity, the very existence of our institutions are
in peril If the present party divisions kept up,
and party bitterness and denunciation shall keep us
apart we shall be but lily prepared for that forbear
ance, compromise and concliatory discretion, which
will be necessary to save us from wreck and ruin,
when the storm shall have burst upon us.
repeat then, that our only hope at present, is
in the defeat of Lincoln. Let North-Carolina, ever
noted as she is, for moderation, conservatism and
love of the Union, inaugurate the movement Ii it
is to be done, it must have beginning somewhere.
Let there De union of the friends Of Bell of Brock
inridge, and Douglas, one electoral ticket, the
electors to cast the vote of the State for him Who
aided by what strength he may have from the North,
can he elected. If it turns out that no such aid
comes from the North then the electoral vote TO be
divided among the three in proportion to their pop
ular strength at the polls. For such ticket would
VOTE at the present time, with more pleasure than
for any other. OF course such a movement would
not suit blind and bigoted partzans, nor desperate
politicians who have nothing to lose by their coun
trys ruin; for the reason, that when patriots and
statesmen were engaged in saving their country,
there would be need for their services. The
Bell party, the Breckenridge party, and the Doug
las party, have each an executive committee in
every State to supervise and attend to their respec
tive party interests Let the proposition for union
come from either-whcheyer it might be, the great
er the credit for patriotic magnanimity they would
be entitled to- / say let the movement beamed in
good faith and publicopinion, il / am not greatly
mistaken, would carry it on to contamination.
But if party diSsention has so widened the breach
as to render this impracticabe-if we must hasten
on to our destipy-then to come back to the posi-
ton of my humble SELF shall, il live, watch the
progress of events carefully, and If sec the current
of public opinion in the South setting so strongly in
favor of either Of the three candidates named as to
afford reasonable grounds Of hope that he may COM
pete formidabiy with Lincoln for the Presidency,
should feel it my duty to do as an individual what
would be glad TO see the entire South do-gye
him my vote. But if see no such contingency as
this-if division and discord shall continue to reign
and no CLEAN of hope presented by concentration
of public opinion in the South on any one of the
candidates now before the people, il sacrifice of
personal preference can accomplish nothing and de-
feat stareS us in the face-then in case cast nv
vote for Bell and Everett in compliance with my
original feelings and views, should do so, not in
regard to any party influence political consdera-
ton whatever. | should do so in pursuance of a
high personal regard, and may add. personal at
tachment entertained for Mr.. Bell for great many
years, and my entire confidence in his ability, con-
seryatism and patriotism. But neither my vote, nor
that of any other in the South can effect any,
thing, unless there is combination union and har-
mony among the people Of the South. commit
myself absolutely to no man, and to no party. As
| have before said don't know | can't possibly
foresee what sense of duty may require of me-
As to mere party trammels, they have no hold on
me-nor do mean they shall have, whilst the very
existence of the government and its institutions are
in peril. As to the old WING party, / spent the
morning Of my days in fighting its battles 1t had
no more loyal subject, no more faithful servant, no
more affectionate son, than me. honored and low
ed it while it lived, | grieved with an unaffected
sorrow when it died. l claim my due portion of
that inheritance Of glory which it bequeathed to its
children intend to stand at guard over its grave,
ready to defend it against the ruthless hands of DO
tcal gamblers who would gather the flowers planted
there by the hand of Affection for the purpose of
decking their own brows. As one of the distribu.
tees in that Inheritance Of glory to which have al
luded l never will consent that its name shall be
puroined abused and prosttuted to purposes which,
when living, it would have scented and abhorred.
As to the American party, am guilty of no vain
pretension when say that performed more labor
in its service, incurred more pecuniary loss, made
greater sacrifices of time, Of personal comfort and
encountered more contumely and utilization in its
cause, than any man in North Carolina What I
said and did in its support from the honest i'm
pulses of my head and heart declared in a pub
hshed letter four years ago that would abide its
fOrtunes-that if IL was doomed 70 ob;nu-ra.l,