Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-09-26
TIE NORTH CAROLINA Standard: WEDNESDAY. SEPT 2e,

WILL You ANSWER, GENTLEMEN will the STAN
dGrd Press Journal and other Breckenridge papers
IN North-Carolina answer this question? Do you
think 1t would be dish0n0rGbk in citizens of North
Carolina and of other Southern States to hold Office
under Lincoln in the event of his election-and do
you think that the election and Inauguration of Lin
coin according to the provisions of the Constitution
will afford sufficient cause for dissolution of the
Union by the Southern States Withdrawing their
representatives from Congress and rebelng against
Federal authority ?-Neao6ern Progress.
1t is not for us to say that it would be dishonora-
bic in citizen of North Carolina to accept Office
under President who had been elected according
to the forms of the Constitution. We can answer
only for ourself in this respect; and we say we
would not in any event. or under any circumstances,
accept or hold office under Mr. Lincoln. But while
We say this we do not think that the mere election
OF black Republican according to the forms of the
Constitution, especially under present crcumstan-
ces, would be sufficient cause for dissolvng the
Union. We of the South believe in and intend to
maintain the Constitution. With us the words the
Constitution are SYNONYMOUS with the words the
Union. They are one and the same. Let us, then,
exhaust all the pooers Of the Constitution in self
Defence or otsnsicely if necessary, before zoe pro-
coed to destroy the eristiag federal government and
set up neao gorernments The federal government is
government not Of numbers, not of dscordant and
warning sovereignties, but of Constitutional MAORI
ties. When that government becomes destructive
of the great ends for which it was established it will
be the right and the duty of the people to abol-
ish it.
Are you answered, Mr.. Pennington? If not, we
will define our position in different language In a
speech or "oration" which we had the honor to de.
July, 1856, We said:
"Who can estimate, in dollars and cents, the
worth of this Constitution, the value of the uni
ted American name? Can the North do it? Let
her attempt it, and she will start back in dismay
from the gulf that yawns before her. Can the
South? In defence of her honor and of her Consti-
tutional rights she will not calculate but she will
dare, and do, if the hour should come; which may
Providence evermore forbid If this Union should
ever be destroyed, it will be done by such tri-
umph and such predominance of sectional power
to leave no hope to the minority; or by palpa-
bic violation disregard by all the departments Of
the government Of the Constitution, which is the
bond of the Union. Either would, in ITSELF be dis
solution. The South would deplore, and would feel
the catastrophe; but no man could say that her
folly or her madness did it. If not entirely blame
less in all this sectional strife yet part Of the
sponsibity for the Crime Of Disun,on could BE-
| placed upon her.
These were our sentiments then, and they are gu,
| sentiments now We are for BRECKENRIDGE, the
| CONSTITUTION and the UNION. We are neither 9
submssonist nor a dsunionist.