The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-12-19
MASS MEETING IN HILLsBoROUGH.

MASS MEETING IN HILLSBOROUGH.
In pursuance to an adjourned meeting large
portion of the citizens of Orange County met at
the Court House in this place. and themeeting was
called to order by the Chairman, VIM. H. Brown,
who in few patriotic remarks explained the
object which called together for the second time.
The Secretary read the proceedings Of the meet
ing Of the 18th inst, and the Chairman, the Hon.
VIM. A. Graham, Of the Committee Of ten, reported
the following resolutions:
The excited condition of the public mind, occa-
stoned by the result of the recent Presidential
election requiring in the opinion of the citizens Of
Orange here assembled a declaration of the senti-
ments of the people in relation to the course proper
to be pursued in the present critical condition of
our National affairs, it is therefore,
l. ResOlued, That the measures in the course of
adoption in certain States of the Union, since the
election of Abraham Lincoln to the Office Of Presi-
dent of the United States, presents for the deter
minaton of the people of North Carolina the grave
question: whether, so far as they are concerned,
the Government established by the Constitution Of
the United States shall be permitted to continue
in operation, or whether it shall be OverthrOwn
and annulled, leaving to an uncertain future, the
provision of new guards for all the great interests
that Government was designed to secure.
2. Reso1oed, That while regretting the decision
made in this election, in common with the people
of all the Southern States because of the sectional,
and towards us hostile spirit of the political or
ganization which nominated and elected the sue
cessful candidate; and whilst we shall vigilantly
observe his course of administration, and shall be
prompt to make resistance to encroachments, if
any shall be attempted by him, on the rights and
interests Of slavery as established institution
of the Southern States, protected by the Consti-
tuition of the Union, we perceive in the fact of his
election no sufficient cause for the subverson and
abandonment of the Government of our Fathers,
under which, in but two generations of men, the
country has obtained a prosperity and power un-
surpassed among the nations Of the earth.
g. Res0l0ed, That we are not insensible to the
encouragement given to the hostile feeling Of the
North against slavery in the Southern States, by
the result of this election, but it must not be for
gotten that the Government of the United States
is q practical Government, of but limited powers;
that the President is not the sovereign but the
servant of the Republic, with authorities defined
and restricted by the Constitution and laws, liable
to be checked and restrained within his legitimate
powers by Congress and by the Judiciary; that
Mr. Lincoln was elected by but plurality of votes,
in consequence of divisions among the conserva-
tive voters arrayed against him-the majority
against him in the whole popular vote being nearly
nine hundred thousand And when add to this
Houses Of Congress opposed to him, and will not
be able to appoint even his Cabinet counsellers
without the aid of conservative Senate, there is
but remote probability Of successful encroach.
ment on our rights during the limited period Of