Newbern weekly progress., 1860-12-18


distempered passions of the hoar, can snll
address to their fellow citizens counseis OF pru-
dence expressed in words befttlag the dlgnl-
ty of d great transaction.
From THE CHARLESTON CoURIEE
| WHAT SHALL THE CONVENTION DO?
To this question the common answer is, that
the Convention should put the State out Of the
Union immediately, on the day, II possible,
next after the day of their meeting.
Is this the way Of dignity and decorum IN
which an intelligent people performs great
and solemn dutys 1t would be, on the con
trSrv to do the most Important act IN the ne
of nation with less deliberation than Is usual
" bestowed on a road bill, for establishing a
ferry or constructing bridge. 1t would be
to pull down one government fog the erection
I of another with not so much reflection or ad-
vsement Of friends as We think necessary
when about to build house or buy a farm or
begin q new branch of business 1t would
set aside selfrespect the courtesy due to the
neigylb oring States, the difference to the worlds
Judgment observed everywhere among civil
ICED States Can the Convention proceed with
such precipitation, in Iuomentous an affair,
if they have regard for man in their hearts or
the fear ofGod before their eyes
What, then, shall the Convention do? Ad-
here, reply, u the revolutionary precedent
! Follow il the traces of the men, who are, Oh
this occasion, our guides, example, and inspi
ration. Do now what they did then We
have reached the point in the progress OF
events which they held in 1774. What was
their mode of proceedingS The thirteen Colo
MES cid not secede independently, one OF an
other. They seeded in a body. The Le0d311g
Colony Of l7T4 did not secede first and call on
| its ne;ghbors to follow its example. 1t led III
this way; it appointed delegates to a joint Con-
| gress, designated place, named day, and
communicated its proceedings to the other Coi.
oaits. Let the Convention Go likewise, ana
wait the orderly course ofevents. 1t IS repheo,
| impatiently, that we are weary Of waiting; that
we have already waited for years amid vain
complaints rernonstrances, and threats of re-
sistance to wrong? So did the men of l774.
| They had waited, and complained, and threat
encd for many years. We have followed them,
SO far, step by step. Let US follow them, step
! By step to the end.
| But, it is said, VIC need not wait for co-opcr&-
ton from our neighbor; we are sure oft IN due
! time How are we sure Of it rS.One gentleman
or another writes letter, or a town meeting
passes resolutions, or orator makes speech,
! or q Governor advises a Convention, or Leg
! islature calls one, and forthwith we cry out
Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi, Florida will Ger
! tally cooperate. Nothing short Of the dettndte
! action oftGe States gatrposes. There has been
none. What kind of cooperation has been Of
fered US? We have had profiers Of service
! from volunteer companies in various quaters.
| They are ready to fight the battles Of South
Carolina; to make her field the seat of war-the
Netherlands of North America for the strife of
| North and South, Surely this is not the
! operation desire. This is not forming L
| Southern ConfcdCracy.
| The men of 1874 were quite as sure az VIC
can be Of the cooperation in due time of all tho
| Colonies. Perhaps they were more sure; and
vet, notwithstanding this conviction, their first
step was to unite their councils. Massachusetts,
| did not dissolve her union and then invite Co
operation She invited united council first,
and through that council severed her union
with Great Britain The Colonies proceeded
Systematically, with the incest Judgment. We
prefess to make their conduct our example.
Let US initiate it. Their mode of proceeding
has been sanctioned by experience ''discrec-
test, wiscst, and best" Let us IrfIke it ours.
It is objected that to cal I: Congress of
States while the States are still in the Union,
would be unconstitutional. What is this but
to say that in the midst of revolution meas
ure is revolutionary? Was not the Congress
of I774. called, as it was, two years before the
Colonies were out Of the union with England,
quite as much in opposition to the Laws and
Constitution Of Che mother country? The men
of that day, with all their moderation, stood on
no idle punctilio. In this as in everything
else, they have given US q sure, tried prece-
dent to guide US. Let US use it faithfully.
Suppose it to be certain--though it is not
that every Cotton State will go out of the
Union independently one of another This is
not what we want We have wish to see
an anarchy of States. We desire to have IL
! Confederacy of the South. To attain this we
must unite the States first, and act afterwards.
! 1t is the simple question: in word, whether
we shall put the horse before and the cart be-
hind, or reverse this legitimate arrangement of
horse and cart.
! But, it is said, there is no time for delay.
/ Certainly there is none for haste. What is
month"; or six months, or a year in the life of
a nation. More haste, less speed in affairs of
State as well as in those Of private life. The
question is how to proceed rightly, no matter
what time may be required. Let the COnven-
/ ton be quick they please in the right
! direction Let them establish the Southern
/ Congress forthwith. We are in advance. Let
US keep our position; but let us form the
Southern Congress first and sccede after
wards.
TO go beyond this point at thfe time will Sc
riously embarrass the whole proceeding. 1t
will destroy the regular continuity of the work
! before US. It viii introduce issues and
convert an ordinary adjustment of affairs be-
| tween States into premature and unnecessary
conflict 1t viii involve guerilla war of sin
gle States when we want to march in compact
column Of the whole South to certain success.
| repeat then, let the Convention appoint"
delegates 20 q Southern Congress, designate
the place. name the day, communicate their
proceedings to all the slave States, and wait the
orderly course of events. They need not be
idle while they wait They have Govern
nent to construct, form Of Confederacy to
prepare Their time will be amply employed.
1t is the privilege, perhaps the duty, ofevery
citizen to express his opinions freely in all great
emergencies of State 1 give mine for what
they are worth have no personal interests,
present or prospective, to subserve. am con-
scious OF no motive but an anxious desire to
secure the welfare Of the State. believe that
a strict conformity, as far as possible, to the
modce of action prescribed by our forefathers,
in condition of affairs similar to the present,
will most effectually promote the attainment
af the object that We have in view; that any
other course will tend to complicate and enbar-
rass our proceedings. do not stop or pause,
+ but only go Oh in the right course and in exact
order. THE LAST WORD.
. SOUTHERN JOURNAL OPPOSED To CARRY
, ING WEAPONs.-The New Orleans Pieaynne comes
out manfuily against the shabby practice of carry
ing concealed arms, W hich il iustlv denounces aa