Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-03-14
From the Wilmington Journal.
CELEBRATION AT KENANSVILLE.
KENANsvILLE, February oath, 1860.

Gently formed in good County of Duplin, under
the command of Capt. John j. Whitehead, gave a
dinner on the 22d, in honor of the birthday of Cen
eral Washington
Everything went off in style worthy of the &C.
casion, and the spirited manner in which the day
was celebrated shows that the memory of Washing
ton is warmly cherished by some at least of the cit
liens Of old Duplin. s..
Messrs John j. Whitehead, Vim. A. Allen, and
John n. Stallings acted by appointment as COM
mittee on Toasts.
The first regular toast read by Capt Whitehead,
who presided at the table was
George Washington embodiment of all
that is great and good"
Rev. James Sprunt was called upon to respond
to this sentiment and he did so in an eloquent and
impressive manner
The second toast was:
The sages and patriots of the revolution, Wash
ington and his Companions in Arms-May the
American people ever emulate their example.
Responded to in feeling and spirited manner
by John ID. Stanford, ESQ.,, who paid beautiful
tribute to the memory of the heroes of the Reyou-
ton, and called upon their successors to emulate
their example by resistance to tyranny, especially
the tyranny to which Black Republicanism would
subject u.s.
The third:
The Constitution of the United States, the Magma
Charta of the Union-We hold its irvolabe pro-
visions to be the only bond of united confederacy
'ii u AAOuoIOli, iASu, WIN OCSil W
be present and respond to this toast being pre-
vented by indispostion, sent the following letter,
which was read and speaks for itself: ~
KENANsvLLE, n. c., Feb. ODD, 1860.
DEAR SIRs: have to thank you for an invitation
to attend Dinner given this day to the "Duplin
Rifemen." | would be truly glad to be present,
but indisposition and inclement weather forbid You
have selected day for the anniversary of your
corps, which deem highly appropriate to such
thnh birth, DIV of tho
ton is memorable not only in America, but through
out the civilized world. May each and all of you
live to witness many happy returns of it upon
nation united, happy and free: and permit me to
add that the birthday of Washington, who presided
over the Convention of sages and patriots by which
the Constitution was framed and the Union formed,
whose signature is affixed to the sacred instrument
as an endorsement of its genuineness, and from
whose head and heart many of its wsest provisions
emanated, will not be properly commcmorated if we
fail to allude to that event. and neglect upon this
occasion to mutual pledges of fidelity and sup
port TO the Constitution Of tie intel States In
all countries and governments and during all ages
Of the world there have been standards of excellence
by which the warmest friend and most faithful citi
zen could be distinguished and made the bearer of
burdens and duties in times of trouble, and the re
cipent of honors in times of peace. 1t was so
when Marcus CurtiuS armed and equipped, mount
ed his steed and leaped into the chasm at Rome
ueSuONeu UlillScll llldI hOillc ullSUI Uc
was that which caused the HOratii and Curatii to
seek martyrdom OH the field of battle 1t was that
which caused Lconidas and his three hundred noble
Spartan youths to seek death at Thermopyls, and
the same seEsacriticing heroism prompted the Car
thagenan brothers to consent to be buried alive up
the confines of their country, that their graves
might stand forever the fixed mark Of its territorial
| boundary. But in our proud Republic, while we
have many thousands youths of Spartan and Garth
agenan gaantry ready to die if necessary for their
country, and while we have preferable rewards, to
| bestOw upon their herOism, no such sacrifices are
asked All that our Republic asks all that is neces-
sary to the proudest distinction the most ex
allied position, and the most perfect and most per-
manent fame this country and earth, is honesty
first and then true devotion to the compact Of this
! Unon-a true devotion to the constitution as the
niighty bond that holds it together-tO both, one
and inseparabe, they came from the hands of our
fathers Why should this not be so? The Consti-
tuition is the basis of the governmcnt-the platform
upon which the solid fabric of this Union is reared.
Disturb that plat(orm-diStort it, undermine it, or
perm. it to canker and decay and the whole mighty
pile will tumble into Of irretreVa5e ruin.
! The blessings which have come TO us from our an
cestors have been transmitted through this compact.
! We take the inheritance by their contract, and we
/ are legally bound by the warranty, which they made.
Shall adhere to that warranty or shall we forfeit
it? 1t has been in the adherence to that compact,
I
! ty. We should be violators of the VOWS of our
! fathers, if we directly or indirectly remove one
stone from another of that Union which they through
the faith of this compact erected Sirs our fathers
! loved the Constitution and they were unScltiSh in
! that love-with that love they sustained the Union,
! and being so sustained it was impossible that any
other result could follow, than that which has fol-
| lowed-a growth Of prosperity and power under the
| common brotherhood unparalleled in the history OF
| the world. How pleasing it is to look back at this
picture! How agreeable it is to let the imagination
run forward in delightful contemplation of what we
shall be at the end Of the present century OF con-
tinued harmony and union, but how sad to be forced
away from such contemplation by the stern truth,
that there are not only but political OTgdntzG-
! ton in this country, whose avowed object 1t IS to
| make war upon the Constitution, and destroy the
Union ofthese States. A foul ercrescence, and ne
farious fungus formed cancer upon the body polite
by reason of the fairness and grOssneSs of an over
prosperity, it must be extermnated and removed or
| dissolution is inevitable. Nothing can prevent 1t
but returning sense of justice, and restoration OF
soundness and sanity to the Northern mind, and a
return by the people of that section to their original
fealtv under the Constitution. That done, and all
will be well again. The Constitution contains many
iniunctonS, all of which have been constantly and
scrupulously observed by our section of the Union.
! Some of its provisions have been openly violated,
and others are threatened to be violated towards tf
teen sovereign States of this Confederacy by a
| Northern sectional party. One of the declared OBJ
| iects of the Constitution is ito insure domestic
tranquility" to the States For this, each Southern
State has surrendered rights dear to every people
Nowif in return domestic tranquility is not secured
to the respective States they cheated out of their
surrendered rights, and the common government be-
| comes to them a tyrant -
The Constitution provides that each State shall
respect the rights the sovereignty and property OF
the other States that the people of one State shall
abstain from whatever omens dis cord, or distuI bs
the peace of another 1t recognises the existence of
slavery and provides for the representation in Con-
gress of persons who not free 1t provides also
for the return of fugitive slaves This is one of the
fundamental compromises Of the Constitution, and
was passed by that Convention, over which Wash
ington presided, without dissenting vote. These
are duties under the Constitution which devolve
upon every State and every citizen. How are they