Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-03-14
From the Wilmington Journal
CELEBRATION AT KENANSVILLE.

From the Wilmington Journal
CELEBRATION AT KENANSVILLE
KENANsyILLE, February oath, 1860.
The "Duplin Riaemen," a volunteer company re-
Gently formed in our good County of Duplin, under
the command of Capt John j. Whitehead, gave
dinner on the 22d, in honor of the birthday Of Gen
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 at least of the cit
liens of old Duplin.
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, The 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 d. Stanford, Esq, who paid beautiful
tribute to the memory of the heroes of the Revolu-
ton, and called upon their successors to emulate
their example by resistance to tyranny, especially
the tyranny to which Black Republicanism would
subject us.
The third:
The Constitution of the United States the Magma
Charta of the Union-We hold its rviolable pro-
visions to be the only bond Of united confederacy
VIM. j. Houston, Esq, who had been invited to
he present and respond to this toast, being pre-
vented by indisposition sent the following letter,
which was read and speaks for itself:
KENANsvlLLE, N. c., Feb. 22d, 1860.
DEAR SIKs: have to thank you for an invitation
t. attend Dinner given this day to the "Duplin
Rihemen" | would be truly glad to be present,
but ndispostion and nclement weather forbid. You
have selected day for the anniversary Of your
corps, which deem highly appropriate to such
purpose, the birthday of the immortal Washing
ton is memorable not only in America bat through
out the civilized world. May each and all Of you
live to witness many happy returns of it upon a
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 genuneness, and from
whose head ard heart many of its wisest provisions
emanated will not be properly commemOrated if we
fail to allude to that event. and neglect upon this
occasion to renew mutual pledges of fidelity and sup
port to the Constitution Of the United 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 oil
burdens and duties in times of trouble, and the re
ciplent of honors in times of peace. 1t was SC
when Marcus Curtius, armed and equipped, mount
| ed his steed and leaped into the chasm at Rome
destroyed himself that Rome might be saved II
was that which caused the Horatii and Curatii to
seek martyrdom on the field Of battle 1t was thai
which caused Leonidas and his three hundred noble
| Spartan youths to seek death at Thermopyle, apG
the same selfsacritcing heroism prompted the Car
thagenian brothers to consent to be buried alive up
on 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
agenian gallantry ready to die if necessary for the
country, and while We have preferable rewards, t
bestow upon their heroism, no such sacrifices arr
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 IN this country and EARTH is honest.
first and then true devotion to the compact of thi
Union-a true devotion to the constitution as thu
mighty bond that holds it together-to both, on
and inseparable as they came from the hands of ou
fathers. Why should this not be SO? The Consti
tuition is the basis of the government-the platform
upon which the solid fabric of this Union is reared
Disturb that platform-distort it, undermine it, o
perm. it to canker and decay, and the whole might,
pile will tumble into one mass of irretrieva5c ruin
The blessings which have come to US from our an
cesto.s have been transmitted through this compact
We take the inheritance by their contract, and W
are legally bound by the warranty, which they made
Shall We adhere to that warranty or shall we forfei
it? It has been in the adherence to that compact
that this country has grown to its present prospect
ty. We should be violators Of the vows of GU
fathers, if we directly or indirectly remove on
stone from another of that Union which they throug
the faith of this compact erected SirS, our father
loved the Constitution and they were unselhSh ii
that love-with that love they sustained the Union
and being so sustained, it was impossible that an
other result could follow, than that which has fol
lowed-a growth of prosperity and power under tn
common brotherhood, unparalleled in the history Q
the world How pleasing it is to look back at thi
pictured How agreeable it is to let the Imagination
run forward in delightful contemplation of what W
shall be at the end of the present century of con
tnued harmony and union, but how sad to be force
away from such contemplation by the stern truth
that there not only men but political organizo
ton in this country, whose avowed object it is
make war upon the Constitution and destroy tn
Union of these States. A foul ercrescence, and M
arous fungus, formed cancer upon the body politi
by reason of the fairness and grossness of an owe
prosperity it must be exterminated and removed, O
dissolution is inevitable. Nothing can prevent
but returning sense of justice and restoration {
soundness and sanity to the Northern mind, and
return by the people of that section to their origins
fealty under the Constitution That done, and a
will be we'll again. The Constitution contains man
injunctions, all of which have been constantly an
scrupulously observed by our section Of the Unior
Some Of its provisions have been openly violated
and others are threatened to be violated towards Fl
teen sovereign States of this Confederacy by
Northern sectional party. One of the declared OF
jects of the Constitution is ito insure domcsti
tranquility to the States. For this, each Souther
State has surrendered rights dear to every people,
Now if in return, domestic tranquility is not secure
to the respective States, they cheated out Of the
surrendered rights, and the common government bt
comes to them tyrant
The Constitution provides that each State sha
respect the rights, the sovereignty and property
the other States that the people of State sha
abstain from whatever foments dis cord or disturb
the peace of another. Itrecognises the existence
slavery and provides for the representation in Con
| 0roce If norSoDc uhO not frao II nrovidoS alS