Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-12-20
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
WILMINGTON, N. c. THURSDAY. DEC. 30, 1880.
From the Daily Journal, 18th inst.
Our Friends North.---Are We DIsuniOnlsts
for the sake of DisuniOn ?---NOI


for the sake of DIsunion ?--NO!
There is no denying the fact that from whatever
standpoint we view it, there are and must be- painful
feelings connected with the idea of dissolution of this
great conederacy And among all these painful feelings
there painful than the necessity it involves
of separation from the many good and true in the
non-slavehoding States with whom it has been our
pride and pleasure act for long They have stru
ged in with ourselves to avert the catastrophe
which is impending If they and we have failed,
neither they nor we are to be blamed. Even in the
New England States there very many men who de-
pore the existence of the causes which are irressby
mpeling the Southern States to separation from the
Northern States. But however much we may honor
these brave men, and respect their position must be
aware that they sinking day by day into hopeless
minority That practically they are poweress to stem
the torrent of fanaticism that is sweeping away, or
rather has already swept away all the barriers imposed
by the Constitution, by good faith, by comfy between
the States We gladly make exceptions in favor of the
good and true men at the North who have by their firm
and adherence to principle, entitled themselves to
the respect and regard of the people of the South This
we can do to them Individually but cannot their
account remain quescent under the injurious and nsnlt
ing conduct of the Northern States political commute
ed against u.s.
More than once, of recent times, gentlemen bave
spoken to of letters received from friends at the North
who have stood up manfully for the equality Of the
States in the past campaign, and who prepared to
do so in the future. These gentlemen at the Nortt
feel hurt at what they regard the understanding
launched against the people of the North BY
Southern speakers and presses. Now should think
that these friends ought to feel that charges denunc
atoms which cannot apply to them not intended for
them. No names saluted with warmer applause al
the most ultra Southern meetings here than those of th
many distinguished Northern men who devoted their
tme their talents and their money to stem the torrent
OF sectionalsm at their homes, but who wholly
able to accomplish anything When, with their talents
their DEVOTION their patriotism their wealth, their na
ence they sgnaly failed, what hope we have from
anything at the North We thank our friends there
for their noble efforts behalf of the confederacy of
which have all been proud, around whose history
cluster so many glorious memories whose future was
full of so many bright hopes We mourn with them
the failure of mutual efforts to preserve this confed-
eracy because we see that the true spirit has departed
from the States at the North, where our friends
are hopeessy overcome and crushed down by rampant
and hostile majority. The Northern States as States,
have by maores unprecedented in the history of the
country proclaimed the rrepressibe conflict" In deal
ing WITH and referring to these States Wemust refer to
them as such-we cannot individuaize. 1t would be
useless The majortes rule, and the maOrtes there
all one way and that is hostile We appreciate high
ly Individual friendship, but not for that advise
any State to forego her rights.
We trust that we are understood on this point. Let
US say now, as we have said before, that not
now and never have been dsunioniss for the sake of
disunion We honestly believe that there very few
who are. But we now living in December, 1860
The events of this living and breathing time around
u.s. and can neither be explained away heorized out
of existence 1t is said all hands that things have
gone so far that reconciliation between the two
lions cannot and indeed ought not to take place. with
out satisfactory adjustment, which would not con
sist in a compromising away of rights, but in guarap
teeng them and providing for their enforcement anC
conservation That such adjustment can be effected al
at all we much question Without such several of the
Southern States will dissolve their copartnershp with
the North and some of them will go under any circum
stances They have ceased to have faith in the power
of any guarantees to repress the irrepressbe conflict
Now this is the situation Of affairs this 18th day
of December, 1860, and it is this situation with which
we have to DEAL not that which may have existed wher
the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions of '969 were
passed nor yet that which existed in 1920 during
General Jacksons administration, at any time prio
to 1910 or 1850 This week. beyond doubt, Soutl
Carolina will decide her for secession. The pre-
else programme we do not of course, know. There il
hardly doubt that she will be joined by several ohe
of the cotton States at early day. If we fold ou
arms and hang on, will have to stay in Congress
wholly under the control of the Abotionists for sucl
would be the state of things Immediately consequen
upon the withdrawal of half the Southern strength
from the Congress of the existing Conlederacy.-
This we could not do. On leaving the North
ern Confederacy, we could hardly calculate to sta,
out in the cold Selfpreservation would impel u
to contract relations with the Southern States but
tardy undetermined waverng would have this diff
fculty attending it, name y-that we would appear tt
be forced out rather than to out We would have
the alternative of staying out in the cold Of joining
a Confederacy already organized without our having
had any say in the arrangement any hand in adjust
the terms.
These are the facts Of the CASE If we thought tina
guarantees would be given we would have some hope
of the Confederacy and these hopes would be great,
strengthened if we thought that any guarantees tina
could now be given would carry with them any assur
that the North would observe them according t.
their trpe spirit. Not believing that the North will
give any guarantees least of all any guarantees that vii
so satisfy the Southern States to the
of the movement towards secession already begun
we must look upon dissolution of the confederac
as inevitable, nearly So We say so because thin
so. We call upon legislature so to act as to NEE
the crisis now impending, this Dec. 1860. LIE
North Carolina be put in position to take her prope
pace-not dependent, secondary place, but al indt
pendent, commanding position, in the coming events