Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-11-07
TIE Standard.
From the New York Times. (black Republican,
THE ERROR CONFESSED.

THE EkkOh CONFESSEU.
Next in excellence to the virtue and wisdom which
resist temptation and avoid error is the ingenious
ness of free and frank confession of SIM The last is
the merit of Ex-senator Badger, Of North. Carolina
Carried away by the storm Of pro-savery fanatlcism
which swept over the country in 1854 he forgot his
old conservative instincts the large and liberal max
inns of Government which he had learned from Web
ster and CLAY. as we'll as the pghted faith of the
South and in an evil hour voted for the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise. His best friends were deep
" mortified at the fatal mistake he made, and they
have never doubted that he himself deplored 1T as
the weakest and worst act of his public life we
are grated to perceive that Mr. Badger has had the
manliness at length to come forward voluntarily,
and make clean breast by an open confession OF
his grievous fault In speech at Raleigh, the seat
of Government of North Carolina, he took occasion,
few DAVIS ago to say that HIS vote for the Nebras-
ka bill was the worst vote heever gave in his life,
while he applaNded the opposite course pursued by
Mr.. Bell of Tennessee. This frank confession, bya
very proud as well as very able man, was received
nv his audience we are told with wild enthus asn-
clear proof that North Carolina like Mr. Badger,
has been dragged into pro-slavery ulrasms, against
her better Judgment, by the evil example and the
arrogant leadership of her more pretent'ous neigh
bors, Virginia and South Carolina.
II was apparent to those who watched the pro-
oress Of the Kansas Nebraska bill in the Senate, that
the detection Of Mr.. Badger from the ranks OF con-
servatism was the turning point, not merely with
that measure but with the Wing PARTY His match
less mowers as debatet, his ardent and lmpetuous
advocacy of whatever cause he espouses with the
moral force of an elevated private character being
taken from the weaker side and transferred to the
strong left no hope Of resisting the saverypropa-
pandist influences which held sway at Washington.
It was said and generally believed at the time that
Mr. Badger had prepared speech against the repeai
of the Missouri Compromise he had denounced
the repeal Indignantly and at length yielded TO what
he regarded as the imperative VOICE OF the Vi
his State We have reason to believe that this is a
substantially correct account of the matter; and the
fact nroves that the rarest and most excellent virtue
among public men is not intellect, or eloquence, or
even private character-for Mr.. B. possesses all
these in an eminent degree-but moral courage. the
frmness of soul which dares to act on high prlncl-
Piles Of duty, though millions should condemn ana
execrate.
The occasion presented in the repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compromise offered splendid opportunity to
the Wings of the South, and especially to MIR. Bad
ger, which he and they failed to improve. Had ne
stood firm, the State Of North Carolina would have
sustained him, and the Wing party, instead Of dis
solving into its original elements, would have taken
\ new lease of life The whole North would have
rallied to its support and the Republican party
would have never been formed.
We are quite ready to concede that Mr.. Bell de-
serves great credit for having resisted the proslave
~ influences by which he was surrounded But
his fault is that he has since acqnesced in the in
iouitous policy which he then opposed. He at that
time by his vote, if not in his speeches, vindicatec
the right of Congress to exclude slavery from the
Territories and voted to continue the exclusion of
slavery. But the perfdy being consnmmated, he
now declares that he will submit to it as finaty
as we'll as to the impudent assumption of modern
Democratic Federalism, that Congress has been
stripped of its power of excluding slavery from the
Territories BY the bred Scott decision. He surren-
ders the citadel of Henry Clay Whiggery at discre
ton to the slavery propagandists; and with the
maxims of Calhoun and fancy inscribed on his ban
ners his friends appeal to the North to support him,
for what he did years ago. while fighting bravely
for the right.
1t was creditable to Mr. Bell to resist the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, but his weakness in
yielding the principle because it was voted down,
deprves him of all claim to support from the oppo-
nents of slavery extension. But it is well-known
fact that Mr. Bell could never have received the
nomination of his party except on the condition of
his acquiescence in the repeal of the Missouri Com.
promise, as well as in the bred Scott decision.
Whether the repentance of Mr.. Badger goes to the
extent of recantng the Constitutional errors which
he accepted with the Nebraska BILL and whether he
will in future reassert his old theories, which were
identical with those Of Clay, Webster, and the Re-
publican party, remains to be seen. But as it re-
CARDS Mr.. Bell we are left in no doubt He accepts
the perfdious acts and the Calhoun theories of the
slavery propagandist Democracy as ga fnality."-
The difference between the positions at present &C.
cupied by Mr.. Badger-supposing him to have re-
canted the principles we'll as the policy of the
Democratic party-and that of his Presidential can
didate, is simple this, that he makes frank and
honorable confession Of in voting to repeal the
Missouri compromise, while Mr. Bell publicly re-
nounces and repudiates the constitutional right to
retain that compromise on the statute book.
The NEGRO IN THE EPISCOPAL CoNvENTIoS--In
cnee Episcopal Convention on Thursday last, Mr..
John Jay brought forward series of resolutions in
favor of asking the Provincial Bishop to address a
Pastoral Letter to the people of the Diocese in refer
ence to the African slave trade, now carried on
at this port IN violation of the statues of the Repub-
lie Of the teacEings of the Church. of the rights of
man, and Of the laws of God. Also, that the clergy
be respectfully recommended, from time to time, to
preach ia tesr respective parishes against the wick
edness Of the slave trade as now prosecuted from
within this Diocese; and that the laity be urged to
exert their inRaenoe to stay their further prosecu-
ton Of the traffic.
The resolutions we're seconded by Mr.. Brewer, of
Yonkers, whereupen Mr. Gay proceeded to argue in
favor Of their passage in aset Speech but questions
Of order being adroty raised by such able taetitians
as Rev. DR.. Vintoa, Rev. Dr.. Creighton, and Rev.
Dr.. Deonard, the Convention got rdof the rebrand
by laying the resolutions On the table by an almost
unanimous vote.
NoRTH-C CAROLINA WESTERN RxMRoAD-Mr Geo.
Wadsworth, Chief Engineer of the Dalton and Jack
sonville Railroad Company, in his late report,
speaking of the connections Of that line, says: In
addition to the above, through connections, there
is . road being built through the whole length of
North Carolina to Asheville, and which has been
projected on to Dalton, by way Of Murphy and Duck
Town Copper Mines which will eventually form an
important extension of your road. The route has
been surveyed with reference to turnpike, and the
distance made about thirty-seven mixes from Dalton
to the copper mines It is very likely railroad
NAV be located ever this route without much in