Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-10-17
From The Boston Posi.1

OF MORAL OBLIGATION OR OF PHYSICAL
FORCE?
If there is any one act of Misrepresentation more
disingenuous than another, which Mr.. Douglas has
perpetrated during his electoneerng tour it is bis
repeated insnuations that the supporters oil Mr
Breckenridge are not sound and reliable upon the
question of the maintenance Of the Union and the
enforcement of the laws. Although he and every
person of common sense know well enough there Is
no ant-law anti-U Union party in the field in this
canvass, excepting the black republican organiza-
tion he gratuitiously raises this issue with the
friends Of the latter candidate In order to prevent
a reuni If the democracy, and TO give color OF
plausibLy to his coalition with the know nothings,
who have set up the unfounded claim Of being the
champions of the Union and the Constitution par
ercelLence
As to the enforcement of the laws, Mr. Douglas
is well aware that portion Of the democratic par
ty has placed itself in antagonism to existing
statutes, except some Of his own partiZanS, who IN
the convention which nominated him for the Presi-
dency, agued in favor of re-opening the slave trade
And in assuming this overt position, he himself set
them notable example, in proposing to override
the decisions of the Supreme Court by abolishing
slavery in the Territories, though the medium of
squatter sovereignty in spite of Congress and the
judiciary. Indeed, he has been unable to adduce a
single plausible fact in support Of his assumption
that the Breckenridge wing OF the democracy is less
devoted to the Union or regard the constitutional
laws OF country us lCSS
the most orthodox of his own supporters. The
people, who arc familiar with the antec,dents of all
the presidential candidates and the characters Of the
public men who spouse their cause, respectively
not to be duped by any such barney.
But when Mr. Douglas declares himself in favor
Of maintaining the federal authority and enforcing
the laws in any contingency" what political emer
gences in the future does he contemplate? His
friends say, and he himself gives countenance to
the idea that he takes this decided stand in view OF
any possible complication Of our federal relations
which may arise under black republican, higher
law administration OF the government Does he
mean to say that if such an administration should
frame laws manfeStly infringing the constitutional
rights of the South (as its controlling minds such
as Sumner, Hale, Wilson, Seward, Lovejoy, Andrew,
&c, would insist upon its doing) that any noncom
pance with resistance to such laws must be
forcibly put down? Does he mean that if such an
administration shall repeal the fugitive slave law
and ignore the compromises Of the constitution
touching the institution of negro servitude the
South, Notwithstanding this violation of the
pact shall be compelled to submit and remain in
The Union a Subugated province, shOrn of the at
tributes Of sovereignty! 1t is in this sense that
the black republican press and leaders understand
him; and hence they applaud his stump perform
anceS and count hun as an effective ally if not
pronounced champion of their cause When he af
firms, boldly and unequivocally, that the laws and
the Executive supremacy must be enforced ain any
contingency" they satisfied that he is Of them
and with them; that he will give his cordial sup
port to the administration Of Abraham Lincoln, and
prove a worthy successor to him in the Presidential
chair. But in thus catering for republican success
and sympathy he has evidently forfeited the conf
dence and support of the national democracy, whom
he vanly essays to sell out and betray into the
hands OF the PhilStineS.
1t is not to be doubted that Mr.. Douglas is in IA
Of perpetuating the Union; and so are the Sec
Il 81
admissible terms and conditions They would COM
pei our Southern fellow-ctizens to remain in the
Union, contribute to the support Of Northern COM
merce and manufactures and help to dcfray the ex-
penses of the gen raj government without enjoying
that protection and equality which are the funda-
mental objects and conditions Of the Union. The
partsans of Lincoln and Hamlin propose to circum-
scribe the domestic institutions of the South and
OF the hypocritca plea Of harbarism, to extirpate
by "unfriendly legislation" her system of labor
and the profits of her industry. They would virtu
ally disranchise her in the national councils and
make the measure Of her political rights the con-
cesSons of the will of arbitrary majority. Then
if she refuses to remain in the Union on these hu
initiating conditions, they ready to let loose up
on her the demon of civil and imbrue their
hands in fraternal blood; and Mr. Douglas proclaims
that he is ready to join them in the unhallowed cru
SADIE. But will the unprejudiced, liberty loving
masses Of the North, in such emergency, suffer
kindred, to carry desolation to their homes and
plunge their hostile steel into the bosom of the
descendants of their common ancestors, of glorious
memory, because they dared to assert their equal
rights and privilege in the Confederacy established
by those ancestors? Never
AS Union men, there is this important difference
between Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Breckenridge: While
the former proposes to maintain the Union lin any
contingency, no matter what wrong provocation
to the seeding States may be involved in iD by in
voking the strong arm Of the military power, by
employing the brute force welded by the federal
army and navy the latter desires to maintain only
by the moral power of justice, equity, honor, fide
ty to the constitution and fraterna affection This
is the broad distinction which marks the dividing
line between rival candidates for the suages of the
democracy, which every true and rejecting Union
man can fully appreciate. Let every such candid
and patriotic eector at the North judge for himself
what would be the value of this Union when,
longer enshrined in the hearts Of the people, its
laws and obligations shall be enforced, upon
luctant and outraged community, at the mouth OF
the cannon and the point of the bayOnet II those
those who love and cherish the sacred bond which
has made Of the American people one great and
happy family would avoid the alternative of degra-
ding the Union to n hollow mockcry and curse;
if they desire preserve it in the spirit of fraterni
ty, and upon a basis of peace and mutual good will,
they will not fail TO give their votes, their influence,
their whole mental and moral energies, in favor of the
Union candidates, Breckenridge and Lane.
%, Lorl-Brother Holden of the Standard, in
ssts reading the flood of pub. docs that flow
in upon us from week to week, railroad surveys,
patent office reports and all. We don't know what
we have done to merit such fate but let it be what
it may, heartily repent of it and absouton.
But he says we look thin; well, that's convenience,
to say the least of it. in these days of hoop skirts;
and if the girls UiU crowd around us, how can we
help appearing little compressed? N B. We
didn't have the opportunity of recuperating at the
seaside last summer.-High Point Reporter.