Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-01-24
Substance of the Remark. of Mr.. Wright,


In the House of Commons, on the 18th January,
on the Convention Bill
Mr. Wright said, after tribute to the memory
OF Dobbin, Strange, Henry and Toomer, he was OPP
posed to the substitute of Mr.. Person for several
reasons, but chiefly because it did not submit the
action of the Convention to the people 1t had
been amended in the Senate and ought to be amend
cd here. That he came here with the feelings of a
Union Democrat; that he had hoped long before
this returning sense of justice the part of the
North, would have yielded to the reasonable demand
and just rights of the South In the Union. But
the failure of the Crittenden Resolutions (Which he
favored and willing to accept as basis of settle
ment) connected with the empty chairs of 16 Sena-
tors and more than 80 Representatives before the
4th of March next forbid him to hope for preser-
Walton of the Union as it is, and the work
phatIcaly one of reconstruction. That would,
however, against Wishes be in hopeless mi
nority, and powerless for good or ill-that could
not shut eyes to the facts that eight stars
would quench their fires in political heavens to
light up galaxy of their own-that whoever turn
ed to that banner which had so long waved in tr-
umph over them, in that field of blue, would behold
them no longer in their beauty but in their place
the stripes which our Northern brethren regard as
hit tokens of our ignominy and punishment and
from which they learned only lesson of coercion
That this reconstruction would be upon the Critten
den or other satisfactory basis Those States will
ing to accord to us Constitutional rights, would
join us, and upon the ruins of this old, we would
rear another temple and he hoped "thc glory Of
the latter house would exceed that of the former"
That that could not be DONE he was for the South
the whole South, and God defend the right
Mr. Wright said the revolution was a peculiar
one that the Watch and Wait" policy was a
commendable one under most circumstances but
nearly all the Southern States movng-even
Maryland Our scrupleS saved, if we had any,
and he for North Carolina lifting up her voice
and speaking her sovereign Withholding more,
nothing less. That he had always loved the stars
and stripes; had regarded the Union of these States
as natural as that of husband and wfe-that 1t was
nothing but fanaticiSm which could divorce and
sever the ties of sympathy and Union.
Mr.. w. regretted this state of things, but went
on to show though the Union had benefited both
sections in the diversity of labor-the South grow
ing the staple, the North manufacturing t-yet the
South though the richer, was made the poorer Sec
! ton. That this had been the result of unequal
legislation and disbursement Of the public revenue
the South contributing two-thlrds of the exports
and from the proceeds of her slave labor forty mil
lions, and getting back twenty milliOns-the North
twenty millions and getting back forty millions
That the Navigation Laws, excluding foreign bot
toms. had thrown upon us the burden of an ex-
| hauStng cOaStwise trade, owned at the North and
redoundng TO their chief advantage. That 400 ships
were employed in the transportation of Cotton alone
and Sl2, 100000 were paid by the growers yearly
! for transportation Tha. narrow belt of country
7
retiabe spot earth where cotton could be grown.
Tha, lit required alterations of SUNSHINE and shower
sparse population and involuntary scrvitude for
successful cultivation; that in other country did
these combinations exist That the East India
! Company had spent 81, GOO, 600 in the experiment
and 4,OUU.00O Of British subjects depended chiefly
! on us Tor that staple.
That we were In the condition 10 the North, that
| O'Connc deplored in the British administration OF
lIiSh affairs, when year after year, unhappy Ire
L., IL IL
| FRESH levieS, to 70 into an English EXchequer and
| but sparingly come out again for her advantage
That thus made the unwilling instrument of her
own destruction, she left to exc out miserable
existence in Union which he implored them to re-
peal. That the North in her attempted usurpaton
and unfrendly legislation, far the subject of
slavery was concerned, might learn lesson from a
similar policy Of Great Britain towards her West
| lndias and British Guianas, and the consequences
of that emancipation. That this in connection with
the French emancipation by the Provisional Govern
ment in 1917, made us first class power, and we
would be fools il VIC did not guard and keep it.
That these things were So and furnished only
stronger the North to respect rights,
and to the South to defend them. That however
depored this crisis, it should not pass without
| settlement now and forever of this question. That
| our ancestors "SOwCd wheat but behold tares had
sprung up alSo; that for the good of the we had
foreborne trouble the other. Mr.. W. said he could
not tell bnt poSS bly, in the good providence of God,
the harvest had come and now was the time TO gather
the wheat into garners and burn the tares with
fire unquenchablc That it might be 1.-the eagle
stirring up her nest" that her young and tender
brood might trust to their wings-he could not say
he left time to determine it, and the people to de-
clare their wishes in Convention; that North Caro-
lina with the South and such Of conservative
sisters of the North would Join in the work, might
thus go forth to meet the demands Of civilization
glorious destiny.
The reporter has not attempted to give the speech
Of Mr.. Wright in full, the space allowed will not
permit but he has given IN substance few OF the
heads touched on by Mr.. W.
WHAT TIE STATES WEIE BEFORE UNIoN.-Judge
Story gives graphic picture of what the States
before the adoption of the present Union, and
what they would likely he again. if it should be dis
solved:
1.-The most opposite commercial regulations ex.
listed in the different States in many cases. and espec
cially between ncighboring States, there was per
petua course of retaliatory legislation, from their
jealouSieS and rivalreS in commerce. in agriculture
or in manufactures. Foreign nations did not fail to
avail themselves of all the advantages accruing to
themselves from this suicidal policy, tending to com.
mon ruin. And as the evils grew pressing
the rcSentmcnts Of the States against each other and
the consciousness that their local interests were
l.l