Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-02-19
For the Standard.
TO THE ELECTORS OF HEREFORD COUNTY.

approaching State Convention; at the same time,
however, declaring his readiness, in contingency
which he deemed quite probable, to withdraw in
favor of another candidate. Since that time the
name of a certain distinguished citizen of the
county, gentleman of high character, mature age
and extensive popularity, and combining in a re-
markable degree all the elements which are apt to
command unquestioning and implicit public conf
dence-bas been strongly urged in connection with
the said Convention, by the advocates of immediate
and unconditional secession. / am confident that
in contest with that gentleman the odds would be
against me- and that my own comparative youth
and want of familiarity with public affairs, would
be indivdousy contrasted with his ripper years and
superior experience r.......
The name Of Hon. VIM. N. Fl. Smith has in
view of this fact been suggested that of the
strongest standard bearer OF the friends of the Con-
stitution and the Union in this county, and under
standing that he will accept the candidacy if ten
dered to him, shall urge his nomination by the
meeting to be held at Winton Thursday next
and cordially support him at the polls. Though
politically at variance with him heretofore, | am
committed to entire forgetulness of party in this
critical hour of the Republic: l know that Mr..
Smith is reliable and earnest friend of the Union,
and recognize in him the sagacty experience and
patriotism which the times demand | now, there
fore, thanking the many friends who have encouraged
me with warm assurances of aid, retire from the
canvass, and cease to be candidate.
North-Carolina is to-day the Gibrater of the
Union; and the heroic seadfastness of her present
fidelity to that Constitution which she accepted
with so much elaboration, and against whose mild
and bencticent governance her loyal citizens have
never breathed murmur, will command the CRATE
full applause of those who shall succeed US, ard
convince men that her wise forbearance now tran
scendS in real greatness even that courageous
prompttude with which, in the days of the Revo-
luton, she announced her independence of Great
Britain. 1t is her august mission, in conjunction
with glorious old Virginia and the noble brother
hood of border Southern States-having made pre-
paration for the worst and maintaining armed
neutrality-to roll back the advancing waves of
tanatlcsm that surge towards her from the two eX-
tremes of the Republic, and to arrest the malignant
progress of that secession propaganda which has
already overwhelmed seven of her sister common
wealths. Hers is the high function of a mediator;
and to her generous patience will be due, in no
slight degree the eventual adjustment of our Sec
tlonal dissensions and the ultimate reconstruction
OF the Union. She has uttered her voice in stern
rebuke OF frantic conspiracy against the Govern
ment, dehed by the lawlesS schemes and sordid
ambition of its main projectors, and presumptuously
invoking the voluntary surrender of the popular
liberties in submission to military despotism.
These crafty conspirators cannot cheat the judg-
ment of the people of North Carolina, whatever
delusive appeals they may employ. The clear
instinct of the people will penetrate all the DISCUSSES
OF that specous logic which counsels an ignominous
and craven abandonment Of heritage which belongs
as much to us as to the North Thwarted in the
legerdemain by which the dsunionists in the Gene
raj Assembly attempted to juggle the State out of
the Union through Convention Illegally called,
and whose acts were not TO be submitted to the
popular revision, they now come before the people,
forced at length to confront them openly and seek
to enkindle the flames of prejudice and passion for
the rash commission of an act which returning
reason would indeed condemn, but which no repent
ance could repair.
But the people will remember that however re-
pugEant to the sensitive ethics of chvalry which
is deduced from the paramount sacredness of person.
al honor, and which knows compensation of safe
ty or advantage sufficient to justify waiver of its
prompt and matchmaking assertion, there is
theless great truth, regards communities in the
maxim that discretion is the better part of valor."
An individual martyrdom may be glorious indeed
but he who has committed to him the welfare of
State has right to consult the dictates of senti
ment founded on mere heroism. And there is no
true courage surely, to either individual or ma
tion in flying to suicide relief from ills that
calm fortitude should bravely bear. The passions
of men not the motives which should direct the
action of commonwealth The true patriot will
not take counsel of mere resentment however griev
Gus the wrong endured he will reflect that he is
charged with higher interests than the vindcation
of offended dignity and that he is in some sense
trustee Of posterity.
The Southern statesman who is worthy of the
name will not be unmindful of the serious probable
results of the dIsunion movement. The suggestion
that dsuniOn is abolition is at least deserving of
animation. The Garrison disunonists at the North
have all along denounced the Union as the great
shield of slavery. 1t surely cannot be denied that
the South would stand in the event of Har-and
from this contingency she has no reason to expect
total and perpetual immunity-in peculiar danger
from the intiammable element of negro population
an element as to which it is folly and blindness to
persuade ourselves into the belief that it would
tinue apathetc and unmoved amid the clash of arms
and in the presence of invading troops.
Theoretical grievances must give way to consider
atons of substantial veal The whole territorial
question, out of which the slavery agitation in its
most troublesome shape has principally come is
pure abstraction so far existing interests at
stake in its settlement An adjustment of this con-
troversy which shall adequately guard the prospec-
tive interests of the South is entirely practicable
and many prominent Republicans pledged to it.
Mr.. Douglas himself, in spirit of pure and lofty
patriotism, asserts his willingness to abandon the
political cuLdesGc of squatter sovereignty, through
which he confesses himself convinced no egress out
of the labyrinth is to be found and is ready to aid
in establishing detntve and irrevocable partition
of our present and future territory upon the very
line he was largely instrumental in Destroying
The Crittenden compromise, or something substan-
tally identical with it, will be gladly accepted by
the people, North well as South. But time, the
avenger and the healer of all wrongs, is needed to
decide the terms of a satisfactory settlement These
terms it is very probable will be suggested by the
Peace Congress now assembled at Washington.
The evidences of reaction at the North are daily
multiplying. The Republicans having achieved
power, will make liberal concessions to retain it.
They will not hesitate to throw down the ladder by
which they have assembled. Manifestly the policy
of the new Administration will be conciliatory. The
causes for disunioH are, therefore, every hour sub
siding Let await the sober second thouphto
of the Northern mind, which recent elections de-
claring Let us appeal from Philip drunken to
Philip sober.
Outside of outh-Carolina, the principal argument
in favor of general secession of the South has been
that it would tend to preclude the exercise of coer
cion on the part of the general government towards
seeding States. That argument no longer holds.
The Withdrawal of seven States has already ACCOM-