Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-11-13
A Noble Example.


Gov, Brown, Of Mississippi, is, we presume, Fifty
years Of age He has been Governor Of that State,
member Of the House Of Representatives, and Sena.
tor For many years Mississippi has conferred upon
him her choicest honors But when the war com.
menced he volunteered as private, and has been
serving on foot as Captain. Recently, some TWEEN
ty prominent Mississippi officers in Virginia address
ed him letter, urging him to accept the place of
Senator in the permanent Congress, and giving as
reason that he be of service in the Senate
than on foot in the field. From his reply we make
the following extract:
"When took up arms in defence of the South
it was to illustrate, by example, the heartfelt sin.
certify with which had for so MANY wears urged
our peoT to strike for equality in the Union or
independence out CT it. cannot now, camped as
we are in sight of the enemy, consent to lay down
those arms, except it be to render my bleeding
country more efficient service somewhere else.
Arms as you all know, is not my profession, and if
bear them it is from necessity and not from choice
That have not sought higher command than a
Captaincy has been because my early training habits
OF thought and pursuits in life have not been such
as to qualify me for such command Unskilled as
am in the arts Of war; have felt at liberty to do
no more than risk my own life in the pending con-
ever since, from the responsibility of rsking the
lives of Others" .-
Here we have an experienced statesman, possess.
ed OF high order of intellect, and well acquainted
with men and things, modestly declining any mill
tary office which would place the lives of others at
his disposal, on the ground that he has not been
trained to arms and that he ought therefore, to do
no more than risk his own life in the pending con-
tict How does this contrast with those possessed
of not onetenth the knowledge and qualifications
of Gov. Brown, who seek field offices, and obtain
them too. in many instances not on the score of
merit, but on account of party services
This letter of Gov. Brown is entitled to additional
consideration from the fact that it is dated "In Camp
near Leesburg" thus leaving the inference, though
his name has not been mentioned in that connec-
ton, that he was an active participant in that glo.
| rious conflict in which the enemy were repulscd
and Gen. Baker killed. In another letter. dated at
the same place, and addressed to friend in Jack
son. Miss, he says:
"Op2onents before the war in peaceful strife for
ascendancy in politics. the has forced arms into
all their hands, thrown one flag over their heads,
and marked out for them common destiny. Under
| such circumstances it is duty clear as to make
calculation needless that all past differences should
be laid aside, not in theory bit in fact and that the
most cordial brotherhood should be habtually cher.
ished and pracced. This cannot he, if the old and
dominant States Right party does not snake fair
division of honors with their former opponents anu
| present allies"
Such is the language of noble-hearted Missis
sppian, who prefers his country to party. He
scOrns, all true Southern men scorn the selfish
motto that they who made the revolution alone
entitled to the Offices and honors which bestowed
in conducting it. Such is the practice too "no
in theory but IN tact," in Mississippi Alabama anc
Georgia. and indeed in all the Confederate States ir
which affairs are conducted by hish-tored gentle
men and patriots. In Georgia and Tennessee, az
We have learned on UNREASONABLE authority, the
magnanimity Of the old secessionists who were il
power was such that old Union men were even pre-
Jerred for office; and in every State except North
Carolina they nave at least been treated as thu
equals of those who were more active than they
were in dssolving the Union. But alas! alas! 70
North Carolina. such is not the case here We nov
say, that those old secessonists in this State Wit
will not even honor an old Union man by votn,
for him for Elector, and who hold and practice tn
doctrine that the old Union men arc not their equal
politically, and ought not to be permitted to hol
any civil military office, would, # they were as
signed the duty of buryng the dead on the field Q
battle, first inter the bodies Of their own politca
friends and leave those Of their opponents to rot il
the open day, provided they believed their part
required such conduct at their hands. Such men
no matter what their professions may be, enc
mics to the State and to the cause of Southern in
dependence.