Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-10-30
shall we have a long War;

pfeteHuo nov " PculCe Will any uegree OF COnl-
dence that it vii! be very short one Even those
who criticise the conduct Of the war, and animal
vert upon the plans and movements of the President
and our able Generals can point out no means Of
ending it short of three years or the termination of
Lincolns administration They profess to be con-
versant with military affairs and taunt and jeer
Mr. Davis aboilt his slow movements, but do not
venture to suggest programme by which this in
iquitous and damaging war can be brought to
speedy close Wise in their own concelts were we
to believe them, they would long since have taken
Washington would have ridden Maryland of the
iron despotism Of Lincoln; and would have now
been menacing Philadelphia, perhaps New York, as
"the shortest road to Fortress Monroe" Their
plans would have been on grand scale, to be exc
cuted by "the men for the times" and not by such
dotards as Davis and johnson and Beauregard.
Such wise conclusions and impertinent bravado
as have come from newspaper editors and bar*room
specialists who doubtless incompetent to drill
company, much more to put "a squadron in the
field have fortunately for the country had very
little influence upon the President or our Generals.
They have doubtless been embarrassing and not a
little provoking, but the interests involved were too
immense for them to lend an ear to childish specu
lations, based upon the idea that Lincolns troops
were straws sticking in the sand and his bristling
Notifications were mere sand-ovens made upon the
bare foot. The skill in strategy and engineering of
such persons, can readily point out what ought to
be done, but utterly fail in defining Aou it can be
done.
he ruth ic oil; in 10 oh
have strangely possessed mems minds from the
first who have borne small share in initiating
the revolution. In its incpiency, the idea of war
at all was hooted at by them. Who could see any
cause of war in the mere separation of partners
who could not agree? Might they no. agree to live
apart, in order to peace? Thus ignoring the expe-
renee Of all ages that old friends are never sunder-
ed without fight, when one protests against the
separation.
So when the war commenced it was to be fought
out in three months. The North was sure of it,
hence she plunged into it precipitately whereas
had she counted the cost and foreseen the trouble
and the impossblity of conquering the South she
would perhaps have never tried it. With the hot
bloods of the South the idea of conquering peace
ton. Nor has the illusion fully vanished after a
six-months trial, but the cry is still "onward on.
ward!" Our motto is 4" onward when you are ready"
Watch and wait" then 20 ahead
We claim but little insight into the future, but
we never doubted that dissolution would bring war,
nor when once inaugurated, could we doub: that it
! must be long and bloody war, unless arrested by
some special interposi:ion of Divine Providence.
He, in whose hands the hearts of all men, can
and may arrest it speedily; but without some such
intcrposition 10 merely human courage or skill or
contrance short of the total ncapacity of the ore
the other to prosecute it, end it at an early
day, on terms in which both divisions can acquiesce
The following quotation however, taken from the
editorial columns of the STANDARD of June 11th
1860 will strike the reader being but little less
than prophecy. We trust and believe that the
South by holding on to the right, will be saved from
many of the worst consequences portrayed in this
picture, and that she will maintain her cause til
victory upon victory shall bring her peace and in
dependence:
"While we would surrender no right of our State
and while We would preserve her honor untarnishec
among her sisters yet disunon is one of the las
nal strife civil and servle war, murder, arson pill
lage robbery, and fire and blood through long anC
cruel years. 1t would unsettlc all business dimin
ish the value of all property, put the lives of botf
sexes and all ages in peril, and launch the States or
a sea of scenes which no eye has scanned and M
navigator sounded 1t would bring debt, and mis-
rule, and oppressive taxes to be followed perhaps
by the military rule of titled tyrants. 1t would
wrench apart the tenderly entwined affections o
millions of hearts, making it crime in the Nortl
to have been born in the South, and crime in TIN
South to have been born in the North. 1t woult
convert the great body of the conservative men o
the North who are now our friends, into eithe
deadly enemies Indifferent spectators of our mites
tine struggles, which would increase in intensit,
until law, order. justice, and civil rule would b
forgotten or unknown
The South cannot will not, must not yield al
iota that she has taken up the sword, until he
rights are fully indicated Yet there are encour
aging signs Of moral we'll pecuniary ina
bty to carry on the war long, on the present basis
by the North. Yet no one can doubt, if the polio
of President Davis and our Generals were so direct
ed as to irrItate, madden and provoke an uprisin
t of the native population of the North to the sam
, extent that the South has been aroused, the RI
sources and means of the North could protract tn
war to an indefinite period. But apart from the b,
r manities of the Northern people, if they have an
g for us, the heavy drain Of this war upon their p
. cuniary resources, which they value so much, an
is utterly crushing character upon their trade an
commerce, followed up by the sharp and skillf
resistance of our forces, may terminate it muc
:, sooner than many fear.
- At all events, VIC are content to leave the futu
to Providence, to the skilful management of IL
President and our able Generals, and to the courag
daring and endurance Of our brave volunteer SC
diery. Let the South rally to their support and c
couragement as one man, and Providence will {
the rest By our consent, no Don Quixotte ord
IS Of military geniuses shall manage the war.
$ SEoUEsTRATIoN ACT.-In the Confederate Cou
at Charleston on the Gath inst, Judge Magrath d
liycred his opinion in favor of the constitutional