Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-05-11
The Semi i~Weekjy Stapeare.
SPEECH OF HON. WIN. A. GRAHAM


IN the occasion of the meeting of the officers of
tbs Militia of the county, and large assembly of
h citizenS of Orange in the Court House in Hills
Sorough on Saturday last, the Hon. VIM. A. Gra-
lam who had heen absent from home during the
,uo preceding weeks. in compliance with the gen.
ora, desire addressed the people on the present cri-
.,I and exciting state of the country We are able
~ present but meagre outline of his remarks
rbch occupied about an hour in the delivery.
Mr. Graham said: We are in the midst of great
vents For months past our political skies have
bpen dark and lowering. The country has stood in
ANXIOUS suspense the perilous edge of civil war;
And in despite of the cnunsels and exertons of ma
t;onal patriotic and conservative men, at the head
of whom It is not invidious to place the name of
the gallant and veteran statesmen, John j. Crtten-
den of Kentucky and as believe in despite Of the
wishes and sentiments of majority of American
nqople North and South, if the voct of the people
cOuh have been allowed to be heard, civil war is
actually upon us. In regard to the earlier causes
leading and tending to this dire event and their
sufciencv to produce such result some of us have
entertained diverse opinions. It Is well known that
Iamnns Others have insisted, that the election of
Mr.. Lincoln and his being invested with the power
Of President of the United States, obnoxious as
we're his own avowals of sentiment in relation to
slavery in the South, and still more obnoxious as
was the spirit of hostility to us which animated the
mass of his party followers, not sufficient
cause for a d<memherment of this Government, and
the destruction Of the Union that the restraining
provisions of the Constitution the counteracting in
Auences os the Legislative and Judicial departments
of the Government, both Of which, frr the present
at least were known to be in opposition to the Oh.
ectionahle creed of himself and his party and the
well established fact that his election effected
hy divisions among his OpposerS, and not by ma
,ritv of the people, afforded sufficient security
against usnrpations the abuse of his power to our
INJURY should he he so Inclined and that. though
not nSenSble to the recreancy of many of the
Northern States to their obligations under the Con-
stnon in relation to slavery, and to the gross and
persistent vtuperaton of many Of their presses and
political actors towards the people and institutions
of the South we yet cherished an ardent attach
ment to the Union, and feeling of veneration fur
the Constitution of our fathers, and hoped by new
understanding of its provisions, and by amendments
putting its interpretations beyond all doubt that the
Government under which the country had prosper
Ell al most beyond example, and had cquIred name
which was passport and protection to the ends
of the earth, nigh: still be preserved to ourselves
and to our posterity. We therefore disapproved
the cnunsels which sought the overthrow of the
Government upon the announcement of the result
Of the late Presidential election, and in this dap
prOva were sustained, it is no eXaggeration to saw
BY large majority of the people of North Carolina.
The seven States. however. stretching from oar
southern frontier to the confines of Mexico by
one in rapid succession declared themselves separa
ted rom the Government of the United States, and
formed new confederation. Thew found in the
election which had taken plare sufficient cause or
OCCASION in their estimation. for this hitherto untr
ed Of proceeding and levied armies to defend
it bv force The authorities of the United States
denied the right of secession claimed by these States
and the danger became great Of a collision of arms
The Ssue was made. but evaded under the admins
tratiOn of Mr.. Buchanan. Its solution by Mr.. Lin
coin has been matter of anxious contemplation to
the people Of the country since his siOn to pow
er. Whatever NAV he the true construction of the
Constitution, or the Pre- sidents idea of his duty to
enforce the laws, a wise craftsmanship cannot close
its to facts 1t is impossible to treat extern
SIve a revolution like petty rebellion for if sup
pressed by force it would be az the expense of DESC
htion and ruin to the country. He should have
dealt with it. as did Wellington and Peel with the
question Of Catholic emancipation, or Clay with the
crisis of 1S33-yieded to the necessities by which
he surrounded, and adjusted by arrangement
what he found it impossible to control by force
if possible only at sacrifice to the nation itself
never to be repaired Had Mr. Lincoln risen to the
height of the great occasion, promptly withdrawn
his troops from Notifications which he could not de-
fend; convened Congress in extra session; recon-
mended and procured the passage of law, or
amendment of the Constitution, acknowledging the
independence of the seeded States. and granting
equivalent proposition to the other slave-holding
States which yet retained their connection with the
UnOn Ia course of measures which would have
stripped the Northern States of rights, sub
jected them to any humiliation he might yet have
maintained Union of .twenty.seven contented
States. with twenty seven millions of inhabitants,
and with all the sources of great empire. And af-
ter an experiment Of few years, there might, and
IN nv opinion probably would have been, re an
nexation of the seeded States themselves.
Bnt instead Of this bold and magnanimous policy.
his action has been vascilating. His inaugural ad-
dress is equivoca Interpreted by some on its first
appearance, portehding force, assurances are
thrown out that his intentions are only peaceful
And when the public mind in all the eight slave
holding States. that had not seeded, was settling
down in the conviction that the forts were to be
evacuated and repose was to be allowed favorable
to conciliatiOn and harmony, Proclamation sud
denly bursts upon the country announcing a de-
termination on coercion. and calling for militia
force so great as to endanger the safety of more
than the seeded States. A part of this militia is
required of North Carolina, and other saveholding
States. 1t was not enough for the President that
the conservative people of these States had been
willing to acaniesce in his election. and upon a
peaceful course Of action towards the seeded States
and proper guarantees of their own rights in view
Of the loss of their strength in the votes OF Con-
gress by reason of the withdrawal of their con!ed-
crates and for more faithful observance OF the
constitution in regard to their interests he should
exercise for the public benefit the functions of the
Office and distribute its patronage among his fol-
lowers He requires more than this Careless OF
any terms of conciliation adjustment of differ
enees with the border States, he resolves, but not
TIL after his own adherens have been demoralized
oy his hesitation and professions of peace, on the
application of force to maintain the authority Of the
Government in the States which have withdrawn,
and requires US to cooperate as instruments in their
SnhJugation. This presents to us question far
different from that Of aequescence in or resistance
to his installation into Office, in pursuance of an
election made according 70 the provisions Of The