Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-12-11

But We had Estate governnerIt Organized Those
who bad control Of it invited every rinzeh to its
tsupport md eveFy eitizea5gave 4 his support
There was not disloyal voice in the whole State
we put our mantes upon our shoulders and walked
backwards to cover its faults. If complaint was
made at all, it was with closed doors; 50 anxious
were we that our great enemy should know that
there was not a single fault any where, a.
r'Wbile tie PEOPLE we're thus bphsd and tloyal,
what has been the course Of the faction in powerr
The new state Of things required that many Offices
and places of trust Of great responsibility should he
created. And it,afccied she property the rePuta'
tion the lives and the lbertIes of the whole people,
and the very existence OF the State that these OIL
ccs should be filled with the best men we had with
out regard t. party and with regard only to fitness
Have they been so tiliedr It may be granted, for
the sake Of the argument that the secession party,
numbering one-third, bad proPortionate number
with the conservative party, numbering two-thirds,
Of the best men in the State. If then the offices had
been filled with reference to merit only, there would
have been oEe-thrd secessonists, and twothlrds
conservatives. But how is the fact? Every single
important place. civil and military, Tor fthere be any
exceptions they are Only exceptions for some pecu'
har reasons the rule being as state has been hll-
ed with secessionistsi Now, if this just happened
So let it pass for coneede that it makes no differ
ence now, whether one in Office is secessionst or
conservative. But if it Is so by design then the
government is q faction, a party, tyranny. 1t
conservatives are not to Se trusted, then say un-
hesitatingly, and with emphasis, that the govern
ment so acting, is not Fit to he trusted. Ii It be
true that twohrds Of the patriot citizens OF North
Carolina have "hdeous marks on their brows,
put there by the government which they are pour
ing out their treasures and their blood to support
then the government acting against Its citizens,
is an intoerable nuisance. These are no ordinary
times They are times when traitor means some
thing They are times when, if citizen allows the
mark to be put on his brow, then he is traitor to
himself if not to his State do not hesitate to say,
that If such is to be pursued, them Just as
we took our lives in our hands to oppose one faction
that would Cypress US. so will take our lives in
our hands to oppose another faction that would o2-
press u.s. ~-s ..-.f 40,
That this oppression Of "a mark on the brow" is
in the purpose of the secession faction depends not
alone on the testimony of the State Journal but it
is abundanly evident from the practice of that par
ty in the government. | need not again to state.
that conservatives are excluded from every impor-
tant place Of trust in the government or, to reiter
ate that that would make no difference if it only
happened so; or, if those in place we're preemi-
nently fitted for the services they have to perform
But it is notorious, that men are put in place be-
cause they were secessonists, and men kept out
because they conservatives. 1t is also notori
Gus, that while there were many very worthy men
Of the secession party yet as rule. they were men
of violent passions, and wanting in prudence and
discretion And it is notorious that the conserva-
tves were as rule the reverse Of this. Yet, at a
time when the State needs all her prudence, discre
ton and power her destinies are, almost altogether
in the hands of passionate ndiscretion, and of ma
lIgnant imbecility. And, even these and whatever
of force there is in them, instead Of being used
against our common enemy, are turned against our
own citiZensS and occupy themselves in putting
marks upon their brows, BY which they are to be
known and disgraced, if they shall be unfortu-
nate as to escape with their lives from the contest
with the enemy. But after all, probably this is
mercy to the State: for, if not thus engaged in
venting their nalignty against the friends of the
State at home, they might be employed in preparing
other traps for them, at Hatteras from which the
only escape would be to the dungeons Of the enemy
and might be preparing other facilities by which
the enemy could invade our soil, and possess our
property. 1t may be that their meanness to the
friends of the State at home, is less injurious than
would be their pusaanirnity if exhibited in the face
of the enemy.
If they would allow the best of those whom they
employ to improve the advantages Of any position
in which they may be put they might, in lime, az
ter many mishaps, become reasonably proficient;
and the country would have confidence, that what
wanting in fitness at first might be supplied by
experience. But, so anxious they to exhibit
their favorites in every place. that is not allowed
to fit himself for the duties Of one position to which
he has been called before he is put into another po
sition where he must strain his tired and
worn faculties. One can hardly make himself an
efficient Quartermaster or Commssary before he is
made an Inefficient Coonel-to hide which he must
be made a ridiculous General Another by toll
and exposure may make himself good soldier, and
Immediately find himself made an apprentice Judge
land doubtless, in time a good one,) and that to
the exclusion Of one who longsd for the place, and
differed not at all from the best friend he had in
supposing himself to be pre-emnently qualified for
it, but who had not had time enough, although he
Ia bord To hincalf Of of he
specability to make him acceptable. Or, if one be
remarkably inefficient and for that reason
pecia fayorite they exhibit him in several places
at once so. that his failure in every thing may be
attributed to the multitude of his engagements,-
and so that the multiplied emoluments may satisfy
his inordnate vanity, which he wears in the place
where any other man would feel the deepest degra-
dation And one is hardly allowed to steady him
self from the wallow of the boat which brought him
from country where monarch rules, and where
he was bred dependent before he is made the
printer Of the Journal Of the vituperation Of their
own countrymen; and to give him an importance
which he hesitates to exhibit, they require him to
print the laws of the Slate-so that in every place
We must have q partizan, and in every place nov
ice. And they, the party, instead of meeting once
in two years, meet twice in one year, to multiply
laws, which the citizens required to obey with
out being permitted to read, and to abolish Courts
where they themselves need often to be defendants
In times like these there ought to be no party.
1t would be an outrage for any mere party to rule.
But that such faction this should rule is in:ol-
cradle 1t ought not and will not be submitted to.
The people will not submit to be marked" Let
those D power look TO it. am aware that there is
/ disposition to bear much from him who is at the
head Of the State because he is there by accident
and Of necessity, and because it is hoped that his
errors are weaknesses. But if his administration
shall continue to be uncheckered with propriety
as 1t has been, it will be such proof of design will
now felt for those who surround him. Let me warn
him and those who control him, that the late cleo
tion which they claim as a triumph, when 60. 600
voters staid away from the polls where 40 900 voted