Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-10-03
Where Mistakes are Made, and How.

Of Fayetteville or Cumberland County, who are beyond
doubt at least as patriotic any other in the State
If there be no officials there who could within the
limits Of our jenark then, of course, remark cannot
apply to Fayetteville For her companies in the service
we have the highest admiration and-we are glad they
were in Virginia, since they, with Others did SO much to
illustrate the North Carolina at Bethel AS for
Captain Booth, and his companions in arms at the Ar
senal, we think know what their choice would be |
were the opportunity of active service presented to them
The fact is that the people in all parts of the State
are right - not excepting those Of Hyde county or
the mainland OF that county az least testified to by
Mai. Hail. who is just the to understand and be |
understood by the farmers and planters Of that county
They are as true as steel Maj Hall was Sheriff Of our
county for good many years. and in the discharge of
his official duties was forced to acquire kind Of expe
rience that may be useful in dealing with spies or
traitors.
The names of the companies composing the regiments
recently organized as also the counties from which they
come 90 far to show that the volunteering feeling is
neither dying out in this State confined to any par
ticuar locality part of the State. Some counties
have been so far wanting to the full measure that might
have been expected of them, and up to which they will
yet come, but section exhibits such division or dis
tircton. We fear that this state of the public mind
has not been sufficiently realized relied upon by pub
lie men, who have been rather too apt to ask first, What
will be the effect of such such a thing what will
people in this place or that place or the other place
think of it, and second and subordinate to this first con-
sideraon-What will be It's effect on the public service
Is it what ought to be done?
1t is necessary at times to startle men from this
pseudo polite inerness by showing them that the-we
will not say game-We will say Pr0cess,-may be carried
tribe too far 1t is necessary to put an extreme case
so as to elicit true expression Of opinion and force
way through the outer cuce of prejudice preconcpton
and routine even although in putting this extreme case
in Offering this extreme proposition, you may subject
yourself to msc0nsucti0n, misrepresentation or abuse
Burning the flesh is generally regarded unpleasant,
and if carried too far may have bad consequences result
ing sometimes in DEATH yet in certain the actual
Cautery-the redhot IRON must be applied in remedial
sense ard with curative object. Em0licnts had been
tried gentle irritation had failed, and really the actual
cautery seemed absolutely called for and it, in arti
Gle Of Friday last headed Where are WEI" we ap-
piled it with free hand the circumstances must be our
Justification aid feel that they afford full ustfca-
ton Our object took occasion to explain inten
tionaly to than gentleman prior to the ap-
peQrance of article, conservative, not desruc
tive We knew, as others must also have known, that
what we proposed could not be done by the people OF
any part OF State without the consent Of the whole
State, without the consent Of the State with which
ion might be sought, without the consent Of the
Conderacy three conditions which could never be ex
peced to be reduced to condolences although men in
authority haye expressed the opinion that the State
would save money by getting rid Of some of the regions
down this way.
We thiuk-uay we know, that pretty strong ex-
preston elected here and in the regions round about
If the other object that OF penetrating the cutcle and
arousng the action Of public iunctonaries whom it
may concern" also accomplished as successfully,
we will be well quit for pains, even though welpad
parties may regard editorial "mOst unfortunate"
Now upon mistake made by official parties and
shared III by others for the want Of proper examination
we may Cfer few remarks The mistake is, that
troops stationed Oh the frontier there only for the
defence Of that frontier and not equally for the defence
of the whole State and that the expense incurred for
the defence of frontier should be 50 much charged
against the people there rosdent-by charged dc not
mean put down in book against them but still regard
ed as an obligation incurred by them morally and
above that incurred by their eloW-ctizens Of other
sections.
Suppose a house is attacked, and the only MODE by
which that house can be entered is through the door, will
not the inmates defend the door? In defending the
door, are they not in realty defending the whole house
Are the persons who may be quartered in the hall more
interested Or less interested in the general defence than
those quartered in the dnngroom, in the kitchen,
or in the garnet? If the outer door is forced if its
approaches are left undelended then all the inner doors
are thereby left exposed to attack
VIII not this apply to a State or a nation Docs it
IL
defend Manassas Junction so fercely and triumphanty
simply for Manassas functions sake Or did they de-
i6nd it for the sake of the Confederacy? Of course
an enemy is allowed to advance into country, be car
ries the hostile frontier with him. IT, say an enemy is
enabled to make a successful Iodgment upon the coas:
of North Carolina then the interior becomes exposed
to rayagos from hostile frontier. If soldiers are called
from other parts Of the State for coast Defence ot is
no reason for jealousy, as though arose out of special
favoritesm for the East 1t is simply because the &C
cdent Of geographical position makes the seaoast the
present military frontier tie front door, the assailable
point.
The overcauton that shrinks from arousing this jea
ousy the aemagogueism that does not shrink from
appealing 10 it, are equally to blame Firmly met, il
will always yield, not to opposition but to reason.
will be conquered by the good sense and patriotism
Luo PeoFe 'ueAiS0l'e0' WIZ n"'0 "" WIZ '"n n"'0 IN
interest opposed to the common good.
We do trust that our rulers and politicians may here
after realize the important fact that what is best to
done, is also most polite and will work best in practice
and that dignity can be better maintained by decision
and frmness, than by circumocutlon and form, an
popularity OF more enduring kind secured by lookin
directly to the trne and proper object than by consult
ing local preudices or either fearing or panderng
local jealousies.