Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-04-18
!ONDAY, APRIL 10, 1861.



The startling events of the last few days have effected
changes in public sentiment and in the relations of the
people of the South to the Government at Washington
that months of speculation and argument might
have failed to compass. To use a common expression
the thing is OUT the issue upon and it must be
met and met at and firmly. Those who had here
tofore been the strongest Union were on Saturday
last fully prepared 60 the utmost length to resist
coercion as those who had been original secession
ists 1t has been mainly question of time, for in the
last resort when the worst to the worst must
all stand together and we 1ciU. No matter where any
of our citizens was born, whether North South,
whether on this side of the Atlantic or on the other de
we all in the boat and every loyal North Caro-
lima citizen will rally to the standard of resistance to
sectional aggression.
We have been anxious all along to make the issue in
North Carolina peacefully, legally and SO nou,
so far the issue between citizens is concerned
but the course of evens-the progress of affairs is too
rapid to await the usual course of political action
The issue is no longer one confined to citizens
or under our own control The Northern sword of Abe
Lincoln has been thrown into the scale. He has issued
his proclamation calling for the militia Of the several
States of the Union to make war upon the seeded
States Governor Ellis will be called upon for his quota
he will be required to call upon the different regiments
for THEIRS drafted to carry out tie behests Of Abraham
Lincoln and William H. Seward-to initiate the ire
pressibe cOnhct-to fight against their friends and
kinsmen of the Southern States.
We ask any man to read the proclamation issued by
Lincoln and Seward and answer whether it does not
present an issue not only authorizing but demanding of
Governor Ellis to call the Legislature together imme-
- 1; 1t
So duty which he cannot evade and which he 1UH
evade Neither will he shrink from any responsibility
that the circumstances may seem to demand that he
should take. II H.
Will Governor Ellis respond to Lncolns demand for
troops? We do not pre- tend to answer for Governor
Ellis unless where kno0 his position but in this case
we have no hesitation in saying distinctly No! Cover
nor Ellis will not do So Will he agree that troops
should pass freely from the North over the soil of North
Carolina, to coerce our Southern sisters? Again we
say-No! neUer.
But again. Will the fifteen thousand New Y Workers,
the five thousand Massachuseters the thirteen thousand
Pennsyvanians find aid and comfort in passing over our
soil to erect an abolition desposm not only over the
seeded States but over us too Can we afford to stand
idle and see our friends crushed out, knowing that we
will be the next victims We must make common
cause with the seeded States. Inot we are all whemed
in a common ruin. -
And our Northern frends-even the boosted Demo
cracy of New York have formally resolved to support
the Administration in its coercive policy, while Lincoln
says that he will exhaust all the powers of the govern
ment to retake Sumter. Seward says that if any Eu-
ropean power recognized Sumter it would be regarded as
a casus beHi
Until the receipt of Lncolns proclamation we were
anxious that the Southern Rights party, and the cti
generally should confne their action wholly within
the range of political discussion, and therefore have
advised against the occupancy Of the forts until such
CupatOn could be done In pursuance of State authority
But the state Of things is materially changed and we
no longer advocate view which may perhaps be
no longer tenable as things now stand. At this
time, knowing what we do know, the question is
not to the right wrong Of taking the Forts Iii
q question as to the of holding them, and the
power to them. This is going to be no childs play
and badly prepared for strong If the
advocates of immediate occupancy of the Forts can be
convinced that they hold them, why then we think
they ought to be occupied at once for the issue will be
upon Immediately the State refuses to contribute her
quota of men to the army of coercion with which Abra
ham Lincoln and VIM. II. Seward propose to overrun
the Confederate States At once the Forts ought to be
occupied in the name Of the State and if so occupied
ought to be with force and with means and appan-
ces that would put out of the question all chance for
Abraham Lincoln's reposseSsing them. -
We think that the Governor ought Immediately to
issue his proclamation convenpg the Legislature at the
earliest possible moment and that our people ought to
occupy the Forts Also just they feel that
they can not only occupy but hold them