Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-01-16
RALEIGH. N. C.. WE'D
Me.sr.. Person, Avery, and Erwin.

Messrs. Person. Avery, and Erwin.
We understand that on Thursday Mr.. Person. Of
New Hanover, took exceptions in his place in the
House Of Commons to report or notice of his re-
marks in the Commons on Wednesday, We did
not hear Mr. Person, and cannot therefore, rcplyto
him as fully as VIC could wish 10 do.
We did not hear all of Mr. Persons remarks on !
Wednesday. Therefore We said, 1--WE understand /
Mr.. Person said the omission in the first bill Of the
twothrds provision for calling the Convention was
unintentional" We heard nothing from him or
any. one else about his individual opinions on the
subject; nor did We hear anything about his will
lingness to recommend that the action of the Con-
venton should be submitted to the people for their
approval or rejection We looked to the BILL intro
duced in the House by that gentleman and in the
Senate by Mr.. Avery and as that contains no pro-
vision for submitting the action of the Convention
to the people, felt warranted in saying that Mr.
Person is one Of those who recommend and urge
that the action of the Convention shall be final"
So also as to the two thirds provision. We were
struck with the difference between the bill and the
thirds principles and having made some inquiry
on the subject informed that Mr. Person had
just said that the omission of the two-thirds prov-
sion in the original bill was an oversight, or unn
tcntional In relation to these points, therefore,
'our offence hath this isextent-.no more" With what
was said or done in Committee. with the under
standing between Mr.. Person and Mr.. Avery and
others, We had nothing to do Wewere not presumed
to know what was said or done in Committee Our
business was with the bill and the substitute
though certainly, if had heard all Mr.. Persons
remarks, or if we had known what he had said in
explanation Of his views the above points, We
should have reported him accordingly. We did
hear the rumor, some week or two SINCE that Mr..
Person had given the casting vote in Committee
against submitting the action Of the Convention to
the people; but this is the first alluSon we have
made to this r:nnor. If the rurnor be true, Mr..
Person confirm it, If he chooses, in his place in
the Commons; if it be unfounded he can so state, if
he chooses to do so.
So far as secession is concerned We understood
Mr. Person distinctly to declare that il Convention
should be called he uoulA counsel that body at
once to pithdrnp the State Of North Carolina from
the Union He certainly said that We also un-
derstood Mr. Person to state in some brief remarks
made by him on Thursday in reply to Mr.. Crumpler,
that while he was willing to recommend 10 the Con-
vention that its action should be submitted to the
people for their approval rejection still this
commentator not being binding might be dsre-
garded by the Convention if in it's wisdom it should
deem that the crisis upon the country at the time
it adjourned demanded immediate and final action.
Is not that SO And if So might not the gentle
mans recommendation result, in certain contin-
gency, in refusal to give the people opportunity
to pass finally on the action Of the Convention?
We tell Mr.. Person, once for all, that We are just
incapable of intentional misrepresentation he
is. We tell him furthermore, that we are just as
devoted to North-Carolina as he is, and just as
good Democrat as he is. We go further and say,
that if it be true that he has despacd of preserving
the Union by an appeal to the people Of the States
! and if it be true that in certain contingency he
would make the action of one hundred and twenty
men final in Convention, without allowing the
people to pass upon their doings, then we are a
better Democrat than he is; for, while we have nc
objection to Convention in this State, if the peo
pie desire it, md while would trust the people
Of the slave-holllns States in Convention, and the
people of all the States in Convention, in the full
belief that the Republic can yet be saved, we would
never consent to vote for any bill to call Conven
!. ton which did not provide that the people, tho
source Of all power. should have an opportunity
: ratiiying or rejecting what might be done by thai
Convention. This is Democracy of the pures
: Jetiersonian stamp, and in this respect it may bt
. that we have the advantage OF the gentleman. WI
regret to have to aude to party at all in discussing
! questions so far above party; but while we know
party when the Union is at stake, or when til,
honor the rights Of the State are involved, W,
arc nevertheless compelled to make these allusion
: in selfdefence, Systematic effort is being mad
in certain quarters, and probably with the concur
renee and sanction of Mr. Person himself TO injur
the influence of this journal as one OF the organs
of the Constitutional Union men, by impeaching it
fidelity to its party principles and party associates
So far US Mr.. Avery is concerned, We certainl!.
undersood him to admit that the idea of calling
{! Convention by bare majority had been abandoned
and therefore the two-thirds provision had been in
serted in the substitute" We did not State pho ha
abandoned the idea--it was enough for us that tb
fact was SO, as shown by the substitute. If the po
sition or views Of Mr.. Person and Mr.. Avery arc il
conflict this point, not responsible for it
and cannot help it; nor do we perceive that suc
conflict of views is very important material ia
as the country is concerned. ~.
Mr.. Avery avaied himself Of the occasion, in ma
king personal explanation on this subject o.
Thursday, to indulge in some coarse, rough, ant
unparlamertary remarks about us. He said, anon,
other things, that We seemed to seek notice and i'm
portance by assailing distinguished public men-th
inference being irresistible that the Senator frol
Burke is hmself-if not one of these listingnlshe
public men-at least in their neghborhocd O
company. We shall not dwell on the vanity whic
may be supposed to have prompted this remark, no
on the arrogance and superciliousness with whic
the Senator from Burke can look down upon S