Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-12-14


either stimulate the patriotism of our people, or
strengthen their determination to prosecute it ITO
the death" lessen the divisions which the ordi-
pre-SuppOSeS to exist among US? deny, sir
thatft aeconiPiish either, and aS to divisions,
there divisions that call for any such extreme
MEASURE True, sir, we have understood that IN
one or sw 3of the eastern counties lying upon the
coast there are few Bankers or Hreckers,"
or whatever else you may call them, who live upon
the msfortuqes of their lellow-mens who have ex-
hibited some diSafection some want of loyalty TO
the cause in which have embarked but from
such you could expect nothing better, for they are
men Of neither character, position or means, and
their very pursuit bunts those ennobling virtues
that calls patriotism forth, and bids 1t submit to any
and every privation, rather than live in a govern
ment claiming, and actually exercising, nnllIuited
powers What care they for constitutional or any
other equalityg Like yultures, they live upon the
mslortunes Of their race, and With all the test oaths
your ordinance impose they will be, vultures
still Is it TO reach in this class that you must resort
to such extraordary" legislationr Why, sir, the
game is not worth the paper upon which the ordi-
nance is written. ......s-.
But sir it may be said that there are fears enter
tanned that some of our people living in the extreme
west, bordering upon East Tennessee, may likewise
he, to small extent, disafected This too, Is
natural for as their intercourse is as much Win
the tories of East Tennessee with the more loyal
of their own counties, it would be miracle indeed
not tell, but from all the information can get, The
disafected in that portion also few and far be-
tween, and for one | am willing to trust the noun
tain boys to look after them, and they cannot be
committed into more Trustworthy hands; for there
is no part Of North Carolina more sound, or who
have sprung forward with more commendable alac
r:ty in support of the" bars and stripes than the
section alluded to. Is it to reach these that such
extraordinary egiSlationls called for? II not, then
what possible good can 1t accomplish! where,
:. 1ttrrI.
tuck to Cherokee with the slight exceptions alluded
to- and which do not include at most $50 men, the
whole is in enthusiastic blaze of enthusi-
asm in favor Of carrying on this war, with the
knife to the ht," until the purposes for which it
was commenced shall have been accomplished. o..
Yes Mr.. Speaker, our people know no conn ro-
mise Caesar or nothing" They are opposed to
any and all kinds of reconstruction, political, COM
mcrcial or even social Why sir a man who
would talk now of "naturalizing" Yankee after
the war over, under probation of less than
81 years, would run the risk Of getting a coat OF
tar and feathers. And while upon the subject of
naturalization, permit me to say, that the party
with whom have had the honor to act through
life upon this subject OF naturalization committed
gross bunder. We see it, and sir, we feel it. Ma
ny Of US had supposed that liberty was boon,
gift, but it is an entire mistake; for liberty to be
appreciated and enjoyed in Its highest sense must
to some extent, be earned: that is, you must be
first qualified for its enjoymentS, to do which, re
quires a more extended term Of probation than we
have hitherto imposed upon the Foreigner. This
error sir will never again be recommitted at least
so far as Yankeydom is concerned; for they have
given the most unmistaken evidence that they are
incapable of approaching civil liberty. Yes they
to be satisfied with government without
law-yes, complete despotSm.
But, sir, enough of this DEPRESSION Where, then,
is there any diSloyalty-where is there a latent
spark Of disaffection that lies smOthered in the
boSoms of our people? You cannot lind it. and 1t
must be exhibited before l. for one, can ever con-
sent to any such extraordinary" legislation
North Carolina can now boast Of having some So
900 devoted either in the tented field or III the
camp Of instruction and hazard nothing in the as
SeTtiOn, that there mt 1000 families in the en-
tire State, who are not directly indirectly rctrted
to those in the field yes, sir, they are bone OF their
bone and flesh Of their flesh. Would you require
of the grand fathers and fathers Of those in the field
| higher evidences Of loyalty would you de-
mand evidence of their patriotism that they
should DC first subjected to the humiliang propo-
! sition that this ordinance seeks to impose ?-and
that failing to subscribe to it. that their should
he cast out term of reprOach, the elective fran.
chise withheld, and they prosecuted for high mis-
! demeanor? Why, sir, they would point you with
indignant scorn TO their sons in the field, and pro-
! claim to you, look those are my jewels" What
stronger lieaments would you have than has been
already afforded of undying devot to the cause of
| the South? If il was the highest evidence of per-
sonal regard and are assured by authority it
ito lay down your life for your friend, you here
! find an obligation voluntarily assumed, compared
with which the chords and CABLES of your test oaths,
as the spiders most attenuated thread
ask you, Mr. President, where is there a single
State in this Conederacy, that seeks to impose such
! test oath? Has South Carolina, Alabama, Geor-
ga, Tennessee, or even Virginia with her 2500O
traitors in her midst passed any such ordinance ?
Now, then, why should we do itl Sir upon this
| 81
slightest imputation of hesancy my part, in
subscribing to any additional tests-for, through
life, permit to say, that have always belonged
to the Calhoun wing of the Democratic party, and,
as SUCH have maintained that my primary ale
glance first due to my State; have ever advo
Gated the right of State to withdraw and, IN the
language of Thomas Jefferson, have held that when
| ever the general government assumed undelcgated
power, its acts unauthoritative, void and of no
force and that to this compact each State accedeG
as State and an integral party, that the govern
ment created by this compact was not made the ex
elusive or final judge Of its powers since that would
made It's discretion and not the Constitution the
measure of its powers but that as in all other cases
Of compact among parties having no common judge,
i each party has equal right to judge for itself as
well of infractions, Of the mode aud measure Of
redress notwithstanding this, enter my most SOL
protest to this ordinance in its present shape
would give you a seditiOn law sufficiently broad
and comprehensive, so as to reach the dsaffected
wreckers, and others, II there may be, but have
not that respect for their feelings that would prompt
me in order to make the ordinance less offensive to
them to require the aged fathers of the country,
well as every free male citizen Of the State over
sixteen years to subscribe to such test.
Again maintain that it restricts the freedom Of
debate, and is therefore Objectionable. Has. tho
gentleman forgotten the ALLEN and sedtion" Ia US
of the elder Adams? Has he forgotten ,oho it was
and tchy It was they were resisted? He has not
he cannot for was at the feet Of those Apostles
of liberty that both the gentleman and myself were
politically schooled Who first moved against the
Esedtion law? 1t was Yhginia. the bhothernot only
of States but Of statespenY Who first nulhfed it,
by Law yet on aer statute book ?? II was this
MA - 7.