Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-04-24
Dur Course.

We had jussseated ourseif to pen an Edi-
torial as to the position the Spirit of the Age
occupies in theorists now upon the country,
when the North Carolina Presbyterian came
to haaa, s-<kiesssa$&ins an editorial SO exact
ly to our liking, that, with a few verbal al
terations to suit our case, we adoptit as
own.
In the last week or two, the whole South
ern country has been agitated by rumors that
the administration at Washington propose to
"hold, occupy and possess" the forts in the
Seeding States. and that there was imminent
danger of war between the North and the
South. This paper has taken no part in the
great sectional question which has engrossed
the attention of the nation. We have advo-
Gated neither Union nor Secession, but have
carefully RETAINED from suggesting any spe-
cial policy to our readers. AS individuals,
La..A with the
South, ana it is not unlikely that our subscri-
bers nave been able to discern this fact
from the tone and spirit of the paper. AS
Southern men, we could not, if we had wish
ed, conceal our preference and favor for the
section in which we lived and which has beer
wronged and whose vital interests have beer
threatened BY a triumphant and hostile party
but in our editorial course we have endeav-
ored to avoid any p~artizan bias and to do jus
tice to all sections.
Intelligence has been received which IN
mistakably indicates that the Lincoln admin
i~stration is attempting to carry out the pre-
gramme of the Inaugural. War has alread
begun. In ceesmon with the entire pres
and people of the South, we deeply regre
that the sectional contest has reached tn
point, and we earnestly deprecate the col
tinuance of hostilities. But our Seuther
brethren cannot avoid the conflict 1t h;
been forced upon them by a fanatcal ar
wicked government, and the issues which a
presented to their choice are independence
submission or subjugation. The guilt of i
itiating the war does not rest upon t
South:
1. Because they sought peace and exhar
ted every effort TO secure it. The history
the negotiations which were conducted
their commissioners has been published a
need not be reiterated. Their o~vertures
a peaceable settlement of the question W
in every case rejected.
2. Unless the Southern army had tax
Fort Sumter, it would have been r~einfore
This would have aggravated the case i
measurably. EA-rs-wus no time, then, to
lost, after the hostile intent of the admin
tration was shown.
The official correspondence is sufici
proof of this, and the vessels were aires
off Charleston harbor.
Under all the circumstances, no UNI
JUDGED man can attach the guilt of the
to the Confederate States, unless it is la
for granted that they have all the time b
engaged in chiid's play and really did
!. mean to resist coercion.
b 1t is probable that the Lincoln admins
ton will prosecute the war. The actiol
/ certain Northern States indicates this pol
What then shall North Carolina do
Where does she stand? On which side ?
| Without assuming to speak for others,
. say that the South should unite for the s
I of the South, for the sake of peace, hum
. ty and religion, of our soil, our honor
3 our slaves, and that all the slave S
+ should make srssaae.3anse in this, the |
of their extremity.