Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-02-20
[From The, Fayetteville Observer.
UNION OR DISUNION. 81

y
place the question before the people in false light
Looping to excite feeling for against particular sec
tons OF the country, and under that excitement to
hurry them out of Union with States many of
whose people are hostile, and into new Union,
composed exclusively Of States which may or may
not be friendly, but supposed to be our friends.
AS stated by disunion contemporary IN Eastern
the issue sought to be made for this
canvass BY the Disunionists is, do you prefer re-
manning with the North to going with the South?"
There; IS no such issue before us. We have not to
decide whether hold this that State or section
IN greater esteem. The question is: Shall We exert
every honorable effort to perpetuate this Gorern-
nent or shall We join in an effort to overthrow it2
1t is grave issue; to be decided under no impulse
calmly, with all the wisdom, the moderation and the
prudence we can command Dangers are on every
side. By reason and moderation alone, under the
providence OF God, can we escape them.
Shall We destroy this Government? For near
century we have been accustomed to boast of it as
the best on EARTH And with great reason; for un-
der 1t our country has with marvellous rapidity
grown rich and great powerful and respected, with
SO little burden to its citizens that in State like
ours we know of its existence only by reading of Its
transactions and enjoying, with very little thought
fulness or thankfuness Its manifold blessings. In
reading some months since the debates which at
tended the protracted struggle for the Spcakership
of the present House of Representatives, were
struck with the remark of a leading Congressman
from'a Southern State, an avowed disunionst that
SO little interest had the people of bis District in
this Government so little were they affected by its
operations, that they only knew there was Gov
crnment by seeing it mentioned in the newspapers
and hearing it spoken of by candidates He thought
that an irresistible argument in favor Of their sepa
ration from the Government Is it? THAT is the
best Government achich governs least" That is, he
who and d;ct,, o6 tho rirht
do what the law allows, enjoys the best Government
that mans wisdom can devise. Yet the remark,
however misdrected its application was almost lit
orally true. Think of it for moment. Outside
of the great cities where in contact with
the Government through the custom-houses where
duties on imported goods paid we have no
knowledge that we controlled or restrained or IN
any way affect ed by the Government. We feel no
Government but that OF our several States, and we
know of the existence of Mat Government only by
the annual visits Of the tax-gatherer. But destroy
the National Government; set up for ourselves: no
man be blind to the fact that even if that de-
struction be effected by peaceable separation Of the
constituent parts, ear must soon tollow 1t is in
evitablc. With it come visits of the tax -gatherer,
no longer like angels visits with heavier demands,
and on our part less ability to meet them; blood
shed; all the horrors of civil war; and eventual de-
structon of that great interest whose safety is made
the pretext for destroying the Government which
protects it.
Shall we destroy such Government? When OPP
preston drives or honor calls, when every honorable
effort for peace has failed, We trust and believe that
there is no Southern man who will stand back from
a united effort for the overthrow Of the oppressor.
But though we have suffered grievous wrongs from
the Northern people, the Government neither insults
nor Expresses us. Let us cling to the hope that it
NAV be perpetuated. Let us exhaust every honor
able effort to save it There is no reason why it
may not be saved. Wise men, patriots, if the peo-
pic will but discard the politicians for little WHILE
can and will save it and settle the distracting ques
tons which divide US. The wise men who made
this Government! gave US Constitution and in that
instrument they provided remedies. or mode for
obtaining them for any evil which We now suffer
from the people of the North, or anticipate from
them or from the Government Let then
haust all constitutional remedies Let at least
seek to save, and not destroy Government 1t
was the result of much anxiety, toll blood and
treasure, freely expended by our fathers. 1t has
been and is the OF unnumbered blessings to
their children. Be it our task-it should be our
peasure-to do all that may be done without loss of
honor to transmit it to children great and
glorious and not less free than we received it
In coolly and calmly urging these practical con-
siderations upon the attention Of our readers, as
most of those who have long been readers know,
We feel the grievances Of which the South has to
complain quite keenly as the most noisy of the
"6re-caters We know, as every man must know,
that however unwlSe the movements Of the last few
months they have made it necessary that there be
speedily fiEal settlement of the whole sectional
question. We believe that such settlement Can be
had that the South all its rights; and
the Government iirmer foundation than ever. But
do not believe it good policy to entrust The task
of settlement to tireeaters." They have had no
small share in creating our troubles, and not the
men to compose them, if they desired, as they do
not DESIRE settlement; let therefore send to
Convention men of another stamp Nor yet can
We perceive the necessity or policy of doing what
some of our contemporaries do and what some
complain of US and abuse for not doing viz;
filling our columns with disputations with Black
Republicans. At this day own people dc not
need to be told what their grievances; and
while such disputations would but further excite
and unfit their minds for calm decision of most
momentous issue, the minds Of the Northern people
would in no way be affected for they neither
read Southern newspapers. Our fir ends at the
North are doing what be done to their peo
pie from sectional madness; in the same good cause
| We are humblv striving here. The whole matter
the issue in each section and the duties of patriots
in each sections well summed up in the following
paragraph copied into the last O5serrer from ono of
the truest Northern 1--WE should say Nationally news
papers. Read it again and think Of the great truths
| embodied i'll a brief space:
|
mettoes and Pelicans.
The Issue North.-The Stars and Stripes rs. the
| Black Flag of Abolitionism.
Cling to and rally around, everywhere the Stars
and the Stripes. Down with the Black Flag North,
and down with the Pelicans, South. Everywhere
up with the Stars and S,ripes.--N y cypress
Departure Of M: Lincoln from Pittsbury-Anoth.
er Speech.
PIrTsBuRG, Feb 15.-Mr Lincoln left here this
morning for cleveland. Before taking his depar-
ture he made an address, in substance as follows:
try, and said he had been expected to say something
on this subject, but if it was done it would require
elaborate discussion, and consume more time than
was now at his disposal 1t was perhaps unneces-
sary to commit himself upon matters not yet fully
developed. The condition of the country is extraor
binary, and fills the mind of every patriot with anx-
iety and solicitude My intention is to give the
lne, Of fa1y