Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-02-21
How we Stand.


How we Stand.
Within less than two weeks Abraham Lincoln, by
the visitation Of God President elect Of these dsunited
States, will have been inaugurated President The
Rai-splitter will occupy the seat of Washngton-the
Chicago platform will have taken the place of the Con-
stitution, and Abraham Lincoln and Horace Greey will
have become the Interpreters of the rights of States and
the amount of sovereignty which they will accord to
them. Of'course, then, the Supreme Court will be
nulity and its interpretations of law secuted, when
opposed to the higher law of Lincoln and Company,
whose motto is, that might makes right and that
therefore only majorities have rights. Every utter
ance made by Mr.. Lincoln since he left Springfield
tends to the same end and leaves room for no other
conclusion. Even the widest fanaticsm of creduly
must at length abandon any hope OF Cancellation or
compromise from the party represented by MIR. Lin
coin We must prepare ourselves for negation On the
part of that party of the rights OF Saes-or an asser
ton of the powers of consolidated government, and
for the employment of such powers for the repression
and injury of the vested property rights Of our whole
section of the Union, as we'll for the degradation Of
its free white citizens, for such would be the effect Of
either the sudden or the gradual emancipation of the
slaves of the South who would thus be cast among
people with no legal distinction, and prompted with the
help their abolition associates to place themselves on
level with the white man. This could only be done by lev
cling downwards lowering seeking to lower the white
mar to their level since in the nature of things they could
not be elevated to the level of the white No white
man who could help it woud live in free negro country
all who could command the would leave, and none
but those bound by restricted circumstances would
AZ, Tho itI,. IF
capital impoverished by his worthless free negro neigh
bors the position of the white forced to remain,
would be a most deporabe Taking things just as
they stand without resorting to distractions it is plain
that the poor men, who, general thing cannot get
away have quite deep interest the rich men who
can get away, in the permanent social and political
position OF the country they live in and those who tel
the poor white man, the nOn-saVeholder-t he has
no interest in the slave question, because he does not
own slaves take very view of the case or deal
uncandidy with those to whom they make such repre-
gentations We might talk fippanty, some do about
determination and all that sort Of thing, but that pro-
position is alike inhuman and impossible. We could
not think of determination seriously. We could not
dream seriously of deportation No. the Scripture says
that the poor We shall always have with u.s. common
sense and reflection must show that the negro race
we shall always have with Shall we have
it as an ungovernabe, Improbable, laWless and
vicious element, driving out wealth and asserting
its equality with all who are compelled to stay
or shall have il in its proper place, subordinate
race-its subordination being natural, founded upon
race elevatDg the position of the poorest of the
dominant race and adding to the wealth and comfort
the whole community. 1t is folly to say that the poor
est white man, who has the spirit of a white man, anC
who wishes to live white man and bring up BIZ
family in white community, not free negro one ha
no interest in this question He has the highest inter
est-the most vital Free negroes the class mos
obnoxious to every white working man. Suppose the!
were all ree-eight to ten thousand free negro citizen
in New Hanover county, as the Abolitionists woul(
have them if they had theirway How would that suit
But it will be said that the white who does not owl
slaves has no interest in the question! What folly
What worse than folly!
But Lincoln is on his way to Washington, with tn
Chicago platform for his gospel and coercion for hi
motto In Washington are to be seen the remnants Q
the American Congress in session at the Capitol
Around that building that has echoed to the noble
patriotic strains of the great and good men of the ma
tion encamped the troops of the Federal Govern
ment gathered there under the order of vain and am
bilious soldier, who aims at the position of military
dictator Batteries guard the halls of the Federal leg
satue and parade the streets and of the Fed
eral city where meets Peace Congress- assembled
at the call of Virginia, to try and patch up com
promise or arrangement The positions that Mr.. Lin
coin, and Mr.. Seward, and the Northern leaders have
taken such to deprive this Conference of any
power and its early adjournment is anticipated, in
deed self respect will shortly compel the Southern dele
gates to leave scene which cannot under any circum
stances be of usefulness. In fact that Conference
already 4" lags superfuous on the stage"
At Montgomery another scene is being enacted. A
noble and chivalrous of Kentucky but now TIN
idol of Mississippi, his adopted State has just beer
inaugurated as the first President of the Confedera
ted States Calmly but boldly he meets threats O
coercion with the avowal of firm determination t.
abandon no rights and submit to no wrongs
Where do ne stand? Hope of Cancellation upon 6
satisfactory basis, there none No man can derive
any such hope from the action of any BODY or person r
Washington or at the North The seven Soutberr
States which will be left cannot hope for that safety r
Union with the North which fifteen States were I'M
able to secure What we do? Where can W,
stand but with the Southern Confederacy? We asl
ask every reader to reflect upon this AS things stan
the only safety for North Carolina as State and TO
her people-rlch and poor, shareholders and non-save
y holders, is with the South. +
The n orth Carolina Commissioners to Montpomer,
have returned Of course, at this late date thew could