Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-09-04
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The two Old Parties.

A''6 P"'u nave CeaSeu 10 eXlSt DO we not |
see party in every thing? Is it not urged that an
oa line Democrat and an old line Wing, for example,
snail be chosen to the Senate ?-and that arrang
ing the Congressional districts, respect should be
had to these two parties We speak Of things as
they are, not as they should be. ~
The old Republic was destroyed between the doc
trne Of secession at w;U on the one hand and that
of force as applied to State soverelgnties on the
other Unjust aggression, or rather the threat that
slavery should be circumscribed and the actual vo-
lation Of the Constitution by many of the nonsavc-
holding States, stimulated this doctrine of secession
at will which finally, as in the cases of North-Car-
olina and Virginia, became secession for cause. Par
ty was largely instrumental in creating and setting
these doctrines in motion. IT. then, mere party
spirit was largely instrumental in destroying the
old government, and in involving the two sections
in war, would it not be wise to Danish this spirit
at least during the war? Next to the abolitionists
blind and unquestioning party spirit is the worst
enemy North. Carolina ever had; and this spirit
especially injurious in both sections of the old
Union for the last four or five years. because 1t par
took of sectionalism which is the foe of compromise
and concord. We Can judge Of the future only by
the past Human nature is no better than it was
or when Rome became the slave of Caesar. Blind
party spirit and mere devotion to men and to old
organizations, without regard to measures to the
voice Of justice and reason, will assuredly in the
end, if induged destroy the new, it has destroy
ed the old government
In regard to measures, the question: and the only
question should always be- Is it IN strict accordance
-with tile Confederate Constitution' And in regard
to men the only question ought to be, Is he honest-
is he capabe-is he faithful to the Constitution'-
With these rules of conduct to guide US, we will sci.
dom if ever err. But We 60 further than this. The
principles of free government are being tested anew
in North America In the States which profess al
legiancc to Lincoln those principles have been lost
sight of or tramped down. There is no such thing
as English American liberty in the States referred
to. All that is left this continent of Consttu-
tional liberty must bNooked for in the Confederate
States That liberty, TO be enduring must be based
on the most perfect respect for Constitutions and
laws; and it must also derive its existence from,
and exist in . representative Democracy. We be-
lieve in the capacity of the people to govern them
selves; and we believe that government which
represents the great mass of the people, and not
merely favored few of them, to be the only one
worth maintaining. This is our political creed, call
US what you will The tendency of the federal sys-
tenn has been to expansion and then to separation
from the centre. The new government is weaker
than the old one 1t cannot long survive those
ficts between parties and factions which the old one
encountered for the last quarter of century. 1t
should be the aim of every patriot to strengthen
rather than weaken the Confederate government
Nowadays, when men are spoken of for Office,
we hear it said that this one was too slow and that
one was too fast in seeding from the old Union.
This therefore, of itself creates party in all save
organization. 1t also involves the past with the
censures or commentators which belong to it. 1t
is better, we think, to take man for what he is
than for what lie has bcen provided he was no dis
honest selcseeker or scrambler for Office Is he for
strict construction of the Confederate Consttu-
tion ?-does he regard the people capable of self
government and has he shown this belief by his
| acts ?-and is he honest capable, and faithful
| These are The touch-stones by which public men
should be tried
To attempt to continue the old party organizations
would be to offer to new set of guests the rem
nants of former feast. All the old issues de-
funct. We shall have new measures, based on the
Confederate Constitution and on the altered condi-
tion Of the country. For one, we take stand by
the Confederate government as a government of
limited, delegated powers. We shall sustain it du-
ring the war, and after the war; and We would be
glad to hear nothing more about the old parties,
| and nothing more about those who were too slow
and those who were too fast in dissolving the old
Union. But if the ytust men @iW have it so-if
they insist prescribing all those who were reluc-
tant to destroy the OLD system and launch the State
on the tempestuous sea of revolution and civil war,
then we say we are ready to meet them. In con-
test of this sort before the people, shall not fear
for ourself or for those with whom we may act, but
We shall fear for the country. We shall not engage
in it unless forced to do so in selfdefence. The
people have retcntive memories the politicians.
They have not forgotten, will they soon forget
the events of the last twelve months.
But why should ue urge cessation of party
strife? Simply because we love our country, and
desire to see the people of the State unit in this
great crisis. That is the feeling that governs u.s.
Faction, and party hate and party injustice have
done their worst us. We have been pursued
with wolflike ferocity by men who knew they were
wrongng us and who knew we were as good Dem
ocrat as ever trod shoe-leather, simply because we
would not oppose the principle of ad ualorem, and
because we would not make haste to break up the
Union and bring on war. We have lived to see ad
oalorem adopted by the State, and by the Confeder
ate government in its first tax bill and we have
lived also to witness the realities Of "peaceab seces
sion." But a truce to all this. Let us think only
of what is best for the country. Let do what is
right without regard to party Let US put our best
men in oice and let us all forget at least for the
present. the differences, and in many instances the
animosities which have heretofore divided us. Lei
every public man who has future before him re-