Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-02-23
For the Standard.
To the Citizens of ALamance:

MY name Oelng mentioned IN one or more OF tue
public newspapers as a suitable person to be voted
for as delegate to the State Convention deem it
due to myself and the citizens of my native county
to give them short and succi1ct statement of my
views on the great and important questions which
are now agitating the public mind from the centre
to the circumference of happy and glorious
country, and which is about to break up and destroy
of the best governments vouchsafed to man;
a government which caused the blood of our ances-
tors to flow upon many a battlefield, and whose
bones yet lie bleaching upon the plains Of Bunkers
HILL Saratoga and other places in the North York
town, Cowpens, Kings Mountain and Guiiford in
the South.
These relics of past struggles for liberty and
independence are dear to the heart of every patriot
and lover of his country, and will be cherished
memenoes of the great cost and sacrifice made by
those to whom indebted for all the blessings
we have enjoyed a nation.
In the present condition of the country, no pa
triot lover of his native land should permit him
self to indulge in specuations as to the rise fall
of any political party but all should have sufficient
nerve and irmleSS to rise far above any paltry,
party influence and he that cannot do so, no matter
what his intellectual attanments OF political infu-
ence may have been, deserves to be branded as
iemagogue and tyrant, and should share the fate of
a traitor.
The American people, both North and South,
should urge a settlement of the present difficulty,
not for the sake of either the North South alone
but for the peace and quiet of the whole country,
and for the great blessings which may flow to mil
lions yet unborn to secure to them the rich boon
bequeathed to US by the heroes of revolutionary
memory.
The most gigantic minds, in the present crisis
cannot penetrate the dismal future. Whether this
great confederation of States is to be preserved
destroyed whether the Union is to be dissolved or
maintained, or whether peace is again to reign in
midst, whether we are to be exposed to all
fha hnrrn Of plaftn and rtrnn cvuor
time alone will reveal but that every honorable
and constitutional effort should be made to save the
Union, think all must admit; and were 1t not for
the influence of those whom the people have entrust
ed with the affairs of government, the whole diff
Guilty might have been settled. But many of the
leading politicians of the country do not desire
settlement: some are looking to the political capital
to be manufactured for future occasions; others
would have us believe that our government IS too
free, too republican, or too weak Their minds,
doubt, are filled with visions of strong and splen-
did military monarchy, the sound of the drum and
fife, the splendid epauettes and glistening bayOnets
and armor of the military to be constantly parading
before the people in every city, town and village to
keep them in awe and subsection, to load them down
with burdensome taxes and to reduce the laboring
classes to the most abect and degraded condition.
North Carolina should never surrender any right
to which she is entitled under the Constitution of
the United States. Yet she should be unwilling
the Constitution of which cost so much time and
labor to perfect ard give up the many blessings we
have enjoyed under it without first appealing 10 the
States, and give the people of all the States the
liberty to speak through the ballot box for such
alterations, and amendments to that instrument and
such further guarantees to the South may be &C
ceptable and satisfactory to the people of the whole
Union, and especially to the people of the South
or slave-holding States
That two million of conservative and patriotic
men of the North stand ready with their aid and
influence to assist in the preservation of the Union
we have no doubt; and we yet hope and believe
there conservative and Unon-loviug patriots
enough on board the old Ship of State to steer her
safely through the dark and gloomy storm now
lowering over her, and avoid the breakers upon
which she is likely to be dashed
We are not one of those who believe the govern
ment can be maintained by force, and any attempt
on the part of the Federal government to 90 So
under any pretence whatever, would result in civil
war of the most desolating character. Neither are
we, on the other hand, secesSioniSt, or subms-
sOnist; but would insist that every honorable and
constitutional remedy should be exhausted before
resort to secession, or revolution. This should be
the last alternative of the people of North Carolina
1t is applying more dangerous and hazardous
remedy than the diseased body polite at present
requires, until all means have been exhausted for
settlement of our difficulties.
For my part do not despair of a settlement Of
existing differences between the North and South,
which will be acceptable to BOTH sooner or later
look to the people of the whole country to take
their own cause into their hands, and out of the
hands of political triekSters and demagogues and
save themselves from the evils of disruption and
civil war. The people of the North, have no
doubt will do justice to the South when they have
an opportunity Of speaking through the ballot-box;
and justice is all any Southern man should require
but il, ultimately justice should be denied us, and
aggression attempted by the federal government
my destiny will be thrown with the South. To
North Carolina owe my birth, and to her shall
cling through veal or woe. Her destiny shall be
my destiny, and to her interests my time, and what
little talent possess, shall he devoted
My services, though feeble, are at the command
of those Of my friends who desire the same, and
any service can render shall be cheerfully given
for the common cause of a country dear to us all.
When we reflect upon the glorious Union Of the
States, cemented by the blood of our fathers the
richest country and the most excellent government
ever enjoyed by man, our hearts should recol at
the thought of bringing to a premature end the
growing greatness of our more than promised
land When We turn our eyes to clear and serene
sky, the drapery of heaven, like veil of glory
thrown around and over the "land of the brave and
the home Of the free" suspended by angels hands,
we wonder, enquire, if those twinkling stars in
that beautiful dome, like angels eyes, will ever weep
the desolation of those States, and the
Quent downfall and ruin of this great republic.
We should summon the patriots to forbid it. and
call upon the gray headed fathers whose voices have
made nation glad, and the youthful aspirants for
greatness and WORTH to assist in averting the evil
We should cast long sympathizing look to heaven,
and pray God to interfere in our behalf
To the polls, fellow-citizens, the 2sth instant
and cast your votes in behalf of your country and
your country's cause and vote for men on whom
your country can rely in the present crisis.
Your obedient servant
E. F. WATSON
DEATH OF COLONEL TAYLoE.--It pains us to an
nounce the decease of one of our oldest and best
citizens, Col. Joshua Tayoe He died after an ILL
ness of several weeks, on Thursday morning the