Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-12-11

ting marks upon US, so that if We escape from the
enemy, ~ shaA nqt Escape from them; that we
must fan either by the foe in front or by meaner
foe IN the rear But the suferngs of our country
must bs attriboted 70 those among us and not to the
enemy, let Us snquire at whose door lies the fault
= suppose that what is meant to be charged is,
that the conservatives by their efforts to settle the
difficulties without war, d.ayed the defence Of the
State, until 1t was SO late that the enemy vas
bled to break in upon US. Now what is the fact
1t is known that the secessionists have had the pos.
session of the government both Legislative antexe.
cutive, before, at the tme and ever since diff
cultes began. 1t is known that no Appropriation of
mea or money which was asked FOR, has been refus-
ed. If then there is any fault among us, ut whose
door does it Lief The only thing that can be alleg-
ed against the conservatives is that North Carolina
did not 60 out of the Union soon enough, and that
if she had gone out sooner, she might have been
better prepared. Let us see how that is. South
Carolina went out soon enough was she any better
preparedf Let Port Royal answer, and let her
burning plantations and towns throw light upon
the subject! But to return to North Carolina. -
There was an appropriation Of more than was used
for her defences before she went out of the Union
Whose fault was it that it was not used! And,
mark, not single enemy ever put his foot upon
her shore until long after the secessoniss reported
to US that she so we'll defended that the whole
United States Navy could not enter! How much
better prepared could We have been than that? And
YET, we were not prepared But why were we not !?
That is the question now. They say now that it
was for want of time; that we did not 60 out soon
enough. But they said then, not only that they
had had time enough, but, that they had used the
time so we'll, that the world could not harm U.S.
They were anxious then to make the impression
that they had done wonders. The conservatives,
with that sagacity which accompanies prudence,
were enquiring modestly whether everything was
safe? They were answered, yes, zoe, that Is, we the
secessionsts have put every thing in the best pos
sibe condition. You conservatives need not be
troubling yourselves about tit is none of your
business. We have the business in hand and zee
haze bid the world stand back But when the ene-
my came, and, without the loss Of man took Hat
teras and all our arms and men, and disgraeed our
SOIL these same valiants say they did not have time
| to ix-ther guns were in the sand! They did not
know the enemy was coming; or, that he would
bring along such large guns, that he would shoot
balls instead instead Of blank cartridges. Indeed
they and the enemy had been so long in friendly
conspiracy to break up the Union, that it had not
occurred to them that any thing more than pre-
tense would be used to prsserue what both had
seemed so anxious to destroy.
The subject is too humiliating to pursue. close
by saying that it would better comport with digni-
ty and proprety, if those in power would turn all
their energies against the enemy. and cease to de-
fame our own citizens, and rely upon those citizens
for that cordial cooperation and support, which
| they are most ready to give But if the present
policy is to be pursued of prosecuting and defamng
every man who has differed in times past in party
politics, then every citizen assailed owes it to
himself to turn, not upon the State, but upon the
faction which rules it, and drive them from their
places. PATRIOT. -