Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-08-07
JOHN G. BRECKINRIDGE.

JOilS y.
M EDITOR: desire that the truth of history
should Ge vindIcated. You remember the fable OF
the Ass who robcd himself in the Lions skin. Pol
iticslnS now days, should bear in mind that many
Ct their number are suspected, by the people, oil
laying the part of that remarkably longeared ami
NAL In this day of trial and danger, he VINO is not
Jar us is Ggainst us There is no neutrality in
this confcl-no halfway house for men to take
shelter from the storm that is raging Nor will any
man, who is in truth and sincerity with us, and for
us, be willing TO occupy that halfway house--that
position of masked treason. | want justice done,
though the Heavens fall Now, demand TO know,
howe according to the rule prescribed by the seces-
sionSts can the course of Mr. Breckenridge be JUS
! titled? Immediately upon the appearance of Lin
coins infamous proclamation Of the 18th Of April
last, the cry was raised throughout this State and
Virginia as we'll other border slave States, that
no Southern should take seat in' LlncolnS
Congress- called it was TO provide the means Tor
invasion and suhjugaton. In this State, cSpe-
ciay, the canvass ceased and most OF those who
wele candidates publicly Withdrew, and declared
their opposition to our sending members to Con-
grcSS Even in the face of the fact, that the Union
Of this State, soon as Lincoln,s tyrannlcal
purposes made known, proclaimed their lnten-
ton to resist TO tie denth that tyranny, and voteu
for the ordinance OF secession, they were denounced
by the uuaseceSSoniSts for their tGrdiEeSs in not
following the lead of South Carolina in the race of
Revolution. For their efforts to bring about an
honorable adjustment Of the quarrel between the
sections, and avert the horrors of civil war, the
Union men of this State have not only been dc
nOunced by the secession leaders with cnvenomed
rancor but have been oStracized from participation
in those honOrs and emoluments which were at the
disposal of the ruling dynasty. Since the proca-
nation of April. upon the appearance of which the
Union of this State took their position OF open
resistance to the government at Washington, up
wards uf 80 900 soldiers have been called into the
E.Il I iprDl f,r SulI inn has
been Invaded BY hOrdes Of Northern emiSSarieS and
+ hir elineS-our people have been murGered-thcir
homes laid wa<te--their property destroyed, their
wives AMI daughters ;nsultcd the sacred privilege
of the hdbet5 coIpS has been SuSpcndcd-the rights
secured hv the Constitution and laws tramplcd
dnwn-andan infamous military dcspotSm establish
ed on the ruins Of public liberty. Lmcolas Congress
has mct-it has with the most Servc ahaScmrnt,
bent the pregnant hinges OF the knee" and ap-
proved the tyranncal acts of their dictator placed
al his disposal five hundred millions of money, and
an army larger than that which Buonaparte march
ell into RuSSia,-and all this done for the avowcd
purpose of sutugating conquering, devastating
with fire and sword the Southern States!
Now, what was Mr. breckenridge doing all this
while: Was ne heard to dCnounre l.ncoln'S proc
lamatlon of April? When that despotc clict ap-
pcarrd did he appeal to Kentucky to resist? Did
he advise his people to refuse Indignantly, to send
Representatives to Lincoln's Rump Congress? Did
he proclaim his purpose to take sides with the
South and that it the duty of Kentucky 10 Sc
ccdel NO-he did none of these things. 1t is true,
the leading Sccc>SionStS Of this and other Southern
States, published, miM much flourish that he, (Mr.
b. had informed President Davis, that " Kentucky
would furnish him seven thousand men for the de-
fence of the South" aud other things quite iavOra-
ble to our cause. But, what Illuminating finale
what perfect eXtnGuisher, has been applied to this
Wholesale Roasting. on the part "f his secession
friends, by Mr. Breckenridge himself When charged
th, 49, l,nR a
ago, by Lane of Indiana. he Gshied the truh Of IL.
anil complained that such Interpretations hut
bern circulated db0Wt his course anil his tOyHty TO
the Government! Could any thing he more hu-
initiating? II he had been ruth Us and FOR us, is
such the spirit with which he would have met the
arrogant charges Of LincolnS ernssaries and adj
herents? If he is our friend, would he not have
done in reality what he swift to dcay he had
done? 1T Is true that he made speech in OppoSi
ton TO the resolution approving the acts OF Lin
coins administration, but who can read that speech
without feeling that it is destitute of the high bold
lofty independent spirit Of one who can be relied
on IN the hour of DANGER and when threatened with
/ the frowns of tyranny? How impotent and stale
( when compared with the bold and daring denuncia-
ton of the despotic acts Of Lincoln poured forth in
the very teeth of his vassaS by that fearless North
ern patriot, Vallandingham, Of Ohio! If nothing
! else could cover with shame the course of Mr..
! Breckenridge the SpritieSs manner in which he
! met the threat Of Lane, Of Indiana to Use "hcmp,
! and hemp only" to put down the rebels OF the
/ South, would be sufficient to induce any true man
! of the South to from it with lGathing. Under
the circumstances, he ought never to have taken a
seat in Lincoin's Congress. This his secession
! friends throughout the Confederate States said,
! when they thought lie lcouM nOt-and they cannot
! now Justify him, when they see he did not have
spirit enough to refuse to take that seat Having
! done so with hope to stay the arm of deSpotsm,
! when he failed in that and saw the Senate record
,,bo l;ct I thot t,n
! should he subiugated and enslaved, and that his
| own State old Kentucky should not be permitted
| to remain even neutral but should bow her proud
, neck to his behests, and stain her hands in the
blood of her Southern sisters, how in the name of
| Coo! could he remain longer member of that
body? Where had flown the spirit of manly free
dom that aroused the Immortal. Henry, when he
| exclaimed "If this be treason make the most of
! it?' Nor do blame less the course of Mr.. Crit
tenden and other Southern men, who have followed
the footsteps Of Mr.. Breckenridge. We are told,
that where mans treasure is, there will be his
heart also" 1t was charged in the late Presidential
campaign that Mr. Brcckinridge'S treasure is in the
Northern States. II this be so, it may be thought
by some who love money more than Justice and
honor, apology or excuse for the course he has
pursued but it is none the less ruinous to u.s.
And how the leading secessonists of this State and
Virginia. can Justify his course, and yet denounce
those of their own fellow citizens who upon the
publication of Lincolns proclamation of April de-
clared war upon his government and resolved to
resist his acts with and to the DEATH is to me
ncomprehensbe. 1t at least proves the bare faced
inconsistency of those would be pioneers in the ca
reer of secession and shows to the world what con-
tempt their vindctive and cowardy assaults upon
the Union of this State deserve at the hands OF
every fairminded and patriotic citizen, who is not
fettered by past preudlces and who is able to ee-
vate himself in this grett struggle far liberties
and Stfety, above the mean hate and rancor Of par
ty iealously and personal sefshness. OF all the
candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency
at the last election, Bell and johnson, it must be
admitted, in all candor, the only men who have
proved true to the Southland to attempt any longer
to hold up Dir. Breckenridge exemplar worthy