Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-07-03
From the Asheville News
RESIGNATION OF GEN. ERWIN.
To the People of the

10 the Psope OF he
Forty Ninth Senatorial District:
Ihave resigned my seat in the Senate of this State
and take the earliest opportunity have had since
determined to do so to inform you of the fact, in
order that you may elect some person to fill the
vacancy occasioned by my resignation The Con-
vcntinn now in session has been entertaining prop
oson to abolish the present Legislature and to take
upon itself all the duties of legislation which the
General Assembly if it should reassemble would be
called upon to perform. This, l think would be
wise and prudent course The Convention repre-
sents the sovereignty of the peoples fresh from
the people, and is, in my Judgment, entirely COM
peten transact the important business which will
alone make called session Of the General Assem-
bly, at all necessary. The difference in the cost to
the people is an important and ought to be con-
trolling reason for the transaction of the public bust
ness by the Convention
Let the action Of the Convention upon this subject
he as it may I feel 1t to be my imperative duty to
serve the cause of Southern Independence in the
army of my country and leave the business Of leg
islaton to others.
Whatever NAV have been nv faul.s-and I know
they are many-however may have disappointed
you in the execution of the important trust you
charged me with, no man can accuse me of not CIV
ing timely warning to the people to prepare for the
terrible conflict in which We are now engaged. l
urged the secession of the State at the time South
Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi went out Of the
Union plead for the immediate and thorough
armament of the State in the early part of the first
session of the General Assembly last winter. de-
clared in the Senate and out of it my return home
when secession seemed to have received its death
blow, that never would submit to the domination
of Abraham Lincoln. and that would resist his
authority by every means which my mind could
: conceive or my arm execute. The differences which
existed then have endeavored to forget. The SIAN
derers who stigmatised me as traitor and rebel
who laughed at e because predicted that Lincoln
would call upon North. Carolina for troops to sub
iupate the seeded States, and would gather his
abolition hordes at Washington City, upon himsy
and false pretext in order to invade Southern Soil,
shall trv to forgive. Some of them, however,
still hold in remembrance and hope to live to have
day of reckoning with them. Our people are now
united. shall not revive the past to produce dis
cord and strife among them. The Union men, with
as mich aacrity and zeal the Secessonists, have
turned out in defence of the country. The slave
holder and the non slave holder stand side by side
in the ranks Of our brave and patriotic soldiery.-
The mechanic, the farmer, the lawyer, the doctor,
the rich and the poor, Of all classes and all cangs
in life, have focked to the standard of Southern
Independence. Determined to resist the tyranny
and usurpation of an ignorant, corrupt and cruel
administration of the Federal Government our peo-
pe are certain to be the vctors in the present srug
gle Of the action of the people of this State of all
parties nobody can complain. In moment they
buried all old party differences Before the echoes
from the cannonade Of Sumter were hushed they be-
gan to rally for the defence Of the South. Thou
sands left their business, their friends their wives
children. their homes, everything, to enlist in the
armies Of their country, and not man among the
many hundreds to whom have talked in the noun
tains, ever asked what pay he was to receive Pity
it is that some corresponding vigor, energy, and
intelligence have not animated the directors of our
military affairs in this State so that due advantage
might have been taken of the military ardor of the
, people Such was not the case Disease preying
upon naturally feeble mind and great events pres
sing for instant decisive action upon ;rresolule
and timid disposition-these, and the perplexities
occasioned by the ceaseless opportunities Of thou.
sands Of greedy Office hunters--among whom fisur-
ed conspicuously and successfully the most noto-
rious submissionists in the State-utterly untitled
his Excellehcy the Governor for the discharge oil
his duties. The crowds who besieged him day and
night for Office would not permit him to know the
truth. He was imposed upon in some cases, mis-.
taken in others, and in very many others driven to
extremities by the of those
Al who stuck to him like lecches. He was absolutely
forced to make appointments he might perhaps, moi
otherwise have made. The confusion of ideas which
naturally and necessarily prevailed in the Governors
! mind, and which suppose still; prevails, will nc
doubt account for some inconsistencies In his CON
: QUOT which have bean remarked upon hare. Fog