The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-12-25

And it affected the property, the reputation,
the lives and the liberties Of the whole peo-
pie. and the very existence Of the State,
that these Offices should be filled with the
best men we had, without regard to party,
and with regard only to fitness. Have they
been SO filed? 1t may be granted, for the
sake of the argument that the secession
party, numbering one-third, had proper
tionate number with the conservative party,
numbering two-thirds, Of the best men in
the State. If then the Offices had been fill
ed with reference 10 merit only, there would
have been one-third secessionists, and two
thirds conservatives. But how is the factf
Every single important place, civil and mil
itary, Tor if there be any exceptions they
are only exceptions for some peculiar reasons.
the rule being as | state.) has been filled
with secessionists Now, if this Just hap
pensd SO, let it pass, for | concede that it
makes no difference now, whether one in Of
fee is secessionist or a conservative. But
if ii is so by design, then the government is
a faction, a party, tyranny. Ii this dis
tinction is made upon the ground that the
conservatives are not to be trusted, then !
say unhesitatingly, and with emphasis. that
the government SO acting, is not fit to be
trusted. If it be true, that two-thirds Of
the patriot citizens of North Carolina have
" hideous marks on their. brows." put there
by the government which they are pouring
out their treasures and their blood 10 sup
port, then the government so acting against
| its citizens, is an intolerable nuisance.
These are no ordinary times. They are
times when traitor means something. They
are times when, if citizen allows the mark
TO be put on his brow, then he is traitor to
himself, if not to his State. do not hesi-
tate 10 say, that if such course is to be
pursued, then, just as we took our lives in
our hands 10 oppose one faction that would
oppress US, so we will take our lives in our
hands 10 oppose another faction that would
oppress US.
'rhat this oppression Of "a mark or the
brow is in the purpose OF the secession fac
tion. depends, not alone on the testimony
of the State Journal, but. it is abundantly
| e, ident from the practice Of that party III
The government. need not again To state.
that conservatives are excluded from every
important place Of trust in the gosrrnment.
or. TO rriterate that that would make no diff
ference il Il only happened sn; or, II those
IN place were pre- -eminenlly fitted for the
services they have 70 perform But, II Is
notorious, that men are put in place because
they were secesslonists, and men are kept
out, because they were conservatives. IL IS
alsu notorious, that while there were many
very worthy men Of the secession party. yet,
As rule. they were men nf violent passions.
aud Wanting IN prudence spd dlssteiipn.
j Aud IL is notorious that the conservatives
were, asa rule, the reverse ot this. Yet, st
time when the State needs all her pru-
dencr, discretion and power, her destinies
arr, almost altogether, 10 the hands oil pas
sionate indiscrelIon, aud Of malignant imbr-
lcilltY. And. even these. and whatever Of
force there is in them, instead Of being used
against our common enemy, are turned ~
gainst our own citizens aud occupy thrm-
selves IN putting marks upon their br0ws.
by which they are to be known and Jl.grar-
ed, il they shall be so unfortunate as 10 es-
cape with their lives from the conust with
the enemy. But, after all, probably this is
mercy to the State: for, il not thus engaged
in venting THEN maligniiy against the friends
Of the State at home, they might be employ.
ell in preparing other traps for them. A. 1t
Halteras, from which the only escape would
be ii The dungeons Of the enemy .ud might
be preparing other facilities BY which the
enemy could invade our soil, and possess nnr
property. II may be that their neannrss 70
The trends Of the State at home, is less in
furious than would be their puslllanimity u
exhibited in the face Of the enemy.
II they would allow the best Of those
whum they employ TO improve the adsanta.
ge. Of any position in which they may be
put, they might, in time, after many mishsps.
become reasonably Proficient aud the eoun.
try would have confidence. that what was
\ wanting in fitness at iirst, might b. supplied
il by experience. But, so anxious are they %
exhibit their favorites in every place, that
one i not allowed 70 fit himself for tue du.
ties Of one position TO which he has been
called, before be is put into another position.
where he must strain anew his tired and
worn faculties. One can hardly make hun.
sell an efficient Quartermaster or Commissa.
. ry before he is made an inefficient Colonel
--to hide which he must be made redlcu..
lous General. Another, by toll and expo.
sure may make himself good soldier, and
lmmeJistel, end hiInself made an apprentice
Judge (and doubtless, in time, good one,
aud that To The exclusion Of one who ionged
ior the place. and dlif ifercd not at all from the
| hast friend he had, in suppOsing himself 70