Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-01-31
From the State Journal

Fl Senator Bragg, having been called 10 halelgu Oh
account of the serious Illness of a member OF his
family, wassinvted by many members of the Legs
lature to address them on Friday evening last he
! complied with their request and spoke to large
assembly in the Hall of the House of Commons
composed chiefly of members Of both branches OF
the General Assembly. We regret that we are not
able to present the entire speech prepared by the
speaker. This he had not time to furnish as he was
/ about to return to Washington. We are enabled,
however, to present to readers an abstract OF
what he said upon of the more important topics
discussed
After abiding to the present condition of the
country and existing troubles, he stated that he
should say nothing of the causes which had pro-
duced them-that they were we'll known and famil-
lar to those whom he addressing. That five
States had already withdrawn from the Union, and
that in all probability they would be speedily fol-
lowed by two others. lie then adverted to the state
of things in Washington, and explained why it was
that he had no hope whatever that anything would
| be done by Congress tending to any amicable or
satisfactory arrangement That, in his opinion, the
| Crittenden propositions to which portion of the
| South had looked with hope, could not pass Con-
gress in the shape of proposed amendments to the
| Constitution, with view to obtain upon
them a direct vote of the people in the several
States, provided in the bill introduced for that
! purpose by Senator Bigler That few weeks since
there imminent danger Of an immediate col
lision and civil war but that danger had been for
tunatey averted for the present. Of course he
said, formal arrangement had been entered into
to that effect but that truce, at all events seemed
to exist and he had reason to believe would be OBJ
served upon the basis that neither the Government
+ Of the United States the seeding States would
seek for the present to change the existing status
to the forts held by eiher-the President, in the
meantime, having turned the whole matter over to
| Congress
He stated further, that Congress- having failed
to do anything by Of the refusal of members
nj he ed Rtnnb n
sonabe concessions to the South, 1T seemed clear to
| his mind that no hope could be reasonably enter
tanned of any adjustment, unless from the action of
! the several States. That Virginia had made pro-
position to the several States to send commissioners
| to Washington on the 18th of February next and
| had selected somO of her most eminent citizens to
represent her and that upon visiting the Capitol to-
day. he had found the Virginia proposition subject
of discussion in both branches Of the Legislature.
/ While candor compelled him to say he entertained
| no strong decided hope that such body the
one proposed would ne able To devise plan by
which existing troubles could hc settled yet he
thought and urged that all parties in the Legislature
should unite and promptly accept of such PROPOSE
! ton, coming it did from a Stale identified in in
tercSt with North Carolina and whether it succeed
ed or failed it would at all events tend Ia union of
our people, now Somcw la divided and lead to some
practical rcSut-ethcr some satisfactory adjust
ment to making it plain that such adjustment
J could be attained. That if any reasonable plan of
; adjustment would be agreed upon, and which would
be satisfactory the tates of the South in the
Union he should prefer it to gong Immediately out
Of the Union and seeking a reconstruction after
, wards; and that he believed that, in such event.
most If not all of our sister States which had with
drawn would be induced to return.
lie then went on to say that he found connected
with this proposition in the Legislature also to
! send commissioners to Montgomery, to meet the
: delegates from the seeding States who would as
semble there the same day, for the purpose Of
organizing provisional government for such States
! He objection to that but doubted whether
any practical result would follow, far the
ton of commissioners from this State concerned
: From information obtained in Washington he
confident that provisional government would be
promptly formed by the seeding States, upon the
basis Of existing federal Constitution and that
steps would also be taken to provide for the common
defence and also to initiate and secure friendly rela
lions with foreign governments; and that our
, commissioners would not be allowed seats in the
Convention, they could have direct voice in the
formation Of any government He hoped however,
that both propositions would be acted upon prompt
y, and that there would be no opposition 10 their
adoption.
lie next advercd to what in all probability would
he the of the incoming administration, to
existing troubles, far aS he could form opinion
of the same from Indications in Washington. Would
they resort to coercive measures against the SCCed
ing States? lie could only say that they threatened
! mination. That bills were being matured and would
be reported to Congress for that purpose. That
of these bills as he reliably informed pro-
vidcd for the raising of large volunteer force
other would abolish ali ports of entry in the seced
ing States and provide for the seizure OF all Vessels
! undertaking to enter such ports without first pay
ing duties other port and the forfeiture OF
such vessels and their cargOcs. Such law he
SIdcred a clear violation of the Constitution, and he
explained wherein. Northern men also declared
that all forts and arScnalS possession of any
State would he orcibly retakea if not given up by
{ such State.
Such measures in his opinion, would surely and
! inevitably result in bloody civil war between the
North and the South the end of which, after torrents
! of boodShcd and millions of treasure expended
would be a total and final separation He said that
/ the Union one of depending upon good feeling
and mutual ntcreStS-that force could not preserve
it-that subjugaton Of portion Of the States by
another portion if possible, which he did not believe
would be destructive of the government con-
stitucd, and that in ITS stead should have CEN
! trail military deSpoSm.
To prevent such state of things, which all would
! deplOre, what could North Carolina do-what ought
! she now to do? lie hal no hesitation IN saying
! that prOnpt decided and uniteR action by the Leg
iStature hOo IN session, the best peace
thdt cOULd be adopted So long as we were divided
! our divisions had tendency to bring upon us, if
they did not invite that of action on the part
of the North which will surely result in civil strife
Other States had acted with more promptness than
| North Carolina Most of the Southern States re-
manning in the Union had already taken steps for
the call of Conventlons-ncarly all had also declared
! their adherence of the cOcrcve measures which
| have been threatened and their determination to
! make common cause with the South, should any at
tempt be made to carry slr measures into execu-
tion-among them was Kentucky one of the States
most devoted to the Union.
Let North. Carolina, then, call her Convention
without further Let hnr 1nrlnr hpr
ton to civil war, although made under pretence of
enforcing the laws-and with a united front on the
part of the South, he could not believe that the
threats Of coercion would be carried out