Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-07-04
Backbone.

which may be potent for evil whenever it reassembes
if it does reassemb, but which scarcely be further
looked to the of any lasting advantage to the
State, the agent of any prompt and heartfelt CO.
operation in the cause in which all supposed to be
engaged
The Convention although willing to avail itself of
political hobbies to make capital by changes in the Con-
stitution not egitimatey before it, however they might
have been legally seemed lacking in the nerve the back
bone necessary to do what was peremptory demanded
by the actual existing emergency of the occason-what
was due to the defence of the State and to the safety OF
the Confederacy, of which she is member.
The Convention could dabbe in the pool of politics
by acting upon the disputed question of cd ralorem al
though that question could wait, as it had waited be-
fore for years. and although it had failed before the peo
pie at the last distinctive ISSUE However, waving the
right wrong of the ISSUE the Convention could take
that up and act upon it, but it could not take up ques
tons of vital present, and pressing Importance.
1t knew and its members acknowledged the necessity
of stayaW, while they proclaimed loudly the sins,
the errors and they sad the injustice and unconsti
uonalty of the law of the special session of the Leg
isature After dscrediting or doing what they could
to discredit the existing law what substitute did they
provide? What amendment did they offer p
Where is the ordinance ? Not echo, but the peo-
pie ask, Where? Our volunteers in camp ought not
to be sacrificed in their ABSENCE provision is ne
cessary to meet their cases. Well If A, creditor, is
forced by law to suspend the collection of debt due
him by B, soldier, how can he pay g. third party to
whom he, B. may be indebted, and to whom he could
have made payment, had he been able to collect from
in the first instance. Why did not the Convention,
knowing and admitting the necessity of stayaw,
provide free from the objections urged against
that already in existence, and which sought to be
SO far condemned if possible to deprive it of valid
/ ty and usefulness. Might not there remain the
mon mind, the mind unWarped by d" Conventional"
prejudces, slight suspicion that the Convention
lacking either in singleness of purpose, or in back
| bone"
Again our community in common with other COM
munites in the State felt and feels not On aggreved
but eopardzed by the passage OF persons to and from
the enmy's county, and the feeling here had risen
high that resort private least extra legal
ures of redress seemed at time inevitable and this not
on the Fart of lawlcss men, but of Solid substantial
ongre sden citizens In order to give public express
sion of opinion and possible obtain legal Of
redress and thus avert the muchobedreade resort to
anything like mob law, notice inserted in the
Journal for meeting to be held in the Court House.
With but few hours notice. the concourse was great
that only the theatre would hold the assembled multi
tude 1t was like of the tremendous gatherings
used to have last winter. The resolutions passed by
that meeting calm and temperate, but they were
firm. They stated nothing but facts-they asked for
nothing but rights. Their language and recommends
tions met with the hearty appreciation of the people and
the press simply this State but in the other South
ern States, so far as our exchanges extend.
| These resolutions were laid before the Convention
with the view Of obtaining such action the necessi-
tiesRof the case might to demand They re-
ferred to a committee and H. committee reported, and
theD after being bitterly attacked the whole subject
postponed until somewhere about the end of the year.
fthen anything done it will be equally ridiculous with
the of locking the sabedoor after the colt has been
stolen. Then all the mischief will have been done. So
ends one attempt to give strictly legal character to
strictly defensive measures. This question demanded
instant action 1t was postponed. Another question
ad volorem, which had been talked of for years and
might continue to be talked of for years yet to
passed without any sort of delay postpOnement
to consult the people So much again for political man
agement. So much also for nerve to meet an actually
existing emergency.
Far would it be from rs to recommend even con
template anything calculated to cast stain upon the
fair escucheon of the State We want her to repudate
no obligation, TO dshonor no bond But as individuals
cannot pay money to an alien enemy during war, sc
neither ought State This view of the case was very
properly taken by the Virginia Convention, and tina
body resolved by vote of nearly three to
the payment during the war; of the interest the deb
d of Virginia due to, or held by alien enemies at thu
If North. 1t is strengthening the hands of the enemy
r paying him money based upon investments in the in
If dustry and property OF people whom he is endeavorn
s to ruin, to subjugate, to wipe out" Remember W
b simply desire to suspend this payment To hold tn
money subject to settlement We may yet be SUBJECTED
to losses and spoaons at the hands of the yanda sen
out by Lincoln. II they ruin the property of our Cit
b zens must have redress.
But one OF the arguments urged against it was, tina
of citizens had invested their fortunes in Nor
thern Stocks, and that if this done, they might
IL retaated on. We cannot see that great question
affecting the vital interests of North Carolina and in
Decd the whole Conederacy, ought to be decided wit
reference to the interests of few private individuals
Il whose views led them seek investment for their cap
o in Northern funds rather than to employ it in sus
tanning the credit developing the resources of Mort
Carolina
The truth is, that the Conven ton seemed unable il
Is this in many other things to meet the issue bold
NJ and fairly 1t wanted backing up Individual an
private interest too strong for Confederate patriot
- ism with too many of its MEMBERS and thus their knee
- were weakened and their backbones made feeble.
=. The PETERSBURG Express calls attention to the fo
lowing taken from article published in Webb's Ney
York Courier and Enquirer some twenty-five years age
Then Webb had not quite given in his adhesion to d.
monism. lmpicturing the results of disruption of th
al Federal Union the consequence of the triumph