Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-08-17

! adversely to our interests.
We ali know the fact that the whole civilized
world cntertans erroneous opinions in regard to the
state of society in the slaveholdng States of Ameri-
ca and we may expect that the agents and emlssa-
res of our adversary will not be slow to avail them
selves of their opportunities to increase and confirm
these prejudiceS
| By means of their newspapers, books and COM
merce their thoughts circulate through the nations,
while the Southern mind and heart are, 10 great
extent cut off from the opportunity of giving them
selves utterance abroad and We must therefore,
expect that the erroneous and injurious opinions
formed of us while VIC were part OF the united
States will be recti6ed only 10y the actual and close
inspection Of those who need the productions oil our
SOIL
The nations to whom these productions are par
amount necessity are now compelled to examine
for themselves the foundations OF our natlona
strength for if they satisfied that we cannot be
speedily reduced to subsection to the United states
they will be forced by the exigencies OF their post
ton, to open commercial intercourse win us as ah
independent power
Their eyes are therefore, intently fixed on all
our movements; and it cannot be doubted that they
will Judge of our seltsustanng ability by that moral
courage which triumphs over present difficulties by
! graSplng with tenacious hold the hopes Vi 'he
! future.
They are doing now what we have long asked the
civilized world to do they are examining for them
selves the state of our civilization and endeavoring
thus to form Just conclusion as TO what Is TO be
| our future destiny.
Their present interests demand that they should
| pursue such course; and we may, therefore, be
| assured that every movement here which indicates
| confidence or the want of confidence in our own
| resources which is calculated to derange the
machinery OF society to aud to its strength, mar
| mony and compactness is fraught with the most
tremendous consequences TO and to our poSterIty
The institutions of no people have ever been more
miSrepresented; and no people ever had more
glorious opportunity of acting out their true char
| acter before the fixed and interested gaze OF all
| mankind.
In view of these facts we would appeal to the
people of this great State by every consideration
which can address itself to their Christian sentiment
to their PATRIOTISM and to .heir manhood to rise to
the dignity os the trying but grand emergency in
which they placed; and under the blessing oil
Divine Providence, to act with that foresight, firm
ness and heroSm which will dissipate forever the
sanderouS impressions to the moral character OF
| ve-hoding society, and which will render Illus
tous for all time the history of the present. and fix
on solid and enduring foundations the security, pros
| perity AMI happiness of the future.
We would remind them that in every hard and
protracted struggle it is moral courage that always
conquerS and that the victories won the battle
| field by the endurance and valor of our heroic
troops, will be comparatively barren if we suffer
society to become dsorganized, our institutions of
benetcencc to anguish and perish, and the light OF
religion and virtue which now irradates our homes
! and Saactifies our hcarthS, to be extnguiShed.
! And in this connection we would call attention
| to the example of our fathers in time which tried
the souls of men, and call upon the men of this gen
Grafton to up to this standard of the patriots
! and heroes Of &c.
The Constitution of the State of North Carolina
was formed at Halifax, in the year 1776, and soon
after the Declaration of Independence had been
adopted by the Continental Congress.
The people of the Colonies which united in that
! Declaration, were fewer in numbers and poorer IN
resources than the people Of the Confederate States
| of America; they had just entered upon contest
for independent national existence with the brareSt
| and most powerful nation on earth, the armies of
this power were on their SOIL and their armed and
treacherous adherents scattered through every
! community.
Our own colony, then assuming the dignity Of a
free and independent State, was without commerce,
manufactures, money credit; its population was
comparatively small and scattered, much of its ter
rtory unsettled, and the difficulties of ntercommu-
nication great and iorbiddng.
The statesmen who just as the thickest gloom Of
this crisis had settled on the country, met at Hall
fax to lay the foundations of great commonwealth,
adopted as part of its fundamental law, the follow
ing clause: That q school or schools shall be e.
tdJlished by the legislature for tie cOsrenient in
sructiOn Of youth, 'oith such salaries to the masters
paid by tile public, may enable them TO instruct
at loo prices and all AsetmI learainJs tdu be dRty
encouraged jy more Universities - CORsti-
! tuition Of North Carolina. section Al.
This illuStrious action, the first movement of the
kind on the continent, was worthy of the men who
were, also, first to utter their voice in favor of in
| dependence; and now, while surrounded
! with the glorious fruits Of religion, knowledge and
| freedom, powerful in numbers and in strength and
cOmpactneSS OF society," great in resources yet un0e
veloped, but now within reach, rich III works Of
! internal improvement, in agricultural staples, and
! pecunIary means, blessed with vast, prosperous
! and growing system of moral and educational agen-
ces, united among ourselves, and confederate with
people more numerous than they who carried on
the war Of the first revolution, producing nearly all
of the staple most important to the manufactures of
| the world Astounding in every other national
source, and as brave and enthusiastic any the
sun ever shOne upon, shall we be frightened from
our propriety by the pompous threats of our infe
rior and mercenary foe and be driven to those acts
! OF desperation which will but feed his vanity, or
stimulate his malignant hopes?
! Shall we, for one moment 1--WE countenance to
the charges sanderousy preferred against the slave
holding States of America of being inferior in NOR
al and intellectual resources and necessarily DEEPEN
dent on other communities for teachers for schools,
for literature for thought for mental and religious
light? Shall we permit the fear of those who nso-
| lently assume to be our masters, and whom we
would not have for fellow citizens, to parayze
all the moral and intellectual agencies of this great
and heroic people, and shut them up in the gloom
and descation of utter darkness2 Shall allow
it to be said that the blockade of ports but
type Of the stagnation in the inner life of the
! Southern mind and heart as as it was cut of
| from the moral resources of other nations? Shall
we so act in this time suited to test our inherent
strength and vitality as to permit our enemy, grown
and arrogant from our former apparent dependence,
to charge that institutions were sckly for want
of depth of SOIL and soon as the sun OF trial was
| up, they were scorched and withered away?
! Shall at the bepinninp of Onr new history
undo the very acts which have constituted the most
honorable boast of the past
Shall We permit the impartial judgment of future
ages to make unfavorabe comparisons between the
| men of the first and of the second revolution?
If fellow citizens We speak plainly in this mat