Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-27
For he standard.

RocxNe9Ax. March is, 1861. :,
W w Holden, Esg,
Ny Dear Sir:-I notice in your paper Of the 18th
instant you have been pleased to class me as
"Disunionist"
You will at least allow me to define my own posi-
ton; and for that purpose, most respectfully ask
the publication of this letter in the columns OF the
Standard
If, by the term "Disunionist" you meant one
who has ever desired, who even noO. desires to
break up the union of the States, either by lawful
or unlawful means, and that without cause; you
have done me (unintentionally l will allow The
grossest kind of political injustice But if by that
term meant las feel confident it was not) one
who has taken his motto, that Southern corlsltH-
tional equality in its broadcast sense must be 1e~
recognised the condition precedent to our rernzID-
ing any longer united, then Disunionist, sDd
would that we had more of them in North-CaroliDa-
When the subject matter of secession" was first
preached in our midst, and that too before the re-
public of South Carolina had "seceded, having
been written to by some friends upon that subject
my views were made public through the columns Of
the Fayetteville Observer and copied into your own
paper at my request.
In the letter referred Co. which you must recolect
(and which is simply alluded to as afording evil
dence that have just cause of complaint | main
tanned the abstract proposition and defended 1t as
such, "that the power granted under the constitu-
ton being derived from the people of the States
may be resumed by them, whatsoever the same
shall be perverted to their injury or oppression"
taking at the same time the position, that did not
think that crisis sufficiently important had then
arisen that demanded any such action on cur part.
In this opinion 1 remained unchanged, until l saw
the miserable abortion resulting in Intellectual
effort the part of the Southern Commissioners in
the border State Convention" to obtain any, even
the smallest recognition of our rights in slave pro-
perty.
Seeing this, and becoming satisfactorily convinced
that the fearful policy of Lincolns administration
had been correctly foreShadowed by tie "peace con-
ference" n0o stand ready to hold those disturbers
of peace, 6uietude and domestic security, our
fathers held the British crown" enemies in war,
in peace, friends"
The correctness of this course gains strength, and
is now impregnably fortified lin our estmation) by
the present condition of the country, superinducing
nay, demanding it The Union is now dissolved,
and that without any the least probability of its
reconstruction, and the only question for North
Carolina to decide is, whether she attaches herself
to her Southern sisters, whether she goes North
in other words, whether she will join Southern
confederacy become lin the classical language of
the day. the tail end" Of middle republic.
As Southern planter and Southern man, we
scorn abhor, and utterly repudiate anything of the
kind. What? Seek security for our rights of Stare
property by joining New York, Pennsylvania, and
other black Republican States? Why, the very
statement of the proposition renders itself simply
ridiculous. We would as soon commit the lambs of
our pasture to hungry, starving, devouring wolves;
for if we have to separate we wish much pos
sible TO avoid the Heaven" of abolitonism for the
truth is we have too much of that of something
equally bad in our oun midst
In the exciting canvass in Richmond through
which we haye just passed, we kept back nothing;
proclaming not only the right of a State to secede
but also declaring that If the seeding States aoouLd
not come back, that then we said of them as good
old Ruth" said to Naomi" "Entreat me not
from following after thee, thy people, shall be my
people, thy God my God whittier thou goest will
60, and where thou diest and art buried, ItoW die
and be buried likewise"
Allow me in conclusion to say for it is due to
yourself and others, that should say that in speak
ing thus freely both of the results of the "peace
conference" as well as of the proposition for q
middle republic that we intend nothing the least
dsrcpectfu either to the two prominent and deserU-
edty prominent commissioners, who gave it (not an
endorsement but rather quasi approval, or to the
highly respectable gentlemen, yourself includedD
who have and now advocate the latter.
We meet, and therefore treat both propositions as
propositions upon their intrinsic merits, having no
alluson to the source of their emanaton. We con-
fesS the high and deserredy high responsibility of
the gentlemen who advocate what we now dissent
to- and believe that they have arrived at their
illusions from the best of motives but with as, an
opinion unaccompaned by reasons sustaining it is
source attach no other importance to it. and the
more so, when 1t relates to subject matter equally
within the grasp Of the most common understanding
Respectfully,
W. F. LEAK.