Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-05-29
TEE NoRTH cARo1INA srAsDARD. wsDaEsnaY Mar -
III. Buchanan. .. Point ii, Ho IS,

Mr. Buchanan. Point Of Honor.
We inserted in our last issue letter from Mr..
Buchanan, - an item Of news, at which We glanced
hastily and clipped from an exchange. On reading
it since we find it expresses sentiments from which
We should have expressed our dissent at the time,
Some people viii Think that lecture from Mr. Buch
anan on point Of honor and duty, to any one,
comes with bad grace; and in this case, is pecu-
liariy supererogatory to say the least But we let
that pass g<
We have high appreciation Of the sanctity and
binding character of any oath or affirmation, in
which Deity is called to witness, and especially SO
when accompanied with legal solemnities. But we
do not conceive that military oath" can be more
binding in honor and duty than the oaths Of others
Certainly not more SO than the oath of a member
OF Congress, or high Junctionary Of the gorern-
ment. The fact that our military men are educated
at the public expense and have taken special oath
Of fealty to the United States does not change the
question whit
We hold that the first, highest allegiance which
any man owes is to God and to the soil upon uhich
he ''as born, or ohere he makes his permanent home
This allegiance, though made without the formaties
OF an oath, has the Divine sanction, is natural, and
in the true sense inalienable He who attempts to-,
ALLEVIATE or violate that allegiance is traitor and
merits the scorn of mankind
But our military meq were not educated at the
expense Of the FEEDER bent, only in the
sense that that 90 almoner or pay.
master in certain cast several States; nor
are they educated as citizens of the United States
but as citizens of each particular State; nor does
their oath of fealty to the United States vtate or
override their citizenship in the State where they
were born or where their home is. If it had been
so understood, no Southern man, if indeed any
Northern man, would ever have been educated at
West Point
There is much silly balderdash employed by ~ri-
tens and speakers, in their rhapsodies about "a
citizen of the United States" This expression,
when used correctly, is used wholly in contradis-
tinction to "a citizen of England, of France" or
any foreign government. No soldier, or citizen, or
even sailor who lives in North. Carolina, when tenn
porarnly in New York, or any other State, ever
thinks Of calling himself "a citizen of the United
States" but he proudly says, ~ am citizen of
North Carolina"
Besides, the obligations assumed in taking any
oath, are modified and determined by the know
ledge and clearly perceived duties involved, at the
time of making it. Human governments are neces-
sarily changeable and transitory. Will any man
affirm, that an oath taken to support particular
kind OF government, to be administered in partic-
uar way, is binding, after the administration be-
comes vitiated and perverted and the genius intent
and purpose of the government changed, if not
wholly destroyed? We think not
Many citizens of the South honestly felt that their
allegiance to the United States government was en-
tirely cancelled when after sundry unconstitutional
acts had been passed by the Northern States, and
the temper Of the North had assumed hostile at
titude to the South, they departed wholly from the
spirit and temper Of the Constitution and the Union
BY inauguratng sectional party, with the purpose
OF making the government hitherto national, at
least in name, purely sectional
Such was our devotion to the Constitution and
the Union, which had conferred such incalculable
true Constitutional Union men of this State and the
South, chung to the old ship, though driven ruth.
lessly mid rocks and quicksands fondly hoping she
might weather the storm and be moored safely into
port. But when Abraham Lincoln flung away all
legal and constitutional restraint, and assumed the
prerogatives of despot, sent forth his proclama-
ton, making an iniquitous cruel and aggressive war
upon the South We could hesitate no longer We
felt that the last shred Of allegiance to the Uni
ted States was broken, and that henceforth and for
ever our only allegiance to our dear old CON-
monweath and the South THY people shall be
my people, thy God shall be my God where thou
dest will die, and there will be buried"