Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-02-07
Meeting Last Night.

Pursuant to notice Union Meeting " was held
last night in the Theatre. O. G.. Parsley, Esq, was
called to the Chair and Mr. Larkns appointed Secreta
ry. The meeting was well attended by secessionists as
well as Union men. There was also goodly array
Of ladies in the dress circle.
In opening the meeting MIR. Parsley remarked that
he attributed whatever of Success had attended his efforts
in life much to his hopeful disposition to anything
else He had always refused to believe in failure or
yield to despair. He would not yet abandon the hope
that the Union could be saved-he would not despair
of the Republic.
james G. Burr, Esq, responded to a call made upon
him in brief address avowipg himself now always,
in favor OF the Unon-unwing to disrupt it for exist
ing causes AS native born citizen of North Carolina
he believed he had her honor and her interests much
at heart as any man. but he believed that those interests
could be best secured and promoted in the Union and
under the flag Of the United States to which he grace
fully referred closing with the peroraton of Webster's
celebrated speech in reply to Hayne
DIR. f.. A Anderson then presented some resolutions
which had been prepared for the action of the meeting
but from difficulty apparently in making out the
the writing, the reading was not sufficiently audible
where we were to enable to give the substance
copy will doubtless be furnished by the Secretary.
upon John A. Baker, ESQ, who responded at some
length going into general discussion OF the issues con-
nected with the questions of Union or Secession"
taking of course, the Union side Of the argument
contending against the right of Secession denying that
such right had ever been conceded by any confedera
ted government or that the recognition exercise of
any such right was contemplated by the trainers OF the
present Constitution of the United States He drew
fho bi0h
attach to the flag of the Conederacyto the security it
gives at home and the protection it affords abroad,
which he himself he'd felt He thought that yet,
after six States with twelve Senators, had gone out
Lincoln could still be rendered incapable of harm by the
negative of the Senate upon his appointments How
be figured this out could not see We are not aware
that it requires twohirds to confirm nomination, al
though it does to ratfy treaty But even suppose it
did, we will find nineteen Northern States for Kansas
will be in the next Senate, opposed to nine Southern
States; thirty-eght Northern Senators opposed to
eighteen Southern Senator'S How long before even
that proportion is still further disturbed by the secession
of Arkansas and Texas ?
Mr. Baker hoped much from the conference to be held
at Washington City Monday next at the suggestion
of Virginia. He hoped that might effect much. He
also trusted much to the conservative men of the North
and alluded terms of glorious euogy to Senator Doug
las, MIR. Crtterden and Others Abraham Lincoln was
not President yet nor was his election even officially
announced. 1t would, therefore, be mantesty improp
er and unbecomiDg for him to say anything in advance.
Mr.. Baker gave to the advocates of secession credit
for patriotism and good mOtvesthat is to the most OF
them-the Yanceys and such others he felt were not
entitled to that credit He did not what we were to
gain by secession-how we could carry trade-how
foreign nations could treat flag, especially in view OF
the existing treaties such nations have with the
government at Washington We would suggest to Mr..
Baker that in recent times the political map of southern
Europe has changed almost rapidly as the figures in
kaleidoscope and that through all these changes the
great powers of western Europe have found difficulty
and evnced hesitation in recognising all de tato
governments.
Mr. Baker went for the L" CentralRepublic" notion
which, we think has few advocates here even among
those who otherwise agree with him in opinion.
When Mr. Baker had concluded the audience gene
rally arose to CO. but stopped while Mr. Parsley put the
question upon the resolutions which not heard in
our part of the building but usual in such cases.
they were passed unanimously those opposed not voting
as feeling themselves simply spectators and not partic
pants The remarks of all the speakers respectful
towards those differing from them, and if they failed tc
show any real CLEAN Of hope for the simple reason that
as yet there is such CLEAN to be shown, they certain
y did nothing to exasperate feeling render future
combined action difficult or impossible.
We have tried to give fair and courteous statement
of this meeting, because publishing newspaper WE
wish to give items of and interest," andfurther be-
cause although differing in opinion we have no other
feelings than those of personal kindness and respect fol
all the speakers and participants We expect to FIND
them all acting with shortly. Of course we could
not, in space pretend to give more than sketcby
outline of Mr.. Bakers address.