Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-07-23
WHOLE NUMBER 1926.
Mr.. BADGERS Letter.

> H~'s ASduSeTS Lettefs
!, aase ,ne pleasure Of laying before our read
'oas' tne letter written about the LIST of June
49, " .ne non George E. Badger, of this City,
~ "i' Hly' OF New York, and which was transmit.
eu through Mr. Stanly at Newbern, and read bv
MIN. We are authorized to say that Mr. R.da.,
mas consented to publish the letter at the ot
friend, in whose attachment to himself and in Tho
soundness of whose judgment he has every conf.
aence-especlally as this request was accompanied
oy suggestion on the subject which had not occur
req 10 Mr. Badger before, but which was decisive
Win MIN In forming his purpose to give the letter
to the public:-
MK. ELY In your letter to Mr. Stanly. YOU pro-
posed to him the office of chershine the fseiinr of
Union'sm in North Carolina, and as that letter
came to my hands in an unsealed envelope. directed
to my wife, take the liberty of setting YOU RIGHT
upon a iact and showing you what hopeless task
you have suggested to Mr.. Stanly.
There is in North Carolina no Union feel;no 90
you suppose and as is probably supposed by the
generality of Northern men, There soas in this
State very strong Union feeing-a strong love for
the Union established by our forefathers-which in
duced the people, by very large and overwhelming
majority to vote down the purpose of seeding from
the Union on account of Mr.. Lincoln's election:
and this was represented by immediate secessionists
here as proving that the Union men here were base
suomlssionlsts, ready to submit to any injury or in
sun ratner tnan resist wrong, and stand in defence
Of our rights and honor. But as soon as Mr. lin.
coins proclamation of April 1861, appeared, offer
ing us the alternative of joining in an armed nva-
sion OF our Southern sister States for their subupa
ton, under the pretence of executing the laws. or
resistance to the authorities of the United States.
our position was taken without moments hesita.
ton. Convention was promptly called and in
stantly, and without dissenting voice, that Con-
Vention resolved to take our side with the already
seeded States and share their fate for good or evil
From that moment, however We NAV have differed
IN other things in this there has not been, and there
IS not any difference. 1t would, perhaps. be too
much to say, # l were to affirm that there was. on
TINS subject, an absolute unanmity; but there was
such an overwhelming predominance of tublic sem
tlment, as to amount to what is called moral una
nlmlty-hence the people, with one heart sprung to
arms; Union men, that is, those who previously
had been Union men, not only among the first but
truth and justice require me to say-the rery first
Hence the people have nearly sixty regiments. not
Skeletons Tut full regiments; and among them all
there is not one conscript or drafted man. Hence
we have freely taxed ourselves and have used our
credit IN making large loans to sustain the war and
the spirit which has produced this has never tagged
and is now as high and active as at first.
Mr. Ely. think moment, We have been in
vaded by an enemy as unrelenting and ferocious as
the hordes under Attila and Alaric who overrun
the Roman Empire. He comes to rob us, to mur-
der our people, to insult our women, to emancipate
our slaves; and is now preparing to add new ele-
ment to this most atrocious aggression. and involve
US in the direful horrors of servi,e war; He pro.
poses nothing less than entire destruction the
total desolation of our country, universal emancpa
tlon; not from love of the slaves, but from hatred
to us-"to crush us ito "wipe out the South -
to involve us in irremedable misery and hansless
ruin.
Now, Mr.. Ely, if your own State of New York
were SO invaded and so threatened what would be
your feelings and purposes? From these you NAV
Judge of ours We look with horror at the thought
OF being again united in any political connexon
with the North. We would rather, far, that our
State should be Colony of England, or France or
Sardinia. The North may be able though We be.
leVe 1t no to conquer u.s. and even to keep us con.
quered; and if it should be the wise and good pur-
pose of Almighty God that this should happen, we
Shall endeavor to suffer with patience whatever evils
may 6e'a u.s. Buta voluntary return to any union with
the North, this we cannot will not accent uDon anv
terms; revival of Union sentiments-this is a
mere impossibility. 1 think, therefore, Mr. EIy,
you would do well to advise Mr. Stanly to abandon
his enterprise. He Gouernor of North. Carolina
Governor deriving his authority from the COM
mSS'o" vi MI. LiIcoin! Inc very Title IS an insult
to US. Whence does Mr.. Lincoln derive his power
to appoint Governor of this State? The very ap-
point.nent is an assumption of the rights of con-
queror over us. But We are not yet conquered.
And do you think Mr.. Stanly's coming here in such
character, supported by Northern bayonets, is
mode to commend himself to our favor, to breathe
in us the gentle sentiments of amty and peace to-
wards him or those who sent him here7 Mr.. Ely,
as you have opened correspondence with Mr..
better ms I
believe after reading what have written, say this
to him.
II he wishes the honored name of Stanly to be-
come by.word and reproacb, and to be spoken
with scorn and hatred by North Carolinians hence
forth and forever let him prosecute his present mis-
sion. If he does not wish this-let him return
whence he came, and leave to fight out this con-
test as best we may, without his Interference
GEORGE E. BADGER