Weekly standard., 1862-03-19


poraries are putting themselves as, eminently tree
from party spirit in that they express favorable opin-
ions of officials candidates who differed with them
in politics in the days Of Wing and Democrat They
60 little too far back. We know Of no partisan
feeling between Wings and Democrats. Those party
lines were wiped out by the formation of new and
more hostile parties, and we do not discover any
great magnanmty in the fact that one Of the official
party in this State may endorse as fit for Office
another Of the same party, though in the days OF
Whig and Democrat they differed. Fayetteville
Observer. -" 81. 80 ia
b. The truth is, there would have been no party
lines in this State after the proclamation of Lincoln
in April last but for those who preferred to dis
solve the Union. They have caused and kept up
party divisions from that day to this; and now they
come forward, assuming to be noparty men, and
cooly ask the people of the State to unite on
didate for Governor, who, though once Whig has
been for more than year an ultra and bitter part
zan secessionist We refer to William Johnston,
Esq, of Mecklenburg. And this they call COM
promise They deprecate party feeling in one BREATH
and take the surest steps to promote it in the next
They fear discussion before the people, and hence
they propose that candidates for Governor shall re-
main at home
We have said that Mr.. Johnston is partizan.-
He is. He showed it in the Convention by his votes
and as Commissary General he showed it BY his
acts. He belongs to that order of public men who
regard the old Unonists as objects of suspicion or
at least not up to the crisis, they term it. We
cannot support Mr. Johnston for Governor; and we
warn the people Of the State against the effort now
on foot to continue in power the faction which al
ways thinks Of itself before it does of the country,
and which, by its selfsuficiency and ineficiency,
lost US Hatteras and Roanoke Island, and now mis-
manages our affairs and crpples us in our struggle
with the North. We warn the people, too, against
those who would stiAe freedom of thought and pre-
vent discussion of public measures Let public men
address the people heretofore, and let the people
hear. We are all concerned as to the manner in
which the war should be waged, and as to the best
means of obtaining our independence and an hon
orable peace. Public men are but the servants of
the people, and it not only proper but it is
essary that they should minge freely with the peo-
pie, in order to ascertain their will.
If those who are pressing Mr.. Johnston for Gov
ernor are really disposed to ignore party in this
crisis, why is it that they tender one Of their
partizans for that Office and make no mention of a
willingness to support such men as Graham, Brown,
Dick, Gilmer, Barnes Pool, Settle, Mebane, Reade,
and Vance9 Why do they present the name o.
Mr.. Johnston, and overlook that of Mr.. Meares p
The latter was an old line Whig, and was quite as
early in the secession movement as Mr.. Johnston.
Besides, he is a much ablcr man than the latter,
whose attainments and qualifications for the Office
at best but ordinary, and who has no particular
claim that We know Of OH the confidence and suf:
frages of our people. Wewill tell you good reader.
Mr.. Meares is an independent man, and says what
he thinks Of public men and measures.
| We think it time that the people were assembling
in the Captains Districts and at the County seats,
to express their opinions in relation to public affairs
and to nominate candidate for Governor Let
them meet and speak out boldly against present
mismanagemcnt, and take steps by peaceful means,
at the ballotbox, to change their rulers. We want
no caucuses and conventions and we want no die
tation by designing politicians. Let the people
meet and designate their choice for Governor; and
if differences of opinion exist in regard to the man
to be nominated let them settle these differences by
fair vote by ballot, and let the voice of the ma.
jority be announced. We tell the people that no,0,
if ever they must take their affairs into their own
hands and vindicatc their capacity to govern them
selves