Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-08-06
William Johnston. Esn.

William Johnston, Esq.
Mr.. Johnston, you are candidate for Governor.
You we're not brought forward by the people, but
by office holders and oficeseekers. You were re-.
commended for the Office in but two public meet.
ings-o zone held in. your own town, which you at.
tended and the other in CASTOR County, where you.
have worthy and influential brother. You have
electioneercd for the place. and you have expended
your money freely to influence the election You
have been closeted in Raleigh with your oice-hod.
ing friends, and with he nominal Editors of the
State Journal who arc persons of bad character,
devising means to injure your opponent and to ad-
vance your own election. You have canvassed the
army in person, and you have electioneered with
the conscripts on your own Railroad. Wesay these
things in no spirit of denunciation or abuse, but
for the information of the public, and to show tho
character Of the victory which Col. Vance will
achieve over your But you have done more than
this, Mr.. Johnston. You have stood BY in silence.
and permitted your friends and your organs to assa
and vlfy your opponent who is a brave soldier,
and that too, while he was hazarding his life for
your rights and liberties. No personal attacks have
been made on you. You have been duly credited
by the friends of Col. Vance with all the talents
and all the personal virtues you possess. This fact
of ITSELF should have moved you to request your
friends and your organs, whatever else they might
do, not to assai! COL Vance personally, and not to
charge, they have done, that he and his support
ers are untrue to the South. But you have been
silent You have taken the benefit of these charges
against your opponent and his friends and, to that
extent you are responsible for these charges. The
platform on which your friends have placed you in
this contes: has been this: Your success was be
achieved on the ground that large portion of our
people are traitors. Why do we say this? Because
Jour people have been told and the North has been
told by your friends, that Col. Vance and his sup
porters in favor of reconstruction of the Union.
This is either true or false Mr.. Johnston. If true,
you ought to be elected; if false, Col Vance ought
to be elected. But what if Col. Vance should be
elected, as he will be, and Mr. Lincoln, and Mr..
Stanly, and Gen. Burnside should believe these
charges against COL Vance and his supporters
what then? Have you thought Of that Mr.. john
ston? We know that you wanted war long before
the people of the State did, though you have been
careful not to engage in the war yourself in person;
but how awful will be the responsibility you will
incur, if it should turn out that the charges made
by your friends and countenanced by you on the
Conservatives of the State shouI deceive our enc
mics and induce them to prolong the sonr! If new
fields should run with blood, will your friends be
able-will you be able to say, before God and with
your hands on your hearts, that this blood should
not be laid at your doors? Think of this, Mr..
Johnston After what has taken place, and in full
view of Col. vance's election, we can sec but one
course by which you can rid yourself of this re-
sponsblity; and that is to retire from the contest
and vote for your competitor, or, after he is elected
to publish letter or deliver a speech expressing
your full confidence in his integrity and PATRIOTISM
and assuring the public foe, we'll as the country
that there is foundation for the charge that Col
! Vance and his friends are untrue to the South
| You can do this, Mr.. Johnston, for you kqoor, in
your heart that the Conservatives of this State
as true to the Confederate States and as true the
| cause as any among u.s. We suggest this, not be-
cause Col. Vance and his friends need any such
vndication. They arc satisfied with sense of their
own integrity, and the people satisfied that they
are true and loyal; but we make the suggestion, in
order that the public foe may not be stimulated and
encouraged by the course which your friends with
your implied sanction, have pursued.
You will be defeated, Mr.. Johnston, BY at least
twenty five thousand majority. The VERDICT OF THE
ARMY Is AGAINST You. The heroes of those conflicts
in Virginia, which have shed such imperishable
lustre on our arms, have already pronounced
against you. Those noble voices, which at Great
Bethel, and Manassas, and Williamsburg, and tho
Seven Pines, and on the Chickahominy, and at Nal,
vern Hill. united in swelling the thunder tones Of
battle and Of triumph, the enemy fed in dislnay
before them, have been uttered by large majorites
, in favor of your competitor, and against you
Think you THU these men are traitors :? Are they
/ in favor of reconstruction of the Union? Why,
the very idea is monstrous No, Mr.. Johnston,
they have calmly and quietly, at distance from
the scene Of party strife, weighed your claims and
the claims Of hour competitor in the scales of their
own judgnenA and the result is before you
They are not shly for prosecuting the war, but for
fighting the war, and they have voted accordingly.
The falsehoods and SANDERS circulated by your
friends against Col. Vance and his friends, have
served only to swell their vote for their brother
soldier: The people at home will vote next Thurs
day, Mr.. Johnston They will give twothirds of
their votes to your competitor.
1t would not be generous, Mr.. Johnston, to exult
over you in the defeat you will certainly encounter.
But We do exult and We wiU exut over the blast
! ing condemnation which the soldiers and the people
are pronouncng, and will pronounce on your par
titan supporters. Many Of your supporters are no
doubt honest and well.intentioned. These should
be treated with consideration and respect fellow
citizens, embarked with US in the same great cause,
and differing only as to the best means to uphold
that cause but for those creatures who have basked
in your smiles and pocketed your money, as the
price Of their vile ISLANDERS against COL Vance and
his friends, we can have nothing and the people
and the soldiers have nothing but unmixed aver