Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-08-20
Col. Vance, the Governor Elect,

AAAAA1 SaN SohSN AOk Spo6Cu. 1uVukA iou6o> ~
by travel and not in as robust health usual "
ing to the hardships of camp service he neverth e.
less responded in his best manner, and for some
twenty minutes entertained his audience with II ),
marks which elected the most enthusiastic approve
and applause.
He thanked his fellow citizens for the compliment
implied in their call upon him. We had just passed
through somewhat excited election The people
had taken their own affairs into their own hands,
and for him, which for magnitude was like the del
uge when compared with all subsequent risings and
overlowings of the waters. There had been fee
BILE attempt to create and array parties in the midst
of war, but the people would have none of it, and
had so declared by their votes. The street corner
politicians, and the politicians who had mounted
stumps and pine logs and harangued the people and
urged them to go with them, had been quietly and
firmly told that they would do no such thing-that
they were determined to do their own voting even
in times like the present. and by their verdict
at the ballot box, they had acted for themselves,
not for party and had told these politicians to take
their seats for WHILE at least at the lower end of
the table.
Many hard, and some unjust things had been said
of him during the campaign 1t had been said that
he was not in the fight at Newborn or Malvern Hill.
He had been of the opinion that he was IN those
fights; but he confessed that, in this respect he
was very much in the frame of mind of one of Mr..
McDufies clients who had been arraigned on CAPT.
tai charge. That great advocate made speech in
defence Of his client which drew tears from the
Court the Jury, the audience, the women, children
and all; and the result was he was acquitted After
he had paid Mr.. McDutfie his fee, which was good
one, of course the latter said to him, calling him
by his name-"You are certainly guilty of that
crime" Mot bit of it" responded his client
81 thought was guilty before you made that
speech, but l an certain now that l am not" 1
thought said Col. Vance, that was in both of those
fights; but after the efforts made to prove that
was not, am willing to admit that was not there
though, said he, do retain an indstinct recol-
lection of the bullets that whstled around my ears.
There was one thing however, which he felt sure
his opponents would admit and that was, that he
in the for Governor. The illustration, and
| the good humored manner in which he referred to
this charge, produced roars Of laughter
But seriously, said COL Vance, we must forget,
if possible, the character of the late political cam
pagn, and the unfounded charges with which his
friends and himself had been assailed. He wanted
the people to feel he felt that the first the great
the absorbing purpose now should DC to beat back
our invaders and establish the independence Of this
glorious Confederation of States. He desired to
forget even that it had been charged that he and
those with whom he acted were for a return to the
old Union. Such charge struck him as monstrous.
Was it for this that North Carolina soemnly dis
solved her connection with that government? Was
it for this that she had organized nearly sixty reg
ments, and had poured out her treasure and the
blood of her sons like water on every battle field
from that of great Bethel to the browning victories
below Richmond? Was it for this that our people were
submitting cheerfnlly to all kinds of privatons al
home, while our brave boys were daring disease
and wounds, and captivity, and death in the face
the enemy? Was it for this that our women anc
children had contributed of their household goods
the work of their delicate fngers-uncounted stores
of provisions for troops, encouraging those WHIT
were already in the field, and bidding others so t.
their aid WAS it for this that many Of these wo
men and children on hundreds and hundreds 0
farms, were toiling day by day in the burning sun
with bare feet, following the plough, handling tn
hoe and the axe that they might produce and gathe
the harvests for sustenance while their husbands
and fathers and sons and brothers were engaged i
i the fight? No. said he, gentlemen, our people ar
t properly and terribly in earnest Their eyes al
fixed on the goal of independence, and they will reac
it. happen what may and want you and want a.
the people of the State to aid with all their enc
: gies, all their means, and all their confidence
this mighty struggle, until the Confederate State
u shall stand proudly among the nations free and il
l. dependent. He would not characterize the chare
q made against his friends and himself Of being r
constructionists. The people, at the polls had dor
. that. The people had been unit from the fir
, in their resistance to the Northern government ar
- in their determination to establish their indepe
g dence They were unit now. He forgaVe tho
who had thus assaed him. as he hoped his frien
would: and he would forget it, if he could
4. hoped God would forgive them for such charg
brought on such insufficient grounds, against the
~ own fellow citizens for party purposes. For
- mart he was determined to know no party duril
~ this war; He should think only OF the best mea
II to establish our independence, and in this gre
&c work he asked and expected the cooperation al
tn support of ALL
~. Col. Vance then referred to the number Of troo
70 furnished for the war by North-Carolina, and
y. manner in which those troops had conducted the
selves in the service. He knew that our peol
~ were as determined as they were modest in tn
II character, and always IN earnest in what they
ot dertook; but he was not prepared for that brl'
w. dash in their nature which they had exhibited
- the battlefield. He had looked for steady, unyie
ing courage; but they had shown themselves ame
the foremost, if not the very foremost In the use
to the bayonet A Yankee prisoner, who was evide
1t " close observer, had said to one of our sodi'
"You North. Carolinians have less sense and
ND powder than any soldiers ever saw" why
of you say that?" responded the soldier. "Becaus
ia tho vonLaa uwheneyer we saw North u: