Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-04-02
The IIsdsll Espls,.-rhs easssrnn.s.ls .l

4 ?
duty to reply to- recent article in the Irede Er-
|, Pres on the subject -. - : -sf-s So
0nr friend of the Express asks szsyFi O.
| What does the Standard mean by charging Co..
Johnston with being partizan THAT he is . par
T ttzaR Wing on partzan Demoerat-Mhieh? The
! STANDARD should define it's meaning and not make
charge latitudinarian, and calculated if not de-
| signed, to Inislead," s,1Ss.f .aa.A-l o..
! We willtell the Express what We mean In No
yember 1860 the people Of. this State were divided
into two pardes--one party seeking to destroy and
the other seeking to preserve the old Union These
two parties We're composed of those who had for
merly belonged tothe old Wing and old Democratic
parties Prior to this the old Ybig party had ceased
to exist asan organization; and at this time, to w.t.
IN November, 1860, the old Democratic party also
ceased to exist as an organization. In February,
lS6E vast majority of our people decided against
dtssolvlpg the Union until some overt act should
have been committed against the Southern States;
but the minority dissatisfied with the decision
and continued to agitete for disuniOn and, as the
result mas shown, for bloody war; In March,
1861 convention meeting of original secession
ists composed of old Wings and old Democrats, was
held in Goldsborough,-a new party was formed
as the proceedings show, called the States Rights
party; and twas resolved by thatmeeting that the
State should be taken out of the Union by revou-
tionary movement, to be consummated at Charlotte
on the Goth day of May. But South. Carolina fired
on Fort Sumter in April and Mr.. Lincoln then drew
the sword on the cotton States. The result was
the people of this State determined resist cosr
cion, and Convention was called The Hon. Wei
| don N. Edwards, who had presided over the meet
! ing at Goldsborough, at which the new party was
formed, was elected President of the Convention
over the Hon. William A. Graham; and Mr. John
ston, of Mecklcnburg, rOted for Nr. Eapards, thus
! abandoning the Wings with whom he had acted and
identifying himself with the States Rights or original
secession party. We do not know whether Mr.
Johnston attended the meeting at Goldsborough or
not; bu: he no doubt approved its proceedings and
as we have seen, he identified himself with the par
ty formed there by voting for the head of this party
and against that able conservative, and patriotic
statesman, William A. Graham
/ Our friend of the Express will perceive from the
| above what we mean when we speak OF Mr. John
ston as partizan. But his partzan course did not
stop here. He no doubt voted for Mr. Gauges or.
dinance of secession, which was adopted uy party
vote, in preference to that offered by Mr. Badger
He was appointed Commissary General by the Mill
tary Board, which was VIGOROUSLY partizan body;
| and he held this office and at the same time his
seat in the Convention, for weeks voting all the
time, If our recollection serves correctly with
the socaed States Rights party. He received at
the same time three dollars per day as a member of
the Convention, and two thousand five hundred and
| twenty dollars per annum as Commissary General
| While holding this latter office, an ordinance vas
! introduced and passed to raise seven regiments TO
defend the sea coast. This ordinance was vehe-
mently opposed by the Military Board, and by the
! great body of those with whom Mr. Johnston acted
and the result was, that though Mr.. Johnston was
member of the Convention, he JtiLed to rote on
this ordinance. The inference is that he felt the
propricty and justice of the measure, and was in
cned to vote for it, but did not vote at all out of
difference to his associates in the State government
who were so vehementy opposed to it This same
ordinance was afterwards re-consdercd and repeal
ed by the votes of Mr.. Johnstons party friends
the sea coast was left exposed, blunder succeeded
blunder neglect succeeded neglect, and Hatteras
/! fell opening sounds and rivers to the enemy
and paving the way for the loss of Roanoke Island
, and Newbern. But our friend of the Express de-
mics that Mr.. Johnston is responsible for the bad
management Of the war by the State authorities"
and insists that he had "no part lot with the fac
ton" to which we have alluded The very reverse
| is the fact Mr.. Johnston was one Of the acting
voting leaders at the time when Hatteras was lost
lie an appointee of the Military Board, a men,
Der of the administration, and of its defenders
and apologsts. He was as thoroughly identified
with this socaed States Rights party in all it did
1olto IL,
was with the old Wing party.
The Express assumes that Mr.. Johnston IS a Wing
because he voted for Mr. Pool for Governor, aud
that we are Democrat because we voted for Gov.
Ellis. But old parties and old party tests have pass
ed away. All that remains of Democracy is this:
Tie right Of the people to rule We still hold this
right and in this agree with the Jackson Demo
Gratis and Henry Gay Wings. We were true to the
Democratic party as long as it existed. But bad
| men destroyed it, and war was the result We
then went to work wth men of all parties, to save
from the wreck all that could be saved and to aid
in conducting the revolution proper principles to
/ successful issue We are Conservative, but we
are opposed to party in the midst of war. The So
called States Rights party, to which Mr.. Johnston
1 belongs, has prescribed both at Raleigh and Rich
mona every IeanihS auFocale OIL the Union up 10
! the proclamation in April last; and it is answer
to this charge to state that and then this party
has conferred small offices on the late Union Een
This exception only proves the rule. No man has
right to Office, but the people have right to have
the best men in Office; and if the best men, and
not'party men, were always appointed, it would not
turn out as it has that all the important offices
in the hands of one party. .E-F
We have already given the Express the reason
why we mentioned the name of Mr. Meares for Gov
ernor, in preference to Mr.. Johnston. We did this
not by way OF taking ground for Mr.. Meares but to
1 show that Mr. Meares, though secession Whig