Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-02-19
HAVE WE A REVOLUTION Au,,N" ,I a,

. , For The Standard.
HAVE WE A REVOLUTION AMONG USa
That is. are we OF the South as nation &C.
revolution. or are We engaged in a fore;an
Let 1t not be thought that this is trivial 60:
1t IS one OF the last Importance. IL We arc IN
revolution, we must make up our minds n $3.50 ~
and endure with as much equanimity as nosl;tSs
certain disagreeable things which ougbl M, TO- ts
tolerated otner~ise. revolution implies Certain
necessary approximation to anarchy disturbance
OF social order. partial Suspension. or at
imperfect execution of law. A certain on,o, a', an
lrreguiarity and occasional violence and Tr~oh VI
may nnd IN these circumstances Some sxc,,.a "
not Justification What are then the f,cts 49,
snow us to be in such condtionp Wh., .nna.:
luton. or what branch or function of poyerurn
state or Confederate, has been overtnpn.d "en1
Pehoed, or is IN state of non.acnop3 Wha, s ~"
Eie eo"o'tioh or symptom OF revolution ex;stc =.
becomes those VINO are in favor Of s,spendino ~
'"'e'ler'he win the regular action of government
pse"tig us powers or procedures bv
any extraordinary and revolutionary exned;anto
any oil Its departments, legislative iul;, i'll ~, ~
utlve, or OF allowing either of these to
the operations Of the others, in anv nnnsnaI WIN
constitutional manner-it belongs to srch to ons,"-
these questons How is it that in many rec.n, ~
staaces, assaults have been committed the ,iho,,,
ana rights OF the citizen infringed without nrocas,
OF law, and the disgrace of Imprisonment in c0,'
mon jail and other indignlies inflicted without nront
OF guilt, or shadow of trial or benefit of habeos ~.
P"s; ana these things are done in day light and
III piaceS remote from the dangers of invasion and
YET the people, who are generally jealous of their
iiSn's, anu suSl lcous of any invasion of personal
liberty, see these outrages repeated with the moSt
complete unconcern Do they forget that this 10
the quarter from which tyranny arises and tho
o'Eest forms OF despotism. And the press, which
is considered sort of palladium of public liberty
has IL NOT IN recent and notorious instances lent ito
voice TO the mob, and its Influence to ab,t ou,rape
and violence, by denouncing the officers Of the law
when IN the regular discharge of their sacred and
nigh duty of seeing the law faithfully executed and
the neaiIest citizen protected in his Just rights It
mas even gone the length Of threatening and coun
selling popular resistance to the sentence of the
court Is 1t pretended that the law is deficient.
anu ''ust ne supplemented IN this irregular and
dangerous manner. That would be lame excuse
But they have not that Is it not evident that
II we are not in a revolution, we shall soon be- if
these things are allowed to go on unchecked. OF
course, as the enemy comes nearer to our borders
matters Will grow worse. And does it not bode ill
10 us tnat the highest executive officer of the State
should lend his countenance to these mobncratic
tendencies by stepping out of his proper sphere 10
arrest the due course of justice in such circunsta.
ces as TO favor the subvc of all order and the
total disruption OF society, by introducing an irrgu-
lar, seit-appolnted and irresponsible tribunal into
the judiciary system Of the State Does 1t not be-
come pertinent to ask, with CORES pon1ent of the
Standdrd, in recent instance of authorized out.
rage, what rights, if any, have we lelt9" if law
can be nutied, subverted, and trampled upon at
this rate. Are not these things fraught with warn
ing and danserS If We let 60 our hold upon law,
and undermine or overthrow the great safeguards
OF liberty among us. it will be an evil day for us
indeed For what end do We wage fierce war.
and TO what good purpose shall we triumph if We
are or Shall become incapable Ct enjoying or pre-
serving our liberties? And as if these things were
not enough We see it proposed, advocated by the
press, and at length put into fact, to establish and
organize system of vigilance committees to super
sede all law and authority. In of the most in
telligent and patriotic counties in the State which
has near fifteen hundred in the field they have
appointed a vigilance committee for every captains
beat Not that the people wished it voted for it.
There Is surer, shorter and better way to do
all these things in enlightened times Thus We
have adopted in an exaggerated form the last des-
perate expedient of frontier and lnchoate societies
And thus We travel the old beaten track towards
anarchy and despOtiSm, and seek the bottom of the
political :naelstroum. We are amazed at the apathy
and stupidity of the population beyond the Poto-
mac in suffering the abrogation of habeas corpus
and other dangerous and high,handed usurpations
and lnfTactIons of the Constitution, and then
straghtway follow in the same footsteps towards
perdition deceiving ourselves with names. But
who are those that advocate such measures as these,
testoaths, vigilance committees, and the like, to
usurp the authority of the Confederate as we'll as
State government, and this where no pretence Of
necessity is alleged? 1t is hardly necessary to re.
mind any one that they are not those who have any
taste for the glory and the dangers of the tented
field. But they will be reminded that such services
as these will rot be received either by the govern
ment or by public opinion, in lieu of the more Oh.
vious duty which calls to the camp and the battle.
Why do not these patriots volunteer, and so let off
some of the high pressure of their outrageous zeal
in legitimate and profitable way. That is a most
suspicious zeal which expends itself in suspectng
the patriotism Of others, while it has no sword for
the enemy Nm.