Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-07-05
For the Standard.
SHALL WE VOTE FOR COL. VANCE OR Mr..
JOHNSTON?

Balance good against evil. The Persians held
of old this very charitable MAXIM that to be good
it was not necessary to do amiss but to do for
the most part that which was right When man
accused of any breach of the laws and proved
TO be guilty, they did not Immediately condemn him
to be punished, but proceeded to make scrupulous
inquiry into the whole of his life, IN order
to see whether his good evil actions predomna-
ted. If the good weighed heaviest in the scale he
was acquitted;" otherwise he was condemned.
Both the candidates were born in the old Union.
If guilt attaches to a man for having lived longer
in the Union than another, then Mr.JohnstOn is the
guilty as compared with Col. Vance-Mr.
Johnston having lived in the Union twelve years
longer than the Colonel.
Mr.. Johnston wanted secession. He acted with
those who said secession would be peaceable and
if there was any fighting they would do it." Mr..
Johnston went in the fight as Colonel, and so far as
| can learn, he took French leave Of the army; at
least the public have never heard his reason for not
keeping the field, when there is such pressing need
Of soldiers Col. Vance did not enter as Colonel,
but as Il PRIVATE.
At the battle of Minden a corps Of French gran
aderS were exposed to a battery that carried off
whole files at once. The General seeing it. rode
slowly along the line with his snuff box IN hand,
and said: WELL my boys, what's the matter?
An, that damn cannon; that damn cannon. Well,
it kills you; it kills you; that's all, my boys.
March on and never mind it,"
promised to do the fighting; but now he hears that
damn cannon at Manassas, at Newbern, at Rich
mond, and all over the land. Sitting at Charlotte,
he may say it kills you, boys; it kills you, but
march on and never mind 1t.
How different Col. Vance. He rides along the
line and says, "Cone on, my brave boys; all that
is dear depends upon the swords that are now drawn
TO do battle for the country"
an old seeding sinner, writing to his son in the
army to vote for Col. Johnston, received this an
Swer: ~ never heard of Mr.. Johnston, and know
you never did | know you would vote for Vance
if you had known him soldiers do, in camp.
There is no labor no hunger, no cold no watching,
danger he does not share with his soldiers. He
is willing to die with them and for them, and the
soldiers will not only vote for but die for him if
needs be- And now, father, let me persuade you to
vote for the Colonel too at all events, though you
are Seceder Never vote for a Seceder who de-
cnes to take his musGet and his place in the battle
field Above all, never vote for one who has been
in the army and left before he smelt gunpowder."
This is good enough. Aad nOW, between You
aud me, Mr.. Holden, have seen enough Of sol hers
to know that they hold in contempt all original
crdcrS or "deStructiveS," you call them who
not in the fight unless they be able to give reas-
enable excuse for not doing so. | heard one man
say "a commissioned officer who would resign
without excuse and leave his comrades in the field,
ought TO be looked upon deserter."
Yours, CONFEDERAC4.
Oakland June IS 1862