Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-04-02
The Iredell Express-The Governorsh1p.

! ~ y not our wish to continue the, controversy
ABOUT the Goyernorship, but we feel it 20 be our
DUTY to reply to recent article in the hedel Er-
preas the subject ,ssa So s>-
|eur friend of the Express asks ....
! What does the Standard mean by charging Col.
johnston with being partizan ?-that he is par
tizan Wing or partizan Democrat-which? The
! STANDARD should define its meaning and not make
charge Authoritarian, and calculated, if not de-
signed, to misead." =-. -. 90 80. :
We will tell the Express what we mean. In No.
vember, 1861 the people of this State we're divided
into Two partes-one party seeking to destroy, and
the other seeking to preserve the old Union These
two parties were composed of those W no had for
merly belonged to the old Wing and old Democratic
parties Prior to this the old Wing party had ceased
to exist as an organization; and at this time, to wit
in November, 1860, the old Democratic party also
ceased to exist as an organization. In February
1861, vast majority of our people decided against
| dlssoivlnS the Union until some overt act should
have been committed against the Southern States
but the minority were dissatisfied with the decision,
and continued to sgitate for disunion, aud, as the
result mas shown, for bloody war. In March
lo1l' convention or meeting of original secession
lists, composed of old Wings and old Democrats, was
held in Goldsborough,-a new party was formed,
as the proceedings show, called the States Riohts
party and it was resolved by that meeting that the
State should be taken out of the Union by revo]u
tionary movement to be contaminated at Charlotte
on the 10th 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 to resist coer
cion, and a 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 Mecklenburg roted for Nr. Elaeoras, 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
~ formed there by voting for the head of this party
and against that a0e, conservative, and patriotic
statesman, William A. Graham
Cur friend of the Express will perceive from the
above what we mean when We speak of Mr.. John
ston as partzan. But his partizan course did not
stop here. He no doubt voted for Mr.. Craige's or.
dlnance Of secession, which was adopted by party
vote, in preference to that offered BY Mr. Badger.
tie 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 US correctly, with
the so-called States Rights party He received at
the same time three dollars per day as member of
the Convention, and two thousand five hundred and
twenty dollars per annum Commissary General
While holding this latter office, an ordinance was
introduced and passed to raise seven regiments to
defend the sea coast This ordinance was rehe-
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
a member OF the Convention, lie tilea to rotc on
this ordinance. The inference is that he felt the
proprlety and justice of the measure and was in.
cned to vote for it, but did not vote at all ont of
Difference to his associates in the State government
who were so vchemcnty opposed to it. This same
ordinance was afterwards re-consdered and repeal
ed by the votes of Mr.. Johnston's party friends
the coast was left exposed, blunder succeeded
bluuder, neglect succeeded neglect and Hatteras
fell, opening sounds and rivers to the enemy
and paving the way for the loss of Roanoke Island
and Ncwbern. But our friend of the Express de-
MES that Mr.. Johnston is responsible for the bad
management of the 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 appoiuiee of the Military Board a men,
Der of the administration and one of its defenders
and apologists. He was as thoroughly identified
with this socalled les Rights party. in all it dit
or omitted to do, as ever our friend of the Express
: was with the old Wing party.
The Express assumes that Mr.. Johnston is Whig
because he voted for MI. Pool for Governor, ant
that we are Democrat because VIC voted for Gov
Ellis But old parties and old party tests have pass
; ed away. All that remains of Democracy is this
The right Of tile people to rule. We still hold th:
right, and in this we agree with the Jackson Demo
Gratis and Henry Gay Wings We were true to Thu
Democratic party as long as it existed. But bat
5 men destroyed it, and was the result W,
then went to work with of all parties, to saw
from the wreck all that could be saved, and to al,
| \
a successful issue. We are Conservative, but VI
are opposed to party in the midst of war. The so
called States Rights party, to which Mr.. Johnston
;. belongs, has prescribed both at Raleigh and Rich
nond every leading advocate of the Union up t.
the proclamation in April last; and it is no answe
to this charge to state that and then this part
has conferred small Offices on the late Union r:en
This exception only proves the rule No man ha
right to office, but the people have right to hay
/ the best men in Office; and if the best men, am
r not party men, were always appointed, it would no
: turn out, as it has, that all the important Offices
l. in the hands of one party.
q We have already given the Express the reason
= why we mentioned the name of Mr. Meares for Gov
crnor, in preference to Mr. Johnston. We did this
+ not by way of taking ground for Mr.. Meares but
show that Mr. MeareS though q secession Who