Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-04-30
eve have not Borne Arms.,,

The following from the Richmond Examiner hits
OH the blood and thunder destruetices who talk,
talk but who can't be dragged into the except by
rope. The gentry of that school are filling the
offices of the South, and will back and back as the
enemy advances, to the Gulf unless they can find
hiding place sooner, or will go over to the enemy
"horse foot and dragons" Let the government
purge the Offices Of the land for eonscrips and make
them fight:
"The bare conjecture of the possibility of the ene-
my reaching Richmond has been enough to develop
the meanness and cowardce of number Of our bo-
gus patriots, who are now intent to save their car
cases and property, and who congratulate themselves
that they have not committed themselves in any
way that the enemy can reach them, as "they hare
not borne arms" We do not invent this wretched
congratulation to put in the mouth of any man.
We have heard it from the lips of man who had
boasted while ago that he brought secession"
and who, day and night, from telegraph office to
war Department, and from street corner to street
corner, has gone about complaining that our troops
are towards; that the government is not red-hot
enough; and that separation with the Yankees
should be made wide and impossible by the living
hell Of an endless war.
1t is sickening to see the amount of time-serving
and trucking neanness in considerable portion of
human creatures. ANY one who saw the display of
III NaStllnStOn clty, III
which fire-eaters suddenly 5ecame petitioners for
office under Lincoln, and hot blooded secessionists
were transformed into "hcn hussies" to take care
OF their women and children, may be prepared to
witness in Richmond, if it should ever be occupied
by the Yankees, similar displays on the part of
"orignal disunionists," whose only part In the
has been "to bring it on: to talk belgcrenty at the
telegraph office, to hanker around the War Depart
ment, and to spit fire on the street corners.
Some of these brave street-corner politicians are
constantly giving desperate advice to others; and
while rich Mr. fireeater is advising all penniless
men to leave their families to starge and I" fight for
liberty, sooner is his own name enrolled for the
militia than he puts pitch plaster on his back,
sneaks by stealth up to the Board of Exemptions,
and gets certificate of exemption for weakness of
the spine. So Mr.. FIre-eater does not bear arms,
and although he has been writing political tracts
all his life, or in some way firing the Southern heart
or preaching orally damnation to the Yankees, he
expects, should they get to Richmond, to save his
money, stocks and plate because "he has not CON-
mitted himself in any way that the enemy can reach
him."
Shame, unutterablc shame, for such plea The
truly brave and patriotic man. who, by his misfor-
tune, has been prevented from serving in the field
for his countrys cause, will not only disdain to
make this u plea for his safety. He will be glad
for the trial of his manhood-he will rejoice to
answer to the enemy who confronts him, that though
his hands bave not borne arms, his soul has-and
he will be proud thus to relieve himself of the dis
grace of not being found in the field by explaining
that his absence from it misfortune unwel-
come to a brave spirit and not towards refuge"