Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-08-20


afternoon with 100 prisoners including two or three
commissioned officers. We have no authentic in
telligence Of any fighting since Saturday night,
though, as usual rumors we're abundant yesterday.
THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH INDICATED
IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
The discharge of the Gordons, who were arrested
in Boston for reasonable language, was published
Yesterday. Their counsel was George Sennott, who,
it will be remembered defended Stevens and Has
lit, Of the John Brown ''army," at Charlestown,
Va His address in behalf of the Gordons contains
the following noticeable extracts:
THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH.
I declare before God that, as understand that
right, value it more than I do my life! And call
this whole country to witness if have not before
now proved the sincerity of this declaration by my
actions! And the right INDICATED at the hazard
of my life before Southern tyrant, will not give
up, for the sake Of my business, to Yankee sneak.
Neither shall the Gordons. The case is ours We
arc tried with them. And in defending them We
defend ourselves and our country from gang com
pared with whom Colonel Ledbe:ter is humane and
Gen. Floyd respectable
Mr.. Sumner was once the advocate of free speech.
He claimed to be almost one of its martyrs. And
in defence of it. in consequence of it. he certainly
was the victim of a cowarily assault inflicted with
ferocty and endured with meekness unexampled
in the annals of cudgeling! He now changes his
opinion, at least his language With that felicity
Of allusion which belongs among the public writers
of America to him and to Gov. Andrew alone, he
advises his friends to put their "heels" upon those
who differ from them, and who dare to speak out.
The advice is given in letter to the late war meet
ing at New York. Is this prosecution an expert
ment made upon poor mechanics, by few small
conSpirators in pursuance OF an agreement between
the principal Thugs at Washington in order, if it
70
the Abolition Kalee! do not know. know that
the gentlemen of the Republican party do not coun
tenance it. and that it will fail here because, to
reach political opponents they must cut down their
political and personal friends. If free speech is
treason here, our excellent Governor would speedily
he known as the late unlamented John A. Andrew,
for his speech is exceedingly free and easy-quite
loose as yon may say. Then, what would become
of Mr.. Phillips? Does he speak in .faror of the
government? Has he ever said anything in favor
Of any government, except that Of Hayti? Did he
not lately advise large and patriotic assembly not
to give man or dollar to the government Of the
United States? And did not that patriotic society
applaud that liberal suggestion? Shall We prose-
cute Mr.. Phillips, therefore? Not with my good
will. Not without my active resistance. should
violate the very first principles of democracy which
are greater to me than anything but the Word of
God itself, if did not fight for Mr. Phillips right
to talk treason to any fool who wants to hear him.
WHAT WAS SAID OF THE IRISH TROOPS ON LEAVING
BOSTON.
When the regiment of the late Col. Cass went off,
without an escort even of the second battalion, il
was not actually Kissed in State street. as was the
Massachusetts, regiment on its return from Mexico,
but the agreeable rsmnrk made and heard, ihut
the departure of the Irish Mould be a great relief
to our poor houses and jaiL! The Governor or his
friends may say so about Col Cass's countrymen-
the Irish-without committing treason, or even CIV
ing offence. We not accused Of talking so badly,
even about Mr.. Andrew conference.-the negroes
yet are we prosecuted!
WHAT MR. sESNoT THINKS OF SECRETARY SEWARD.
Have we arrived at such state that no one must
find fault with any action or omission OF the gov
ernpent or any member of it, without having trea-
son imputed to hin? l. for example, have the mis-
fortune to think that Mr. Seward, our present Sec
rotary of State, is not fit as a statesman, to index
the papers OF the late Silas Wright However little
he may be affected BY my thoughts, do think his
want of sense-sober tense-haS made him the laugh
ing stock Of Europe! | think that he is small
ward and county politician, who writes like sophie
more and acts like stockjobber Every time he
speaks about what will happen in sixty days, in
ninety oayst he puts me in mind of q curb stone
broker chattering the approaching maturity Of
dubious note! | think such men have been ad
vanced TO important places in this country about as
often as they will be- and cannot help rejoicing to
think that Mr. Seward will probably be the last Of
the Lilliputians.
AN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND SUMNER
Again, DO not worship Mr.. Sumner. I cannot
admire person who is SO simple as to think it a
frer thing to pretend to be fanatic than to be a
dull, but honest man. There is fine old German
story, called The Adventures Of Reynard the Fox,
in the illustrations of which animals Of different
| countries arc represented in the attitudes and with
the expressions Of men. The illustrations are very
good, and from the well known fact that men often
resemble certain animals in a most curious and
unaccountable manner their effect is highly anus.
ing. 1t is particularly so, If you happen by any
chance to be reminded by them of any particular
person. Now, must suffer death if say that
never looked at those pictures without thinking of
hear the names of Mr.. Seward or of Mr.. Sumner
without thinking of the picture Of the fox and of
the picture of the gander'
SICK OF THE IMBEcL1rY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
| And what if am frank enough to say that I am
sick of the staggering imbecility with which the
government has managed this of life and death
Is that treasonabler Shall my government-that
! Is to say, my servant, my creature waste my
money, and even let it be stoen and stop my paper,
and interrupt my business and violate my constitu-
ton, and starve and kill my soldiers and of pure
HeSeo anu gain Oniy ulSaSter ana Qefe8t lot me Dy
| all this follyf And shall say nothing? If am
to put up with this and more, and say nothing, or
else be shut up by order, Of W. H. Seward, want
to know, seriously and calmly, what shall fight
jeff Davis fory Whatshall fight jeff. Davis for 2
What worse can he do to me than Seward and STAN
ton have done already? What, indeed-when their
want ofsense and want ofenergy have made him eve.
rything that be is! Lost money may be regained,
lost armies may be replaced out Of swarms Of men ;
hut vho ohalI vive ns hack the ;o,o No ha,o
away before the dirt heaps Of Manassas Expose a
cup of clear water to the frost: Observe it and
even when the cold begins to fiji Its transparent
substance with beautiful spicula of ice if you agi.
tate the mass it win not Immediately freeze; but
give it in that condition short period Of rest, and
it becomes = rock hardly yielding to the energies
OF gunpowder and 6rel So have We found the
South: They were once undecided Time and til,
stupidity Of our government have consolidated ,
hesltatlng into hostile people. Yet Mr. Gordon il
traitor if be calls . fool fool
| A PICTURE OF NEW ENGLAND soc1rry WEIGH n NOT A,