Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-08-06
William Johnston. Fec

MT 1ohnston' you are candidate for Govo-n
You we're not brought forward by the paor,. ''0''
by office-holders and ofice-seekers. Ynn ~. ut
commended for the Office in but two ppbI;,
lngs-one held in your own town, which
tended and the other in CASTOR County ,vhoU' d.
nave worthy and influential brother. Yon - ,0U
electioneered for the place, and you have ern." e
your money freely to influence the election :.
have been closeted in Raleigh with your ofBc. l
ing friends, and with The nominal Editor, ,'.',
State journal, who are persons of bad cb,.. we
dcvlslng means to injure your opponent and to'
vance your own election. You have canyassod -
army in person, and you have elcctionearod ,- NC
the conscriPts on your own Railroad. Wes,,..
Things in no spirit of denunciation Or aims
Tor the information of the public, and to sbo Gu'
character of the victory which Col v,no. wy
achieve over your But you have done mor, q, VI"
this Mr.. Johnston. You have stood by in sIona
and permitted your friends and your orrans , ,."
and Villity your opponent who is a br,ro soI, ."'
and that, too, while he was hazardinr his rc, ~
yOur rights and liberties. No personal iO'
been made on you. You have been duIr c,o1:''S
by the friends Of Col. Vance with all tIo ~
and all the personal virtues you possess This f..
of itself, should have moved you to reonos, 10y
friends and your organs whatever else tbo,. r:~r,
do, not to assal! COL Vance personally, and no,
charge, as they have DONE that he and his s,,,..-'
ers are untrue to the South But You have h..
silent. You have taken the benefit of tbeso oh.s
against your opponent and his friends, and To 6,,
extent, you are responsible for these CHARGES N
platform on which your friends have placad ro,,
this contes: has been this: Your success w.s ,ot
achieved on the ground that large portion Of IN,
people are traitors. Why do we saw this2 Rooou-,
our people have been told, and the North h., Ls
toia oy y0ur friends, that Col. Vance and his SIM.
porters are in favor of reconstruction of the IDor
Inns IS either true or false, Mr. Johnston. If firm.
you ought to be elected if false, Col. Vance o,,b,
to be elected. But what if COL Vance sborIa =
elected, as he will be, and Mr.. Lincoln and "
Stanly, and Gen. Burnside should believe tho.,
charges against Col Vance and his supporters
what then? Have you thought of that, Mr. John
ston? We know that you wanted war lone bccoro
the people of the State did, though YOU have beeD
careful not to engage in the war YOURSELF ,ersor
;
but how awful will be the responsibility vo, will
incur, if it should turn out that the charges made
by your friends and countenanccd by YOU, on tbs
Conservatives of the State, ShouM deceire our eps
mics and induce them to prolono the a,ayy IF nor
fields should run with blood, will Your friends bo
ablc-will you be able to say, before God and with
your hands on your hearts, that this blood should
not be LAID at your doors: Think of this, Mr..
Johnston. After what has taken place, and in full
view of Col. VSnce's election, We can see but one
course by which you can rid yourself of this re.
sponsibility; and that is to retire from the contest
and vote for your competitor, or after he is elected
to publish letter or deliver speech expressing
your full confidence in his integrity and patriotism
and assuring the public foe, as well as the country,
that there is no foundation for the charge that Cd
Vance and his friends are untrue to the South
You can do this, Mr.. Johnston, for you h.ou, in
your heart that the Conservatives of this State ave
true to the Confederate States and as true to the
cause as any among u.s. We suggest this not he
cause Col. Vance and his friends need any such
vndication They are satisfied with sense Of their
own integrity, and the people are satisfied that they
are true and loyal; but We make the suggestion in
order that the public foe may not be stimuatcdani
encouraged by the course which your friends, with
yo"r implied sanction, have pursued
You will he defeated, Mr. Johnston, by at least
twenty five thousand majority. The VERDICT OFTHE
ARMY Is AGAINST you. The heroes of those conflicts
in Virginia, which have shed such imperishabe
lustrc on our arms, have already pronounced
against you. Those noble voices, which at Great
Bethel, and Manassas, and Williamsburg, and the
Seven Pines, and on the Chickahomny, and at Nal
vern HILL united in swelling the thundertOnes Of
battle and of triumph, as the enemy fled in dismay
before them, have been uttered by large majOriticS
in favor of your competitor, and against you
Think you that these men are traitors? Are they
in favor of reconstruction of the Union? Why
the very idea is monstrous. No, Mr. Johnston
they have calmly and quietly, at distance from
the scene of party strife, weighed your claims and
the claims of your competitor in the scales OF Their
own judgment; and the result is before you
They are not only for prosecuting the war, but Tor
fighting the war, and they have voted accordingly
The falsehoods and SANDERS circulated By y0ar
friends against COL Vance and his friends, have
served only to swell their vote for their brother
soldier. The people at home will vote next InnTS-
day, Mr.. Johnston. They will give twothHdS Of
their votes to your competitor.
1t would not be generous Mr.. Johnston to exu'
over you in the defeat you will certainly encounter
But We do exult, and we wiU exult over the blast
ing condemnation which the soldiers and the people
ire pronouncing, and will pronounce on your par
tizan supporters. Many of your supporters are no
loubt honest and well-intentioned. These should
be treated with consideration and respect as teo"
;itizens, embarked with US in the great cause
md differing only as to the best means to uphold
hat cause but for those creatures who have baskea
n your smiles and pocketed your money, as Inc
,rice OF their vile ISLANDERS against Col Vance anu
lis friends, We can have nothing, and the people
nd the soldiers can have nothing but unmxed aver
ion, adherence, and contempt These creatures
IT. Johnston, will find their level in their native
4 IL, trlct