Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-01-23

from mem oerS or the Legislature OF Nortn-OarolHai
urging it to continue its attacks on the Standard,
ana assuring it of the support Of the people of this
State. Thse then, are the instigators of the En-
9uirer. So far as the State Journal is concerned,
it has the respect of whose respect is worth
having; and as for these members of the Legsla-
ture, they cannot honestly promise the Enquirer
what they have not got themselves. As general
thing, outside certain localities these members have
popular contempt and aversion, but popular sup
port They are such, no doubt as labored to bring
on the war, but have taken special pains to keep
out of it. They ara wOrdy datulent persons, who
do but little good in anything, anywhere and who
will never harm the Yankees, however much they
may decry and SANDER their own fellow-citizens
No doubt the Enquirer despises them for their de-
pravity in urging it to attack some of their own
people, while it uses, for party purposes, the ma
lcious inuendoes which they whisper in its ears.
But the Enquirer calls US a traitor, and says the
people ought to drive US from the State. We tell
the Enquirer that we so securely entrenched in
the confidence of this people, and our views and
cause are so much their own, that all the power
in Richmond could not drive us from North Carroll
ma. Ever since the proclamation of Lincoln, in
stimulating our people and army to a vigorous pros
ecuton of the war. Our private means have been
freely bestowed upon the cause. All that we have,
all that are, and all that we hope to be- is iden-
titled with the South. Two-thirds of our people,
and twothirds of the army from North Carolina,
agree with US in political opinion Hundreds of
our gallant dead who rest in the soil of Virginia.
which they fell in defending agreed with us in our
views, and would agree with US now, if among the
living. But the Enquirer says we are a traitor
The charge is either true false. Iftrue, we ought
to be executed as example to others; but if
false, the person who brings the charge is muir
derer of character and murderer at heart and de-
serves the double infamy and the double punish
ment of the assassin and the man who "bears false
witness against his neighbor." If we a traitor,
then are two-thirds of the people of our State
traitors; and If this be so, the cause is lost The
Enquirer has already produced the impression,
among the Yankees as we'll as in the South, that
large portion of the Legislature and people of
North Carolina are untrue to the South. 1t is
thus giUing aid and comfort to the enemy, just
as, some months since, it gave them aid and COM
fort by proposing to them through its columns,
reconstruction of the old government The
Enquirer proposed that the should go on
until every Northern State should agree to decide,
at the ballot,box, to go NTH us or remain in the
United States. This would be reconstruction of
the Union, if any Of those States should go with
US. The Enquirer is for it That paper may be,
at heart anxious to reconstruct the old government
as a matter of preference; it may have intended
its proposition feeler to the Northern Democrats
for the purpose of ascertaining if they would guar
antee to it and its faction their share of the spos
in the event Of reconstruction. We believe the
Enquirer would go back to the old government to-
morrow if it could be assured that its faction would
remain in power.
We ask quarters of the Enquirer, and we in
tend to give none We defy its malice, and laugh
at its mpotent rage. As North Caronan, we
its dictaton despise its ISLANDERS OH our
people. Its former reputation, and its accidental
position the official organ, constitute its only
claim to notice We intend to teach it that North
Caronians at least the equals of Vrginians and
that the Conservatives of this State are patriots,
whose shoes even this organ of Jews and renegade
Yankees is mot worthy to BEAR