Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-08-05
G5t Stausara.
For the Standard.

the one now raging between the North and the South
That produced by an attempt on the part OF three
of the Swiss Cantons to separate themselves from
the Confederation . few years since, in some re-
will be remembered, was arrested, and the rebel
lious Cantons speedily reduced to submission by
the arms of the Confederacy. tits frequently com.
pared to our old revolutionary struggle with the
mother country, but there is scarcely any analogy
between the two cases. The thirteen Colonies were
not like the Southern States equal in political rights
with the other States of the British Empire. phey
possessed no sovereign power whatever. They
were not We were, entitled to representation in
the common Parliament of the British Union, but
we're mere Commissioners dependencies upon the
mother country. In an evil hour the administra.
ton Of George Granville, and afterwards that of
Lord North, attempted to impose an unjust tax up
on the Colonies. This oppression was resisted, and
the resistance was made the prete1t for other OPP
pressions more unjust still The Colonies continued
their resistance in constitutional way for near ten
years, by representations, remonstrances, and pc
titons for the redress of grievances but all in vain
At length they took up arms, with the avowed OBJ
ject of enforcing such redress. They solemnly DIS
claimed all intention Of separation from the parent
State for they loyal in their feelings Of at
tachment to the British Constitution as were the
inhabitants of Surry or Cornwall. This resolute
step they confidently expected would procure the
desired redress; but the advice of all the ablest
statesmen at that age-of Chatham, of Camden, of
Burke, of Fox, of Rockingham and others, were
thrown away upon the narrow minded monarch
and the bgoted ministry which then swayed the des-
TIMES of tho British Empire. Still in hope they con-
tinued the struggle for one whole year. at length
the British Parliament declared the colonies out OF
the protection of the parent State. And then at
last other course was left them but to proclaim
their independence and defend it if need be with
III. W. lokk1 Of
fought on the 10th of April, 1775, and on the 18th
of April, 1776, the Provincial Congress Of North
Carolina ''empowered their delegates in Congress
to with the delegates of the other COLONIES
in declaring independence and forming foreign al
liances," and on the 10Th of the following month
Virginia, through her Convention, instructed her
delegates in the Continental Congress ITO propose
to that body to declare the United Colonies free and
independent States, absoved from all allegiance to-
or dependence on, the Crown or parliament OF
Great Britain" and on the 4th of July following
the ever memorable Declaration was made.
But how different has been the course OF the Sc
cessionists. They seem to have resolved years age
that the Union should be destroyed, and then tc
have set themselves to work to forge such greVan-
ces as would seem to give them decent pretext
for the accomplishment of their premeditated
schemes. The first effort was made in the days OF
notification by the secessionists of South Carolina
The grievance then complained of was the tariff al
though the State of South Carolina, herself, hau
been from the foundation of the government nearly
up to that PERIOD as strong an advocate OF high
tariff as any State in New England That question
vas compromised-South-Car Carolina obtained all that
she ostensibly demanded. A revenue tariff, with
incidental protection, became the settled policy OF
the government and, except for short period I'M
Ger the tariff of 1912, was never departed FROM
But still they were not satisfied Immediately al
ter the passage of Mr. Clay's compromise bill, the
newspaper organ of the secessionists at Washing
ton. declared that the South could neper be uni
ted on tho tariff question, and that the slave ques
ton was the only one that could unite them."-
And Mr. Calhoun, if mistake not said the same
thing in a speech at Abbevie, in South Carolina.
about the same time; and of course was followed
bv all the lesser lights among his adherents. Then
commenced that violent agitation OF the slavery
question which had nearly eliminated upon the ad-
mission of California, in 1850. Again, by the ct
frts Of thos. immortal statesmen of the last age,
Nesssrs. Webster, Clay, and others, was the mat
ter compromised. The whole country at first ap-
peared to be satisfied with the settlement, but 1t
sooI appeared that there were number OF restless
spirits among the extremists OF the South, that
would be satisfied with nothing short OF dlssola'
ton of the Union. Of this class OF politicians, W.
l.. Yancey may be fifty selected as representative
man Hs Immediately began to agitate the ques-
ton again. He went to the Democratic National
Convention at Baltimore, in 1852, as delegate
from the State of Alabama and there proposed ~
the uhimotuns on which he could continue to act
with the democratic party, and upon winch, IN ms
opinion, the slave States could consent to remalt
in the Union that the doctrine of non-lnterventloe
by Congress in regard to slavery IN the territories
should be incorporated into the cenoGta.o pias
form. Tn this he failed, and therefore did not sup
port the nominee of the Convention Mr. Pierce
fla could not however at that time, succeed IN ere
atino a great schism in the democratic party, sc
oreai had been the calm which the compromise
measures of 1850 had produced. In 1909 ne aesit
went as delegate from the State OF Aiaoama q
the Cincinnati Convention, with his oio asssn"oeu"
n bic nocket Contrary to his wishes and expec
tationsl il was incorporated into the Cincinnati
platform. and being thus left without an excuse
he sunported Mr. Buchanan for the PRESIDENCY IL
the fail of that year. In the mean time however
that fatal measure, the repeal of the Missouri com
promise, had been consummated. IL was oroush
about by the extremists of the South, aloed oy
few nartizan democrats at the North. The avows'
object of its authors was to open to slavery the ter
rifories north of the Missouri compromise line, not
w;thstanding the agreement Of 1920 that SAID lin
should forensr divide the territories between IN
slave and free States 1t is said, however that In
compromise of 1920 was unconstitutional, Dut VIVA
is that to the purposef 1t was amost solemn CON
pact between the two sections Oh Tue county naa
for the settlement of most perplexlng question
and without any reference to its constitutlonalty
should have been regarded as an organic law, sn'
observed as sacredly as the Constitution ITSELF
The effect of this measure was great ana rapi 10
and there can be but little doubt that it was sucl
as majority of its authors contempiatet a.. me MERE rs
suit was the formation of great party ~ sne Nors.
onnosed to the further extension OF slavery, ant
which party very nearly succeeded electing thei
candidate for the Presidency, Mr. Fremont, IN leSo
After the election, this party seemed to be on tn
wane, until the anti-slavery spirit OF the who'll
North was aroused to Madness by an attempt OF
tbe mart of Mr.. Buchanan's administration to tore
the Eecompton Constitution with slavery upon tn,
neople of Kansas, in opposition to the knoon ant
erpresssd wish Of threefourths of them But fol
this most unustifiable measure the Republican par
ty would undoubtedly have dwindled down to mod
crate proportions and even after this it is doubt
fn if thew could have succeeded in the Presidential
election Of 1850 the secessonists with Yancey 81
their head, had not determined that they should
succeed. After Mr.. Yancey and his party had,