Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-07-31

claimed to have some other grleVanceS among tnei
that some of the northern States by their statutes
INSTRUCTED the execution of the fugitive slave law
but the only States that could complain mncn on
that score, were willing to remain an the union,
while South Carolina, the State which set tne oan
in motion, perhaps never lost slave. But II must
be borne in mind that no act OF the natlCna govern
ment constituted any part OF their grievances
They did not pretend that any act of Congress in
fringed their rights, and the decisions of the Su-
preme Court were mainly such as they would them
selves have made. Nay, even at the very time OF
Mr. Lncoln's Inauguration, If the cotton States had
allowed their Senators and Representatives to re-
main, they would have had a decided majority in
both Houses of Congress in favor of the extension
of slavery, and in opposition to tho policy OF the
party which elected him.
The great cause of complaint was, that man
opposed to the extension of slavery in the terrific
re had been elected President of the United States
according to the forms of the Constitution which
| he was sworn to defend and protect, and who dis
claimed any other than Constitutional means in the
accom- plishments of his objects. Under such cir
cumstances it seems that if they had labored under
| any real grievance, their course was plain. They
| should have taken the course Of our revolutionary
fathers. When the States assembled in Convention,
instead of proceeding at to declare their indie
| pendence-for the idea of secession pelced6Le Of
right seems, as Publius says, to have exploded and
| given up the ghost-shOuld clearly and concsely
have stated what their grievances WERE and deman-
| terms. They should have exhausted eUery Consti-
tutional means of obtaining guaranteeS-if any were
needed-by representation, by renonstrance, by Pc
tition; and faihpg in az these. they should have
Ss I'll 9eTOfIti0haT sFes did, ., Pt q N4s
| Oaion for their rights untn they were driven out
/ of il Such course would have procured for us,
as did for our fathers the respect the sympathy
and the assistance of other nations Instead OF that
we have not friend in Europe. But such was not
| the course which theSe-in their own estlmatlon-
wise statesmen chose to pursue When such
course was suggested or recommended to them, they
| eYaded it by a long list Of magnificent promises
which looked so SPLENDID as almost to dazzle the
| mind with their brilliancy.
| First and foremost they promised that secession
should be peaceabL.
Secondly, they promised that if perchance war
should enSue, it would be very short war; that 1t
would not last sic months-that the Yankees would
not fght-that one Southerner could whip from ten
! to one hundred of them-that England and France
would speedily recognize and render every aSss
lance might deSire-that whatever mi ht be their
abstract opinions of the subject of slavery their in
terests would impel them to promote its perpetuity
in the Southern States that if after all they should
not be disposed to assist US, Cotton toGs hing and
would soon bring all the crowned heads of Europe
their knees in supplication to us would compel
them to raise the blockade-should one be estab-
lished-in thirty days, in sixty days, in ninety
days, in one hundred and twenty days, in six months,
in nine months, in one gear at farthest
Thirdly, they promised US that all the sa We
States except Delaware would join the Southern
Confederacy-that slavery should not only be per-
petuated in the States, but that it should be extern
ded into all the territories in which the negro could
live; that all the grievances occasiOned by the
execution of the fugitive slave law should be speed
lily redressed: that slave property should be eStab
liShed upon basis Us safe as that of landed prop
erty.
FourthLy they promised US that the new gov
eminent should be mere Confederacy of States of
absolute sovereignty and equal rights that the
States should DE tyrannized over by no such cen
trail desp0tism" as the old government at Wash
ngton that the glorious doctrine Of States rights
and notification as taught by Mr. Jefferson and Mr..
Calhoun, should prevail in the new Confederacy-
that the sovereignty of the States and their judicial
decisions should b. aae-cdly respected
Filthy, they promised US the early and per-
manent establishment of the wealthiest and best |
government the earth, whose credit should be |
better than that of any other nation; whose pros.
perity and happiness should be the envy of the civ
ilized world
And lastly, they promised us that if a war should
ensue, they would so to the battle field and SPILL if
necessary, the last drop Of their blood in the
of their beloved South
While such have been their promises, what have
been their performances? Instead of secession be-
ing peaceabe they promised that it would it has
given rise to such war has before desola
ted any country, since the barbarians of the North
overran the Roman Empire.
So far from the wars ending in six months as |
they said it would, should it ensue it has already
lasted more than two years and if their policy is to
be pursued 1t will last more than two years longer;
and notwithstanding their predictions the Yankees |
have fought on many occasions with spirit and de-
termination worthy Of their ancestors of the revou
ton-Worthy of the descendants Of those ausere old
puritans whose heroic spirit and religious zeal made
Oliver Cromwells army the terror Of the civilized
world, or of those French Huguenots, "who, thrice
IN the 10th century, contended with heroic spirit
and various fortunes against all the genius Of the
house OF Lorraine, and all the power of the house
OF Falois" England and France have not recog-
nlZed us-haVe not raised the blockade-haye not |
shown US any sympathy, nor is there any proba-
6illty that they ever will, and that Cotton is not
hlng IS now universally acknowledged. And Ma |
ryland has not Joined the Confederacy nor has Ken
lucky nor Missouri really been with U.s. Slave
ry has not only not been perpetuated in the States
nor extended into the territories, but Missouri has
passed an act of emancipation, and MARYLAND is !
ready to do rather than give up her place In the
Union, and the last hope of obtaining one foot of
the territories for the purpose of extending slavery
has departed from the Confederacy torerer. The |
grievances caused by the failure of some of the |
Northern States to execute the fugitive slave law
have not only not been remedied, but more slaves
have been lost to the South forever since secession
was lnaugurated, than would have escaped from |
their masters in the Union in FIVE centuries. And |
how have they kept their promise that they would |
respect the sovereignty and rightsof the States p
Whatever the government may be in Me0ry in fact |
we have grand military consolidation. which al
most entirely ignores the existence of the States.
and dlsregards the decisions of their highest Judi
Gial tribunals. The great central despotism at
washington, as they were pleased to call it was at
any time, previous to the commencement of the Sc
cesSlon movement, and even for some time after il
had commenced most mild and benefcent govern.
ment compared with the central despotisnn at Rich
mono, under which We are now living
Instead of an early and permanent establishment
OF the "WealthieSt and best government in the
world with unbounded credit" what have we got
In spite of all the victories which thew profess to
nave obtained over the Yankees, they have lost the