, 1863-07-04
The Position of North Carolina.

North Carolina is getting suspicious Of
Jeff. Davis and the Southern Conlederacy.
A newspaper called the STANDARD which
is understood to be the organ of Gov.
Vance, of that State, speaks out as fol-
lows in bold defiance of the Confederate
Chief and his minions
We know that military despotism is ma
king rapid strides in these States. We
know that no people ever lost their liber-
ties at once, but step by step, as some
deadly disease steals upon the system, and
gradually but surely saps the foundation of
life. We know that tyrants and their min
ions always prepare the popular mind in
advance for their usurpations, and that
those usurpations are always based upon
the plea of the general good" or "mili-
tary necessity" The argument now is, we
hate Lincoln so bitterly, that in order to
resist HIM successfully we must make slaves
of ourselves. The answer of our people
is, eve will be slaves neither to Lincoln,
nor Davis, nor France, nor England. -
North Carolina is a State, no. Province.
She has $4,000 as brave troops as ever trod
the earth When she calls them they will
come. If the worst should happen she
will be able to take care of herself as an
Independent power She will not submit
in any event, TO law Of Congress passed
in deliberate violation Of the Constitution.
She will not submit to Mr.. Davis being in
vested with dictatorial powers; but she
will resist such a law by Withdrawing from
the Confederacy, and she will fight her
way out against all corners with a courage
and an ardor which will eclipse even any
former achievements of her sons during the
existing war. For one we are determined
not to exchange one despotism for another.
Says the Sacramento Union "If North
Carolina had not assumed position almost
openly against the Confederacy, such Ian
guage as is contained in the above article
would not be tolerated within the limits Of
the Confederacy. AS a remedy for an un-
constitutional law, the Standard proposes
that the State secede from the others. In
the Confederacy, we believe, they have no
Supreme Court appointed to decide those
matters, and hence each State is left to de-
eide for itself, upon notification principles,
whether law of the Confederate Congress
is or is not constitutional This is pow
er which the Confederate Constitution confers on
the Confederate States, and, therefore, to de-
clare law unconstitutional and determination
to withdraw if an attempt is made to enforce it,
is the constitutional right of North Carolina or
any other State in the Confederacy No such
right exists under the Constitution of the United
States We have a Supreme Court to which all
constitutional questions are referred for final ad-
Indication. No State in the Union can assume
that prerogatiye without enoroaching upon the
legitimate powers of the National Government.
In the present temper Of the State Administra-
ton the time would seem to be auspicious for The
National Administration to submit proposition
offering certain terms of a favorable character il
North Carolina will withdraw from the rebel
Confederacy and resume her place in the Union.
1t is not by any means certain that such a propo-
siton would not be fayorably received"