Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-10-07
For the Standard


Mr. ED1ron:-I love North Carolina. do not
claim it as any great virtue to love her. for she is
nv mother. I mention it as negativing the unnat-
ural crime of not loving my mother. If the whole
world besides hated her. and If she deserved it at
their hands, still l could not hate her, and would
be hated by the world if did. When assailed, it
would be my duty to defend her, even if were
obliged to see that there was some excuse for the
attack. But what pleasure to stand by her hon
ored form and hold the shield Of her defence, and
hurl the javelin at her foesl "My heart swells
with gadness," even now, while declare that
"Ne'er yet did base dishouor blur her name"
North Carolina, by reason Of her gentleness and
modesty, has often encountered the "sneer" of the
"scorner (" and the defamation of writings" but,
this has never disturbed her equanimity, or caused
her to swerve a single hairs-breadth from the
strictest rule of propriety. But now, she is at
tackled by new foe-by an unheard-of mode of
warfare-by her own officers in her own army,
who throw her down in the filth, curse her with
the crowd, and kick her as they pass. Their defa-
nation of her has been put in an enduring form
made part of the history of the times, and will go
down to future generations as evidence OF her in.
fanny. North Carolina! my mother-if l do not
defend thee now, and cover thee from this brutal
attack-if do not rescue thy loved form from this
cruel death-if leave thee as rot and stencil in
the worlds way, then let some new word be coined
stronger than any language knows with which to
curse my name forever.
A Convention of North. Carolina officers in Gen.
Lees army has been held, resolutions have been
adopted, and On address issued. will not stop to
inquire whether such thing was ever done before.
will not question the propriety of holding any
Convention at ALL I will conclude that, as citi-
zens of North Carolina, they had the same right as
other citizens to Eold Convention and express
their sentiments and that they are entitled to the
same consideration as other citizens neither more
nor less; although 1 suppose that many OF the
best Generals of the world would agree that mill
tary camp in front of the enemy, is not the most
favorable place for political meetings. or grave de-
alterations, other than such as an approaching pat
tie makes necessary. But let that pass. WewiH
consider the Convention with all its surroundings,
and it shall have all the consideration to which it
is entitled. -.--..- .-
And first we must consider what we would ex-
pect from such Convention, and then we can the
better Judge whether its action meets our just ex-
pectatons. When heard there was to be such
Convention, my first thought was what will 1t 90
What will be its tone-its temper--its demeanor-
its subjects / remembered they were soldiers,
and then thought of soldiers fervor, his PRIDE,
his honor, and above all his love Of his own State
above all the world besides. About the same time
saw communication in one Of the Raleigh papers
from soldier from Louisiana, as he said, and a
refugee from New Orleans. He was taking excep-
tons to some imputat:ons which he seemed to think
somebody had cast upon the loyalty of Louisiana,
and especially of New Orleans; and he seemed to
have some dreamy notions that the Conservatives
Of North. Carolina had done it. And he beat about
him conyulsively against every body that had said