Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-02-24


Everv effort of coercion was resented as an iegai
encroachment; every conciliatoFy proPosiuSn oH
our side received as q proof of alarm ana u.l'uy.
and as a pledge of victory and success TO 'neu VI
future opposition. o, tbot tho
,,oonlo Of North Carolina are as patriotic, as loyal
and n f,l of the fire of liberty as any people on
this continent or elsewhere. 1t is true they did not
lilo some others propose to follow the example oil
prometheus, and stedt fire from heaven with which
to kindle the torch that was to set on lire the Whole
South Neither did they propose to put every man
who did not agree with them in opinion, upon a
Proerustean bed stretching bin to the length OF
it if too short, or cutting him of if too long But
sir, when called upon to Act most nohly did our
people respond to the CALL and the very hrst battle
in which North Carolina troops were engaged, they
illustrated the capacity, ability fortItude, bravery
and all the great qualities Of mind and body when
can enmoble and render immortal any people on
Gods green earth.
1t is said that the battle of Wagram was the
hardest fought battle in any of NaPoeon's cam
paigns, and that Mcdonald, one Of the Emperors
Marshals, charged the Austrian batteries with
10000 troops, and when he had taken them, he had
but 1000 men left. Sir, believe North Carolina
troops would have done the same thing; nay, sir,
90 further believe that the SO, 900 troops which
North Carolina has furnished to the Confederacy
under the lead of Gen. Lee could have whipped the
battle of Waterloo. And are these the men whose
patriotism and devotion to the Southern Confeder-
acy has been called in question? Sir, 1t Is an IN
suit to our State-itis a vile SANDER upon our peo-
lie, which can only be explained by rLoIent pre-
Sumption that those who have made the charge
know no better If they have erred, it is god-llke
to forgive them If they have erred, it has been on
the side of prudence in their error-they stand just
where the Vice President Of the Confederate States
stood If Alexander Ii. Stephens is not patriot
then are we not for our people occupied precisely
the position he did towards this war. The 10000
persons in this State who voted against Vance Tor
Governor, must answer it to their own consciences
how it was that fifteen months ago. they voted with
perfect unanimty for Mr.. Stephens for the second
office in the government but could not vote Tor
Vance for Governor of this State, man VINO en-
tertaned the Identical opinions Of the Vice PreS-
dent, whose patriotism is undoubted, whose intel
lectual flight towards the goal of distinction has
been SO rapid that ere he reached it, genius itself
came painting behind him. What magical power
has touched and alarmed the whole South IN regard
to the fidelity and patriotism of North-CarollnanS
when the whole South sang peanS over the election
of Alexander Ii. Stephens as Vice Presldentr DID
our people hold back from plunging into this war
So did Mr.. Stephens Did we weigh well all the
chances and difficulties Of protracted bloody war
before We gave in our adhesion to the measure
So did your Vice President Did we hesitate and
with bitterness of sorrow at the prospect Of sacr
cling thousands of our young men, hope for reconcl-
iationg So did the man that every seceSSionlSt IN
the country vote for for the second Office Of the gov
crninent? Why is it, them that NorthC Carolina has
committed so grave offence agaIrst the peace and
dignity Of the Confederate government aud Mr.
Stephens none!
And who are the defamerS Of our State? VIr-
ginia on one side, and South Carolina on the other /;
1.-The Panhandle Enquirer" and George the Sid,
Courier" These Editors who have been engaged
recently in turning loose their whole artillery upon
h,lI hn in lnnlyI fltr
the "hole of the" pit from whence they were dug,
before they asSail US. The Enquirer ought to re-
member that, it is not beyond the memory OF some
persons IN North Carolina, that his own State at one
period barely escaped the doom Of a6OlitOniSm, and
is now so tainted and hampered with proclivitieS
that way, issuing from the Panhandle region OF
Virginia. that, but for North Carolina troops, the
Yankees, aided by the " Bu1dtOcs" would have dis
mantled his office and laid waste his beautiful city
of RlchmcSd; and the Courier ought to remember
that it is an historical fact existing upon record
that the people Of his own State exhibited in the
revolutionary war puerhty and imbecility which
has no parallel Nay sir, it was want of patriotism,
it was llinching from their responsibility as one
of the revolutionary States, which they ought to
have been ashamed of and which, to say the least
Of it. should have slenced them forever in any at
tempt to ridclle other people.
In order sir that my alluSion may be fairly un-
derStood, | quote FROM an old volume, entitled
Memories of the American Revolution" so far as
it relates to the States of North Carolina and South
Carolina and Georgia. The author Of said book is
William Moultric, who, according TO his own ac-
count sent message to the British Commander,
by order Of the Governor desiring to know upon
what terms he would be disposed to grant capitu.
lation The answer Of General Provost, British
Commander was submitted to the Governor, who
summoned council of war, and the result was the
following message to the British Commander:
"CuARLgsroy, May le, l779.
SIR:-I cannot possibly agree dishcnorab prop
ositi, contained in your favor Of Yesterday, but
YOU will appoint officer confer terms, will send
one to meet him at such time aud place you 6x
'''' '''' WILLIAM MoULTRIE."
This. is to be found on pages 431 and 432, OIL
MOultre's memories. o. the latter page, General
Moultrie says, "when the question was carried fol
giving up the town upon neutrality, will moi
say who vas for the question, but this | well re
member, that Mr.. John Edwards, one of the privy
council, worthy citizen and very respectable mer
chant Of Charleston, affected TO weep, and
said what are We to give up the town at last ?''
Mark the result Mr. Speaker. A message was sent
to the British commander by the Governor in the
following words: ITO propose a neutrality during
the war between Great Britain and America, anC
the question whether the State of South Carolina
shall belong to Great Britain or remain one o
the United States to be determined by q treaty o
| peace between those two powers"
But sir, if it be objected that all this occurred
previous to the articles of Confederation adoption
of the Federal Constitution and therefore, inappli
! cable to the State of South. Carolina. | answer
that the war had commenced we were fighting
common enemy; 1776 with all its glorious. associa
tons, had lighted up the political horizon Of thi:
continent; the South Carolina people were found
in arms for the common cause and they fought from
the year l776 up to the year 1779 three years. and
were then willing to so back to George the 3rd.-
! But, sir, am not done with them yet We might
have supposed that after such an exhibition as this
after their faces had burnt with shame for the un
mani. withdrawal from the other members of the
revolutionary States three years after the struggle
, had commenced, that they would mot again pros
trate themselves before the throne and ask forgive
ness. How was it, sir, find in an old doucmen
entitled " The Remem6rancer or Impartial Reposi
tory Of public events for the year $780," the fol
lowing?- ... Ea