Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-02-11
Agitation In North Carolina,

Agitation ~ North Carolina.
When this war broke out--when North CAROLYN
joined her FORTUNES with her sister State of the South
and by doing pledged bier faith TO stand by the Con
federacy through seal aud through woe Loyalty abiding
the issue, 10 humble dependence upon Him who order
eth all things well. and il frm reliance upon the JUS
tice of the i'll which she engaged sincere
y hoped aud trusted that partizau agitation if not
tlnct would at east be suspended until the great ant
vital struggle might be brought to close and the .hiE
of State be safely anchored 10 the haven peace
independence.
To promote the harmony of feeling and concest o
action so essential to and to repess agitation
and divisions which might disturb tina. harmony ant
thus tend to eopardize cause, has, since til:
war commenced been the object of humble IF 'rts
an object which We have pursued increasingly and We
trust not wholly without success, "as the history
Of this immediate section, and OF contiguous counties
will we think lear evidence. This course has beep
generally adopted by that portion of the press OF the
tate which with some occasional shades of difference
has agreed with in the main points involved. Had
all the press of the State, we'll all parties in it,
pursued the same course, there be no doubt but
that North Carolina would now present very diffe.
rent picture from that which we are caedupon to con
contemplation Lay give rise. Instead of divisions
we would have seen harmony. Instead of heart
burnings, kindly feelings would have prevailed. In
stead OF lukewarmness, we would have had zeal In
stead OF disafection in too many localities we would
have witnessed devoted loyalty to the Confederate
cause. Instead of being menace and source of ap-
prehenson throughout the Conederacy the attitude OF
North Carolina would have been a beacon CT hope to
our struggling tric0ds from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande and warning TO Gil enemies, whether
open covert.
That we may not be Misunderstood, we would here
state that allude to the last pha'e of agitation
being that fer Convention in this State at this most
nopportuue Of all times coupled, such agitation u.s.
with constant and unmitigaed abuse of the ConedaG
ate Government with the apparent view OF rendering
the Confederacy odious in North Carolina, added to
which is the thin disguised threat of secession from
The Oonfederacy, under the guse of the State taking
her own destiny into her own hands," cur nipgy de-
7ised words that ought to deceive no one.
ThoEe who, almost before the ink was dry
IN the signatures that attested the secession
Of the State from the Union now presided
over by MIR. LINCOLN, commenced an agitation
ganst portion OF the people OF North Carolina in
vidiousy styled destructives may now say that they
IRE msrepresened, maligned and prosecuted but we
say here, that we only state what we do know when
we affirm that the movements now endeavorDg to be
made in North Carolina the OF the deepest
apprehension not Simply in Richmond, but throughout
Re Confedeacy-not simply in off cial circles, but in
the army and among the people, They discourage our
brave defenders they encourage ruthless assaians
1t is not little remarkable that all the agitation in
North Carolina, since the commenced, has been
carried by the sefstyed CONSERVATIVES and that
all the meetings have been called by them, while the
much abused g Destructyes," anxious to avoid con-
test with its apprehended injury to the public interests
have borne and toborne from purely patriotic motives
until fear that endurance has been carried too far
and the question arises whether it is not the duty
Of all patriotic citzans opposed to the reckless agita
ton which has already done much harm in the State
and still darky threatens TO do and deeper injury
10 organize for the purpose OF counteracting its effects
md exposing its tendencies
Much as we dislike any agitation, and shrink from
my contest under existing circumstances still, it is
vident that this feeling, and the policy to which it
gives rise may be carried too far and fear has been
carried too far SINCE IN spite of avoidance of such
hings agitation has been started ard has gone on
citation all on one side, the effects of which we
annot but deprecate Injurious if not actually fatal
q their ultimate tendencies.
We would respectfully invite to this matter the at
clifton of our brethren of the press, and of all others
7ho agree in opposing the persistent and dangerous
agitation which has been kept up in North Carolina
nd which is nov sought to be revived in a still more
,enacing form, whether "for partizan purposes or
therVise. Let US understand each other-et US act
DOLLY, calmly, dspassonately, yet uuitedy and ear
estly. We think the situation Of affairs calls for such
con, not only for the encouragement of such agita
on-if not of something worse-at home, but for the
Of our soldiers wherever scattered and
the CoDfederacy at large, upon whom the apparent
ostion of so important State as North Carolina is
kerting most depressing influence.
The English Court of Exchequer has reafirmed the
ung of the Chief Baron, in the of the ALEXANDRIA
ezed by the Government having been built for and
esigned to be used by the Conederates in a manner
ostile to the United States. The Chief Baron the
aiding points of whose charge we gave few weeks
nee, held that the building of a vessel even supposng
lat she intended to be sold to either OF the beg
ents, not vioative either of international law or
the municipal law of England, known as the Neutral
y Act The ultimate destination OF any goods
Id to belgerents was matter with which the seller
manufacturer had no concern, and no people ought
be better 1f this than the authorities of the
nited States Who it is notorious have bought largely
cannon small arms and munitions of war in England,
i'd who themselves have uniformly claimed the right
sell such things to belgerent parties The full
urt,agreeing with the opinion of the Chief Baron has
fused to order trial. and of course ordered the
ssel to be relieved from the Seizure which had been