Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-12-21

Besides, this Conservative party is a thing Of the
moment-Confsdsrate.
There never was greater mistake. The Con-
servative party was formed in 1861, out Of the bet
ter portions of the two old parties, and it will en-
dure. The detection now and then of prominent
men who profess to be Conservatives, will not real
ly weaken the party or impede its progress. 1t is
founded the Constitution of the country and its
guiding star is Civil LIBERTY. But for this same
Conservative party of North Carolina the heel of
despotic power would have been placed this the
necks of our people, and We should have had no
more fresdom Of speech of the press than exists
in Russia. The Editor of the Confederate would
have gloried in such condition Of things, and
those for whom he speaks would have taken pecu-
liar pleasure in rivetng the chains on both States
and people. But CONSERVATISM has proclaimed, time
and again, to the President to the Congress at
Richmond and to the Governor of this State, thus
far shalt thou go, and no farther, and whenever
this voice has been uttered by our people it has
been respected, and the tide of innovation and des
potisn has been stayed. And this Conservatism is
stronger now than it was and it will continue to
increase in strength. The Editor of the Confeder-
ate may show his teeth but he is no longer able to
bite. Our people now laugh at his threats of dun
geons and bastiles. North Carolina is STATE, and
her people are FREE MEN, She was State in 1860,
and her people were free in 1860; and. by the help
of God, they will neither part with their State SOW
ereignty or their freedom in 1864 She will do her
duty as a Confederate State as she performed it
formerly as Union State; but her people have
ceased to be terrified controlled by the detectives
and servitors of the Richmond and Raleigh admin.
istrations. Let the Editor Of the Confederate re-
fleet upon his tilts against liberty, and right and
Justice, and free elections in North Carolina, and
then put the above in his pipe and smoke it.
The Conservative party is now undergoing
thorough purifcation. 1t IS sloughing off its un-
sound parts. Its future will be more pure and
more vigorous than its past. 1t will be enabled
hereafter to do more for the country than hereto
FORE and it will be strong enough to put down and
keep down Destructiveism in all its shapes.
"This Conservative party" as it is slightingly
called by the Confederate, is the same party which
that paper so assiduousy courted but few months
since. Then it was great and patriotic party in
the estimation of that journal. The Conservative
erected platform, and the Confederate got upon
it. and they "roared each other as gently as SUCK
ing doves" 1t was not "this Conservative party"
then but it was great joint stock concern, in
which the Confederate took the deepest interest
But change has taken place. The masses of the
Conservative party, with large majority of their
leading men in the Legislature and elsewhere, are
true to their principles, and the result is the Con-
tsdsrate is left out in the cold Those grapes which
once "melted in the mouth" of our cotemporary,
have turned to ashes on its lips. The vine that
bore those grapes is withering and will soon die
No pruning, or watering, "digging about it" can
save it. But the vineyard will still flourish, and
the master, that is, The People, will gather many
grapes and have much good wine for years to come.
The grapes will be sweet, and the wine will be de-
licious; but our cotemporary as he prowls around
the vineyard, and would fain, like Satan,
"Leap o'er the fence with ease into the fold,''
will at length conclude that the grapes are sour,
because they do not grow for him.