Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-06-17
For the Standard.
Conservatism versus Destructiveism.


Conservatism versus DestructiVeism
Will any true Conservative support Gov. Vance's
reelection after reviewing carefully and contrasting
his position now with that taken by him IN his
message and proclamations as the Governor of
North Carolina?
In his Wilkesboruugh ST eech he declares himself
in favor Of fighting this war out, We suppose, to
the last man and the last doll1r-Tepudatcs the
idea of negotiations looking to peace and talks to
the people of the great State 81 North Carolina,
about CO ercion by the Confederate government if
they should in a proper way attempt to do any
thing towards bringing about settlement OF our
troubles.
Do these sentiments comport with those he SEEM
ed tn entertain when before the voters Of the otae
looking for them to elevate him to the otice Of
Chief Magistrate two years ago?
Is there that seeming patriotic devotion exhibit
ed to preserve the sovereignty OF the State and the
liberty of the humble citizen intact from tho
overweening encroachings of the military over the
civil powers of government that was in tue earlier
days of his administration? These questions
of no little moment for true Conservatives to pom
der before voting or.the Governor .gain.
As the Governor OF great SOW eregn State, he
should have told the people as ne had before in his
public enunciations that he would see that not
ot or title Of the rights deeg ated and secured to
them in the Constitution and ELL of Rights should
be iplringed, The citizen deprived of any Of his
rights as freeman. But ns LEAD Of this he had as
well have said am Caesar, l will procl aim 10y re
script and you must obey.
This doctrine does very we'll for those who want
amoHSrchlcai g0veTnment-ind oeEdence before lib
eTty. But the opposite is free govern oent-lib
erty first and independence afterwards. The for
mer Is ohgarchcal in principle and Gorn-the latter
democratic in principle, republican in ic rn. But
this Is repugnant to the views OF the Governors
present admirers. Such, in brief were chs Gov
ernOrs views al Wilkesborough. What were they
at Fayetteville? Why some Of the Virginia papers
say he discovered all Of a sudden he had taken the
long road whilst Mr.. Holden had taken the short
road to the GOyernorship, and he changed front
and his only chance was flank movement or rath.
er u cut through the bushes" to head off lis COM
petltor. lie said down there that he was ahead of
Brown and Stephens in opposing the huJ cas- corpus
suspension, and favored all the time ate action
locking to measures for peace This looks little
curious when sitting his WilkeSboro' hal .ngue and
reading his notes taking bold grounds acGinst any
movement by the State for Convention OF the
people, and holding before the people the dangers
of General Lees army in case las he supposed the
State seeded, far fetched idea Of his at the time =
! the people took any steps towards peace, and
the same time pointing them to the Kings ndm,
as tower of strength" But he says now he die
that to "GtLay excitement and preOeRt 6LoOdShed.r
MOnstrous idea for the Governor of great sover-
eign State to entertainl When the people whom
he was addressing and every where else in the
Stale were doing and strainlg every nerve to keep
tic ranks Of her reg ments full and clothe and iee,t
hem at every point in the Confederate States.
how was it the Governor should become so alarm
cd at that particular time-and that he should g.
away up to Wilkesboro on tho birth day of the
great " ashngton TO make speech to warn the
people against Convention or taking action look
ing to peace, telling of the errors of the KING
name" if they should do so? The truth is, the
Governor had given over to believe IN the "King'S
name as tower of strength" and reckon believed
that the action of the Congress, then in session.,
would drive the Conservatives to the wall by clio
sing their mouths, and his old friends would not be
in the way of his reelection, and he would risk il
with the King name" his strength. Now if
the Governor was in adv nee of Brown and Steph-
ems, why did he oppose rather stop the people in
their appeals to convene the Legislature Why
did he not do that and enter his and its protest
against the action of Congress did the Governor
and Legislature OF Georgia? Then he could have said
with some show OF grace he was in advance Of Mr..
! Holden, Gov. Brown and Vice President Stephens.
But he did not then believe but that the suspension
of the writ was the best thing that could be done.
And reckon Mr.. Stephens said truthfully when he
said it was done to control certain elections in
| North Carolina and reckon the Governor expect
| ed TO get the benefit of it; hence he says the
"HIag'S name is toner Of strength" and advises
the people to say nothing or do any any thing but
| confde in the " Kings name" and patiently sub
NIT to the star chamber about to be set up arrest
imprson, and punish Southern freemcn without
oath or affirmation to their probable guilt In all
this the Governor acquiesces, and then comes be-
fore free people and says he opposed to them,
and opposed them in advance of his competitor
| Gov. Brown and Vice Pres dent Stephens. What
effrontery in the face Of intelligent people! VII
such people Ute for him in August? We be-
lieve not He afraid to trust the people in their
sovereign capacity-let then be afraid to trust
him in his official capacity longer tnan his present
term Gov Brown trusted the people of Georges and
they did what North Carolins would have donea her
Legislature could have me-. Gov. Vance is Kitty,
| windy-much of favorite in the political arena =
He courted the counSels of others than his friends
who shaped his political for Kim, ami II has
led him from his old friends that could have ms;le
him as they will nnmake him in August Bext-
| Mark Deu the prediction, If true to themaslec&
| The Governor sees his dlemma-sees that he has
been in bad company, and that all his ways are
stable in the eyes Of his former friends that the
voice of the pOpulace does not shout now viPe Ia
Zebulon but Oire Ia Holden; that bis present
| is in opposition to his former and averse to the
| views of the great mass of the people Of his own
| State and other States; that lis fancy Of joking
himself into Office of Governor when the continent
| mourns, is an igais tatuus-a false lamp to guide
his steps now and in future He will not do to tic
to by the good and true Conservatives. Mr. IIol
den will beat him badly for Governor so says every
tEue Conservative. In this section he will beat him
| three 70 one. FORSYTH.