Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-06-21
North.CarOlIna.

North.CarolIna.
While every North. Garolinian whose heart is in
the right place mourns the wounded and slain,
and is anxious that some steps should be taken to
put an end to the cruel carnage he is at the same
time proud of the fact that every field the cour
age and endurance Of North. Carolina soldiers are
most conspicuous. We hear one day that some
point in Virginia is in great peril and the next day
We hear that Ransom's or HUke's divisions, or some
other brigade division of our brave boys have got
up just in time to turn the tide and drive back the
invader. 1t is due to the strong arms and stout
hearts Of North Carolina soldiers that Richmond
and Petersburg are not this day in the hands of the
enemy. And yet the fathers, and brothers, and
mothers, and sisters, and wives Of these brave men
at home are singled out and branded as discon-
tented" and "disloyal" by the mnions of the Rich.
mond administration and even the Governor of our
State is ready as his correspondence with the Pres
ident shows, to accept the services of troops from
other States to shoot down our people on account
Of their political opinions Great God, can his be
sol tits even so. The record proves it! We now
tell President Davis that people are alike in.
different to his threats and his Establishments and
if he does not understand their character, and is
not disposed to give them credit for the motives by
which they are governed, they cannot help it
When they are called traitors and threatened with
bullets and bayonets on account of their political
opinions, they point with mournful pride to their
thousands of graves in Virginia, and their thou.
sands of wounded, as the best evidence that those
who call them traitors are cowardly sanderers !;
and if it is supposed by Gov. Vance, or by Others
that they be frightened out of those opinions,
the answer is that they may be overpowered by
physical force but they will still be free in heart
and free in spirit though padlOcks may be put on
their mouths and manacles on their limbs
By the way Gov. Vance is the only Governor
who has ever lived on this continent who has de
lberately proposed to coerce his own State This
bad eminence" in history will at least be assigned
him. For proof of what we say, read his Wilkes
borough speech and his letter to Mr. Davis.
Our soldiers will still fight on bleeding and dy
ing on Virginia soil They will continue to save
Petersburg and Richmond, and the members of the
administration who would blacken the character of
those whom they have left behind. But their proud
hearts are wrung by these calumnles, and the tear
starts to the eye when they remember that their
noble old State has to meet Lincoln and his hosts
in 'front.' and the cruel suspicious and threats Of men
who should be their brethren in the rear. Faith
fuL unto death is the motto of the North Carolina
soldiers They want peace, but they will still be
faithful. They feel most keenly the threats which
are uttered against their brethren at home on &C.
count of their political opinions but they will still
be faithful If Richmond should be defeRded and
saVed-whch may Heaven grant!-a moiety of
the honor of its salvation will be theirs; but if it
should fall it will be known in history that North
Carolina left more of her dead in front of that City
than the Yhole COnfederacy besides.
And yet the great mass of our people are regard
cd in certain quarters as traitors and Governor
would accept the services of Confederate troops in
a certain event to "repress treasonl" Shame
shame on these calumniatOrs Of as noble and as
faithful people as ever existed! Oh if Mr.. Davis
and Gov. Vance could only, or ever hear the truth
But they surrounded by fatterers and parasites
who prosper most when these functionaries are
misled and deceived by their artful selfish false
hoods. The truth in relation to North Carolina
the real condition and sentiments of her people,
seldom if ever reaches their ears. Indeed whenev-
er their best friends have attempted to tell them the
truth, instead of being commended for it, they have
been put under the ban and banished from their
presence. We knoU this has been the case with
Gov Vance, and We have heard on the best au hor.
ity that the same sad faulty has afflicted, and
does now aff1ict President Davis.