The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1865-02-22
BY THE GOVERNORS A PROCLAMATION.
TO THE PEOPLE az NoRrH cAaot4sA

WHEREAS. Ii - lncumbe nj IN me by vir-
TIVE Of the high trusts your partiality has
conferred upon NE. to watch with vigilance
ever your welfare. guard with fidelity tpur
interests. and warn yau Of every approach
inE danger:
New, therefore. L. ZRBULsH B. VANCE.
Govsrnsr Of the said State, actuated by a
sacred sense Of duty and love OF country,
do ds.n it necessary to address you in this
nasasr IL regard to the dangers ard duties
81 the present tiaei earnestly prayiag that
ID nay be conducive to harmony and esod
will. wherein only 10 to be found safe and
Venerable dslisersues fran ali our troubles.
Il Uknsvn to you all. that in the beginning
.f these Troubles. Nerth Carolina was 90
decidedly opposed 70 initiating the seses-
sioa Of her Southern sisters. thai, any a..
temp, 10 fsrcs her 10 do 50 BY even ma
jority Of her people. prior 70 the Proclama-
ten Of Lin~oln in 1861, would most likely
have resulled in civil war among Our eva
ei,irsns. Ii pleased God. however, to pre-
,sat this calaaity and to csla ell the fierce
psssisns Of party bitterness, aad 70 cause
the most perfect snaniuitv BY seass Of
that Prselsmatisa. which placed before 40
the dire necessity of either assisting Or
slaughtering our own brothsrs aad risnds.
Interest. hsnor and sympathy csnbined 70
decide as apss resistance 10 what sll snit-
ed in esndemning as q cruel and wicked
var upon the homes aad liberties Of the
South. With unersmpled zeal We enter
ed into the war. rushed fsrward our brsvest
sons, and pouted out our richest treasures.
With immense sacrifices. and varying fer
tunes. we continued the struggle. still with
great pnsnimity for yrars. Absut the end
Of the third year. however portion Of
our people in common with many others
ihrssghsut the South. seeing hsw our best
citizens we're falling. and how our iairest
lands were dsselated, began to urge that
peace should be sought for BY negotiations
As well as by the sword. Thrv argued that
our Confederate authorities. mo,ed By the
pride Of opinion aud rmbittered by the
lengih aud hsr,en-ss Of the confici, bad
rot mats a sufficient TRIAL Of statesmsnship ID
as . means Of stopping The war; that no
ds.G: u properly approached, either by
commissioners appointed by nur commpn
government, ar by the States separately
ssrpos,ng diplomatic reasons wsuld pre-.
vent III, enemy from.treatIng with the for.
msr--tAat uur enemy would grant y. better
terms than we bad supposed. aud promising
that If lair and honest sffurt al asgoiia-
tisn should be spurned by the enemy or
rejected. then all clasers and conditions nf
men in the South would unite in an earnest
prosecution sf the war. This was the FIRST
serious spproich 10 a division ameng eur
people. S,mpathizing with the ressons-
bleness oi this demand. though not with all
tie ressoIs given ter belieylng IN its eff !.
cheney. and being as sincerely Jesirous az
u was possible Tor man 10 be. 10 step the
war on honnrabie terms, /. as your Govern.
o.. addressed President Davis ia De,eln-
ber 1868. and urged this course upon him.
" answer thereto he assqred ne that three
separate and distinct efforts had been made
10 treat with the enemy. without obiaiHing
even hearing. and that be did not sre l,ew
. fourth one could be initiated without
hunilistisn 70 oursel,es and injury 10 our
csvse.
Trusting that Providence vsuld ret open
the way. the matter rested here Tor an
other year. Many. however. Of sur people.
who advocated peace upon such vague aud
ili.ds6ned terms As to cause doubts nf their
good faith and o,alt,, continued seduious-
ly 10 disseminate the opinion. that our own
ssverpmest alone Was 10 blame Tor the
continuance 81 the war. going 90 far in
same Instances as TO threaten revolutisna.
ry measures for wrestling the treaty making
power frsm its hands. aud negotiating with
the enemy ourselves. alIegiHg that we could
sertaialy eetsueh terms il the States would
act 10 their sovereign capacity, as would
secure eur property and slaves, by recon
Truetisn. siscs the beginning Of the