The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-08-28
The Good Old Times.


fore the Randall Convention he uttered, with
the most melancholy effect, that moan over
the glories of the past which octogenarian
stage-drivers unbosom when they see steam
engine. There are many descendants of Mrs
| Lot who. like Gen. Dix, look back in sorrow-
| full regret and forward with fear and trem-
bling. To such people, who are the salt of
| the earth in n very unfortunate sense, Gen.
| Dix's admiration of the old Republic will be
more acceptable than the faith of better re-
| formers in the future Union. His sorrow for
| the dead is wasted, as there is no hope that
| tears will effect resurrection, but as what
| he says many people are weak enough to &C
| cept without examining, we have desire to
see what reason exists for this longing for
9 the good old times" He called upon the
delegates ito bring back the Republic,
purified and strengthened by the fiery ordeal
through which it has passed. to its ancient
prosperity and power to present to the
world an example worthy of imitation-no
Utopian vision of good government, but the
grand old reality of the better times, bring
ing up the memory of our fathers and the
recollections of the past, with the past and
| the future inseparably entwined-one coun-
try, one flag, one Union of equal States."-
| Which we call very good indeed.
There is very little analogy between the
circumstances of the country Just after the
Revolution and our condition at the present
time But suppose, for the sake of illustra-
ton, that Connecticut or Massachusetts, had
remained loyal to George the Third, and i'm
mediately after the recognition of our indie
pendence had sent delegates to assist in
framing a Constitution. We fancy that they
might have knocked some time before gain
ing admission; and our fathers, sages and
philosophers as they were, would hardly
have kept their tempers if these same dele
gates had assumed to dictate the terms up
81,
1t would have been found, we suspect, that
the dictation, if any, was to come from the
other side. If men or States put themselves
into a dubious political position, they must
submit to be distrusted until they have given
plenary evidence of repentance, and sufficient
surety of good conduct for the future. If the
late Rebel States persist in keeping all poll
teal power in the hands of those who are
VIGOROUSLY hostile to the Constitution and
the Union, they are no more entitled to re-
presentation now than they were when their
swords were drawn, their Confederate ban
ners Haunting, and their Rebel ranks In bat
tie array. Admission of illegality and wick
edness of the Rebellion on the part OF the
Rebels are not so numerous as to be tiresome
by any manner of means. To sneak into
Congress with patriot blood still dripping
from their skirts, with the old slaveholding
oligarchy still retaining its pristine power,
and still DISTINGUISHING nine-tenths of the
population with the leaders of the Rebellion
still eligible tn offices of authority and trust
this seems to be the chief ambition of trail
tors retired from active business-these are
the immunities which they do not so much
ask for as demand, with Gen. Dix for back
er And should they carry their point be-
come once more power in the General Gov
ernment and dominate once more in the Sc
nate and the House, then, we suppose, Gen.
Dix will elevate his voice, and proclaim to
all the four points of the compass that the
Republic is purified and straightforward
that 1.-the grand old reality of better times"
is restored-that we have at last lone coun-
try, one flag, one Union of Equal States!"
A country just escaped from mortal peril
and still with much hard, practical work be-
fore it, if it would live and prosper, will not
suffer itself to be misled by the most charm
ing exertions of rhetoricians. The people
understand these matters as well now as they
did during the last Presidential election, and
the issues are much the same.-Neoo York
Tribune.