Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-12-27
Is z NJ A Il * S
Of Colonel Hall. OF New Hanover, Oh the
Resolutions dec larinss the E4oyalt Y of North
Il r M a r * g

REMA RykS
Of Colonel Hall. of New Hanover, the
Resolutions declaring the loyalty of North
Carolina.
Mr.. SPEAKER When the resolutions were
under discussion in the House of Commons,
a printed copy was placed upon the desk of
Senators. On reading them, [ felt satisfied
they did not come up to the requirements
demanded by the events Of the day. Their
objects and sentiments met my cordial ap-
proval, but III this day of trial for our be-
| loved State, when the clouds Of destruction
are lowering over her; when her supreme
hour of trial had arrived; when she was de-
| MED the privilege of raising her voice in
! her own defence before that tribunal which
was sitting IN judgment upon her, and ap-
| peared about to pass an awful sentence
against her, | conceived that it was incum-
! bent on this General Assembly, which [
am proud to think represents the true SEN
| timents of North Carolina, to publish to the
world at large a solemn and deliberate pro-
| test against the foul Misrepresentation and
| charges that have been made against the
! good faith and loyalty of the State, and to
! set forth, in correct light, the honesty
! and candOr with which her people accepted
| the results of the war and renewed their al
! legiance to the Federal Government. [
! felt that We were the only medium through
which our suffering and misrepresented
! people could make themselves heard in the
councils of that nation of which we are
| claimed to be part and parcel, but with
! which we are denied all association and con-
pection, except through the tax-collector
! Therefore | des sred that they should be
| enunciated in q calm, dignified and truth
| fUl manner.
The people OF North Carolina, during the
! war and since It's termination, have done
nothing inconsistent with their former
! prestige and honorable renOwn. Con-
sistent in their hostility to the Federal
| Government and in their renewed allegi-
ance thereto, the fullest vindication of their
! honesty OF purpose and integrity of action
rests in a truthful statement and clear un-
! derstanding of their present feelings and
desires towards the General Government
| North Carolina has done all she can hon
orably do to comply with her obligations,
| and God only knows at what immense eX-
pense. She cannot and will not sacrifice
her manhood by complying with demands
inconsistent alike to her rights and to her
integrity. If accepted and restored, it
must be as all honorable equal or not at all
Those who have fought and suffered togeth-
er, must either prosper together or perish
! together. Poor old State grander in her
misfOrtunes than in her prosperity; glories,
mournful though they be, cluster around
her brow in undimmed briliancy. Cursed
be that degenerate son who would attempt
to tarnish them.
Mr.. Speaker, Ihave the honor to represent
county that had the reputation of being
| in advance of all the others in the State in
| it's advocacy of the doctrine of secession,
| and, Sir, I am responsible in as great a de-
| gree as any of her citizens for the decided
stand she took in that momentous issue.
thought that I understood what that issue
comprehended. [ made no attempt to con-
ceal the coming conflict, but urged others
and prepared myself to meet it. [ anticipa-
ted that grimed- -visaged war" would pre-
sent it's horrid front. Civil strife, with all
its attendant miseries, forced themselves
upon my vision. The lurid glare of the
battlefield; the groans Of the wounded and
dying the paid faces of the dead the on
ward march of victory the terrible retreat
of defeat the clouds Overhanging; burning
cities, towns and villages the blackened
ruins of beloved homesteads ; the tears and
! prayers of widows and orpans, all, all rose to
view but the path of duty and honor was
| plain. For years 1 had seen that the great
sectional ditliculty-a difficulty for which
! the present generation was in no way re-
sponsible-could be settled by appeal to
arms only. 1t came, alas too late If, for
! y
| of compromising the result, logically, must
have been reversed. Our social and politi-
cal institutions had become, to us, an actu-
al necessity. They had SO entwined them
selves around our domestic and public eX-
istence that to abolish or destroy them pro-
duced dissolution Immediately.
Could any one, who viewed pass
ing events and political forebodings,
calmly and considerably fail to in
terpret the signs of the times Gould
any one close his eyes to the fact, OF fail
to comprehend the lesson which it taught,
that sectional party, whose avowed pur-
pose was to destroy the institutions of the
South, and the chief and only element of
strength was hostility to this section, in
the space of six years from an insignificant
minority grew to be acontrOlling ma jority? ?
A majority, too, that would at once attempt
to sap the very foundation upon which our
social and political fabric rested.
The issue was therefore upon us whether
we wllled 1t or not. Whether we would
lie suplnely upon our backs until all we held
sacred and dear was wrenched from u.s. or
rise'manfully as became sons descended from
noble ancestors and attempt to protect our
rights and our honor, and if needs be, die
| In the effort, was the question presented
for our acc ptance. For one, chose the
! latter. For this course I have no regrets
to offer ; in full view of the terrible calami-
ties OF the past or of the more terrible
threats and uncertainties OF the future
| With these feelings, therefore, and
prompted by what conceived was sacred