The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-24
Che atJeeklg Standard.
Wednesday, January "a, 1866.
Hiudrances to Restoration.


" PRoLoNGINe SECTIONAL BIrrERNEss.-Of
course very few of our readers have opportunity
to see the Journal published in the Southern
States, and whatever they learn of the temper OF
these papers is gathered from partial and stinted
extracts. When the great rebellion ended Dy tne
surrender of Lee and Johnston, we all hoped tnat
the experience of four years would have had some
apprecable effect upon the socalled opponents OF
public opinion in the South; We fancied that the
stereotyped expressions OF hate against the NorIh
would at least be modified, II not silenced. we
could not expect an exuberance OF love; but we
did think that ordinary courtesy was not too much
to look for: that we might no more hear the
coarse vtuperation with which the Southern tar
andfeather writers before the war assailed every
Shfng that came from the North. 80
Al regards large number OF the newly-revived
papers in the South, we are sorry to say that we
are disappointed They are quite as truculent
and as Vindictve as in the most prosperous era of
pride and hate. Nearly every issue from the
great cotton section furnishes some evidence OF
this undying malice. Northern and especially
Eastern men, crucified in rhetoric as extrava-
gant and with spite malignant as in the palm
1 fest days of whipping glory,
What is to be gained. The NOrth-we speak
adyisedly-has treated the weaker party with a
courtesy as unusual as it is magnanimous. Saw
ing here and there an exception, which might
have been expected flor the alction is very con-
frmedly chronic,) the Northern press has been
respectful, kind and mot meaning offence) We
for blood no rayiag for contiscation, no clamor
ing for that punishment which, in an earlier age,
would have been deemed the inevitable cOrolary
of victory.
We do not claim special merit for this but we
consider that after the bloody terrOrs of the grand
conflict there is no intemperance of opinion here
to compare with the utterances of Southern fire.
eating editors These foolish instructors argue,
as of yore, from the mouth of the pistol and the
point of the bOwie-knite; we resist with cool ar
wit thpfs
and threaten with personal violence; we reply
with offers of pardon and facilities for return to
the Union. They elect the most bitter enemies
Of the government to office; We simply, ask these
enemies to promise ordinary fealty. They hunt
federal officers, assassinate federal soldiers, and
make the presence of federal civil agents most
uncomfortable, if not dangerous. To all this our
rejoinder is: "Come back, give your word to be
truly loyal, and all shall be forgiven"
In ordinary cases the press is supposed to re-
fleet the tone of the people; but in this instance
we are willing to be believe that the reverse is
the fact. For if the tone of certain leading jour
nails in the Southern States may be taken to be a
reflex of the popular sentiment, completed re-
Cancellation is not so near as we had hoped for
There is vein of ill-will apparently running
through these Journals, which docs not betoken
good for the Union; the covert sheer is giving
place to open defiance, and the names of some
of our best men are used in way calculated to
estrange and ALLEVIATE rather than to assimilate and
reunite-
Certainly this is to be regretted. The results
of the war are positive, the conclusions are def
mite, the changes thereby effected are complete
and final; there can be no possible gain in ours
ing, while much may be achieved by moderation.
We do not ask the conductors of Southern jour-
nails to admire apublic man who may have been
their bete nor in former years; bnt one little fact
they cannot shut from their yision-these men
are of the victorious side; they may do and say
much that is offensive to the losing party, but
nothing can be gained by making faces or calling
names. Let them be met by sound argument bI
compact logic by sincere patriotism, and there
will be, at least, chance for the right No cause
ever advanced, no cause ever failed to lose, by
vituperatiOn. The mover may be ever so often
sive, his conduct ever SO outrageous his motives
ever so base; but the opposer who calls names
gives up the contest and sinks below the level of
respect"
If the Times is displeased and concerned at
the tone of the newly-revived papers in the
South, what must be the effect produced by
these papers on the so-called radicals of the
North9 Of the twenty-odd newspapers pub
lished in this State, there are not more than
six or seven that are Internationally and
warmly for the Union. The Others are, of
course, for the Union, as every body appears
to be; but their tone is bad, and they lose
no occasion to foment i'll feeling against the
North and to underrate and sneey at the
Union men of the South.
But if the Times is concerned at the tone
of the newly-reyived papers printed in the
South, what will it say to THE Waterman"
paper just established in the City of New
York by the Rev. G. F. Deems, of this State2
The Waterman is eagerly read in this State,
where it will no doubt have large circula-
ton, and the secession presses greedily gath
er up and reproduce its contents Its edito-
rails are ingeniOusly written, but they are
secession to the bone; and its selections from
Northern journals, so far at least as the speci-
men before us is concerned, are any thing but
loyal. The first number of the Waterman
contains an article from paper called The
old Guard" headed "Gen. Robert E. Lee,n
from which we make the following extract
"Of course, it will be said that General Lee
committed fatal error in resolving to follow the
fortunes of his State. But wouldit not have been
astonishing if he had arrived at any other concu-
siong He had been instructed by Jefferson, the
father of our Declaration of Independence, that
Estates can wholly withdraw their delegated
powers" He had also been instructed by Presi-
dent Madison, the father of the Constitution,
that "a delegatedi is not surrendered power" and
that - there is no power above that of State to
judge in the last resort etc. This doctrine
neither he nor any body else had ever heard called
IN question by any respectable statesman from
the foundation of the government to the election
of Lincoln. And more than this, he knew that
Virginia had ratified the Constitution, and be-
came member OF the Union, only on condition
that she should have the right to resume her del
egated powers, whenever, in her opinion, it
should become necessary for her own safety
More, still, he knew that from time to time for
more than quarter of a century, varions North
ern States had petitioned Congress for dissolu-
ton of the Union, and that the New England
States had several times taken steps to withdraw
"peaceaby if they could fOrcibly if they must'
Under these circumstances, was there any deprav-
ity on the part of the judgment of General Lee
in the course he pursued! We dare answer this
question in the negative. We dare go further,
and say that we believe it will be the verdict of
history that his act involved no crime, and was
not in the least inconsistent with the Hottest pa
triOtism and the most illustriOus virtue. We
should dcspise ourself if we were wantin in the
integrity and courage to thus plainly utter our
honest opinions in relation to public character,
whom we believe to be one of the foremost men
as well as one of the purest patriots of his age.
And 1t is question which impartial and inexOr-
able history will have to settle, whether success
on his part would not have proved a benefit to
his country, by preserving the grand principle of
self-government and liberty which was establish
ed here by our fathers. The Union, as it was es-
tablished by our forefathers, was dear to Geneml
Lee, as it was to every body in the land, except
the -equalizing reyolutionists now in power.
They acere and are the real foes to the Union.--
4 IheJtnot men like General Lee-are the traitors
to the great American principle of government
Il And we have quite as little respect patience
for that by no means small number of Northern
Journalists, who fully understand this question,