The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-09
To the People of North Carolina:

Having been honorcd by the representa-
tives of the people of North-Carolina, more
than a wear AGO, with an election to the Sen
ate Of the United States, it seems proper that
[ should make known to them my views
upon the present disturbed state OF public
affairs, formed, iii part, by the assistance Of
information to which my position as Senator
elect gave me more ready access.
A briet retrospect Of the distressing events
of the last six years will aid in arriving at
clear understanding of our present poIiti-
cal condition.
For many wears previous to the attempted
secession OF the State in 1861, there had cY-
istcd in the Southern States we'll known
class of men who labored continually to
prepare the popular mind for that measure.
1t had been the objective point OF all their
political actions and teachings, as the first
and Indispensable step to the consumnation
Of their purposes. No one in the South can
be torgettul of the means resOrtcd to, and
the appliances brought to bear. Arrogating
to themselves a peculiar solicitudc for the
institution of slavery, and an especial guar
d;anship ot Southcrn honor and interests,
they proceeded to appeal to sectional pas
si0ns and preudiccS and to load with vio~
lent abuse the northern section OF the Union,
to scoff at every sentiment OF nationality,
and TO denounce as untrue to his section and
personally degraded every public man in
the Southern States who was not, in some
way privy to their reasonable designs
Many OF tI,eir leaders gained seats in tic
public councils and responsible places in
the national government, where they con-
tinUalv precipitated the agitation of meas
ureS calculated to arouse sectional hate. and
keep ever alive and increasing the fires Of
tiscorl which they had lighted in the South
ern heart Whenever the voice Of warning
was raised as to the inevitable tendency OF
their conduct, they became the loutiest in
protcstations of attachment to the Union;
and even set up pretensions as its especial
defenders So deep seated was the popular
yencration for the government, rendered sa-
cred by the memories Of the past and the
blessings Of liberty and justice which it had
uniformly secured 10 every section, that they
found it necessary to conceal their real pur
poses up to the last moment, and to precip-
itate a rebellion in violation OF official oaths
to support the Union, and with its praises
upon their lips. The people were thus de-
ccived. and finally cocrcsd into bloodr
and disastrous civil war.
In the beginning. majority of the peo-
pie of North Carolina were opposed to the
secession ordinance, and accepted it only as
an incxorabe necessity, forced upon them
by the action Of the adjacent States and
the dangerous excitement Of the times. But
many earnest Union men, especially the
young and incOnsderate, were soon borne
along by the madness of the day. or became
unable to withstand the derision and taunts
of cowardice with which they were con-
stantly assailed by the press. in public
assemblies and in the social circle. Others
were deceived by the tardy and vaccilating
action of the national administration, into
the belief that no adequate resistance would
be made to the attempted separation. and
that upon the establishment of the Confed
eracy, perpetual dishonor would attach to
those who refused to support promptly the
| action OF their State. But, the most potent
agency resortcd to was the bold. systematic
and unscrupuleus misrepresentation Of the
designs of the United States in wapinr war
against the secession movement The object
was asserted to be to abolish slavery. to force
negroes upon a social equality with the
whites-to compel their admission to the
best socety-to the table, and even to mar
riage relations-to deprive the Southern peo-
pie of all rights-to plumber, confiscatc,
murder and reduce to state of dependence
and abject vassalage. The whole Northern
people were denounced as hvpocrites, rob-
bers and yandals-and the Union soldiery
as hirelings and licentious yagabonds. The
assemblies of the people, the Legislative halls,
the press and the social circle teemed with
this scurrility, coupled with still viler cpl
thets and threats of infamy towards such as
were supposed to sympathise with the gov
ernment in its struggle to suppress the re-
bellion and preserve the Union. All at
tcmpts at contradiction were suppressed by
arrests and Imprisonment, or by mob violence.
a system of the basest espinage sprung up
spontaneously in every neighbnrhood, and
every man had a spy and informer at his
door Good men were thus deccived-thc
tlmid were appalled,, and the boldsst could
see no hope Of success in any effort to stem
the general current. Could the truth, at
that time have been plainly told to the peo-
pie of North Carolina, and needed by them,
how much of calamity would have been
sverted, and what untold miseries spared US
But, after the lapse Of about two years,
the truth began to force itself upon the pub
lie mind. The overwrought excitement be-
gan to work its own remedy, while the en-
ergetc action of the Federal Government
exposed the falsity of the assurance, so re-
pcatedly given by the instigators of the re-
bellion, that it dared not resist the separa-
tion of the States. Volunteering in the Con-
tederate army nearly ceased, and the people
began to think and speak of peace on the
best attainablc terms. It was then that the
instigators and leaders of the rebellion threw
off the mask which they had so long worn,
and instituted despotism so complete and
merciless that scarcely a vestige of liberty
Or right was left. 1t was discovered when
too late, that power had been placed in the
hands of men, who scrupled at nothing that
might he requisite to the accomplishment
OF their ends and hcsitated not to set at de-
nance not only the wishes and rights of
Their fetow-citizens, but even the sentiments
and feelings of humanity. They had a we'll