The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-01-09
The Right Of Petition.

people to restore the State to the Union on a
thoroughly loyal basis.
The Sentinel, of this City, the organ Of
Gov. Worth, regards this action by our loyal
people as incendiary and reasonable, and
calls upon the grand juries Of the State to
indict those engaged in it'll
We expected this. Our readers win recol-
lect that we stated in our last, that If the
military should be withdrawn from our
midst, and if those traitors to the federal
Union who are now controlling our State
had before them no fear Of consequences, ev-
cry person engaged in petitioning the Con-
gress for permanent loyal civil government
would be indicted and punished for treason.
Our statement has been abundantly confirm
ed by the Governors organ.
The right of petition is one of the dearest
and most sacred that can be exercised under
republican FORMS It is the foundation Of
all free government. No people can be
said to be even in the alphabet of liberty,
who may be even threatened with punish
ment by those in authority for exercising
this right. But the loyal people of this State,
who thought that, after years of intolerable
bondage, they were free from the moment
Gen. Sherman with his army reached this
City, are now told by the organ of Governor
Worth that if they persist in memorializing
the Congress Of the United States they will
be indicted and punished.
We respectfully invite the attention of the
President and Congress of the United States
to this threat, contained in the Raleigh Sen
tinel of the I'd of this month.
But the people of this State of both races
have right to memorabilia the Congress
and they UiW exercise this right. No power
can prevent them from doing it. We tell
the people that they are free. No grand ju-
ry will dare, even under the orders of the
Governor, to indict them because they have
thought proper to sign petitions to Congress.
This effort by the Sentinel and other dis
loyal presses in the State to prosecute and
punish portion of our people on account Of
their loyalty, is one of the strongest argu-
ments that could be presented in favor Of
the immediate reorganization of this State
We tell the Congress that treason has got to
such a pitch in this State, that those of or
people soho presume to send memorable to it,
are IN danger Of being indicted and punished.
Let US have prompt action in the work Of
reorganization, is the earnest cry and prayer
of all our loyal people Sf
A friend at our elbow says he has heard a
great deal of 1.-THE Last Ninety Days of the
War;" and that he would like to see The
Next Ninety Days of Peace.
Opinions.
Mr.. Joseph Segar has an opinion and the
opinion of Mr.. Joseph Segar is-"tha the
Legislature [of Virginia. would, in certain
contingencies, adopt the constitutional
amendment as the only remaining means of
avoiding aoorse alternative" From what he
personally learned in certain interviews with
many members" of our Legislature, Mr.. Sc
gar has arrived at the opinion that the said
Legislature is likely, here in our own State
capitol, to break down with its own hand
the last remnant of the Constitution whose
principles Virginia endured long war ex-
pressly to maintain, is likely to give up to
Congress at Washington the "powcr to en-
force by appropriate legislation" the preten-
sion of that Congress to dictate to us who
shall, or shall not, be citizens of the State
and is likely to brand the stamp of felo-
NOUS crime upon all the best and truest men
in the community, without exception. This
is what Mr.. Joseph Segar is led to believe
our elected Legislators would do "to avoid
acorse." 1t is an individual opinion" he has
formed, and whatever may be the grounds
and reasons of it, be repeats emphatically-
and this is the main point-that g it is his
opinion"
And if Mr.. Segar has an opinion, we find
that a Mr.. McCaleb Wiley, of Alabama, has
conviction. This latter gentleman has just
returned from Washington too-a city in
which men are not likely to adopt convic-
tons lightly. And Mr.. Willey's "convic-
ton" is, "that Alabama and other unrepre-
sented States would be restored to the adop-
ton of the constitutional amendment, and
that liberal policy would be pursued in
reference to those of our people who labor
under political disabilities" Which means
that our considerable population of perjured
Such is the conviction of Mr.. Wiley, of Ala
bama.
We also have an opinion and conviction
first, that the Legislature of Virginia will
not. =" in certain contingencies" do the filthy
action above described, Notwithstanding the
deliberate judgment of Nh. Segar; and next,
that if it should so prostitute its functions,
and shame and betray its constituents, Vir-
ginia would not with all respect to the con-
victions of Mr.. Wiley be admitted to rep
resentation in Congress, but would still be
left out, with her felony stamped uselessly
upon her brow with her own right hand.-
And further, it is our opinion that if Vir-
ginia were indeed to do this deed of shame.
she would stand alone in her infamy. Ali
the intelligence we receive from the other
States of thelate Confedency is to the effect
that the more this precious " amendment is
studied-the better its purposes are under
stood-the more underhand negotiation and
hole-and-corner conferences" are held in
Washington by oficious persons to form
opinions and convictions about it, just the
more rooted becomes the adherence of the
Southern people at this foul attempt to de-
grade them. They say let it come, that
Swprse" with which We are continually threat
eneg, and yet worse nothing can be SO bad
as pleading guilty to a felony first, and COM
mittNg real felony afterwards.
OfShe various opinions and convictions
above Impressed, Mr.. Segar's Mr.. Willey's,
and ON own, the reader will adopt such as
he likes \est-Rieh. Dispatch.
The ab\ve ia a snec;men of the defiant