The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-01-30

privilege of secession at willard threaten
ed to coerce her,-and advocated openly the
emancipation of slaves and their conscnp-
ton into the armies of the so-called Con-
federacy. For they discovered that in order
to maintain their spurious form Of republl-
can government they must adopt measures
in direct opposition to the fundamental prin-
ciples of their own Constitution, but which
were properly and legally in the hands
of the Executive and Legislative depart
ments of the United States government.
The Union men of North Carolina from
the first were aware of these weaknesses of
the Confederate government. They knew
that the principle of secession at will could be
welded to destroy that government, as readi-
ly and more successfully than it was being
used to break up the Union of the States
Therefore it was their Object throughout the
entire war to foment dissatisfaction, to keep
alive the embers of love for the Union, and
to urge an early restoration of peace. In
this State particularly, they advocated q
Convention of the people to withdraw the
State from the Confederacy, in accordance
aoith the principle of secession at seM. They
were, however, always careful to keep to the
windward of the Confederate powers; but
while they did this, they essayed in every
manner to break the heads of traitors with
their own budgeon. There was also another
incentive ofthe most powerful character, they
knew that they were marked as traitors, and
their lives and property daily threatened F;
denounced as tories to be 6 dealt with accord
ing to the rigors of military laws"-conscrip-
ted and ostracised-and therefore, for self
protection, they were obliged to take office,
and utter sentiments in support of the REBEL
! ion which they loathed from the bottom OF
their hearts.
These are facts of history.
In reviewing the course of the leaders OF
the rebellion, the Confederate of Jan. 11th
1865, admitted that the Union men had
thrown material impediments in the path OF
the rebellion, and advocated the broadest
assumption of power by the Confederate
government, thus ignoring States rights, Sc
cession at will, &c. The following is the
extract:
"The material results of these impedime1ts
in the path of the government have been to
weaken our numerical force in the field, to
depreciate the government and break down
its currency-to break the spirit of the peo-
pie with gloom and dcspondency-tO cause
dissension, division and discord, and to en-
! courage the enemy to more persistent and
energetic measures of war. In this state of
the case something is to be done. 1t had been
much better if the Confederate government
had, in the beginning, assumed its broadest
attitude Of authority, and never permitted for
moment an undue impeachment to arise and
exercise its power What it has neglected
to assume or forborne to exercise, it cannot
longer. without extreme hazard, venture to
delay"
And the following from the Confederate Of
the 18th OF January, 1866, to the same pur.
pose:
"If Congress has assumed to exercise the
full power vested in it by the Constitution,
it shall raise armies to sufficient strength
organize Confederate militia, suspend the
habcas corpus, by which no good citizen has
been or will be wronged, and punish con.
spiracy."
On the 7th of September, 1854, the SAME
paper spoke as follows:
" "Where is the Georgia platform and Gov
Brown, that branling huusbug Of States right
no,o? Ifhc had been less mar r-plot-more
| on the platform of the Confederacy-- NOR.
inclined to adjunct the Erecutice and tt
strengthen tile hands of the Confederate. Coo
ernnent, than to be eyerlastingy making
points and issues, Georgia would not have
been Obliged to bow her neck to day to the
tread of the invader, seated in her midst
| Gov Brown, of Georgia, resisted the con.
scription of magistrates and State officers
He honestly held to the doctrine of States
rights, and protested against Confederate
usurpation. That was his Georgia platform
but the Confederate and its secession allies
who never had any true principles at all, de
nominated him " that brawling humbug o.
States rights" On the 9th of July, 1864
that journal further said:
"What does Gov. Brown think now ot
conscription, when the necessity of universal
CONSUMPTION is on him Where is his Geor
:. gia platforms Alas. it is to be hoped anG
prayed for-that his long deferred actor
may not be too late
would Mr.. Holden bring us in North Caro-
| lima Ha no vuha, ho In hot
he cannot do one act to promote it. He ad
vocates the exemption of militia officers, jus
tices, constables, jailors, &C., thereby weak
ening the army and compelling the enrol
ment of old men and boys. And by his VIC
lent accusations against the government, hi
invites the advance of the enemy"
The above extracts speak for themselves
| They show how utterly unprincipled and
reckless were the instigators and leaders O
the rebellion. To use figure of speech orig
mated by z. B. Vance, if the Lord had de
sired to send another and worse plague upon
Pharoah and the Egyptians, than toads and
lice, &C., he should have sent unto them as
neighbors and friends the instigators and
leaders of the late accursed rebellion.
| We repeat, the Union men of North Car
olina desired to call Convention in 1859
'64 and '65 to withdraw the State from the
| Confederacy. In his Wilkesboro' speech
Gov. Vance treated the matter as follows
threatening the people with new war and
coercion: 5n4s3 2
| Well, suppose you go little further and
cav vOu will Iustruct vnur dolorrotoo n, 10 Ls