The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-09

the lawful government of their country, and
finally imbued their hands in the blood OF
innocent patriots. But they have the eff
frontery to couple this confession of guilt
with a demand that it shall not only receive
no punishment. but that its unrepentant per-
petrators shall be permanently invested with
| power to make it test of merit and honor
and to brand Unionis,n in the South, during
| the rebellion. as perpetual shame and re
| proach And because the allowance OF this
| preposterous demand is delayed they have
! the shameless autlacity to assail the Congress
! of the nation, and to arouse their adhcrents
to assume, as far as they dare, threatening
attitude towards the government. They
SANDER the honest, substantial citizens OF
North Carolina by publicly declaring that
the great mass of the people partake OF their
sentiments and purposes; and by impressing
| this upon the minds of Northern men, they
| involve the whole State in the consequences
| of their guilt and folly. They sneer at the
| 10000 white Union voters OF the State as
| "mean whites" and misrepresent the thou
sands of others, who but for deceptive teach
ings and continued appeals to sectional pre-
! judices and passions, would also be true to
the interests and peace of their country. A
large majority of the people of NorthCa
lima regret the part they took in the rebellion,
and earnestly desire not only return to the
Union, but that it may be perpetuated for all
time as the only hope of securing liberty and
peace to themselves and their PROSPERITY
But the conduct of the instigators and
leaders in the rebellion for the last eighteen
months, appearing to be approved by ma
jority of the people, has produced contrary
impression as to their sentiments and feelings,
and has kept the State in its present distress
ing and unfortunate relations to the general
government While this continues to be al
lowed what hope can any reasonable man
have of lettering our present condition? 1t
must continue to grow worse until we be-
come involved in irretricvable and hopeless
ruin. Contiscation, executions for treason,
suspension of the habeas corpus and long
and rigid probation under military govern
ment, may yet be our fate. We owe all the
distressing calamities of the past to the in
stigators and leaders of the rebellion. To
them we owe our present troubles. The
darkness ofthe future is the continued work
of their hands. If they had any magnanimity
gratitude to those who have lost all in
their service, they would no longer attempt
to mislead, nor stand longer in the way of
restoration ofthe rights and prosperity which
Il misguided people forfeited under their
selfish and mischievous counsels. The people
of North Carolina should heed them no
longer. Let the guilty and conscious insti-
gators and leaders of the rebellion be separat-
eel from the honest and misguided masses of
the people, and rebuked by them, and then
the State will be speedily restored to the
rights and prosperity which it so much
needs.
1t may be proper to direct attention more
especially to some of the points upon which
the popular mind is sought to be miseh 1t
is common to hear that quiet and orderly
submission to the force of events, and
voluntary acquiescense in the requirements
OF the times, are inconsistent with Southern
honor. We are exhorted to accept nothing
but by the application OF continued force
And this is insisted upon. when it Is known
that the manifestation OF such spirit on our
part is considered as deliberately preparatory
for future resistance and rebellion upon the
ground that we shall not be bound to sub
NIT to what is forced upon us any longer
than compelled to do so. and shall be Justified
in throwing it off upon the first safe occasion.
Thus would the peace of the nation be kept
in state OF continued peril. Can any one |
fail to see that such an attitude towards the /!
government increases the necessity for strin- /
gent measures, and is likely to bring upon us
not only delay in the restitution of our rights /
and privileges in the Union. but subject us |
to much more harsh and severe terms! .
cheerful and prompt acceptance of the results /
OF defeat Is required no less by dignity and |
manliness, than is spitcful and unavailino
restlessness inconsistent with LOYALTY, and
antagonlstlc to our interests. The instigatOrs
and leaders in the rebellion attack with bit
terness and with the most scandaous scurrili-
ty, all who dare intimate an acQuiescense in
the measures deemed by Congress necessary
for the future peace and safety OF the country,
Union advocates were Missed upon the floor
of the present House of Commons in this
State: and the House. at the same time, re-
ceived with applause an avowal of readiness,
made IN earnest anger, = to build heir for
such as questioned the loyalty of the recent
proceedings OF its secession friends. The
profanity was excused for the sake of the
sentiment. 1t Is quite reasonable that these
men should be nerv0uslv sensitive to an OK ,
posure OF their crimes and outrages during ;
the rebellion and of their present conduct 6
and purposes. But such unseemy exhibit E
tons OF temper betray a consciousness of ,
guilt. Men never outrage decency by the t
violence or defensive language, unless they be r
struggling to crush truth in order to escape {
the stigma of some dreaded exposure Their
newspapers declare their inability to find c
language to express their loathing and de- +
of those citizens who favor the !
views of Congress, and expressions of regret I
ON account of the same inadequacy of Ian t
guage IS favorite peroration of their orators Y
in the Legislature and out of it. All this is r
meant to prejudice and mislead the public y
mind. And for the same purpose is their t
effort to identify themselves with the people n
1T large They even assume to constitute +
he State, and claim that anything said or s.
lone against them is said and done against Il
North Carolina. 1t is really nothing but a
heir own ambition and folly that is continu- ST
ng the evils and troubles under which we n
abor Let it become apparent that their n
Gnduct and purposes are not approved by II
he masses of our people. and the State will f.
,e restored at once to all its former rights in NJ
he Union, and the influx of capital and enter ri
rise will Immediately bring back the dawn fe
# prosperity and peace The honest sub. hi
tantial citizens of North Carolina have or
interests and hopes far above the reckless and 4,
aftied ambition of these secession leaders, o,
Neither their disgrace. nor disfranchisement rs
or even merited punishment would have I'll
ny damaging effect upon the general well n,
IRE, but rather may become necessary thereto or
they longer persist in their course of mad, III
ess and folly, and continue to be obstacles 70
the peace and prosperity of their fellow fr,