The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-03-13


the waters, Aaron and his sons can alone
bear the Ark. The President is power in
this country, but Congress is greater than he.
1t ought to be, because it is thesole law-ma-
king power. The States went out without
Jaw they must go back under the law
The President alone cannot restore to them
their forfeited privileges. This must be
done, and can only be done by the co-ordi-
nate departments of that great and
benefcent government against which they
revolted and made war. 1t is idle to de-
spise or reject the authority Of the Congress,
and then hope that by any means the States
can be restored
But it is asserted that the President will,
in the last resort, summon and recognize u
Congress of his own, including the members
from the Southern States. do not believe
the President designs, in any event, or for
any cause, to plunge the country into civil
war. But if such a thing be probable, and
the war should be renewed, the end would
be the total destruction of government, soci-
ety. and property in these Southern States.
The weaker section would drain the cup of
anguish to the very dregs. Those who orig
mate such reports and make such calcula-
ton, are slanderers of the President. They
are neither friends to him nor friends to the
country. They are reckless agitators, who
would stand off from the battles which their
wicked passions would cause, to plumber the
helpless and the dead, or to safe their ven
geance by the spectacle of brothers again
plunging their bayonets into brothers bo-
z SONS. There is no Congress but the Con-
gress recently in session at Washington,
which will meet again in December. This
Congress will increase in numbers as South
ern members are admitted to it, but it will
not be diminished
It is also asserted, that the Southern States
will vote for President and Vice-President
in 1868, though they may not be represent
ed in Congress. 1t is not to be expected
that the majority will permit this. The I'M
represented States were not allowed to vote
in 1854, and we may be sure similar law
will be passed for 1868. President johnson
will enforce the law. 1t is his peculiar boast
that he is man of the people, and that he
has confidence in the people. He is too
sound republican to oppose his will, in the
last resort, to the will of the majority.
There is no hope, therefore, fellow-citizens,
but in the prompt restoration of the Union;
and this can be effected in no other way, in
my judgment, than by accepting the pro-
posed Constitutional amendment. We are
admonlshed by the recent elections that the
North will be satisfied with nothing less. 1t
may require more, and have no doubt it
will, if we reject this amendment During
the rebellion, was for the shortest road to
peace. I am now for the shortest and
straightest road right back to the Union.
love my State, and Iwant the best terms I
can get for her. So strong is this love, and
so ardent is my attachment to the Union,
that would be willing to put myself under
ban for the remainder of my life to sec the
State restored. But, because have told the
people the truth, will they censure me I can
not believe they will have been frank with
them,it may be to my own injury. cannot
helpit, for if serve them at all l must do so
with candor and honesty. My interests, my
sympathies, my hopes are all identified with
theirs. Passion and prejudice may rule the
hour, but day of reason and reflection will
come, and then justice will be done to ALL
1t would have been easy for me to have gone
with the current. Like Others, might have
made terms with my opponents. held
position which would have enabled me to do
this with some success. Knight have grasp
ed honors, and put money in my purse. I
could have gone to party with which l
once acted, many of whose members, from
former associations, still have my regard and
sympathy. But l could not do it. I could
not abandon the cause of the Union. The
path of duty was rugged and thorny, but
continued to walk in it. am in it still.
will never leave it. do not fear censure
but fear to do wrong. Nor am I slave to
party. In 1848 I opposed my party on in
ternal Improvements, and have the gralifi-
cation to believe that my course then ensur-
ed the appropriation for the Central Rail-
road, which was the great pioneer work of
the kind in our State In 1860 refused to
go with my party in opposing the principle
of ad ualorem. In 1860 refused to go with
the great mass of my party for disunion.
stand now where I stood then. am the
same loyal man was when the President
appointed me Provisional Governor in May,
1865. I have not changed. do not in
tend to change. know this is dark day
for Union men in the South, but intend to
stand by the Union, in the darkness as in the
light, SO long as its flag floats or star gilt
tiers in its folds. There is no hope for this
people but in the Union. Throughout its
whole existence it has been bene6cent in its
character and operations. It has borne heav-
lily on no State-it has deprived no man of
his liberty except from the stern necessity of
war-it has laid the hand of correction on
its rebellious children mere in sorrow than
in anger. We attempted recently to calcu-
late its value" at time when its flag wa
we'd only for our protection, and when its
horn of plenty was pouring down every good
thing into our midst, and behold how sud
denly destruction rushed in upon us like a
food We then BUNDLED ourselves before
God, and promised to submit to lawful au.
thority. Have we so soon forgotten this
promise We have been conquered in bat
tie, because God willed it; let us now show
what great thing it is to conquer ourselves
Let us "rule our temper" Let us us con-
quer and subdue our passions and prejudi-
ces. The great body of the people CT the
North are our friends They wish us well.
They do not desire to humble or degrade US.
They do not want our lands or our houses.
They are not seeking our blood. They are
tired of war. They yearn towards US as an
elder towards his younger brother, who has
been sorely classified for his first offence
They desire our prosperity, because it is in
separately connected with their own. They
do not want to hold US as subject provinces
but they wish to live with us as equals in
the Union. That Union stretches out its
mighty arms to embrace us. For one, am
anxious to return to it. regard it, in the
language of WASHINGTON, as the primary
object ofpatriotic desire" In it, l know We
shall be safe It will be to us all, as in the
past, copious fountain of innumerable
blessings. Out of it, can see nothing in
the future but discord, anarchy, military rule