Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-10-30
The Situation.
Duty is named by the poets the
FRANCIS HERMAN,
SANFORD E. CHURCH,
WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

Duty is named by the poets the
stern daughter Of the voice of Cod
There was never a man born of woman
who has not a duty to perform to himself,
to his fellow man, to his country, and to
his God, be it ever SO humble, be it ever
SO rugged. be it ever so devoid of the ra-
dance of genius. It's effect will be every
where felt, more or less. We must do it
whether it brings tears of Joy or tears of
sorrow. If we would we cannot shirk it,,
and if we could, and did, we would be ar
rant towards That we would permit
others to overawe us in the performance
of what we consider our bounden duty to
cur country and its affairs of freedom and
religion, is palpable sign that we are not
capable of selecting that which is right
from that which is wrong. If we be poor
men, and have to toll from sunrise to sun
down for cur very sustenance, End allow
ourselves to be blindly led by a party
which has not our interests in view but
their own ggrandizement, we are crimi-
nails to ourselves, and our families, and
deserve the poverty and rags with which
would be placed through our own blind
ness beyond the pale of redemption. If
we be rich, and coldly permit the duty of
the hour which we owe indirectly to our
selves. and directly to the State, to pass
away unheeded, as trifess thing, it's con-
sequences will spring up when least expec-
ted, and reprove US for the error which we
made, and the curse which we were agents
in bringing to our doors and upon the
nation. Duty is, therefore, stern neces-
sity. We cannot shun it. and we should
not make the attempt
There has never been a drama placed
before the public in the history of our
country, nor indeed in the history of any
country, ancient or modern, wherein the
duty of the "loyal and heroic heart " is so
much needed as in the present This
drama is no dream of an idle brain. It
has an eye that never sleeps. It presages
no Joy to the land no wealth no gran
deur, nor greatness, nor glory. It's inward
spirit is war, the bitterest and bloodiest
war upon our liberties. our Constitution,
and it's laws. 1t is
'Discord, a slecpIess hsg, who never dies
It breeds pestilence. It dazzles its audi
ence, and then scatters about it the dead
Hest miasm. It tramples on all dignity,
on all honor, on all justice. Its presenta-
tions are degrading, ruinous to all morality.
Its mouths are as many as the Hydra, and
from each of them proceeds expressions
the most vindictive, void of all reason,
wisdom and forbearance. It SCOTS at all
decency, DULLES all intellect, decries all
patriotism, bankrupts all honesty, threat
ems fidelity, insults the fallen, and heaps
honors on those few, who, like coiled SER
penis in the past, stung their country, and
cried out against tho loyal, "away with
them, away with them"
but the age of virtuous politics is past"
and the destiny of our beautiful land has
been retarded by this cruel, unpatriotic
show. Radicalism has fallen on the coun-
try like deadly blight 1t has rrostitu-
ted faith. It has enveloped the republic
in a cherries gloom. It swears no allie
glance save to the Father Of lies It would |
talk patriotism, but it is rotten at the core,
and in it's heart is treachery and treason. |
Its Infamous designs are transparent We
see them as plain as We see the noon days |
sun. They are as quaggy as the quicksands
which lead to destruction and death. Toll |
every bell in the churches and steeples of
the land, and let the people be warned to
keep off, and defend themselves, their
homes, their liberty, and their God. The |
hidden thunder of Radicalism is about to |
be hurled on US all in peals of villainy, of |
infamy, and of shame. Let the watchman |
ascend to the towers top, and watch for
the approaching storm, and warn the faith
jul to be ready. Let us be for one time |
freemen, such as God made us. Let us
preserve our country such os freemen
made it, and such as it has been kept up
to the advent of that most m onstrous, most |
impolitic, and most unjust of all political
systems-R
''Les it within
The bounds of possible things, that should link
NV name to that word-(rddicGl,) traitor ?''-
traitor to the body polite, traitor to the
Declaration of Rights, traitor to the Consti-
tuition, traitor to al! law and order, social,
civil and religious ? Why, not a ray of
hope is cleaning out from its darkness.
It crushes truth, and it would stife every
noble sentiment of our breasts. To its igno-
rance the sage must bow; the patriot
genufect the tried citizen cringe; the !
people to its behests. Is total darkness
to en7elop our land Is this false party