The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-05-09
for Breckenridge and the North for

Counting Delaware, Missouri and all
the other slave States as Southern. the
voting was:
Lincoln at the North, 1,s4o,o22; at
the South, s26,43o.
Douglas at the North, 1.21l.s32: at
the South $685..
Bell at the North 74,65S; at the
South, 515,9
Breckenridge at the North, 277.oS2:
at the South, 57O,s71.
While the people Of the North di-
v1ded between Lincoln and Douglas,
lArcoln carried every Northern State,
the catchword of his followers being
that there was an "irrepressible con-
1llct' between slave labor and free
iabor, and that slave labor must go.
rms rapid development Of Northern
tHOuSnt ana purpose caused much agi-
tatlon n contention at the South, and
every shape Of opinion came to be en-
tertalned by the public men Of North
Carolina, some advocating disunion
put a majority holding that the cleo
ton of a Republican President. in it
sell, was not a sufficient cause for dis
solving the Union.
When the Assembly met on 10Th
November, Governor ELLIS recommend
ed that commissioners should be APP
pointed to confer with the other
southern States, and that steps should
be taken to prepare for any war that
might arise.
He urged; 1T is not the man Abra-
nam Lincoln that we regard, but the
power that elevated him to office and
which Will naturally maintain a con-
trolling influence in his administra-
ton They, who themselves have
utterly refused to be bound by the
Constitution, now hold it up to US as
q bond to secure us from defending
our property and ives against their
OppresSiOnS.'
He expected hat some of the South
ern States would secede, n that CO.
ercive measures would be adopted, and
that war would result.
Congress met early in December
and a great effort was made to OBJ
tain from the Republican Senators
some assurances for the future; but
they remained mute. They would say
nothing to allay the fears of the
South.
Virginia and the border States had
continued quiet; but in South Carolina
and the Cotton States h people were
wearing secession badges, little red
kaues: and on December 10th, the
South Carolina convention adopted an
ordinance Of Secession; and SOC de-
manded possession of the Federal forts
in Charleston harbor.
Sc tn Carolina's action in seeding
was not approved by the people Of
North Carolina who regarded it as un-
wise, hasty and Unnecessary, and
fraught with evil consequences: and
the legislature was SO conservative
that for a time it took no special
action. But gradually the people of
the eastern II southern counties be-
gan to wear the red and
meetings We're held and clubs were
formed to promote secession. On the
other hand. the Unionists sought to
restrain the growt hof disunion SEN
tin1ents and they displayed great activ-
forming Union clubs, and were sue
~cessful in their appeals to the people
TO stand by the constitution and the
Union. One Of the most influential
Of these clubs was the Union Club
Of Wake. of which Kemp P. Battle
was the president. Raleigh was the
home Of Judge Badger, B. F.. Moore,
Judge Battle, S. Fl. Rogers, w. W.
Holden n many other opponents Of
SECESSION; and SO strong was the feel
ing for the Union that when about
Christmas some South Carolina Con-
gressmen, passing through, made ad-
dresses in favor Of secession, the peo-
pie were indignant and there was a
purpose to offer them some personal
violence.
In most Of the counties, however,
| sentiment was more evenly divided.
The garrison at Fort Moultrie was
| not withdrawn as the South CAROLYN
ians desired, but, instead, OF January
| Sth. it became known hat President
| Buchanan had despatched the steamer
| Star of the West to further provision
hat fort.
On the 9th Of January the Star of
the West arrived off. Charleston and
! aftQlnDta6 to enter the harbOf. but
was driven back by the batteries erect
ed by the State to guard the entrance.
The departure Of his expedition
from New York raised a great commo
| ton at the South, and on the 9Th jan
uary. while its destination was still I'M
xnown. the Wilmington Light Infan-
try and other military organizations at
Wilmington took possession Of Fort