The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-02-04
r
IN 1860 AND 1861
S4s.si0a Of This State. Last HUI Ono
to yoiu Confetlcracy. the Outcome
Of u Long Conflict.

to yoiu Confelcracy. the Outcome
of u Long Conflict.
Is. WILLIAM X. BOYD, Trinity
College.
trrom a Report OF the American
Historical A~ssociatlon.)
In tho great drama OF 1S60-d
North Carolina had no leading part
tl,c that OF South Carolina or h
f.r South. The last State except one
"a ratify n Federal Constitution in
1859. ii was also the last except ono
10 Join the Confederacy. But a study
OF conditions within its borders on
the eve Of secession has a value far
greater han this relative place In
the movement might suggest. In fact.
North Carolina illustrates some phases
OF southern life too often lost sight
o1 in discussions of sectional issues.
10 what extent these conditions ex-
istad elsewhere and their place in
the history Of secession are worthy
OF Inquiry, for southern society before
1860 did not conform to one type OF
thought or action. Secession itself
Was the result OF years of conflict
on the hustingS. in the press, and in
economic development.
The first Of the forces which shaped
the attitude Of North Carolina to-
ward secession was its social structure.
In early days the colony was a re-
fuge for men of small means who
sought to improve their FORTUNES. and
ia 1880 the small planter was still the
chief factor in industrial life.
There was also a distinct lack Of
unity In feeling or action among the
people; rarely indeed did they rally
a. one man in any common cause.
This was due in part to diversity OF
t3.ial origins. but much more to sec
tioial influences. River courses and
natural elevations of the land pro-
ruced geographical divisions SO dis
tinct that intercourse between them
wrs exceedingly difficult, and the
cities OF South Carolina aud Virginia
wnre Tor years more important COM
mercial centers for North Carolina
ttan The towns within the State. This
S~ectionaiism Of nature had also a poll
teal character. Up to 1885 the coun-
ties east OF Raleigh, by virtue OF their
number. held the balance OF power
in thc Legislature. while those to the
west had greater and grew
more rapidly In population. Long
after reforms in representation We're
made the sectional feeling continued
and Was q potent influence in poll.
.icS.
~interacting with sectionalism wal
NJ. Industrial organization. The 3,av,
system n Its attendant products were
never extensively developed except IL
- group Of middle eastern counties
In fact. less than 90 per cent Of tn,
families ia 1850 held slaves, while tn,
average number of slaves held wa
30. Ia strong contrast to the slave
owning class were the noIslaveholders
Their Industries included, besides agri
G1lrt.lPa fyyA r1o onn1 ~ ~ m
One, factories in which North Caro-
Tina ranked next to Virginia an
Georgia: the other, domestic arts an
hand trades. These latter industrie
were important because they enable
each plantation OF community to b
in "a large degree economically sell
sufficient. The story of the vast nun
Der OF nonslaveholding whites in tn
South. their origin, occupations, Opir
ions. and influence. is az yet unwri,
ten. In North Carolina they alway
had q considerable influence, and +
1860 their protest gatnS certain il
eQualitles produced by the slave sy,
tcni was we'll under way. Their q
titGdc toward secession has been We
ststed in the words OF Senator Vanc.
'Seven-tenths Of our people owns
no slaves at all, and to say the lea
OF ii. felt no great and enduring Ell
thGsiasm for it's ~tslavery'sl preserv
uon. especially when ii seemed
theta that il was in no danger"
These underlying social condition
the prevalence Of<fnen OF mOdera
means. sectional Influences, and Il
existence OF u large n~ons!aveholdi1
tiaas-Were the basis for certain we
defined political characteristics. The
was "a variety OF opinions on eve
public questiOn, aud conservatism W
usually nothing more than 4 failt
10 unite an common opinion
program CT progress. There was al
= prejudice against ideas or NOV
ments of alien origin, which aio
With isolation gave rise to provi
c~!aiisia.
The attitude toWard Federal rel
hors Was accordingly strongly De
ucuiaristic. Expediency rather tn
patriotism or a national ideal caus
the ratification OF the Federal &C