Year: 1861

them would have chased thousand, and two Of them
would have put ten thousand of our enemies to
flight They were like the war-horse SO eloQuently
described by job when be smelleth the battle afar
oil, but they have not got nearer 1.-THE armed men"
than the public crib. Like ackals they were will


ling to lead in the pathway Of danger until the con-


ct came and now safe distance they wait to fat.
ten on the spoils Of the wounded and the slain.
have often said that this might have been pre-
vented by calm and prudent counsels. | struggled
long and hard to avert it for preferred peace with
honor to civil war, and now, in my inmost heart, l
feel that have never been disloyal to the best in
terests Of my country, and am willing that time
shall decide whether | erred in Judgment. If this
war makes us greater, happier and more prosper
Gus people, I will cheerfully 'give honor to whom
honor is DUE, but if the result is different poster
ty will render its verdict. have always been proud
Of my bir:h-right in North Carolina, and with un-
faltering devotion am willing to share her fortunes
and her destiny. l am loyal and devoted to the
Confederate States of America, because North Car
olina loves SO we'll her Southern sisters now
have no feelings of bitterness for any of my fellow
citizens and | would willingly forget and forgive
the injustice and wrongs Of the past and ask also to
be forgiven, if this would exercise the fell spirit of
party would make any offering to appease this
demon of ruin, and am opposed to this ordinance
because know that it will add fresh fuel to his in
fernal fres


Mr.. President: This ordinance proposes to intro
duce new feature into our form of government, by
requiring our people for the first time to do "hon-
age and fealty" to the State. Citizenship is the
brthrght of the native born sons of North Carolina
and allegiance is their natural duty and shall they
now be to be faithful to the very instincts of
their nature? You might as well swear dutifll
children to honor reverence and love the good old
mother who bore them.


Nor i,o -
people as to their relations and duties to the general
government. Many of the original secessionists be-
ileVe that they never owed any allegiance to the
Federal government. and the old Union was but
league Of States and they think that this principle
is the corner stone of the new government. 1t
would be ungenerous and unjust to force them by
this ordinance to do violence to their honest convc.
tions. The old Union men believed it to be their
duty "to bear true and faithful allegiance" to the
old government and without icing sworn they did
SO with unwavering fidelity to the last hour of its
existence Many of them entertain the same opin-
ion as to their duty to the new government, and
they require test oaths to make them rally around
and sustain it. As they faithful to the old, SO
will they be faithful to the new government and if
the storm OF revolution should cverwhelm it, they
will be found the last to leave the falling ruins.


Mr.. President This ordinance excepts from its
operation "volunteers mustered into the service of
osoAS u
proper exception, and the reason assigned for it in
the report of the committee receives my approval.
Our brave volunteers have shown their devotion to
the country, by their suferings trials and dangers
in the camp and battle field, and they deserve our
lasting thanks and gratitude; but do you suppose
that they will regard this exception as an honor
when the ordinance casts odum and insults upon
the loved ones they have left at home? The brave
are always unselish and noble, and they will scorn
this pitiful compliment.


MIR. President desire to show that there are
many people in North Carolina who come within
the spirit of the above exception. The members of
this Convention have given high evidence of their
devotion to the country. On the Doth of May, they
signed our Declaration of Independence, and, by SO
doing, they pledged their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor to the maiatainance of this rev.
olution If it is unsuccessful that act may confiscate
our property, lead to the gbbet or drive us into
exile believe that act made record of glory and
immortality for US all, and can it be possible that
we must now take an oath of fealty to our wives
and Children homes and firesides?


Ii the brave boys who have gone to the wars are
excepted IN this ordinance why not except the no.
ble fathers who sent them? Did it require no de-
votIon to the country to make them give up the
idols Of their hearts and homes 1t was the high
est sacrifice they could Offer With more than Ro-
man frmness they sted the voice of paternal
love; they saw their "brave boys" 20 forth with
the consecrating kiss of weeping sisters, and the
tervent blessings of stricken hearted mothers, and
then with grief too big for utterance they entered
their once peaceful and happy homes, now the
dwelling places of sorrow. How slow and sad the
long days go by, while their thoughts are with
the absent ones. and often in the solemn midnight
hour they turn restlessly upon their pillows, they
the shroud. No ambition, or love of power and
place has prompted them to make such sacrifices
and endure such sufferings,-t is devotion to duty
and their country. If these fathers are not except
ed at least except those whose sons have died in
the storm of the battle, or perished before the
breath of the pestilence Many of them have wept
over their youthful dead until sorrow has exhausted
the fountain of tears, and, oh it would be so cruel
now to mock them in their time of agony


Mr.. President: There is yet another exception
The men of Bethel have come home from the field
OF their fame. Their term of service has expired
and they are no longer soldiers. Who in this Con-
vention would dare tell them that they must take
an oath of fidelity to their country? While we
were safe at home they pledged their lives to the
country, in the blazing lines of battle and received
the fearful baptism Of blood and fire. 1t fills my
heart with pridt when mention Bethel. 1t was
North Cardinals battle and she was the victor
There is something significant in the name of Beth
el You we'll recollect where it first occurs in the
Bible. Jacob left the tents of his father Isaac at
Beersheba to avoid the fierce wrath of his brother
Esau; and when the sun was set on the first day of
his journey, she lighted on certain place" when
foot-sore and weary he rested and in the visions
Of the night he saw the angles Of heaven, and then
God promised to give him and his seed the land of
his father; and Jacob called the place Bethel, tho
house Of God. We, too, have been forced from the
halls of our fathers by the cruel hatred of our Esau
brethren, and We have been deprived of much of
our just inheritance For more than fifty years. we
have been feeding them with the mcsses of pottage
and now We alone have the brthright of liberty and
the blessings of our fathers God with us at Beth.
el. He shielded our men in the day of battle and
in the brilliant victory He gave US, We have assu.
rance that We shall continue to possess this goody
land forever: We may have to struggle long, but
at last we will come of more than conquerors, for
with all the strong confidence of patriots hope,
believe The Lord Of hosts is with US; the God of
Jacob is our refuge"


Mr.. President: desire once more to allude to the
spirit Of party, which alone disunes the people of
North Carolina I fullv avreo with the hnnnrahj.