Posted inUS Civil War

March 9, 1861 – Gov. Ellis in Wilmington

We learn from the Journal that Gov. Ellis was in Wilmington on the 5th, had a reception at the hands of his brother disunionists, and made a speech—The Journal says:

“The Governor referred to the position of public affairs in Congress and throughout the country to Mr. Lincoln’s declarations to his sneaking into Washington to the total failure of all plans of adjustment to the coercion policy of Lincoln’s message to the necessity of resistance, and to the inevitable course of things leading North-Carolina to join her fate with her sisters of the South, and that at no distant day. He did not know how the election in this State had resulted, but however it had resulted the march of events was still onwards. If we had not a convention now, we would have one very soon. When he looked around and saw the spirit manifested here he felt that the spirit of resistance to oppression which animated the men of ’76 was still alive, and its fires still burning.

Neither the law nor the constitution gave the President power to coerce any State, and the attempt to do so would be an act of usurpation that the people themselves had the natural and indefeasible right to resist, even should it be necessary to do so without waiting for the forms of authority.

Posted inUS Civil War

March 5, 1861 – Washington Correspondence

Special to the New Orleans Crescent

Washington, February 22, 1861

The “natal day” has been celebrated here in grand style. People from the adjoining cities and counties gathered here by thousands, more to witness the parade of the small federal army than anything else. This came off about 3 o’clock P. M. on Pennsylvania Avenue. The troops posted themselves opposite the Center Market, near Seventh street, and made an imposing display with their cannon and horses. Suddenly the bugle sounded a charge, and away the cavalry and howitzers dashed up towards the President’s House, making a great noise, kicking up a mighty dust, but eliciting no cheers. The populace was too scared for that. All feel as if war must come, and that a military despotism is inevitable. Out of some thousand citizen soldiery (including the militia) only one company refused to join in the celebration. The National Rifles turned out, but took no part in the general procession. The men who compose this company, by far the best drilled in the city, are Southern, and do not intend to light for Marse Abe. Lincoln’s speeches at Trenton and Philadelphia leave little room to hope that he will not practice coercion. “It may he necessary to set the foot down firm.” And the New Jerseymen, the truest of all the Northerners to the South, applauded loudly and long. He is willing to live and die by the “indiscreet things” he uttered at Indianapolis, and would “rather be assassinated—even shot“—notice the anti-climax ! ” than abandon the principles which gave liberty to all the world”—negroes not excepted, of course.

That villainous sheet, the Washington Star, thinks that Arkansas has initiated the counter revolution in the Confederate States, and the States and Union quotes a recent Union-shrieking article, letter or item, which appeared in the Picayune of your city, the tendency of which is to confirm Lincoln in his coercive policy. Nothing would please the fanatics of the North more than to see Southerners cutting each other’s throats for the sake of getting back into this glorious Union.