What they thought...

I came up with an idea last night - how did the rest of the country perceive North Carolina's secession struggle. Here are some newspaper articles that I dug out. These are from the month of March 1861. I plan to go back and look at May 1861 next.

"Our returns from North Carolina are too meager to indicate the result yesterday, whether for Union or secession. Raleigh gives a splendid vote in favor of the constitution as it is." - 01 March 1861 Springfield Republican (MA).

"North Carolina. - The result of the North Carolina election may remain in doubt for some days, but the returns, so far as yet received, seem to us to be favorable, and to show a probability that no convention will be held. A glance at the map and at former election returns will show that we are hearing from the worst part of the State first, --that is, from the counties near the coast and in the southern part of the State. This, New Hanover seems to have voted for a convention by about the same majority which it gave to Breckinridge; Duplin seems to have gone for a convention, and gave Breckinridge over 1200 majority; Brunswick, a small county, and usually nearly balanced, it is reported to have voted for a convention, which is a gain to the wrong side. The chief county in the interior which has been heard from is Wake county (containing Raleigh), which, instead of 86 majority for Breckinridge over Bell (Douglas having 276 votes), now gives 1000 majority against a convention, and Wayne, somewhat nearer the coast, votes for a convention by rather less than Breckinridge's majority.

     "The returns from the coast, as we anticipate, will be unfavorable, but in the interior and western parts of the State, the Tennessee feeling is very strong, and we anticipate there such noble majority against disunion as those by which Eastern Tennessee swamp the secession majority of the western part of that State. A few counties like will turn the scale, for in the State Breckinridge had only 3549 majority over Bell, 2701 votes being cast for Douglas." 2 March 1861 - Boston Daily Advertiser.

North Carolina for the Union for the Union- Convention Rejected.

"The returns received, says the Raleigh Register, warrant us in asserting that North Carolina has gone for the Union by an overwhelming majority, and in expressing the opinion that a majority of the people have refused to call a convention, and this, we believe, is the general impression herel for a though by our returns as published to-day, the Convention is ahead, there are counties yet to hear from, which it is believed, will turn the scale the other way.
    "The result of the election shows the devotion of North Carolina to the Constitution and the Union of the States, and her utter detestation of the policy of the Ellises, Averys, the Persons, the Hokes, the Thomases, et id omne genus, which would have carried the State out of the Union and tacked her to South Carolina two months ago. But North Carolina's action on Thursday last must not be misconstrued into anything savoring of a declaration that she will submit to anything and everything for the sake of a so-called Union. To place such a construction on her action would be to make a great mistake.
   "North Carolina declares that she has seen nothing as yet to justify the destruction of the Union, or make her turn her back on the blessings which she thinks she has enjoyed and is enjoying in it. This is what she has declared. But should the time unhappily come when the Constitution, which supports that Union, is so perverted that the rights which she contracted for are not recognized and respected, her action will be in accordance with the spirit which prompted her sons in 1775 to be the first on this continent to declare the great principles of human liberty. " - 8 March 1861 Philadelphia Inquirer.

"North Carolina.-If any body has entertained the idea that North Carolina would follow the bad example of her more Southern namesake, and declare her connection with the Union severed, that idea will now probably be dispelled. A telegram from Raleigh informs us that the State has voted against holding a convention by one thousand majority, and that the delegates elected to a Convention in case one had been ordered are two to one for the Union. - North Carolina has been confidently counted upon for secession, and her adherence to the to the Union is a gratifying evidence that the disunion movement has been effectually checked." 11 March 1861 Trenton State Gazette (NJ).