Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-06-05
President Davis,

The resident of the Confederate States of Ameri-
ca nov in Richmond and glad enough are we to
hear it for we hope he will put some fire upon ter
npin Ietchers back, and propel him at more rapid
rate thin he has yet moved at 1t is said that Letch
is ii the daily habit of taking too much UtRegar
Fith his fish," If this is fact, he ought to be de-
Posed-RaIeiyk Register.
We do not know Gov Letcher of Virginia nor are
Ee cognizant of his habits but we regret the above
illusion. Like many other unfortunate men we wot
Of he may sometimes get decently drunk. We do
not know it If so, it is certainly not very be-
coming to emblazon it to the world II every
such man were deposed, what would become of some
other folks, besides Gov. Letcher? But JEFF Davis,
1--WE hope will puts fire upon terrapin Letcher's
back, and propel him at a more rapid rate than he
has yet moved at" We are not prepared fully to
appreciate the figure never having tried fire upon
terrapn; bat if Virginia or her Executive and able
military Council has been going at terrapu rate
since the Proclamation the pace of North-Carolina
has been that of a loggerhead. If President Davis
ought to apply fire in the one case, had we not bet
ter send for him to apply it in the otherY What's
THE causer Surely, one will charge our Govern
Tor or his Military Board with the daily habit of
4" taking too much ciaegar with their fish," We
think not, The cause lies somewhere else, and we
hope the Convention will find it out
Virginia cannot have less than 30 or 4O0 600 Vir-
ginians in the ield ready for the onset at this mo-
ment besides the troops from other States. She
was poorly provided with arms Fortress Monroe,
the Gosport Navy Yard and Harper's Ferry, were
in possession of the enemy and large body of Lin
coins emissares were at Washington to invade her.
The Convention very properly appointed for the
Governor q most able military Council of which
Gen. Lee, President Smith and Lieut. Maury, whose
superiors are not to be found, compose part She
now holds the Navy Yard, with Norfolk, and Har-
pers Ferry, SO well fortified that it is doubted wheth-
er they be taken, and perhaps ere this, her own
and her sister States troops may have encountered
the enemy and we hope defeated him :; and all this
in less than 80 days
How is it with North Carona2 We are sorry to
admit it, but candor compels the admission Forts
Macon, johnson, and CaswelL and the Arsenal at
Fayetteville, were surrendered to us without the
presence of an enemy. The Arsenal was said to be
better supplied with arms and munitions of war,
than any in the South. Never, in the history of any
State has its citizens responded with aacrity
to the call of Executive than our brave people did
to the call Of Gov Ellis, from Tennessee to the sea-
board for the first three or four weeks 1t was the
boast of the Adjutant General, that he could have
into the field $4,000 men in less than-we do not
recollect preciSely-but it was very short time.
What are the facts? If our Forts and Inlets and
seacoast are in condition to receive the enemy we
shall be glad to know it We have sought for the
information elsewhere; and citizen of the State
will be prouder to hear that ,oe are all ready, thar
we shall But if we are, the cost and labor and diff
fculty Of getting in readiness will not bear compari
son with what Virginia has DONE How many o
our $4,000 men are in the field? We have tDo CAPT
tai regiments in Virginia. Two more will perhaps
be there before this paper goes to press, portion
whom have not had their rifles muskets in pos
session more than one or two weeks, and have no
yet learned the proper use of them-some withou
bayonet or a sabre, to meet perfidous foe armed
to the teeth, in close death lock- few other regi
ments can be made up in short time, If they car
get arms. Besides these, we have about 1900 mer
on the sea-coast possibly 1000, most of whom are
perhaps, in better fighting order than most of ou
troops Thus we have about 1000 out of the 80,
00O but the rest are coming. If North Carolina
those who have had the management of our troops
had moved at the terrapin" pace of Virginia, anc
the Adutant Generals idea was correct we shoulo
have had in Virginia, at this moment 10000 men
10000 on and near our sea-coast and 10000 as
reserve corps This we ought TO have had and thi
ire must ha0e in short time. Our people weknov
will answer, yea yea
Now where does the fault lie? Let the State Con
CentiOn now in session, look into the cause! Let i
probe this matter to the bottom and apply the cor
rectiue no matter phom it hurts On behalf of thu
people of North Carolina, urge tive demand it
But we did not intend to say 1.-THE as much al
this time; yet truth and duty demand it Som'
people ought to recollect what they learned wher
they were children, that "those ,cho lice in glass
houses, should not throw stones"