Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-12-14
REMARKS OF W. F. LEAK, ESQ,

OF RICHMOND COUNTY,
Upon "dn ordinance TO define and punish Sedition,'
DC, introduced by Judge Biggs.
MR. PRESIDENT: have listened, sir, with patient
attention to the reasons assigned by the honorable
delegate from Martin county, in favor of the ordi-
nance he has had the honor to introduce; and
must be permitted to say, and | say it with re-
spectful Difference to his usual good Judgment that
he has entirely failed to satisfy my mind of the pro-
pIiety Of It's adoption; but, the contrary, | do
honestly believe that the measure Ito the extent to
which he proposes to carry t) is totally uncalled
for-impolitc, as well violatve of the fundamen-
tai principles of civil liberty. | will go further SIR
antsay, pass this ordinance requiring that "every
free male person in the State above sixteen years of
age should be required to take an oath Of allegiance
to the State" as well as an oath Ito support MAIN
tain and defend the independent government of the
Confederate States, and you thrust in our midst
apple of diScord, and however beautiful its eXte-
rior may be- its taste will have tendency to arouse
political differences hitherto unfortunately existing
in our midst and to awaken feeling which the
curtain Of forgednlness is now measurably lowered
say, in addition, sir, pass this ordinance requiring
test oath, and yoH'iEdreetiy reflect upon the 10y
atty of our people you proclaim TO the world, Gin
coins government iucuded that there is necessity
of some stronger lgameht to bind our people, and
stimulate their patriotism, than love for constitu-
tional liberty. .-
have said that the ordinance in its present shape
uncalled for, hupotic, well as violative of
the principles Of civil liberty and If | can sustain
either of these propositions, trust it will become
apparent to every delegate present that the ordi-
nance in its present shape should not pass without
essential notifications. What, then, is civil liberty
Do not undeystand me rs maintaining that civil
government should have no restraints, and that
people who haye surrendered the freest private
rights are therefore In possession Of the greatest
amount Of civil liberty, By no means, but on the
nfror HrIn hut q nafi nr ha said
to be in the greatest possession Of civil lberty-not
those who havcsuIrendered the freest private rights
but thbse who have SURRENDERED all that have been
found to be indispenssbIy necessary for the MAIN
tenance Of the good order. peace and security of
society," s.'e-:...:"
If our actions were less restrained by civil au-
thority, our rights would be less secure, This has
been sbdndantly proven BY reference to the gov
ernments of France and Great Britain. In the for
mer, there has been the freest Surrender of ind
vdual rights and yet in the latter the people in
the possession of the greatest amount of civil enjoy
ment. And Fhys, Simply because they have Ia
ken more correct well as q more comprehensive
view of the surrender necessary for individual Sc
curity. CIVIL government, them in its best sense,
is the exercise of such delegated powers de-
naaRdet for the public veal, and civil authority
consists, and rightly consists in having no other re-
srants imposed Chan such as are ihdtspensabLy nee
essary to that common veal You may have civil
government without civil liberty, and you iDould
have if You were to pass this ordnance-that is,
you would still have political organization OF the
people into body polite with divisions and CLASH
hcatioHsi Of powers and your people might and
doubtless would survive this entrenchment upon
their rights bn for them then to enjoy civil liberty
in its highest sense must positively deny.
The Honorable delegate from Martin, who intro
duced IL frankly admitted thai il was Indeed SgtyE
ordinary legislation and justified alone by the ex-
traordnarS condition Of the country; but he failed
entirely TO show Aop that condition would be JIM
| proved by the passage of this measure. That we
are in a state Of is undoubtedly true; that it