Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-09-18
Information for the Legislature.

We have before US a printed message Of Gov.
Clark communicated the two houses of the Legisa
ture on the 9th instant in reply to call for infor-
nation in which he says, "that after the most dill
gent search, no letters Of Inspector General Whit
ing to Gen. HOLMES are to be found on file here, of
the dates alluded to, any other dates" Now,
mark that.
The Governor also communicates letter address,
ed to him by the Military Secretary, Mr.. Winslow,
in whic.. he, Mr. Winslow, says: ~ do not remem-
Der to have seen any letters Of Inspector Gen
eral Whiting to Brigadier General Holmes, dates of
2Sth April and lst May: 1861, nor Of any other
date" Mark that. also. Mr. Winslow goes on to
say that no such letters file in his Office nor
as he is informed, in the Adjutant Generals office
and he adds that The only letter Of Gen. Writings
on file is one to the late Gov Ellis, under date May
18TH" The policy recommended by Gen. Whiting
in this letter. was, he says, adopted
Now, We have before US, in document printed
for the Convention, the letter of Gen. Whiting Of
the 2sh April, 1861, addressed to Gen. Holmes,
and by Gen. Holmes endorsed " for the consideration
Of His Excellency, the Governor" In this letter
large scale, for the defence of Wilmington, Fort Ma
con, Newbern, and other points on the seaboard -
In this letter Gen. Whiting also substantially FORE
shadowed and recommended the seven regiment bill
for the defence of the scaboard, which passed the
Convention, and which was afterwards reconsidered
and rejected largely as the result of the personal
and party appeals of Mr.. Winslow, and his unscru-
of Stota we
Whiting substantially recommended the policy
Of the seven regiment bill, for lie said that "rol-
unteers enough from tho Eastern and Southern
Counties could undoubtedly be procured" to defend
the seacoast, "leauing to tile centre and the noun
tains the honor Of turning the enemy in Fi,ginia."
But the policy of this letter was not adopted, and
this letter cannot be found! Where is it., Has it
been destroyed ?-if so, pho destroyed it, That
this letter was copied for the Conventon-that it
WIS on file then, is unquestoncd fact. Governor
Clark says he cannot find it. and We believe him.
Mr. Winslow says he does not remember ever to
have seen it. Itwas copied while Mr.. Winslow was
constantly around and in the confidence of the late
Governor, and it was printed and laid on Mr. Wins
lows desk as a member of the Convention. And
yet he does not remember ever to have seen =
All this may be true, but if so, it is very strange.
Gov. Clark and Mr. Winslow both complain OF
the want of clerical force" to copy correspondence
Why. Mr.. Winslow is himself Sccretary,-is he
too good to copy letters called for by the Legsla
ture! Gov. Clark has Aids, who are receiving, We
suppose, over $1,000 per annum; is the work o
copying documents beneath these gentlemen? Are
they dds only to give him advice? Alas he has
too much of that already. We heard this same com
plant of the want of clerical force" under the late
Governor, and tina: too when the four parlor Aids
instead of aiding the Governor in his duties were
engaged for the most part in smoking cigars and
driving fast horses.