Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-08-28
For the Standard.
A STAY LAW.

Mr. EDITOR: respectfully ask small space in
your columns, for the purpose of suggesting to the
Legislature, now in session. the great importance Of
passing Immediately an effective stay-law or law
for the protection of property in the State. Why
is 1t Important that such law should be passed ?
Because our government will call on the State
for an additional number of men for the war-and
those who have already gone, should be protected
also 1t must be admitted that the middle class Of
men in our country the mostly in debt,
with some few exceptions and must also admit
that the same class of men bear the burden of the
government to very great extent. And we fur
ther state that they compose very large majority
Of the present army of the Confederate States and
will also have to respond chiefly to the next call of
the government Therefore, it is said, generally,
that our best men are in the field Now sir, wish
to ask our lawmakers one simple question, (to-wit:)
If, after these men have voluntarily offered them
selves for the protection of the vast interest of the
State, and to secure to and hand down to our
poSterty the blessings of civil and religious liberty
if they can deny to them protection at houe? If
you can, you leave them to the mercy of the money
mOngers of the State-for it must be admitted, that
there is class Of men in country, whose only
! desire is to make money and it matters not with
them the circumstances Of the country the means
| employed, so they can keep the law between them
and the Snhipping,D0St 1t is fact not to be de-
MED, that ALL most of the States of the Confed
eracy have passed laws for the protection of prop
have not been disturbed. But n. G. has not been
! permitted to sit undisturbed under such a law
| Her Governor recommended such q law, and her
Legislature passed ito their honor be it said but
there were money-mongers in the State " no saw all
| their prospects cut short, who went to work to
break down the law. They made test before the
| Supreme Court which declared the law unconstitu-
tional, and the money worshippers have been turn
| ed loose upon the State agan-whe Lincoln and
his minions are at work on our brave armies who
have gone in defence of the State. This is double
| foe upon us-we cannot stand it. Yet, sir, these
men who are now in the field left home with full
assurance that what they left behind secure to
| their families and that it could not be taken from
| them during their absence, and while fighting for
! their country. But alas all that glittcrs is not
gold. Their expectations cut short-their fam
lilies liable be thrown upon the cold charities
of the country. How, let me ask, can they fight
| with courage, the enemy in the field, when they
know that their families are contendng with an
| envy at home under the cloak of the lao Or, how
| can you expect others to volunteer promptly while
! they are in possession of these facts? My own
opinion is that it will drive the government to draft
| the State-but hope the Legislature will make
some provision for the protection of property, so
| that men volunteer without the dread of having
| their property sacrificed and their families beg
! gareL But if it comes to draft there is one
good thing about ia draft is respcctor of per-
sons, and perhaps it may, in mercy to the rest of
mankind take the money worShppers with it. Our
people generally are posed of fine feelings and
can not expect them to bear up under heavy
weights, that the citizens of othep States have been
eased of for the time being. which took
| place in New York will show pretty clearly what
| our people will do A man volunteered, and while
| in the army, he heard that his children had been
sent to the amshouse, and his wife turned into the
street to beg for her living. He deserted and went
home to share their fate. He was taken up, and
asked why he deserted? He told them that he had
heard that his children had been sent to the aims
house. and his wife into the street to beg, and that
| he had come home to share their fate. Now"
| said he, take me, and do your worst with me-
am glad that Lincoln's army was not composed of
men of such courage and feeling at Manassas If it
had, we would have been badly whipped. l hope
that the lawmakers of N. c. will not so act as to
| bring about such state of things here. But, 1t
may be said that we have no such villains here as
there are in New York. That may be so, but we
| do know that we had law for the protection of
| property, and that it has been broken up by the
ruthless hands of the money hunters and that the
families of volunteers are now liable to be treated in
the same way. hope it may never be the case in
| North Carolina, but that the authorities will do
something to put it out of the power of evil and de-
signing men, to take advantage of the times, and
turn them to their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in the way
Of property, at OneOurth its value. The protection
claimed for volunteers, will also apply to those who
are left at home-for they have very important
part to perform in supplying both money and pro-
visions for the army; and if they are crippled in
their efforts to help the government much will be
lost and disaffection will take the place Of loyalty.
The people do not object to paying their debts if
their property made to bring its full value-but
to have it exposed to sale at one-fourth its value,
they do object to, and every good man ought to OBJ
ect to it. And if the debts of the people have 10
be paid under present circumstances, can see but
one resultant that is, that the people will sit
down and wait for their certain doom of insolvency,
without energy to defend themselves and families,
much less their country. In view Of these crcum-
stances, l think the legislature will do something
for the people, they have as much right to protec-
ton as any other people, and they expect it.
NOT BRUTUS.
We learn that VIM. B. Astor did, after all, give