Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-02-06
WEDNESDAY, FEB s. 1851. I:
Who .re to fight the Bas,ie. !,

81, Who are to fight the Baslless
The Mobile (Alabams) Rsgistsr, disunion paper,
recently published an article on the formation Of
volunteer companies. Speaking Of several already
formed, it says:
Ihe ranks of these companies are recruited from
the flower of the youth of the city. They ll posts
OF duty and responsibility in almost every depart
ment OF business and there is scarcely mercantile
house in the city whose routine of business has not
been by the loss Of clerk Four have been
taken from our own Office. We feel doubtless, IS
every merchant feels, that we cannot afford to pay
salaries to clerks and give their services to the State
to the detriment of our own business. We mention
this not to begrudge the State the present SERVICE
but to illustrate. An accomplished book keeper for
example, whose services are worth three thousand
dollars year, is certainly too valuable and costly
man to carry musket at eight dollars per month
and ratlons He can serve the State better in q
civil capacity than private in the ranks; or, if
duty calls him to the field, his position aud his
training have fitted him to render the most efficient
service to the public as an officer.
" In the event Of war; which now seems most
probable, an army must DO organized by enlistment
tor regular service, or the State must call for voun
teers Tor the war. Either plan will speedily secure
the force needed. But it will never do to expose
the flower of our youth, tie cream of our military
talent and spirit, en- n,asse, food for powder
They would fight calamity, but tue laurel chaplets
which they would hang upon the arms OF the Com
monwealth would be wreathed with cypress, and
carry mourning to every family in the city Bad
economy to mako private soldiers out of our schools
for officers. 1t is to destroy the of fruitful
spring. instead of taking water from the waste of the
stream supplied by it."
spends as follows:
"The above extract strikes us as making an un.
necessary social distinction. book-keeper or clerk
man., with his kid gloves, his elegant shirt, hand
some neck-te, and perfumed handkerchief, but really
we cannot see any reason why he would not make
as good and proper food for powder as any body
else Death levels all distinctions and at his feet
all should be equally welcomed Why should moi
nice young men die in defence of the State as vel
as others? We pause for reply. Too much in
justice is ever done to the most deserving who ir
quiet and obscurity. bear the heaviest burdens o
war, and become its most numerous and most suffer
ing victims. Let war come upon US now and it,
most numerous victims will be the humble artisans
| whose fate will be mourned, not in marble halls
with ostentatous SORROW but in the humble cottage
by wife and children whose sorrow is sharpened b.
poverty and restitution We are ready to offer on
lives freely water at the need of our State bu
it is cruelty chilling to our hearts to be reminde
that few will mourn for our fall or sigh generou
regret that we have become food for powder W
cannot forget that ranks have always furnished
not merely the bones and sinews of war, but ais
the braves officers to win its victories and the wses
statesmen to direct its counsels
" The undersigned now forming miitar
corps for the defence of the State offering themselv.
as food for POWDER and they most earnestly HOP
and justly demand that all others-clerks, bool
keepers, and all, nice or otherwise-shall be wit
them at the banquet of death; and they strongl
protest against any irritating distinctions in the Fl
ture between and others.
| THREE HUNDRED MECHANICS"