Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-07-27

vised treated like common feons, put in irons: con-
fined in Jail usually Appropriated to criminals Of
the worst dye and threatened with punishment as
such. | had made an application for the exchange
Of these prisoners to the commanding officer of the
enemys squadron off Charleston harbor, but that
officer had already sent the prisoners to New York
when the application was made. Therefore deemed
it my duty to renew the proposal for the exchange
to the constitutional Commander-in- Chief of the
Army and Navy of the United States the only Off
Ger having control of the prisoners. To this end
dispatched officer to him, under flag of truce
and in making the proposal, l informed President
Lincoln Of my resoute purpose to check all barbara
ties prisoners of war; by such severity of retalia
ton on the prisoners held by us as should secure
the abandonment of the practice.
This communication received and read by the
officer in command of the Army of the United States,
and n message was brought from him. by the bearer
of my communication that reply would be return
ed by President Lincoln soon as possible ear
nestly hope that this promised reply, which has not
yet been received will convey the assurance that
prisoners of will be treated in this unhappy
test with that regard to humanity which has made
such conspicuous progress in the conduct Of modern
warfare. As measure of precaution however, and
until the promised reply is received still retain in
close custody officers captured from the enemy,
whom it had been my pleasure previously to enlarge
on parole, and whose fate must necessarily depend
on that of the prisoners held by the enemy.
append a copy of my communication to the
President and Commander-in- Chief of the Army and
Navy of the United States and of the part of the Of
ticer charged to deliver it. marked Doc A.
There are some other passages IN the remarkable
paper to which have directed your attention, hav-
ing reference to the peculiar relations which exist
between this government and the States usually
termed the border slave States, which cannot prop
erly be withheld from notice
The hearts of our people are animated by senti-
ments towards the inhabitants of those States which
found expression in your enactment refusing to
slder them as enemies, or to authorize hoStilities
against them That very large portion of the peo-
pie of those States regard brethren that if
restrained by the actual presence of large armies,
the suoverson Of civil authority and the declaration
of martial law, some of them at least would joyfully
unite with us that they with almost entire
nimty opposed to the prosecution of the war waged
against us; facts of which daily recurring events
fully warrant the assertion.
The President of the United States refuses to re-
cognze in these, late sister States the right of
RETAINING from attack US and justifies his refu
sal by the assertion that the States have other
power than that reserved to them in the Union by
the Constitution, no one Of them haUing been
State out Of the Union"
This view of the constitutional relations between
the States and the General Government is a fitting
introduction to another assertion of the Message,
that the Executive possesses the power of suspend
ing the writ of hd6eas corpus and of delegatng that
power to military commanders, at his discretion
and both these propositions claim respect equal to
that which is felt for the additional statement of
opinion IN the same paper, that it is proper in order
to execute the laws, that "some single law made in
such extreme tenderness of the citizens liberty that
practically it relieves of the guilty than the in
nocent should to very limited extent be violated"
We may well rejoice that we have forever severed
our connection with government that thus tram
pies on all the principles of constitutional liberty,
and with people in whose presence such avowals
could be hazarded.
The operations in the field will be greatly extern
ded by reason of the policy which, heretofore Sc
crctly entertained is avowed and acted on by
the United States. The forces hitherto raised
proved ample for the defence OF the seven States
which originally organized the Confederacy, as is
evinced by the fact that with the exception of three
fortified islands, whose defence is efficiently aided
by prepOn6erating naval force the enemy has been
driven completely out of those States and now, at
the expiration of five months from the formation of
the government, not single hostile foot presses
their soil These forces, however, must necessarily
prove inadequate to repel the invasion by half mil
lion of men, now proposed by the enemy and
corresponding increase in forces will become
ceSSary The recommendations for the raising and
efficient equipment of this additional force will be
contained in the communication of the Secretary of
Var, to which need scarcely invite your earnest
attention.
In my Message delivered in April last referred
to the promise of abundant crops, with which we
cheered. The grain crops, generally, have
since been harvested and the yield has proven to be
the most abundant known in our history. Many
believe the supply adequate to two years consump-
ton of our population. Cotton, sugar and tobacco
forming the surplus production Of our agriculture,
and furnishing the basis Of our commercial inter-
changes, present the most cheering promise; and
kind Providence has smiled on the labor which ex-
tracts the teeming wealth of soil in all portions
of our Conicderacy.
1t is the more gratifying to be able to give you
this assurance because of the need of large and in
creased expenditure in the support of our army
Elevated and purified by the sacred cause they main
tan fellow citizens of every condition of life eX
hibit the most selfsacrfcing devotion they mani
fest audable pride in upholding their independence,
unaided by any resources other than their own and
the immense wealth which fertile soil and genial
climate haze accumulated in this cOnfederacy of ag
rculturists could not be strkingly displayed
than in the large revenues which, with eager zeal,
they have contributed at the call of their country.
In the single article of cotton, the subscriptions to
the loan proposed by the government cannot fall
short of fifty millions of dollars, and will probably
largely exceed that and scarcely an article re-
quired for the consumption Of the army is provided
otherwise than by subscription to the produce loan
so happily devised by your wisdom. The Secretary
of the Treasury, in the report submitted to you by
him, will give you the amplest details connected
with that branch of the public service.
Blu. it is not alone in their prompt pecuniary con-
tributions that the noble of freemen who in
habit these States evince how worthy they are of
the liberties which they so we'll know how to defend
In numbers far exceeding those authorized by your
laws they have pressed the tender of their services
against the enemy. Their attitude of calm and sub
lime devotion to their country the cool and conf
dent courage with which they already preparing
to meet the threatened invasion in whatever proper
tions it may assume; the that their sacrI-
fees and their services will be renewed from year to
| year with unfaltering purpose, until they have made
good to the uttermost their right to selfgovernment
| the generous and almost unquestoning confidence
which they display in their government during the
pending struggle; all combine to present Spectacle
! such as the world has rarely if ever seen.
To sneak of subiugating such a people, so united