Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-08-24
Nor,h.carolina war pepartmen,.

North carolina should not be behind any OF her
Southern sisters in furnishing men and means for
its support But we are, as ever, utterly opposed
every scheme which viii! waste the public money,
and entail upon us and posterity enormous debt,
caused by msmanagement and partyism. and sccu-
ring to the country no good results. We supported
the old government vigorously and faithfully, so
long as any hope remained that it would be admin
istered justly and constitutionay. When that
hope vanished, we abandoned it forever. We now
| have new government, based upon the imperisha-
BILE principles of republican Constitutional liberty,
such as characterized the government of our faith
ers. Our attachment to the government and
our purpose to support it, strong as life it.
self We shall resist with all the energy we can
command, all attempts to weaken this government,
or to thwart or embarrass it in the prosecution of
the war.
But we live in evil times, when the spirit of ia
cobinism and lawlessness is rampant Men are
] found every where, and in North Car DINA,
who are omnipotent to tear down, but mpotent to
build up-men who would raze to the ground every
stone of the edifice of Constitutional liberty, and
leave both life and property to the chances the
mercy Of temporary prejudice and passion.
Would it be believed, if the fact was not patent
that among the original secesSonists of this State
there those who are contending for the organi-
cation of a North Carolina army? They profess
with one breath to be devoted to Southern rights
| ready to oStraciZe every man who did not abandon
the old government before the proclamation of Lin
| coin; but now they ready to embarrass the
! new government which is the very embodiment
| of Southern rights by organizing North Carolina
army, separate and distinct from the army of the
Confederate States. And what is all this for? Is
it to defend the State? Is not the Confederate gov
eminent bound to defend North Carolina ? and has
not President Davis pledged himself to defend every
part of the State with all the power at hscommand?
Most certainly. Will he not do it? No one doubts
it. What, then, is the object of these advocates of
| North Carolina army? Can it be for any other
purpose than to provide for and keep up State
| army of Colonies, and Captains, and Lieutenants
and Quartermasters, and Commssaries, and thou
| sand subordinates, with fat salaries, who will be
swift to claim all the glory of the successes il
war, fought not by these pets with large salaries,
| but by our brave soldiers, who receive oily $1l
| per month?
The extra session of the Legislature held in May,
|
body thought for an emergency, temporary in its
character. But the Convention very justly sup
posed when the State declared its adherence to the
Confederate States and adopted their Constitution,
that she was bound as honest party to the con-
tract to transfer her troops forts munitions &c. to
| the common government. That body did so, and
maintain 1t did right; but in doing this as its
ordinance of transfer shows, it did not dSband the
volunteers for twelve months, but left them to be
disposed of by the Legislature But why keep up
! two army organizations with the immense expense
which must result? Why not do as Virginia, and
Alabama, ard the other States have done? Virginia
has transferred her 900 troops to the Confederate
government Alabama at the outset transferred all
her military organization, except the control of her
militia, to the Confederate government; and it is
said that she has paid nothing directly out of her
treasury for the support of her army This is what
| North Carolina should do. Gov Clark is already
recognizing the militia They will be armed and
drilled so as to render them an efficient force to re-
sist sudden invasion The twelve months and three
years volunteers should be transferred to the Con-
/ federa.e government, which of course will keep
sufficient force on our sea-coast, and on our wes-
tern frontier for all purposes of defence-Eot at the
expense of North-Carolna alone but of all the Con-
federate States. North:Carolina should have her
army, but it should be the army Of her militia
organized and drilled, and ready for emergencies
Let the Confederate government have the entire
control and management Of the war, and let the
States cooperate with it in furnishing men and
means.
Already the Confederate government has laid a
heavy direct tax on our people. North-Car
DINA will have to pay some two millions of dollars
annually to the Confederate government to support
the war She will pay it willingly, cheerfulIy-
she will devote all her treasure and all her blood
if necessary, to this righteous war in which the
government is engaged; but in addition to this,
will she have separate military establishment of
her own, costing as much the amount which
she contributes to the Confederate government ?
We trust not Every argument worth mentioning,
is against such policy.
The subjoined resolution was submitted by Col.
Brown of Caswell in the Convention of the State
at its late session, proposing to submit all amend
ments made at that session and afterwards to vote
of the people 1t passed its first reading and not
having been afterwards reached was not finally act
ed on By rule of the Convention, that all I'M
finished business shall at its next session come up
for consideration, it will, doubt if the Conven-
ton again assemblies, be acted on and passed, and
thus preserve the great cardinal principle of Re-
public-that all changes an the Constitution shall
be submitted to the people:
"Be it ordained By tile people Of the State Of
North Carolina, an Convention assembled and it is
hereby ordained by the authority Of That all
amendments to the Constitution Of the State, made
at the present session of the Convention or at any
of its adjourned sessions, shall be submitted togeth
err to the decision of the qualified voters of the State
for ratification rejection at such time and under
such regulations the Convention may prescribe.