Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-05-07
MIR. Rayner,s seaitIop ordnance.


On Friday and Saturday evenings last, the Con-
'venton was engaged in considering the following
Ordinance introduced by Mr. Rayner:
an Ordnance to define and punish Sedition.
Be it ordained, &C., That if any person in this
State shall attempt to convey intelligence to the en-
emes of the Confederate States or shall malicousy
and advisedy endeavor to ince the people to resist
the government of this State or the Confederate
States, pursuade them to return to their
ton with the United States, or maliciouSy and adj
visedy terrify and discourage the people from en-
listing into the service of this State or of the Con-
federate States shall stir up or incite tumults,
disorders or instructions in this State or dispose
the people to favor the enemy, every such person
being thereof legally convicted by the evidence Of
two or more credible witnesses or other sufficient
| testimony, shall be adudged guilty OF high mis-
demeanor, and shall be fined and imprisoned at the
discretion of the court and shall enter into recog
nlzance with good security, in such as the court
may deem proper, to be of the peace and good be-
havor toward all people in the State for three years
thereafter
On Friday the Ordinance was advocated by Messrs
Woodfn, Howard, Rayner, and Ruffin, and opposed
by Messrs. Graham, Brown, Barnes, Speed and
Thomas of Carteret On Saturday Messrs Gilmer,
Badger, Brown, ana Satterthwaite spoke in opposi-
ton to- and Messrs. Howard, Rayner and Leak in
favor of the Ordinance.
| On Saturday Mr.. Rayner with the view of rem
dering the Ordinance more acceptable, moved to
amend it by inserting after the words "resist the"
the words execution of the laws of"-and also to
substitute the word allegiance" for the word
! connection"
No question has been discussed in the Convention
with more feeling and ability than this has BEEN
That glorious old patriot, Bedford Brown, signal
| lied himself especially by his arguments against,
and his denunciation Of this despotic measure
| The remarks of Gov. Graham on Friday, in oFpoSi-
| ton to the measure and those of other gentlemen
who agree with him in his views, on the same day
and on Saturday, alike cogent and conclusive.
We hope to be able to lay their remaks in full be-
| fore our readers
| We expect to refer. hereafter more at length to
this measure, which. whatever may have been the
object of those who supported it would have result
ed if passed. in sowing broadcast throughout the
State the seeds of discord and bitter strife In the
first place, there is necessity for it, for peo
pie as loyal as any to the Southern cause; and
in the second place, as the reader will perceive by
examining the Ordinance it would have rendered
! persons arrested and convicted liable 10 double
! punishment for, most of the offences mentioned
being against the Confederate government the State
would have punished first, and having no right to
punish the person thus convicted and punished,
would have been arrested tried and punished again
by the Confederate government This was the con-
struction given to the Ordinance by Mr.. Badger
| Uhder.thiS Ordinance, too, the victim would have
been entirely in the hands Of perhans, partizan
Judge. "Shall be fined and imprisoned at the dis
cretiOn of the Court" Mr.. GIlmer showed the
enormity. and the danger of this power. If the Or
dinance had passed. and persons had been convicted
under it. their estates nigh have been taken from
them by fine and their bodies incarcerated for long
years in prison, to crafty the malice of partizans
and partizan Judges.
This measure will strike our people as the most
dangerous and neXpedient of all the dangerous and
inexpedent measures of the day. Congress has
passed sediton aw-our sister Confederate States
have passed no sedition law; and yet we, who have
called upon to single ourselves out and brand our
selves as suspected and faithless people, and as
standing in need of fine and Imprisonment TO hold
US up to the great conflict now going on But, for
wan: of time and space we forbear. We repeat we
expect hereafter to discuss this measure at length
This Ordinance, motion of Mr.. Satterthwaite,
was indefinitely postponed by vote Of 80 to 81
but this not a test vote, for several gentlemen
voted against postponing who would not have voted
for the Ordinance.