Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-10-29
The Council OF State.

wisdom, and supposed devotion to the public in,
terests. 1t is their duty, in the recess of the Gen.
eral Assembly, to advise with the Governor, an6 to
concur with him in making certain appointments
and in adopting such measures as may be deemed
best in any emergency The present Council,
chosen by the late Legislature, is composed of the
following gentlemen: Louis G. Desmond, Of Lenoir,
John W. Cunningham, of Person, David Murphy,
of Cumberland, William A. Ferguson, of BERTHE,
Jesse F. Graves, of Surry, William L. Hillisrd, of
Buncombc, and John j. Long, of Halifax or North.
ampton. They were all original secessionists, with
the exception of Mr. Desmond, who was recently
appointed to fill the vacancy Qccasoned by the re-
signation of Mr.. Wooten, of Lenoir, who was also
an original secessionist.
We happen to know that Gov. Vance is most
anxious to lay an embargo on the transportation of
articles Of prime necessity from the State by specu-
lators-to make provision for clothing and shoeing
our brave soldiers in Virginia, who are already suf
fering from exposure and cold, and who must suffer
still more unless such provision is made for them
and to devise such measures as may be in his power
to protect the Eastern portion of the State from the
ravages.of the enemy. With this view, he notified
the Council of State to in this City on Satur-
day last; and it is quite probable that, if quorum
of that body had been present, he would have re-
commended the assembling of the Legislature some
two weeks earlier than the regular period fixed BY
law, so that that body might have considered and
adopted such measures as should have seemed to
them expedient and necessary in this important
crisis. Meeting thus in advance of the regular pc
rod, that body could have completed its labors by
Christmas, and adjourned, and the members could
have returned to their homes by the first of the
suing year. But only three of the Council were
present, to-wt Mr. Desmond, of Lenoir, Mr.. Fer
guson, Of BERTHE, and Mr.. Murphy, of Cumberland.
1t is believed that Mr. Cunningham was absent from
the State on business, and could not attend, and
Mr. Hilllard is in the army but we know Of no
good reason why Mr.. Graves and Mr.. Long could
not be present. Mr. Graves may not have received
the notice which was sept him. or he may have
been absent from home; but we learn that Mr.
Long was at home, was duly notified and was urged
by telegraph to attend the three members above
mentioned having remained in Raleigh awaiting his
presence from Saturday until Monday evening.
We make no charges or reflections on any of
the absent members; but We, cannot omit to allude
to the singular fact that no former occasion, du
ring the two years of their term ebout to expire,
have the members Of this Council failed to furnish
q quorum for the transaction of business. When
notified by the preceding administrations, which
agreed with them in political opinion, quorum
was promptly in attendance, and all party appoint
ments were duly made; but when Gov. Vance
calls for them to consider matters Of the highest
! importance to our brave troops, to our Eastern
brethren, and to the State at large, no quorum at
tends, and he is thus hampered in his wishes and
efforts for the public good Gov. Vance had no
party views or party ends to advance in summon
ing the Council He was actuated solely by de-
sire to adopt such measures as would render our
troops in Virginia efficient and to take steps
to defend the State against the approaches of the
enemy. These measures must now be postponed
Meanwhile every hour is precious to the cause and
to the State. Thousands of our soldiers are with
out shoes, and without suitable clothing for the
winter; and many of our Eastern falow-citizens,
despairng of that protection which, under all civil
lized governments, is rightfully claimed the re-
suit of the allegiance of the citizen, preparing
to abandon their homes and remove to the interior,
leaving much of their property to the mercy Of the
enemy, and committing themselves as refugees and
Wanderers to the chances and, in many instances,
to the cold charities of portions of the State already
greatly burdened by superabundant population,
especially of slaves, whose owners, not having it
in their power to bring with them the means OF
subsistence, compelled to rely for support for
their slaves on the insufficient and diminishing sup
ply which has been produced or provided for other
classes of our people Ten thousand State troops,
even ordinarily armed, could at least have held the
enemy in check along our coast while our Eastern
fellow-citizens removing their slaves to the in
terror, scith sufficient supply Of meat and bread
to su5sist them until another crop is made But
we know that some Of the original secessionists are
opposed to any measure Of this sort by Gov. Vance
because, as they say, it will embarrass President
Davis by depriving him of portion Of the con
scripts and there others who would incur the
risk of seeing the State still further overrun by tht
epemy before they would consent that Gov. Vance
and the party that elected him should receive tht
credit and the praise which would be justly due tt
them for clothing our troops and defending the State
II was this same spirit that defeated the seven reg
ment Ordinance in the Convention, which was in
troduced and passed to defend the coast If tina
measure had been adopted, we should have hst
enough troops to save Newbern in March las
against the attack of Burnside; and we should hav
had now large body of veteran State troops, who's
services would have been invaluable in this emer
eency. And it was this same spirit, we fear, tha
had some agency in refusing to assemble the Con
vention. That body, if assembled early in thi
month, could not only have completed the Stat
Constitution, but would have greatly aided tn
Governor in giving more efficiency to our troop
and in defending the State. We know that Gov
Vance and other eminent statesmen were anxiou
that that body should be re-assembed; but that op
nortunitv and all other opportunities it seems, ar