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


public oficers-if he thought susceptible oil sucn
an interpretation he would be the last man 70 al
vocate il. he himself felt free to crtclse the acohs
of the government, and he W>uid say now, tnat ne
thought that public affairs had been very badly
managed; and cited some instances to sustain tue
declaration.
Mr.. Speed asked add understand the gentle
man from Hartford, to say the Consumption act is
unconstitutional" -
Mr. Rayner said he did not say 1t was unconst- [
tutionsl, but it infraction of State rights
but while he might believe this, even that It was
unconstitutional, he would not, act upon his own
opinion until it Should be sustained by decision
of the proper tribunal.
Mr. Brown said that if this ordinance were now
in force the gentleman would be subjected to its
penalties for expressions used in this debate.
Mr. Satterthwaite said she desired to submit
few remarks stating the reasons why he could not
support the ordinance. He said he had. given 1t
dispassonate consideration and he said he could
see no good but eUI continually to follow from Its
adoption. This ordinance proposes to create neu
offence in State and without clearly defining IT.
TO leave necessarily very great latitude with those
who may sit as Judges, to administer it. and IN
these times of high party excitement and preJudce,
it is dangerous power to invest in the hands OF any
man or set of men, and there is nothing IN the con-
dition Of North-C Carolina to require IT, Our State
has, from the beginning of the war, responded with
alacrity to every call by the Confederate govern
| ment. We have fifty thousand soldiers
! in the field, and if necessary we Will send fifty
| thousand more We have done what no other State
| in the ConfederHcy has, to aid in maintaining the
war. We have equipped, fed and clothed our own
soldiers relying upon the Confederate government
| to reimburse US, when the shall be over, and
in a condition to do so. And what have we received
| in return? The most shameful neglect, which has
resulted in giving the enemy possession and control
of the wealthiest and most productive portion of
our State. And no one has used stronger language
in denouncing the authorities for IT. than my friend
| from Hartford.
North. Caroaa is the only State, far as | have
seen heard, that has been inSulted with procla
nation demanding Of her citizens to give up their
private arms And North Carolina is the only State
where it has been attempted to fasten upon her
people an Odious seditIon law, whereby her people
are to be deprived of that liberty of free speech
which is guaranteed to them in the Constitution,
and which the people in all the other States enjoy
Sir there is necessity for any such law in North
! Carolina. Our people are loyal and true to the
! South can be found in any State. There may be
few in some localities that are disloyal and few
! more may sometimes act and talk imprudently, but
venture the assertion, that there is no State in
the Confederacy which is not affected with fully as
many disloyal people as can be found in North-Car
| DINA. The Confederate Congress did not think
proper to pass any sedtion law. As | said before,
no other State has thought it necessary to pass any
! such law Why then, should zoe insult our people,
! and by it, publish TO the other States and to the
enemy (what is not true) that such law Is neceS
Sary to Keep down Tie dISIOEaIlStS IN our Stale
Sir, the passage of this ordinance WILL in my opln
ion do incaculable mischief The conscription law,
| the law taking possession Of all the railroads and
| telegraph lines the order for the impreSSment of
our private arms, has caused our people to feel
| alarm and now for as to pass this ordinance re.
| sraning the freedom Of speech will create feel
| ing of apprehension in our people which fear the
, struggle in which we are engaged will not keep
| down Sir, it is great mistake 10 suppose that
this ordinance will give security to our people, by
restraining military from the exercise Of such
tyraHical power as they have recently been indulg
ing in. In my opinion, 1t will give them encour-
, agement in their work Of oppression, in arreSting
/ our citizens and sending them off beyond the limits
Of the State, TO be imprisoned inSulted, and then
/ tried oy drumhead court-martial, away from
! friends, and without the benefit of their own wit
neSSeS. Sir that work has been carried far enough
| do not want to it encouraged. The military
must DC taught that they Subservient to the
( civil power people should never have to
fear that they are fighting for anything but cirH
Liberty. Pass the resolutions introduced the other
day by the gentleman from Wake, and you will in
Spre confidence IN our people, and IN our cause;
but to pass thus ordinance will have the opposite
effect. feel satisfied that 1t cannot pass in any
shape in which it can be modified. We do not be-
leve that there is any necessity for any ordinance
on the subject and move its indefinite postpone
ment"
Mr. Glmer said that many-of the ofenses named
in the ordinance already provided against by
other laws but they are here put in phase,
and left for the construction Of the Judges be-
fore whom they may be tiled 1t is bloody law,
and will stir up strife and distraction and disorder,
and do no possible good.
Mr.. Howard believed some such. law was necessa-
ry, but not for lie reason that had been given by
other gentlemen. 1t would have the tendency to
prevent disorder and supcrcede the necessity of the
Lynch law in such cases as the alluded to set
of resolutions now on the table. He thought, how
ever that the only really important feature of the
ordinance not provided for in existing statutes,
that which forbids citizens attempting to persuade
others TO return to the government Of the United
| States
Mr. Leak of Richmond, did not think the ordi-
nance infringed the right Of Speech that right
was understood in constitutional government, any
more than Cnactments against SANDER are-thIs is
only intended to restrain SANDER against the gov
eminent, and if some such law is not passed he be-
lieved Lynch law would be put in operation IN many
parts of the State
l. Mr. Badger said a similar ordinance was before
the Convention at former session, and was indefn-
itely postponed by an overwhelming majority. He
believed there necessity for any such law and
thought the Convention was Of the same opinion :;
the question of indefinite posponement would settle
that point. He evidence of the fact that the
people of this State are so mschievously inclined,
or dlsloyal to require such restraint but that
the evidence all on the other side.
The question the indefinite postponement of
the ordinance then put and decided in the affr
NATIVE yeas 40, nays 80 follows:
Yeas-MesSrs. Allison, Atkinson, Badger, Bagley,
Barnes, Battle of Wake, Berry. Boyle, Brown, Bry-
son, Galloway, Cannon, Christian, Dick, Donnell,
Douthit, Eler, Foster of Ashe Foster of Randolph,
Gmer, Graham, Greenlee, Hamlin Hearne Holden,
Jones of Rowan, Joyce, Kittrell, Leak of Arson,
Lindsay Long, Mann, Mitchell, Phifer, Satterth-
waite Ship, Smith Of Macon, Speed, Sprhill of Ber-
tie Starbuck, Sutherland, Thomas Of Carteret War
rem, Williamson and Wilson-45
Nays-Messrs. Bachelor, Battle of Nash, Bun
ting, Caldwell, Cunningham billiard, Durham Ed
wards Green, Howard, Johnston, Leak of Richmond
Mcdowell Of Burke, Mcdowell of Madison, McDuC