Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-12-12
Troops for state Defence.


defence ought to be raised By Oolunteers from lS TO
90. To permit any more cOnscripts to be taken
from the State is to put it out of the power of the
Legislature to raise State troops. Our State cannot
submit to both these drains on her population and
industrial pursuits.
If the conscrpts are taken, raise no troops; if
the conscrpts are not taken, raise the troops.
This State has already turned over to the Confed.
crate States more than $4,000 men. If the con-
scripts that remain should also be enrolled and
turned over, at least 600 will have been mustered
into Confederate service. Well, suppose this done
what next? No State troops are raised, and the
line Of the Wilmington and Weldon Road IS made
the line ofdetence. In that event the whole of the
Eastern part of the State will have been surrendered
to the enemy, and all that the State can do will be
to withdraw some twenty thousand of her troops
from Virginia. She soiH do this, before she Uiu see
the Eastern Counties, up to the line Of Tail,cay,
desolated by the enemy. She will do it. be the con-
sequences what they may. The great mass of our
people will be true to Themselves in the last resort
They acknowledge no masters, either at Washing
ton or Richmond. They will control their own re-
sources in the last resort for the defence of their
tiers of their own destiny.
We hear a great deal on this subject about the
importance of avoiding conflict with the Confede-
rate government This comes for the most part
from gentlemen who were not at all scrupulous
about bringing about conflict with the old govern.
ment and tearing it down before good cause was
given for so doing; but now, when we insist on
Justice, on the rights of our State and plead for
measures which the defence if not the existence
of the State depends these gentlemen tremble with
apprehension lest conflict should take place be-
tween the two governments. If that conflict should
come, the blame for it will not rest on North Caro-
lima She has sent more troops to the field in pro-
portion to her population, than any other State;
and she has sent three conscripts for one sent by
any other State. Her gallant sons have been placed
in front in nearly every important battle, and the
bones of thousands of them now moulder in Vir-
ginia soil 1t is needless for her to sag that she is
devoted to the common cause, when she has done
so much for it She has been neglected-grossly
neglected. There is no good ground for hoping
that she will receive justice at the hands of the gov
eminent at Richmond. We should rejoice if there
was such ground. Now, the remnant of her con-
scripts is called for and she is to be left naked to
her enemies. Where, thenbis the conflict? Is it
not by the Confederate government With North
| Carolina We warn gentlemen that the people see
and feel these things we do and that if any pre-
ference is to be shown in this matter SO vital in its
nature itmust be skoson taUOr of North Carolina.
| Woe unto the public man, who, for any cause or
| for any government, shall do or omit acts that will
lead to the utter impovershment, the devastation,
| and the ruin of his own State We must so act
that while doing and suffering all we can for the
| common cause, shall not deliver up our own
! State to the horrors of general invasion-to the
| chances of starvation-to the danger of domestic
strife and bloodshed and to comparative Gepopula-
ton and, as a consequence Of all these, to the
moral certainty Of not being able at the close of the
war, to resume our course in the march of nations
with such means and such resources as will render
us respectable in our own eyes, or respected by
Others
1t is clear, from careful reading of Gov. Vance's
message, that he expects the ten thousand troops
to be raised counters, out Of tho cOnseripts-
Speaking of the CONSUMPTION law and the raising of
troops for State defence the Governor says:
ITO raise an adequate force for State defence from
our citizens beyond the age of 40, and submit to
this vast drain BESIDES [:hat is the CONSUMPTION
law,l I thought entirely impracticable / hoped,
too that by aiding and assisting in the execution Of
the CONSUMPTION law, would be effcctualy provi.
ding for State defence This reasonable hope has /
regret to say, been disappointed"
He then refers to the fact that though North Car.
DINA has greater extent of sea-coast than any 9TH
er State she has had fewer troops given her for its
Defence and then, addressing himself to the Legis
lature, he says at is for you to say whether you
will suffer our defences, heretofore, to remain ex
clusvely in the hands of the Confederate authori.
ties, or take steps to carry out the will of the last
Legislature, and raise troops enough on State au
thority to strengthen the weak hand of the general
government on our coast"
Our friends in the Legislature will perceive that
in advancing these views are sustaining GOUerno'
Vance His message met with universal public ap
prevail The people with him, and he is their
servant and spokesman We appeal to the Con:
servatiues in the too Houses to stand by the GOUer
nor.