Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-12-17
For the Standard


Cotton Burning Order of Mai. Gen. French.
Mr. EDITOR: You seem always to have taken
an interest in those matters which concern the vel.
fare OF the State andts citizens and your columns
have been open to fair discussion of tho acts of
public men and things. ask brief space in which,
to review the subject heading this article
am one OF many to whom has been exhibited. in
the last few days, an order from Maj. Gen. French.
directing that all the cotton in the Counties border,
ing on the Roanoke river which is not removed west
of the Wilmington and Weldon Rail Road in ter
days after the date of the ORDER shall be burned =!
The Colonel commanding, to whom is entrusted the
execution of the order, kindly and judciously gave
notice of It. and has advised the removal of the cot.
ton. In the mean time one OF our influential and
energetic citizens, by direct and personal appca
ton to the commanding General, succeeded in pro-
curing postponement of the burning to the 18th OF
December When that day arrives, unless some
powerful friend intervene, the skies of Halifax will;
ne lit up by piles OF burning cotton or her citizens
will enjoy the melancholy satisfaction of knowips
that while not bale of cotton within her borders
is rendered more secure from the depredations Of
the enemy, it issubected to additional risk from the
rot which will follow its exposure to the rains and
SHOWS of winter, and to the merciless depreciation,
OF greedy spectators, and that commanding
General, being unable to protect, has, with long
calculating foresight, in order to keep it out of the
hands offar distant and doubtful Yankees DESTROYED
vast amounts of the wealth of that country which
he was bound by honor and common policy to de.
iend The only reason which have heard given
for this sapent order is that some dsloyal citizens
in of the counties on the North side of the river
are suspected Of wishing sell their cotton to the
Yankees.
Mr.. Editor it is rule of law, both divine and
human that it better that the many guilty. should
60 UNPUBLISHED, rather than one innocent should
suffer- But military law, or rather this Generals
Interpretation of it, Qor military law like all other
law aims to be Just seems to reverse this benefcent
order of things and arbitrarily DEGREES that all the
innocent should suffer rather than one guilty person
escape! Why does not this General meet the oues.
ton boldly and fairly, and issue his order directing
Mr.. - or Mr.. IS cotton to be burned because
they are justly suspected? If there is Just cause
and clear evidence against any man on this score,
the whole country will sustain him. But why |
should my cotton, and that of every other man n
Halifax or Martin, be burned because Mr. - OF
Berte is suspected to be preparing to sell his to the
enemy? Are We of Halifax and Martin, ETC., to be
punished and impoverished because there NAV be a |
few rogues rascals and traitors in other counties
If this is the way that military law is to be admins
tered in our department of North Carolina, we NAV
soon expect an order directing all the negroes to be
knocked on the head to keep them from falling or
running into the hands of the Yankees because Mr..
Blank or Mr.. Somebody else is ready for conside-
ration to give up his to the FIRST Yankee gun boat
and take the oath of allegiance to the aboli
lion government! or perhaps we shall have SQUADS
Of cavalry sent round by order of the commanding
General, directing us to throw our corn into the
river and pitch our hogs in after it. because they
will supply bread and meat to some possible YAM
kees This method of defending a country bv de-
'troyns the sources of its wealth. is one very rare
y practised, and only in the immediate presence of
IN overwhelming foe. The unnecessary exhibition
II this desperate mode Of warfare has been reserved
by our commanding General for the unfortunate
EASTERN Counties of old North Carolina!
why, the wealth this cotton, which is ordered to
'e burned represents, would be sufficient. If prom
'rly expended to fortify the river against every
'6olition gunboat in Yankeedom-to erect entrcnch-
nents which would enable comparatively small
orce, under good and brave General, to hold them
galnst any number the Yankees are likely to bring
nto these parts. But the surcr policy, we presume.
to burn and destroy, for when all is destroyed
mere will be nothing left to defend and no necessi.
tor defending it. and the Major General can, by
a:her than magnify his defences, and still enioy
us otium cum -" in distant Petersburg!
W mist the Legislature is engaged in most strenu-
us efforts to repress speculation in other articles
ne cotton of the people of Halifax and other Coun.
les IN this State, is made the prey of this greedy
lass OF vampires, by this policy of the Command
ng General for however innocent he may be ofany
ollus!on with these individuals, and disclaim any
mention to ns1nuate suspicion of this so against
m Still the natural effect of his order is calculated
affect the price of cotton in one way or the other
'r tins large amount of cotton is burned, it must
nhance the price of the article in Petersburg this
ection being the principal source of supply for that
'arke: If on the other hand, it should all be
auled to the Rail Road, those who carry it there
eng obliged to leave it there unshetered, will pre-.
Or to sell 1T at any price, rather than risk its loss
y rot ano other causes and thus be forced to SUBJ
ut to SPECTATORS prices to the rninnus denreca