The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-10-08

FOR THE LANCASTER LEDGER.
Mr.. EDIroR.-.It was hoped that after
the passage of the Conscript Act by Con
gress, which virtually abolishes this / II
Corps of Reserves, that the Governor and
Council would couDtermand that most un
reasonable order to review this Corps But
the last Columbia papers announce that
Governor Pickens had left there To review
the different Regiments constituting the st
Corps Of Reserves So that The Governor
and Council are proceeding Just rs though
no Coniederatellaw had been passed, which
IN effect disorganzes the whole corps II
no Confederate law had been passed and
it were fixed beyond contingency that this
lst Corps were to be retained expressly for
Stale defence, even then, this order for but
one day would be absurd but, now that
Congress has passed law conscripting all
up to 45, to persist in this order amounts
to the most stupendous folly. have been
taught in early life that true patriotism con.
sisted in opposing tyrants and oppression,
and see nothing In mature age 10 change
the theory of the teaching. What possible
good can result from this mock show of
heroism If ambitious men aud officers
could te gra,itied without so great n sacri-
'ice of time, which TO the poor soldier Is Of
such vital Importance n, this busy gathering
season, would like very much to CRAFTY
them If men are 30 determined on going
through the forms of battle why don't they
insist on being sent where they can get II
| gllmps Of the reality Ii the emergency is
upon US that every Enan up to IS is REQ uired to
take the field, think they will go without
murmer. But TO drag men from their
business, a distance Of from 40 TO 20 miles.
Many Of them, il they obey the order, will
be absent for five days Must he be COM
PEELED to cook up his rations for five days
and put his knnp sack on his back and
march on foot this distance! For what il
he ordered! to meet hostile column o.
Yankees, who have landed and marching
| inland, and must be met at Camden on the
| list inst Or Is there n servile insurrection
| discovered and which threatens to Gevastate
the country No, the order cont. M plates
| nc such emergency as either OF these What
then, pray, are men ordered to take upon
themselves these onorous duties for The
different Regiments Of the lst Corps ARE
to be formed in line of battle, and the stereo-
| typed words "Battalion prepare for RE
rtsio er," head OF column to the left, pass in
"Rerieio-er," &c, &c, and possibly at the
close Of these services 1.-The different Regi-
| ments will be called on TO stand in column
closed in mass, and listen to a sterreotyped
military speech. Will men submit to hi.
sort Of solemn mockery, when there is a
stern reality in the country' II We have
an efficient Government at Richmond, which
| believe none doubts except this Council,
let Us give that Government our hearty sup
port. How absurd the idea Of keeping up
so many seperate independent government
in the same Confcderacy. II the Davis gov.
eminent il equal to the emergencies. why
Sc: up another one in opposition to it, and
which must necessarily run into collision
with it! Governor Pickens and the Exec
utive Council, think will admit as reason.
able men, that they have just as much legal
right to order out ten Regiments attached
to Beauregard's command, or to General
Bragg's, or Kirby Smiths, and Review them,
as they have TO order out and review these
Reserves, who are now conscrpted and sub.
ject To the order Of the President, and will
they still persist in the order against light
and reason lfthey find the people in open
rebsliIon against their psurpations, who will
posterity blame for i'll IL this Council wish
to do something which will immortalize
them before they are Cuncfus obieio, let them
countermand this order for review and turn
their attention vigorously to procuring arms
and ammunition TO repeIl an insurrection
and distribute them among the reserves
proper, placing them in the hands OF the
Militia Colonies, taking their receipts fo
them, to be used only in case of invasion oI
insurrection. IL one half of the money
which has been spent by this Council il
publishing their, wo.se than useless, ordi
nances and resolutions had been spent il
Ibis way the State 10 day would have beel
in respectable position to have defendc,
herself. But what is the fact, here we ar,
to-day well nigh at the close Of tho seeons
year Of the war, with the little army o
State, which is the Pc. and pride Of the Gov
ernor and Council, ordered out for review
without arms and ammunition. When ihi
li,tle army is reviewed, venture the a.ser