Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-08-13
SECRET SESSIONS 1N,cosdRkss.

Military authority and military disclphne naFe
always been supposed 10 be adverse 70 pnoilc Ioer
~ The IS obvious Military authority ano
discipline establish despotism. 10 command on
the one side and to obey the other are its prin-
cples. Public liberty, on the contrary, can exist
| only in the atmosphere of free enquiry. free
PRESS and free debate in all assembiages OF the peo'
pie, are the two grand instruinentailtes oil public
liberty Hence one of the first things the govern.
| ment of President Lincoln did, when it determined
TO establish military despotism over the North,
was to abolish the freedom of the press The other
fundamentally Of liberty, freedom of speech and
debate, they also abolished in the primary Assem-
blages Of the people by ngj oiois@ee out they ind
not because We presume they dared not, attempt to
suppress free debate in the Congress Of the Umted
States. Free debate, with open sessions, without
which free debate is useless because it cannot reach
the people, has been retained by the Representatives
of the people in the Congress of the United States
In the Confederate States the press has been Kept
free not without however, very decided INDICATIONS
on the part of the military authority, of desire to
suppress it; but open sessions, with free debate,
have been suppressed. The Congress Of the Con.
federate States, in spite Of the plain mandates of
the Constitution requiring publicity OF their pro-
ceedngs has been little else than secret Executive
Council. What measures have been proposed IN Con-
gress to promote the welfare of the people, and by
whom proposed, and the votes Of their Representa-
tives upon them-the people know nothing What
have been recommended, and what defeated by the
Executive are kept from the people. 1t is only at
ter a measure has been ripened into Executive ap-
prevail that it is published and known. Free debate
is therefore, practically abolished, because it does
not reach the people, whilst the responsibility OF
the Representative to the constituent is also aoo-
ished
Now we know very well that this strange disre-
gard of the first principles of liberty, in struggle
TO obtain it for and posterity, can be
defended by very plausible Sophisms. 1t is argued
that our differences if known to our enemies, would
weaken our cause; and especially ought all coils
ions with the Executive to be suppressed, because
his folly must be most dangerous want OF con-
fdence in him must weaken the energies Of the peO
pie. Therefore, they should be deceived into the
belief that Congress is unanimous in the policy of
the government and that the Executive has its
fdence
1t is very difficult to persuade an honest man that
deception at any time be good policy; but when
it is systematically practiced to the practical over
throw Of the principles Of the government ITSELF it
is declaration that the government IS an evil, and
ought to be abolished If in . free representative
government it is expedient that the people should
know nothing of the speeches or conduct Of their
representatives then representation ought to be
abolished, and free debate be suppressed In other
words, the government is nuisance, to be circum-
vented and put aside and ought TO he oyerthrown.
But further stIll: Do not secret sessions produce
the very evil it is intended to prevent? Does it not
exaSperate differences and upset the equilibrium OF
the Constitution? An Executive in power Tor SIX
Years, with the vast patronage war produces, will
surely grow inSolent and aggressive by the reSpon-
slbiliIy which secret sessions produce. Every MEM
Der of Congress has the right and the duty of lay
ing before the Executive the claims of his consult
uentS TO Office and place under the government II
he is cnm; iant to Executive dicTaIiun, his recon-
mendat0n' will be regarded; if not, hey Will bc
re- steI,l re prescribed from office. VIII not
this ,end % cxa>perae the independent representa-
tive whist it commands, the adherence ul the Sycp-
phaat: The result may attend measures.
'n=a->ure not recommended by the Executive, or in
tended to rectiiy its abuses II supported by repre-
sentative draws upon him Executive prescription
MIi this harmonIze differences and strengthen the
COVER; mcHt in its legitimate operations: On the
c0nira Y, shielded from any responsibility to the
pt OPT by secret sessions will not the Executive
grow more aggressive. and more preSumptuOuS un
I'LL al last he shall look upon Congress as mere
registering Office, where his desires may be record
ed? lie may soon consider himself like Louis XIV.
" the State" and ali who may oppose his will
miSchievous agents traitors In the meantime,
that cardinal principle Of all free governments the
independence Of the Legislative oil the Executive de
partnent will have been practically abolished; and
the government shall become free only in name
Secret sessions in Congress cannot exist Win
free government Une or Two Things ought TO be
done-dScUntinue the secret sessions IN Congress-
abolish the government Of the Confederate States
in form as well as III fact Charleston Mercury.