Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-12-23
The Richmond Enautrer.

prescription, and with having injured by their
course the cause the South. We replied with
some animation, and took occasion in selfdefence
to show that the spirit of prescription originated
at Montgomery and Richmond, under the admins
tration of President Davis. To this the Enquirer
rejoined at length, making various charges against
us, and putting number of questions and calling
for answers We had not commenced the contro-
versy and not anxious to continue it. especially
as soon afterwards, battles were impending and
took place at Fredericksburg and Kinston. Accord
ingly, in our issue of the 18th we made brief
reply to the Enquirer and in our issue of the 18th
we said:
quarters and when thousands of gallant countrymen
are bleeding and dying the cause we disposed
quirer any other Journal We therefore, postpone
reply to that paper until some suitable occasion. But
reract nothing we have said We go further and tell
the enquirer that successfully meet every point
which it has made. The Standard too firmly fixed in
the confidence of the people of the State to be injured by
any attacks upon it, by even the Richmond Enquirer. We
bide our time"
But the "noise of battle" and the sufferings of
our bleeding countrymen did not restrain the En-
quirer. Changing Its vocation and its tone from
that of controversial with contemporary of the
press it forward in its issues of the 18th and
plated by majority of the Legislature of this
State and to lecture that body to its duties. We
cannot therefore, be longer SILENT if we would.
Our duty to friends, as well as to ourself re-
quires that we should meet the points made by the
Enquirer correct its errors and vndicate the Con.
serpatives of the State, W HON it has so unjustly
assailed We shall go further, in this controversy
thus forced upon us ana shall thoroughly expose the
faction and the administration of which the En-
guirer is the exponent and organ. ..
The Enquirer, in its lecture to the Legislature of
this State, charges that the bill to raise ten thou
sand State troops, pending in that body, is in d.
rect conflict with the Confederate government,
This is not true The bill provides that the Gov
ernor shall accept ten thousand men, over the age
of eighteen years, not now in the actual service
of the Confederate States" and when organized,
"shaU tender them to the President of the Conted-
srate States, for special service and local defence,
to serve only within the limits of this State except
in cases where the Governor shall deem it advisa.
BILE, for the defence of the State, to remove them
into contiguous districts" Is There any conflict in
that? The troops are to be rendered to the Presi-
dent to be accepted by him, and to be under the
rules and articles of war, the bill further pro-
vides of the Confederate States; but they to be
"subject to the command of the Governor, as the
Constitutional commander o. the military forces of
the State" But it is answered, they would not be
subject to the command of the President. Granted
but it is to be presumed in all fairness, that the
Governor and President would act in concert, as
they are now doing, in defending the State, and if
sent out of the State into contiguous districts the
troops would of course be placed at the disposal of
the President. But it is further answered the
Constitution of the Confederate States has vested
the war-making power in the Confederate govern
ment and the inference is that the raisng of troops
by State would necessarily produce conflict with
that government The grant of the making
power is clear but the inference by no means fol-
lows The States have expressly reserved to them
selves the right to keep troops in time Of tcGr"-
The States are the soveregns, and the common gov
eminent is the agent creature. If therefore,
there should be any conflict at all this subject it
would be by the common government With the
States Which should give way? Must the SOW
ereign, in vital matter, yield to the creature fthe
principal to the agent?
But the Enquirer is quite sure that conflict was
sence of any purpose to conflict with the Confeder-
ate authorities" was voted down in the House of
Commons. That preamble was voted down simply
because it unnecessary. The bill itself avoided
conflict, and it would have been surplusage to say
that 1t did. We heard the debate OH this point and
we know what we say to be true.
South Carolina has large force of State reserves,
now on her own coast aud Virginia has State
serves under Gen. Floyd. But the Enquirer is 81.
lent in regard to these. There is conflict between
those States and the Confederate government. They
have deied Confederate authority and paved the
way to anarchy and the triumph of the enemy.
They have set no "untimely PRECEDENT" to be fol-
lowed by 'the ruin and degradation of the South"
I They have turned no page in Confederate history
which our people "would blush to read" THEY
have not been called upon to bow their heads in
humiliation and shame, as the Enquirer bids our
people do, if the bill referred to should become
law. And'Texas-what of her? On the mere mo-
ton of Mr.. Wigfall the confidential friend of the
President and probably of the Enquirer, thousands
of her ablebodied shepherds aid herdsmen have
been released from the CONSUMPTION law and yet
Texas is loyal and devoted to the cause. We believe
she has State reserves Also yet the Enquirer has
no rebuke for her.
1t is North Carolina that has offended, in attempt
ina to do what other States have done She has
already sent to the field more volunteers and more
conscripts, in proportion to her population, than
any other State She has not only done this, but
she has given a larger bounty to her men than any
other State; and not only this but she has clothed
and shod her own troops, and waited with the COM
mon government for the money, some six millions
of dollars now being due her on that account Some
of her Western Counties, where there are but few
slaves, have sent more men to the field :han they
have voters: The ten thousand State troops which
she raised in 1861 she has long since transferred to