Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-10-24
The Council or state.


eral Assembly, to advise with the Governor, and to
concur with him in making certain appointments
and in adopting such measures as may be deemed
best in any emergency. The present Council,
chosen by the late Legislature, is composed of the
following gentlemen Louis G. Desmond, of Lenoir
John w. Cunningham. of Person. David Murphy,
of Cumberland, William A. Ferguson, of Bertie
Jesse F. Graves, of Surry, William L. Hilliard, Of
Buncombc, and John j. Long, of Halifax or North
ampton They were all original secessionists, with
the exception of Mr.. Desmond who was recently
appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the re-
signation of Mr.. Wooten, of Lenoir, who was also
an original secessionist.
We happen to know that Gov Vance is most
anxious to lay an embargo the transportation of
articles of prime necessity from the State by specu
lators-to make provision for clothing and shoeing
our brave soldiers in Virginia, who are already suf
fering from exposure and cold and who must suffer
still more unless such provision is made for them
and to devise such measures as may be in his power
to protect the Eastern portion of the State from the
ravsges of the enemy. With this view, he notified
the Council of State to meet in this City Satur
day last; and it is quite probable that if quorum
of that body had been present, he would have re-
commended the assembling of the Legislature some
two weeks earlier than the regular period fixed BY
law, so that that body might have considered and
adopted such measures as should have seemed to
them expedient and necessary in this important
crisis. Meeting thus in advance of the regular pc
Rod, that body could have completed its labors by
Christmas and adjourned, and the members could
have returned to their homes by the first of the
suing year. But only three of the Council were
present, to-wit: Mr.. Desmond, of Lenoir, Mr.. Fer
guson, of BERTHE, and Mr.. Murphy, of Cumberland.
1t is believed that Mr.. Cunningham absent from
the State, on business, and could not attend, and
Mr.. billiard is in the army; but we know of no
good reason why Mr.. Graves and Mr. Long could
not be present Mr.. Graves may not have received
the notice which was sent him, or he may have
been absent from home; but learn that Mr..
Long was at home was duly notified, and was urged
by telegraph to attend, the three members above
mentioned having remained in Raleigh awaiting his
presence from Saturday until Monday evening
We make charges OF reflections on any of
the absent members; but cannot omit to allude
to the singular fact that no former OCCASION du
have the members OF this Council failed to furnish
a quorum for the transaction of business. When
notified by the preceding administrations, which
agreed with them in political opinion, quorum
was promptly in attendance, and all party appoint
ments were duly made; but when Gov. Vance
calls for them TO consider matters of the highest
importance to our brave troops to our Eastern
brethren and to the State at large, no quorum at
tends, and he is thus hampered in his wishes and
efforts for the public good. Gov. Vance had no
party views or party ends to advance in summon
ing the Council. He was actuated solely by de-
sire to adopt such measures as would render our
troops in Virginia more efficient and to take steps
to defend the State against the approaches of the
enemy. These measures must now be postponed.
Meanwhile. every hour is precious to the cause and
to the State. Thousands of our soldiers are with
out shoes, and without suitable clothing for the
winter and many of our Eastern teow-citizens,
desparing of that protection which, under all civil
liked governments, is rightfully claimed as the re-
suit of the allegiance of the citizen are prep ming
to abandon their homes and remove to the interior
leaving much of their property to the mercy of the
enemy, and committing themselves as refugees and
wanderers to the chances, and, in many instances
to the cold charities ofpOrtons Of the State already
greatly burdened by superabundant population
especially of slaves, whose owners, not having il
in their power to bring with them the means oil
subsistence compelled TO rely for a support fol-
their slaves on the insufficient and diminishing sup
ply which has been produced or provided for other
classes of our people. Ten thousand State troops,
even ordinarily armed, could at least have held the
enemy in check along coast, while our Eastern
fellow citizens were removing their slaves to the in
terror, Nth u sufficient supply Of meat and 6reaG
| to subsist them until another crop is made But
we knooO that of the original secessionists arc
opposed to any measure of this sort by Gov. Vance
because, as they say, it will embarrass President
| Davis by depriving him of portion of the con
scripts; and there others who would incur the
risk of seeing the State still further overrun by the
| enemy before they would consent that Gov. Vance
and the party that elected him should receive the
credit and the praise which would be justly due t.
them for clothing troops and defending the State
1t was this same spirit that defeated the seven regi
ment Ordinance in the Convention, which was in
| troduced and passed to defend the coast If tina
! measure had been adopted, we should have haC
enough troops to save Newbern in March las
against the attack of Burnside; and should have
had large body of veteran State troops, whose
services would have been invaluable in this emer
! gency. And it was this same spirit, We fear tina
had some agency in refusing to assemble the Con
vention. That body, if assembled early in this
month"; could not only have completed the State
! Constitution Int woud have greatly aided tht
| Governor in giving more efficiency to our troop:
and in defending the State. We know that Gov
| Vance and other eminent statesmen were anxious
that that body should be assembled; but that op
portunity and all other opportunities, it seems
denied the Governor in his efforts to defend the
| State
The original secessionists were largely instru
mental in involving the State in her present troubles
and yet many of them from partizan motives, are