Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-06-25
The People Of our Eastern Counties.

We presume there is not man IN the State of
ordinary sympathies who does not feel deeply in
terested for the people of the Eastern Counties who
have been so unfortunate as to be within the ene-
mys lines. Their situation is trying one and
yet We hope they bearing their isolation from
the rest of the State, which trust is temporary,
with the courage and fortitude which becomes true
men, who are resisting the tyranny Of their op
pressors.
In such circumstances they need the sympathy
of their fellow citizens Their condition is one
which they could not we'll avoid Thousands of
them are non-combatants, compelled to remain be-
cause they had not the means of escape,-their
fighting men, we presume, mostly in the Con-
federate service, and others remain purely to pro-
tect and preserve their property. Whether the
thousand and one statements of the cruelties and
savageism of the Yankees be true or false their con-
dtion is a bad one, and one which ne hope to see
soon relieved. That they are and will continue to
be loyal to the State and to the Confederacy, we
have no reason to doubt Ignorant debased and
bad men, as we'll as the tlmid and those who regard
little property of more value than character and
country may be swayed from their fidelity; but
the masses will sacrifice neither.
Of the state of things in the Eastern Counties we
have no means Of knowing We have no cores
pondence to keep US advised Of the department of
our people or of the Yankees, what Mr.. Lincolns
Governor, Mr. Stanly, is doing-hence, we do not
publish much that we see in the papers or hear,
simply because we have no responsible authority
for the statements or rumors ahoat, many OF which
have been afterwards contradicted. But we take it
for granted, that the population are in the main
loyal and will continue to 5e. We should be glad
to receive true and correct accounts from that quar-
ter, but as we do not send the Standard there, we
have no means Of getting information.
Let our friends therefore in the East, who may
bv chance see this article, bear in mind that they
have the sympathies of their brethren. Let them
keep their spirits up and hope for better day
In the meantime, we hope they will resist all the
persuasions or threats of the Lincoln authorities to
take the oath of allegiance to the Lincoln govern
nent or the oath of neutrality. The Yankees have
no right in law or in reason to demand it of them.
They have ever been loyal people to the govern
ments under which they have lived. They were
not disloya to the Federal government, until Lin
coin forced North Carolina out from it. They have
never taken an oath of allegiance either to the Fed
eral or Confederate governments, and what right
has Lincoln to demand of them an oath of allegiance
to his government They are in no wise under
that government, only as the chances Of war have
thrown them within the enemy's lines, and COM
mon humanity and the laws of nations claim that
they be dealt with as non-combatants.
But our forces in the East and the people of the
State ought to manifest their sympathy. Many, We
fear, are too ready to believe the false and injurious
statements gotten up and circulated by personal
and political enemies in regard to them. Indeed
from what we have heard, it would seem that some
Of the officers Of the army and many people, regard
all or most of them as traitors. Even persons re-
siding this side the lines of the enemy, have foune
too little protection or sympathy from some Of our
officers. Can any one justify such course ?
When Newbern, Washington and Beaufort wer'
taken by the enemy, our forces retired from them
because they could not hold them. We have moi
attempted to retake them because We could not nel'