Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-02-19
The Press.

If the press of this State and Virginia had sec
onded our efforts for the protection and defence of
Roanoke Island, We have no doubt the government
would have furnished ample means for its defence,
and the Island now would have been in our posses
sion and the enemy vanquished But no, we are
too afraid of giving the enemy information, too fear
full of offending the powers that be. to utter the
complaints of the people against their rulers. Now,
since the Island is taken and twelve of our richest
counties are at the mercy Of the enemy, and the
rear of Norfolk menaced, they can abuse the gov.
ernment outright. Pity that people will not
learn that the time to talk is before the horse is out
of the stable The Norfolk Day Book lets off its
pent up wrath after this sort:
The fact cannot longer be concealed that criminal
negligence is chargeable somewhere for the disas-
trous overthrown Of our brave and gallant men at
Roanoke Island.
The fact cannot longer be concealed because it is
upon the tongue of every rejecting man. AS
public Journal devoted to the public cause, a cause
in which all possess and realise the deepest interest,"
this paper is avcrse to the suppression Of griev-
ance of such magnitude from any sickled senti-
mental fear that injury is to to the true in
terests of the people free comment and exposure
Thus to WELD the engine Of the press We regard
the true glory and noble aim of the press OF free
people. When it ceases thus to speak, the benefits
of its mission lost unattained and it becomes
but the panderer to power. This is the position
which it now occupies under the heel of the North.
ern despotism.
If the public press is to be muzzled or to muzzle
itself rom fear of bringing down upon the heads Of
these in authority the merited condemnation which
maadmnistration justly demands-if it ia to main.
tain silence from fear Of exposing even to ene-
So that. &C
thorty are derelict in duty and lack the eualica-
tons which their positions demand-thcn, the prin-
ters type may he as we'll sent back to the foundery
abuse of power in high places 60 unexposed, the
perpetrators continue their NAL administration, the
public interests be suffered to languish, be disre-
| garded and criminally imperilled. The brave men
who fought the enemy at Roanoke Island. and many
| of whom poured out their blood like water in the
| futile attempt to maintain their stand against an
overwhelming force, were sacrificed to a criminal
neglect to reinforce them. This is the fact which
has impressed itself upon the public mind and to
| which we hesitate not to give utterance and an OBJ
jectiVe form.
Notwithstanding the knowledge possessed by
| every man in midst and within the hounds ol
the Confederacy of the fitting out of the Burnside
Expedition-notwithstanding its reported presence
lowering off the Carolina acOast-notwithstandng its
proclaimed arrival off Roanoke Island disclosing the
manifest intention Of the enemy to attack that devo
ed Island and to possess it another stragetc base
for future and more important operations, not
withstanding the fact, known to our men in power,
that this important post was not sufficiently man
ned-that the force there was inadequate to defenc
it against the attack by which it had been menacee
for weeks Notwithstanding this and more which
might be stated, yet that handful of brave and de
voted men suffered to remain there insufficient
ly reinforced, aud to await the moment when, ap
narently uncared for, they were to be "butcheret
to make Northern holiday" and to furnish tn.
deporalized press o. the sapage and soulless Noftt
fit theme for their truculent hsastng and fehdsl
huzzas. Suchisth the culpahlsnsglsct whioasdetdand
ventilation and calls for remedial nterpositon
the executive arm of the government At Richmond
| .aFHE DxkuItb AND :GsEEssBoRo' CoNNEcr1oS-
Congress has passed, and the President approved
the bill authorizing railway connection betweel