Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-12-12
For the Standard.
Cotton Burning Order of Mai. Gen. French.

Mr. EDITOR You seem always to have taken
an interest in those matters which the wei.
fare of the State and its citizens and your columns
have been open to a fair discussion of tho acts Of
public and things ask brief space in which
to review the subject heading this article.
l am of many to whom has been exhibited, in
the last few days, order FROM Maj. Gen. French,
directing that all the cotton in the Counties border
ing on the Roanoke river which is not removed west
of the Wilmington and Weldon Rail Road in ten
days after the date Of the order shall be burned -
The Colonel commanding, to whom is entrusted the
execution of the ORDER kindly and judiciously gave
notice of It and has advised the removal of the cot
ton. In the mean time one OF our influential and
energetic citizens by direct and personal applica-
ton to the commanding General succeeded in pro-
curing pOsLpORement Of the burning to the 18th o,
December. When that day arrives, unless some
powerful friend intervene the skies of Halifax will
be lit up by piles Of burning cotton or her citizens
will enjoy the melancholy satisfaction of knowing
that while not bale of cotton within her borders
is rendered more secure from the depredations Of
the enemy it ssubected to additional risk from the
rot which will follow its exposure to the rains and
SHOWS Of winter, and TO the merciless depreciation
of greedy spectators, and that our commanding
General being unable to protect, has, with long,
calculating foresight: in order to keep it out Of the
hands offar distant and doubtful Yankees destroyed
vast amounts of the wealth Of that country which
he was bound by honor and common policy to de.
fend. The only reason which have heard given
for this sapent order is that disoyal citizens
in of the counties the North side of the river
suspected of wishing sell their cotton to the
Yankees.
Mr. Editor, it is RUE of law, both divine and
human, that it is better that the many guilty should
60 unpublished. rather than one innocent should
suffer. But military law, or rather this Generals
Interpretation of it. or military law like all other
law aims to be ust) seems to reverse this benecent
order of things and arbitrarily DEGREES that all the
innocent should suffer rather than guilty person
escape! Why does not this General meet the ques-
ton boldly and fairly and issue his order directing
Mr. - or Mr.. IS cotton to be burned because
they are Justly suspectedr If there is just cause
and clear evidence against any man on this score
the whole country will sustain HIM. But why
should my cotton, and that of every other man IT.
Halifax or Martin, be burned because Mr.. -, of
BERTHE is suspected to be preparing to sell his to the
enemy? Are we of Halifax and Martini ETC., to be
punished and impoverished because there may be
few rogues rascals and traitors in other counties
If this Is the way that military law is to be admins
tered in our department of North Carolina we may
soon expect order directing all the negroes to be
knocked on the head to keep them from falling or
running into the hands of the Yankees, because Mr.
Blank or Mr.. Somebody else is ready for a ceuside-
ration to give up his to the first Yankee gun boat
and take the oath of allegiance to the aboli-
ton government or perhaps we shall have squads
of cavalry sent round by order of the commanding
General, directing US to throw our corn into the
river and pitch our hogs in after it, because they
will supply bread and meat to some possible Yam
KEGS This method of defending o country by de-
stroyng the sources Of its wealth. is very rare
ly practsed, and only in the immediate presence of
an overwhelming foe. The unnecessary exhibition
of this desperate mode Of warfare has been reserved
by our commanding General for the unfortunate
eastern Counties of old North Carolina
Why, the wealth this cotton, which is ordered to
be burned represents, would be sufficient if prop
erly expended, to fortify the river against every
abolition gunboat in Yankeedom-to erect cntreneh-
ments which would enable a comparatively small
force, under good and brave General to hold them
against any number the Yankees are likely to bring
into these parts. But the surer policy we presume,
is to burn and destroy, for when all is destroyed
there will be nothing left to defend and no necessi-
ty for defending it. and the Major General can, by
this decided and unique mode OF strategy, simplify,
rather than magnify his defences, and still enjoy
his 0tium cum in distant Petersburg!
Whilst the Legislature is engaged in most strenu-
Gus efforts to repress speculation in other articles
the cotton of the people of Halifax and other Coun-
ties in this State, is made the prey of this greedy
class of vampires, by this policy Of the Command
ing General for however innocent he may be Of any
collision with these individuals, and disclaim any
intention to nsinuate suspicion of this against
him, still the natural effect of his order is calculated
to affect the price of cotton in way the other
for if this large amount of cotton is burned it must
enhance the price of the article in Petersburg this
section being the principal source of supply for that
market. II, on the other hand, it should all be
hauled to the Rail Road those who carry 1T there
being obliged to leave it there unsheered will pre-
fer to sell it at any price, rather than risk its loss
by rot ano other causes and thus be forced to SUBJ
NIT to SPECTATORS prices to the ruinous deprccia-
ton of their property. We call upon our Governor
and Legislature to defeat this policy, to forbid and