Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-07-15
Conservative Views.

500 Brother" say, let's be forgiving.
Lave In love; it's pleasant living.
Conservative Views. >
we make the following extract from speech re.
Gently delivered in Hancock County, Ga, by Gen,
Robert Ioom6s We entirely endorse these re-
marks, but if zoe had uttered them we should have
been denounced as disloyal by certain persons and
prints in this State: -
1t was impossible that men should not differ
upon important issues. These had to be discussed
by the press tho people, and by Congress, and the
best measure adopted BY our legislature and execu.
tive, after fully weighing and considering all mea:
sures proposed for their action. The people. ouqht
to do this; he sOouI do it. The right to discuss
any measure brought up for consideration he would
necer yield AS to any misunderstanding which
might have occurred between him and any one
whomsoever, God forbid that he should be so little
so lost to all shame and patriotism, as to thrust
that upon his country in this her hour of peril
His country was entitled to all be had and was and
before God, she should have it fully, freely, unre
servedly.
After these preliminary remarks, Gen. Toombs
took up the CONSUMPTION Act and discussed it at
some length. 1t was unconstitutional, because in
calling out the militia it did not leave it as the
Constitution required, to the States instead of the
Central Government to officer the militia 1t threw
the Executive, rather than allowed brave volun-
teers to elect their officers as it was their con-
stitutional right to do. He paid glowing tribute
to our volunteers who had, previous to the Con-
scrption Act, borne our flag in triumph upon every
battlefield under officers Of their own election. To
deprive them of their constitutional right felection
was to make them too much like regulars-soldiers
of form of service so odious, that not one reg-
ment Of such DUE form, had been found to breast
I'll - So
troops as regulate in our service.
Gen. Toombs desired to be understood at this
point. He desired just as many men called into the
field as the exigency required. He himself had
proposed in Montgomery, to put 100000 men at
the absolute disposal of the President to be called
out and to serve when and where he might deem
bestreservihg nothing but the Constitutional guar
antee that the States might officer their own forces
and the troops elect their own commanders.
Gen. Toombs next discussed the Confederate Tax
Act He did not deny the right of taxation to its
fullest extept But he. thought the preyisions of
the act not wisely adapted to tho end in view. He
thought that the tax in >kind imposed by this Act
was particularly unfortunate. 1t would lead to the
accumulation of Government stores, which would
rot for the lack of transportation, and be q dead
loss to the country.
The Government should purchase its supplies as
they were needed, at fair market rates. The idea
of impressng supplies and forcing men to take less
than they were WORTH was an exploded idea of the
dark ages-as foolish, absurd and unjust. 1t was
most unequal in its operation. Take the item of
corn for instance, worth So bushel. Government
seized it and allowed 50 per bpshe for it Here the
farmer lost 81 per bushe oH.iAcorn, and then paid
his proportion Of tax besides This was peculiarly
| hard on the farmers in the army, and Congress
should repeal the present unjust act, and pass
! another on more equitable basis. Many other
things were said by the speaker in his analysis of
| the tax act
The Sd measure discussed by Gen. Toombs was
State endorsements of Confederate bonds, to which
the speaker was opposed, 1t was like asking his
servant to endorse his note, when that servant was
liable for its payment without endorsement The
question of our finances was one of tremendous
magnitude-one which it was impossible for him to
discuss in full that occasion. He referred to the
heavy expenses of the war; and to the depreciation
! of Confederate notes. 1t was well for US not to
shut our eyes to this important fact It might hap
pen that these notes would come not to be worth
| more than continental money. In that event., it
would be allimportant preserve State credit intact
to meet. the emergency, and carry on the war
| Some people, seeing State bonds at a premium,
imagine that if the States would endorse Confsd-
=: crate bonds, this act would bring them up to the
value of State currency. On the contrary, it would
bring State currency down to the level Of Confed-
crate bonds This he wished to avoid, ana hold State
credit as last resort, in the last emergency.
| Throughout his effort, Gen. Toombs paid glowing
tributes to Southern women, who had done so much
for Southern ndependence-which always ELECTED
rounds of applause.
The last subject discussed by Gen. Toombs was
! martial law. He was utterly opposed to it. The
Constitution bestowed sufficient powers upon the
Government, and they were amply sufficient during
war as well as peace. The Constitution was design
ed for war and peace both. 1t was adopted almos
| amid the booming of cannon, and the clangor o
arms and it was not true that it was to be regardei
only in times of peace A great many people said
away with the Constitution until we attain our in
dependence. This was as if you should throw ava
the pearl of great price in order that you might n
it Away with any such idea Maintain you
personal liberty while you are achieving your ind,
pendence. Yhe one was worthless without tn
other. The Southern people had been justly indis
! nant at Lincoln's suspension of the habeas cospu
and his abridgment ofpersonal liberty, and freedol
of discussion even among Yankees. :" Are you,
said he, more jealous of the rights Of the Yankee
than you areof your own? cannot believe it.
believe our constitution to be sufficient for peace
for war Preserve it unsullied and unbroken in q
its purity, and strike not for Independence alon
but let our motto be Independence and liberty, OF
and inseparable, now and forever" He then toe
his seat amid prolonged applause.
L. NOTICE.
"HES OFFERS FOR SALE TD
tract of land on which he resides, In Pitt County,
the direct road leading from Greenville to Kinstos,