The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-09-15
THE GOVERNOR OF N. CAROLINA
A Proclamation.

d 4
rnr,s a number of public meetings have recent
VIM held in various portions of the State, in some
Itch threats have been made OF combined resist
Of Tho execution of the laws of Congress, in
sncs " rscrinton and the collection of taxes, there
ga'u W (ing the public peace and tranquility as
D! n- he common cause of independence. which we
hre 50 golemnly engaged to defend And whereas, it
nave ~ dntv to see all the laws of the land faith
fully executed, anu 4 within
ou rn w. therefore, I,ZEBULON B. VANCE, Governor
rb State of North Carolina do issue this my Proc
I",;on commanding all such persons to renounce
III ;r,entions and warning them to beware of
80 cruina and fatal consequences OF carrying such
threats into eXecutlon' -, o.,
osembJc together and consult for the common good
thar with its necessary conconlltants, the freedom
fsneec and the press, are secured to you, my cOun
trvmen bv the most sacred compacts They shall
ncvcr find a dsturber in me. Yet you Will remember
that the same instruments which guarantee these great
FIGHTS also limit you to the exercise Of then within
the bound of law and impose upon me the solemn duty
Of seeing that these bounds be not transgrcssed The
Constitution of the Confederate States and all laws
,essed in pursuance thereof, the supreme law Of
The land resistance them by combination is tensOn
and without combination, is high crime against the
law. of The country. Let be deceived SO long
&C these laws remain upon the book they shall
he executed. Surely. MY cOuntrymen you would not
seek to cure the evils oone revolution by punging the
co,p,rv into another You will not knowingly, to the
cr,ecnt desoating with the common enemy, add
The horrors internal strife and entire subversion Of
law and civil authority You must not forget the en-
yiabe character which you have always maintained
y sober, conservative and law-abiding people; nor
would have forget the pfain easy and c0nstHU
touaL method of redresng your grievances. Meet and
drDOunce any existing laws if you think prOper-yon
have that rghtand instruct your representatives, IN
Congress or the State Legislature, the case may be-
to reurH Hrm. Your own chosen servants made those
obnoxious laws--they can repeal them, If such are
your Instructions If you regard them nnconstitu-
Ional. OurSuprcme Court sits ready to decide upon
all cases properly brought before it. Its decisions
final in the State of North Carolina and shall be exc
curcd while the power remains LII yOHr Executive to
enforce law. There is grievance to redress and
proposition be made, rat can be most benefciay
effected in the way fathers marked out by the bal
Iot-box, and TIE other constitntionaly appointed
means In times of great public scnsibiiirv like the
present. any departure this legal channel s.revo
utonay and dangerous and tends to the division and
distraction of our people
It is nv great desire and hope, that of all good
citizens, that people should remain united, befa
u. what may. Should we triumph in the great srug
gle independence let feelings of revenge no bit
the rejoicing of that glorious day Should
fall and come short of that great object for which
have struggled so long and bled freely, let not
sres and domestic teuds add to the bitterness of
defeat
Attempts suddenly to change the existing order of
things would only result in bloodshed and ruin. |
therefore mplore you, my counrynen of all shades of
political opinion, to abstain from assembling together
for the purpose of denouncing each other, whether
home in the army and TO avoid seeking any remedy
for the evils of the times by other than legal
an, through the properly constituted authorities. We
embarked in the hottest of all which
stir the hearts of patrosthe cause of liberty and in
dependence. We committed to it by every tie that
can bind an honorable people Multitudes OF our bra
vest and best have already sealed it with their blood
whilst others, giving up all earthly possessions, are
either langushing in dungeons or are homeless wan
dcrers through the land and all have felt in greater
or less degree, the iron hand of war great and glo
riOus nation is struggling be born and wondering
kingdoms and distant empires stilled with listening
hope and admiration, watching this greatest of human
events Let them not pray you, be shocked with the
spectacle of domestic strife and petty, malignant feuds
Let not our enemy be rejoced to behold our strong
arms and stronger devotion, which have often made
Aim tremble turned against ourselves. Let rather
show that the God of Liberty is in His Holy Temple
the hearts of freemenand bid all the petty chickering's
of earth keep silence before Him.
Instead Of engaging IN this unhoy and unpatriOtic
strife and threatening resist the laws of the land
diligently and with hopeful hearts for the hardships
and sueringS Of the coming winter. Heaven has bless
ed us with abundant crops, but thousands Of the poor
unable to purchase Let Us begin IN time and use
every effort to provide for them and secure them against
suffering And let ourselves to the utmost to
duty the many brave but misguided men who
have left their cOuntryS flag in the hour of danger and
God will yet bless and children, and our chill
drens Children will thank for despairng of the
Republic in its darkest hours of dSaster, and still more
for Rdherng and preserving amid the fiery trials of
conservative sentiments and the rights and civil
liberties the young Confederacy.
In witness whereof, ZEBULON b. VANCE. our Govern
or, Captain General and Commander-in- Chief hath
signed these and caused the Great Seal of the
State to be ailx ed
Done at the city of Raleigh, this 18th day of Septem-
her, A D. 1868, and in the year of American IndePen
dcnCe the 8Sth T. B. VANCE. .
BY the Governors:
r. II. BATHS, JR., Private Sec tary