Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-05-06
An Imperial Despotism.

VIC Po~ei VI suSPeuuhe Tue HdOedS 0WP"s V"'y,
but the poseers Of life and death also, Nth sunsnsa
ry drum head justice" And in its issue Of the 9th
April-a very recent date-the Enquirer has an /
article of some length under the head of"A Con-
federate Nobility" in which it takes the ground
that mere nobility, or aristocraey, or ogarchy is
not desirable in the Southern States but that the
model Of the present imperial despotism Of France
is the best that exists for our imitation It says:
"The Frepch empire was, and is now as thorough
ly Democratic as the republic was-that is to say,
an Frenchmen belong to only one class and there is
perfect equality before the law; and the Emperor
Pounds his title upon, not the grace of God only,
like the English sovereign, but sthe grace of God
and the will Of the people A military monarchy
may be Democratic, but State with patrician and
plebean orders cannot be- Where there has been q
long war; and all the people are compelled to be
soldiers and live under military discipline, there is
undoubtedly a tendency towards imperial rule, but
no tendency at all towards creation of nobility
The government of this Confedera,y, for example,
if the war lasts several years longer may compel the
country to invest its Executive, as commander-in-
Chief Nth dicatorial power IN order to strong
government and perfect unity of action for the
common defence but it is not possible so much as
to conceive its ending in the creation of privileged
class"
1uC Sh1uHCf, IL iuuSt oC oOi uC III uAAu1 10 ~
ferrng to the views of those Confederate citizens
who it says are expressing distrust of the perma-
nency of Democratic institutions in this country
signing for gradations Of .rank-hinting that "the
mob" ought not to rule-theorizing about the ne
cessity of higher classes, and wishing for strong
government" and its object is to give the cue to
these citizens to cease to advocate "Confederate
nobility" and to take ground for an imperial mill
tary despotism like that of France.
These views are not new with the Enquirer. In
one Of its issues Of February last it said:
eff the government has not sufficient power, let
it have more. Never mind Capitalization six
redress the balances to adjust the checks and to
bring the delinquents to account Till then, the
army and the navy are our all in all. This people
have elected military PRESIDENT partly because he
was tried statesman, but chiefly because he was
proved soldier they have given him great and
noble task to oaccomplish; he has right to demand
that they give him their confidence without stint,
and place the powers of the people and OF the States
as a sword within his hand p---
Is this the entertainment to which the people of
the Confederate States have been invited? We
were told, when the old government was broken up
by the States south of us, that the contest was to
be for liberty that the civil power was to prevail
over the military; that the common government
was to be the agent of the States and not their mas
ter; and that free institutions, not an imperial des
potism, were to constitute the great object Of our
tolls and suferings. But the official paper has de-
clared otherwise. That paper is opposed to q no
bility to be established by law, but it favors mill
tary despotism,lke that Of France. We are to have
great CENTRAL consolidated tnpire the States bear
ing the same relation to it that the provinces of
France bear to the throne of Napoleon. This is the
programme laid down by the official paper. Does
that journal speak for the heads of the government?
If it does not let them promptly withdraw from it
the publication of the official orders. That they
read it carefully we entertain no doubt Thus far,
they have allowed the public to infer that it speaks
their sentiments by publishing all their documents,
army orders, and the like fret in its columns, to
the exclusion of other Richmond papers. 1t is nc
excuse for them to say that they not willing tc
appear to interfere with the freedom of the press
for it is notorious that they bestow patronage
any kind on Conservative papers, OF on papers thai
do not defend them or reflect their views.
We know that military despotism is making rapit
strides in these States. We know that no people
ever lost their liberties once but step by step,
some deadly disease steals upon the system and grad
nally but surely saps the fountains of life. W.
know that tyrants and their mnions always p-epar
the popular mind in advance for their usurpations
and that those usurpations are always based upoI
the plea of the general good" The argument nov
is, we hate Lincoln so bitterly that in order to re
sist him successfully we must make slaves of our
selves. The answer of our people is, zoe aciu b
slaues neither to Lincoln, nor Daris, nor France
nor England North Carolina is State, not
province, and she has eighty thousand of as brav
troops as ever trod the earth. When she calls then
they will come. If the worst should happen tina
can happen, she will be able to take care Of hersel
as an Independent power. She will not submit, il
any event. to law Of Congress passed in deliberat
violation Of the Constitution, investing Mr.. Davi
with dictatorial powers but she will resist such
law by withdrawing, if necessary, from the Confed
Grafton, and she will fight her way out against al
comers with courage and an srdor which wil
eclipse even any former achievements of her son
during the existing war For one, we are deter
mined not 10 exchange one despot,sm for anothe,
With ehe Richmond Examiner we hold that
1.-THE strength of the Confederacy will depart fror
it the moment it becomes a pale reflex Of th
Northern empire. The North possesses create
numbers and all the physical advantages in create
degree than the South. Yet the South resists wit
success, aud why Because of rs supefiour mora
force. This is still free republic. Our arthie
fight with courage for their property and liberty
Our people endure the iiis Of war with fortisude
that their laws and privileges may be secured. Th