Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-12-29
Organization of the doth Regiment.

officers at Fort Casgell in relation to the manner in
which the 10th North Carolina regiment was or
ganized These officers are gentlemen of high
character, and speaking they do for themselves,
for their brother officers, and for the mon of the
10th regiment are entitled to be heard.
1t is due to Gov. Vance to state that the regi-
ment, having. been transferred to the Confederate
government, was not permitted by that government
to exercise the right of choosing its field officers by
the votes of the company officers, as provided by
the law Of this State. Supposing, however, that
the Confederate government would waive its au
thority in the premises he issued the order for an
election, or caused it to be issued; and the answer
from Richmond was that it was not deemed expe-
dent to resort to this mode of offering the regi-
ment The Governor then claimed the right to ap-
point the officers, which Gen. Whiting conceded
or admitted; whereupon the appointments were
made 1t is our opinion, for which the Governor
Is in no respect responsible, that Gen. Whiting
took an undue advantage of Gov. Vance in relation
to the appointment of Colonel
We have reason to believe that this matter has
given the Governor much concern. We are sure
1t was not his wish or his purpose to deprive :he
company officers of their right to elect
One of our correspondents mentions several facts
in the military administration of Gen. Whiting,
which prove that he is unfit FOR mis- place We
may publish some Of these facts hereafter.
Extract from a letter from an officer at Fort Cas-.
well, dated December II, 1868:
"There is considerable excitement here at this
tiDe in regard to the organization of the 10th reg
iment; and to this matter desire to call your at
tentlon, not only as journalist but as a public
I &c ifar & pc;,l 10
and will have very material bearing on the next
election so far, at least the Cape Fear District
is concerned. the facts these: Some time ago
the Adutant General of the State issued an order,
by order of the Governor, commanding the officers
Of the 10th Reg't n. Z. troops, to hold an election
for field officers on the Goth of November. Two
days before the time appointed for the election
Gen. Whiting issued an order prohibiting the Of
fcers from holding the election, and stating that
the Governor had reserved the right to appoint
them. IL is ascertained, beyond all doubt
that the appointments hlpe been made Now, SIR
what right did Gen. Whiting have to revoke an
order from the Governor of the State? What right
has he to interfere with the organization of State
regiments? What right has Gov. Vance to ap.
point field officers OF regiment, when the law
says, expressly, that the company officers shall
elect them? These are the questions that the SOL
dIerS of this district want answered =
l am not in this regiment myself, and am not in
any way personally concerned, but when Sos such
outrageS on the rights Of men, pASPetrated by
miserable set of petty tyrantS men who have gone
into this war for the cake OF glory, and to make
money--mca who would not end it tomorrow on
terms honorable to us, if they could; when l see
these things, | say, am determined to do my part
in holding them up to a rigid responsibility TO the
people OF North. Carolina and the ConfedeTacy.-
And now call upon you as the only Editor in
North Carolina who has the independence to stand
up to our rights, to ferret out the whole matter
and expose it to the world | hold myself pre-
pared to prove all the statements | have made in
tits letter. and should you deem any of them worth
place in your columns, you are authorized to give
the name of your informant. if called upon. There
thirty or forty other things that l might men,
ton, but have already written more than was in
tended. If the other matters are not worth pub.
fishing, certainly the case of the 10th regiment is "
Extract from letter from an officer at Fort Cas-
well, dated December 15, 1868:
Believing that you are the only Editor in the
State that has taken the proper stand in upholdng
the laws of the State as well as the rights of the
soldiers, desire to lay before you few facts in re.
gard to the treatment Of the 4Oth regiment n G.
troops by the State authorities In doing so 1t is
not my object to present them in the form of pub
licaton, but merely to give you the facts IN the
case, that you may use them edtoraiLy as you THINK
proper The 4Oti, regiment N G. troops, you are
pvrhopz aware, has never been properly organized
Oy tue election Oh proper cause
of this no one is, perhaps. able to divine, except
the wisdom Of Mr. Martin, the former Adjt. General
recenty however, the State authorities concluded
that it was time this regiment should be organized
! and Gov. Vance issued order stating what com.
panieS composed the regiment, and further ordering
the company CtncerS to hold election for the field
! officers of the the Goth November last
All the officers of the regiment seemed well pleased
that even, at the ninth hour the State authorities
had concluded that 1t was necessary that this reg
! ment, in common with all the other regiments o
! the State, except those raised under the ten reg
ment bill,) should, III the exercise Of q right guar
anteed to the officers of the regiment by an act Of
! the Convention, elect their field officers Two DAYS
before the election ordered on the Goth November
an order was received from Maj. Gen. Whiting
commanding, stating that no election would be held
for the field officers Of this regiment the Governor
having reserved to himself tile right or appointing
| the same From this order it is evident that the
Governor and Gen. Whiting must have had a con
SultatiOn the subject, and agreed that no elec
tion should take place. as since that time, the Gov
ernor has. as stated in the Generals order, made
! the appointments. The whole facts of the cast
| seem to be simply this: The Governor in gooC
faith ordered the election, but before the election
was held Gen. Whiting, that he might put some o.
his favoriteS in position induced the Governor Il
| prevent the election. In all due respect to Gov
Vance, l desire to know by what authority no he.
made these appointments, and thereby dslranchiseC
literally all the officers Of the regiment. By law
| of the State, which the Governor must know to bC
in existence, we certainly have right to vote fol
the field ofIioOrS of thie regiment Such course
as this on the part of Gov. Vance must truly ad
NIT was unexpected as had too high an opinion
of him ever to think that he would be the means O.
| setting aside and rendering void any law of thu
State. This is one step towards despotic absolu
tism that may be forced upon this regiment for thu
present, but which, by their votes in the future
they will Slcw that an acknowledged law of the
State cannot be thus set aside to their detrment
OF the men appointed will not speak, as it is mere
ly the principle involved wish to bring before you
am truly sorry that our Governor, who was large
ly voted for by the soldiers, and whose course 81
far, has been generally approved, should submit t.
such proceedings, or be party to them. These
| remarks have haen made not in q snirit of nccnsa