The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-01-27
Richmond, January II, 1868.
SPECIAL MESSAGE OF GOV. VANCE
TO the HonornJ1c, the General assembly Of
N0,,th Carolina:

SPECIAL MESSAGE OF GOV. VANCE.
To the HonornJlc, the General Assfmbiy Of
N0yth Carottnd:
With the flight of time great events have oc-
Cured and are now crowding upon u.s. Since
YOUR adjournment in December the invaders OF
our State have concentrated large force upon our
coast, and are again threatening remaining
seaports and lines Of communication. Every pre-
paration possible has been made to resist them,
and it is hoped not without success. Still, much
remains to be done to strengthen army and
add to its efficiency. l beg leave respectfully to
offer few suggestions to you on this subject.
The most serious evils with which Generals
have to contend are the inefficient execution Of
the conscript law and the alarming increase Of
dcs crtion in the army. long absence from
home, and the severe hardships of our rapid and
wonderful campaigns, naturally tends to produce
these effects during protracted war. TO arrest
these dellnQuents and return them to duty, the
militia have heretofore been employed with some
| degree of success but latterly they have been
found inefficient owing to the many obstacles in
terposed by the law Should an officer start out
to arrest deserter the friends of the latter have
only to give the alarm and he is spirited ont of
the way or the officer is resisted by open violence.
! AS dcsertion is not crime known to the laws OF
| this State, these persons who thus shield the de-
scrter from arrest are liable to no punishment.
| The consequence is that numbers OF dcserters are
concealed in many parts Of the State, and banding
together for company and mutual protection,
depredate upon the citizens near them, thus form
ing kind Of outlawed population in the midst Of
our quiet and orderly people.
| This state of things, ruinous alike to the dis
cipline of our army and the morals of our people,
ought not to be suffered to continue and mi ght be
prevented in nay opinion by little prudent legis-
lation. With the consent of the highest military
authorities from whose commands they are abb
sent, | propose to give absentees from the army
without leave, by proclamation thirty days in
which they may return to duty free Of punish
| mcnt, and after that time to make them liable for
the delay, TO the severest penalties Of the law. To
eaable the authorities to effect their arrest, | re-
commend as | had the honor to do in my regular
message to you, that the militia laws he so amen
dcd as subject both officers and privates of any
particular company regiment Of the militia to
the articles Of war, when ordered to perform any
duty of this kind at the discretion Of the Exccu-
| tive; that power be given the Executive summari
ly to drop from the rolls officers guilty Of gross
and wilful neglect of duty, and that it be made a
crime to shield horhor descrters to assist them
to avoid capture. Should it be deemed best to
continue to the militia of the State for
ting the COnscript law these amendments will be
indispensable, az Congress has failed in these re-
spccts to provide for the enforcement of its own
acts
| have been applied to in several instances as
the appointing power of the regmental officers of
regiments raised originally for three years or
the war, to promote men fer gallant and meritori-
Gus conduct, but on close examination of the law
| find have 70 authority to dcviate from the
regular order Of Promotion by seniority in the APP
pOintment Of company officers.
This lower ought to reside somcwhcre-the
good Of the service requires it. The humLlcst
rivae in the ranks of the army ought to feel that
there is the power and the will to lift him
above the humble position to a commissioned
officer, as a reward foI callantry and heroism.
therefore recommend that this authority be yes
ted in the Executive to be exercised upon proper
recommendations Of con manding officers in the
field.
The subject of arresting citizens IN charges of
disloyalty beg leave again to alludc to. Many
have been recently taken VI by the Confederate
officers, and with spirit Of courtesy and respect
for State authority turned to 'or investi.a-
! ton. | am at loss how to dispose Of them |
cannot examine them myself and of course regard
1t inconsistent with my duty to set them at liber-
ty without an examination, and am yet more l.ti-
willing to see them placed in the Confederate pri-
son at Salisbury where the tracks Of the accused
all lead IN one direction and the light Of old Eng
! llsh liberty Is never seen: ! therefore recon-
| mend the establishing of commission for the
investigation OF charges against all such persons
with power to commit for trial before the proper
tribunal if sufficient cause appears, &c.
In this connection | take great pleasure in
transmitting letter from Hon. Jas A. Seldom,
Secretary of War, in relation to the case of r. J
Graves, and in response to the demand for his de-
livery to the authority of this State nude in ODE
dicnce to joint resolution Of your two Houses.
Admirable in spirit, ample in explanation OF the
circumstances under which the arrest was made
and in expressions of regard for the rights and
sovcrcig nty of the State, | am sure that accom-
ranylng as it did the prompt surrender of the ac-
cuSed 1t cannot fail to give you the satisfaction
experienced its perusal
in view OF the threatened invasion of tho State,
have been advised by the war department to call
out the militia to assist in repelliny it, Havin.
consulted with the General in n.mand of this de-
p"rfmcnt, concluded to do So but am at least
"0"bj"l {" my authority to take the step, whilst
your hoay Is IN session. Not wishin" to exercise
any doubtful authority when Your presence aud
appreciation may so easily make il certain, most
res ectiuiiy recommend that be authorized i'm
mesiiatly to call out such portion Of the militia as
may be deemed sufficient to meet the present
emergency
! have the honor herewith to transmit comics of
resolutions various subjects of the Legislatures
of the States OF South Carolina. Georgia, Florida
and Alabama forwarded to me By their resnec,ive
Executives with a request that they be laid before
you. The most important of these relates to the
proposition of guaranteeing by each State of its