Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-05-01
THE NORTH
An ImneriaI nesnotism.

We need not say to our readers that We cordially
approve the views of the Mercury, for they are the
same we have uniformly held and uttered
The Enquirer, it will be seen, takes the ground
that if necessary to the successful prosecution Of the
war it would Willingly vest in President Davis not
thepower of suspending the ha6eds corpus only,
but the poa0ers Of life and death also, soith sunsmG-
'y 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, aristocracy, or algarchy is
not desirable in the Southern States but that the
model of the present imperial despotism of France
is the best that exists foT imitation. It says ::
The French empire was, and is now as thorough
ly Democratic as the republic was--that is to say,
all Frenchmen belong to only one class and there is
perfect equality before the law; and the Emperor
tounds his title upon, not the grace of God only,
like the English sovereign, but the grace of GSd
and the will OF the people. A military monarchy
may be Democratic, but State with patrician and
ple0ean orders cannot be. Where there has been
long war, and all the people are compelled to be
soldiers and live under military discipline there is
undoubtedly tendency towards imperial rule, but
no tendency at all towards creation of nobility
The government of this Oonfedera>y for example
II the war lasts several years longer may compel the
country to invest its Executive, as commander-in-
chief, Nth dictatOriat poIer 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"
The Enquirer, it must be borne in mind is re-
terrng to the views of those Confederate citizens"
who itsays are expressing distrust of the perma-
nency of Democratic institutions in this country
signing for gradatons of rank-hinting that /" the
mob ought not to rule-!heorizng 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:
-."If the government has not sufficient power let
1t have more Never mind Capitalization six
months after ratification &c, it will be time enough
to redress the balances to adjust the checks and
bring the delinquents to account. Till then, the
army and the navy our all in all This people
have elected military President partly because be
was tried statesman, but chiefly because he was
proved soldier they have given him great and
noble task to accomplish 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 sword within his hand"
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
to be the agent of the States and not their mas
ter; and that free institutions, not an imperial des
tn ituF ob; oe.
tolls and suferings But the official paper has de-
cared otherwise. That paper is opposed to no.
biity to be established by law, but it vors mill
tary despotism like that Of France. We are to have
great central consolidated empire 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
Ift 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 first in its columns, to
the exclusion of other Richmond papers. 1t is no
excuse for them to say that they not willing to
appear to interfere with the freedom of the press,
for it is notorious that they bestow no patronage of
any kindon Conservative papers, or on papers that
do not defend them or reflect their views.
We know that military despotiSm is making rapid
strides in these States. We know that no people
ever lost their liberties at once but step by STEP as
some deadly disease steals upon the system and grad
ually but surely saps the fountains of life We
know that tyrants and their mnons always prepare.
the popular mind in advance for their uSurpatisns,
and that those usurpations are always based upon
the plea Of the general good" The argument now
is, 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 nil be
slares neither to Lincoln nor DaUis, nor France,
nor England. North Carolina is a State not a
province, and she has eighty thousand of as brave
troops as ever trod the Garth When she calls them
they will come. II the worst should happen that
can happen, she will be able to take care of herself
an independent power. She will not submit, in
any event. to law Of Congress passed in deliberate
violation of the Constitution, investing Mr.. Davis
with dictatorial powers but she will resist such a
law by Withdrawing, if necessary from the Confed-
Grafton, and she will fight her way out against all
comers with q courage and an ardor which will
eclipse even any former achievements of her sons
during the existing war For one, we are deter:
mined not TO exchange one despotism, for another.
With the Richmond Examiner we hold that
The strength of the Confederacy will depart from
it, the moment it becomes q pale reflex of the
Northern empire. The North possesses greater
numbers, and all he physical advantages in greater
degree than the South Yet the South resists with
success, and why J? Because Of its superiour moral
force. This is still free republic Our armies
fight with courage for their property and liberty
Our people endure the ills of war with fortitude,
that their laws and privileges may be secured. The
North is governed by despotism. Its soldiers and
its people are slaves. But if we do as the orth
has done, and Surrender all the powers of the
State into the hands of one man, the South will be
governed also by arbitrary power and its people too
will hn slaves Then the strnpple will resnva itself