Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-09-21
BY tne Governor Of North Carolina.
A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS, a Rumber of public u.ot;,o.
State ueen heIa IN various portions of the
osaIe, IN some OF which threats have hern Nd
OF combined resistance to the execntioI =
laws OF sSongress, in regard to conscrintion
~ the Conectlon OF taxes, thereby endaDoer;r-
the PUBIC peace and tranquility "a waiio = 49,
common cause of independence. which w. liz ano
so solemniy engased to defend And whereas. IL
Is my swern duty to see all the laws of TIC Ts,n
Iaitnfnily executed, and quiet and ordar ,nain
tanned within our borders. hain-
Now, therefore 1, ZEsULON B. VANCE. Gov.
ernor OF the State Of North Carolina do ;ssn.
TINS my Froclamation, commandinr Ali sucb nsr.
sons TO renonnce such evil intentions. and wan.
ing them to beware Of the crinina ard fatal con.
ton. eA00"
The inalicnablca and Invaluable right of the nao.
pic to assemble together ard consult for the com.
mon good, togetfler with its necessary concon1i.
tants, tue freedom of speech and the nresS =
secured to you. my countrymen. by the mos ga
cred compaets, They shall never find a distur.
Der IN me. Yet you will remember that tho -.
instruments which guarantee thes. grsst 49,; oSne
also limit you to the ex ercise of them With,
the bounds OF law, and impose upon me the snl.
einnn duty0f seeing that these bounds he net fro ~.
crossed. The Constitution of the Coneednanta
States and all laws passed in pursuance tberanf
are the supreme law OF the land +: resi- stance tn
cn nSn ~ G - Is TREASON, and withont
your country. Let no one be deceived. So lona
as these laws remain upon the statute book thew
shall be executed. Surely, nv countrvmen -vo,
would not seek to cure the evils of one revoInfson
by plunging the country into another, You viii
not knowlngly, to the present desolating war
Win 6he common enemy, add the horrors Of in.
ternal strife and entire subyersion of 1a,9 a..
civil authority You must not foroet the AN
vlabie character which you have always main.
tanned, asa sober, conservative and law.abidir,
people nor would / have You to foroet the Mai
easy and CONSTITUTIONAL method Of redressiu,
your grievances. Meet and denounce any exist.
ing laws II you think proper-you h0y. that
right and instruct your representative in car.
gress or the Legislature, as the case NAV he tn
nhh di@ IaEA. your own chosen servants made
Lnose obnoxious iaWs..they can repeal them, il
such are your Instructions. If you regard them
as unconstitutional, our Supreme Court sits
teady 70 oeGloe upon all cases properly brought
De1ore II. It's decisions are final in the State of
North Carolina, and shall be executed while the
power remains IN your Executive to enforce any
law. mere Is no grievance to redress and no
proposltlon 70 be made, but can be most bene-
nclally effected in the way our fathers marked
out, by the ballot box, and the other constitution
ally appointed means. In times Of great public
s ,Snsi lssaIy e akeths present sem any departure from
GUS, and tends to the division and distraction Of
our people.
1t is my great desire, and, 1 hope that OF all
GOOD citizens, that our people should remain uni
ted, befal us what may. Should we triumph in
the great struggle for independence, let ne feel
lngs OF revenge, no bitterness, mar the rejoicing
short of that great object for (which we have
struggled SO long and bled SO freely, let not eur
strlies and domestic. feuds add to the bitterness
Attempts suddenly to change the existing or.
der OF things would only result in bloodshed and
ruin: | therefore implore you, my countrymen.
OF all shades OF political opinion, to abstain from
assembling together for the purpose of deneunc-
ing each other, whether at home or in the army,
and to avoid seeking any remedy for the evils of
the times by other than legal means and through
the nroperly constituted authorities. We are
embarked III the hottest of all causes which can
STIR the hearts of patriots-the cause of liberty
ana independence. We are committed to it by
every tie that can bind an honorable people
Multitudeso of our bravest and best have already
sealed it with their blood, whilst others. giving
up all earthly possessions, are either languishing
the i 11gso aaa q "a ai hsr no ssss. fa M gressef q i Iess De,
gree, the iron hsnd of war. A great and glorious
nation is struggling to be born, and wonderfng
kingdoms and distant empires are stilled with
listening hope and admiration II, watching this
great ss Of nIman events. Let them not, I pray
tic strife and petty, malignant feuds. Let not
our enemy be rejoiced to behold our streng arms
and stronger devotion, which have often made
hlm tremble, turned against ourselves. Let MS
rather show that the God of Liberty is in His
holy Temple-the hearts Of freemen-and bid All
the petty chickering's of earth keep silence before
Instead of engaging in this unholy and unpat.
riotic strife, and threatening to resist the law OF
.ne land ana endangering the peace Of society, lei
us prepare diligently andswith hopeful hearts for
the hardships and sufferings- of the COMING win.
ter. Heaven has blessed us with abundant crops
but thousands of the poor are unable to purchase
Let US begin in time and use every effor to pro.
vide for them and secure them against suffering,
And let us exert ourselves to the utmost to re-
turn to duty the many brave but misguided men
VINO have lett their country's flag in the hour 81
danger, and God will yet bless us and eur chill.
dren, and our children's children viii thank us
Ter not despairing of the Republic in its darkest
and preserving, amid the fiery trials of war, CON.
servatlve sentiments and the. rights and civil
nDertles OF the young Confederacy.
L.s EvANeE, our Governor, Captain apU Genera q
49, and COMMANDMENT Chief. hath signed
these presents, and caused the Great Seal ef the
State to be affixed. Wy
Done at the city Of Raleigh, this nth day OF
September, A: d., 1868. and in the year of Amer
lean Independence the SSth. z. =. VANCE.
By the Governor;
L. d. BATTLE, JR,
4-~t Private Secretary.