Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-08-21
The Party Movement in the Army.

PuNAioA SO'uoJ PlOSCCuliSo vi eiAN ~
called Convention of portion of the officers OF the
army of this State, recently held at Orange Court
house, Virginia. The originators of this movement,
and those who participated in it, are nearly all
original secessiOnists-in other words, partizans.-
The President, Col Bryan Grimes, is type OF the
entire body; and his bitter partizan feelings are
we'll known. As member of the State Convention
he uniformly acted with the DestructiVes. Test
oath Asa Biggs had no more faithful follower in that
body then Bryan Grimes. Werefer to this to show
that this army movement is purely POLITICAL and BUT
continuation of that policy which has from the
first sought to put "hideous mark" on all the
old Union and consign them and their posteri-
ty to reproach and cbloquy.
1t is obvious from the proceedings of this social
ed Convention, that the privates of the army had
little OF no voice in it. Of the fourteen officers all
| were officers. The committee on resolutions were
all officers. All the speakers who addressed the
so-callcd Convention were officers and the COM
mttee appointed to prepare address to the people
of the State ali officers There few SER
geants and prlvateS among the delegates, but they
could have no controlling voice in the meeting
Tile pariizan eticers had eUery thing their aoay
The fourth resolution charges IN substance that
the meetings held in this State are controlled by
those who desire to escape the service Nothing
could be more unfounded unjust. These meet
ing5 the result, to large extent of the action
OF the gray healed men of the country and of such
as are exempt from military duty. We kROlo this
to be the case as a general rule, in Wake County.
But one of the most alarming features in the pro-
credings Is the following declaration
AT it snnuld be found that true patriotism in
Norh CAROLINA has so far lost its hold upon the
muds and hearts of her people TO be unable to
check the of the StdR,LErd and other papers
which giving u.terance to such sentiments, then
the pubic authorities would be Tecreant to the cause
Of the country If they should fail to take measures
for their suppression"
Here, in The first place. is gross imputation cn
the loyalty and patriotism of our people; in the
second place, cali for physical force to repress
free thought and suppress the freedom of the press
aud in tine third place, direct demand made by
with arms in their hands on the authOri-
ties that Is, Un President DayrS-to violate the
Constitution which he has sworn to support by
forcIbly suppreSSing the press of the country
Such principles and sentiments carry US back ire
siStiby the days of the French revolution,
when liberty was silent amid the clash of arms,
and when public and private virtue, free thought
and free expression, and the right of the people to
decide quietly and soberly as to their own dcSti-
mes, We're ridden over and ridden down by militia
ry power or to Mexico, where both the civil law
and the right to Worship God according to the die
tates of conscience, are at the mercy of ambitious
uIItary men. If such doctrines are to prevail.
I,Il hattl hay pht and all
tTeasu.- expended in VAN. Civil liberty will
rre in the blood OF our own people and We shall
have reign of terror such as the world has never
witnessed.
We are satisfied that this political movement has
the implied If not direct sanction of the President
and Secretary of War; 1t furnishes another evidence
of the extent to which public men may be carried
by blind nalevOlence and unrelenting hate. 1t is
idle to say that Gen. Lee would have permitted his
camp to 6e converted into political arena, for the
expression of the btterest feelings, if he had not
felt that in doing he was yielding to the wishes
OF the President and his Cabinet Just ool; at it -
political Conventions and political harangues, and
political resolutions By aray and that too in the
very face Of the enemy! Such proceeding, per-
united or tolerated by Generan Chief of the Brit
ish or French forces, would at once be visited by
the Minister Of War with the scverest censure.-
Indeed, such proceeding in Europe where the
art OF war is thoroughly understood and where the
line of separation between the military and civil
power is distinctly drawn, would excite universal
surprise and Indignation. An army in which po-
hrcal meetings advised or tolerated by the au-
thorities, will soon degenerate into a mob.
We hope for the best, but we fear this political
movement will have an injurious effect on our troops
But a0e are not responsible for it. No blame can
justly attach to us.