Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-01-16


ground also is untenable Mr.. Stephens, ina recent
speech in the Legislature of Georgia, has demon
straed thft the President and Congress ccdtee tns
very nee essty Whea 1t was proposed TO re-eniist
the twc,tve months volunteers, and otherwise RAISE
reg liar army by volunteering, the Press3ent sat@
he did not pant eSeneR; and Congress would pass
10 Laws Mr. Stephens charges that the necessity
for CONSUMPTION was enacted with Fermentation and
sign in terder that the President might get the
power of %ppoating the officers. These charges
are corroborated, and perhaps explained, by the
fact th4t the President in of his recent speech
es urged TIE establishment Of peFaaact military
sysssn1 oceR "iR times Of peace"
But apart from these allegsteHs of Mr.. Stephens,
we know that the necessity wescreated by those
who urged that there would be ne war-that peace
was inevitable in ninety days because the Yankees
were towards, and king cotton would open the
blockade. Of course it was going three quarters
too far to volunteer for twelve months even, when
hacyon peace was to returRiR three. We recollect
we'll enough the grdmbling Of the secessionists in
this neighborhood a. the extravsgant expenses the
rush for volunteering was, in their opinion, need
lessly to entail Upon the'country; and.perhaps 9TH
ers have heard similar outgivings and mlsgivings.
II then there net enough of volunteers for the
war from the beginning it was the fault of the Pres
dent and his secession ccadjutors; and If the same
deficiency existed at later period it was due to the
same cause.
But it is urged that q conflict Of jurisdiction
might arise and that the State having taken her
own defence in her own hands, might be abandoned
by the Confederate authority to the mercy OF the
enemy. No 'ccneict of the sort could arise, the
object of both PARTIES being the same-the over
throw of the common enemy. 1t is not at all I'M
probable that the volunteers, for the time being,
would be entirely under the control of the Secretary
of War, for 1T IS evident the civil duties OF the
Governor, would, for the most part preclude his
active service in the field. Should the State be
neglected however by the Confederate authorities,
it might be we'll that even so small force, that
contemplated had been retained. Nor can it be
inferred by any fair argument that theState has
undertaken any thing more than cooperating
defence, when she gives eight men to the Conied-
eracy aad retains only one at home, and tenders
that one to the President 1t must not be forgotten,
that it is generally understood that the Presi-
dent has promised that the conscrpts, not yet called
out in this State may remain in the State for State
defence
We plead guilty to the impeachment that the
raising of such force would be reflection upon
the Confederate authorities for the manner in
which they have managed the defences Of this State
heretofore, and if it implies prospective want OF
confidence Also our treatment in the past, must be
our vindcation. We are not solitary in this par
ticular. Those who most loudly berate the friends
of the BILL on this point are those who as loudly
denounced the treatment Gen. Floyd received, at
the hands Of President Davis after the fall Of Fort
Donelson They were the advocates Of raising ten
regiments for Floyd. And it is well, just here, to
remember that the Virginia State Line" contains,
not only the conscripts between thirty five and
forty-fv years of age but it is also largely COM
posed of those under thirty.five, who were subject
to the CONSUMPTION at the time they volunteered in
Floyd's army. Gen. Floyd himself Acknowledges
this by saying that he had the consent of the Sec
rotary of War to enlist the conscrIpts in States and
portions of States in the possession Of the enemy;
the reply to which, is, if Floyd could get them the
Secretary also could and the latter gave up those
coRscripts TO the former Cannot State be treated
as well as mans Cannot North Carolina get con-
scripts as well as Floyds If she cannot, we shall
imagine that the reason is, Floyd was fayOrie Of
the secession party, if not Of the President while
good old North Carolina is not the avorte Of either
1t may not be impertinent to inquire why it is
that so little has been said, in certain quarters,
about Gov. Brown of Georgia? Why is it that he
is not held up to the execration of mankind, as
giving aid and comfort to the enemy, for multiplying
outright portion Of the first cOnscript lawg Why
is it that the conflict repreSsibe in his and
is irrepreSSbiein this case? Why is it that man
can do with impunity what State cannot? Shall
an Executive be entitled to more consideration than
a Legislature? Or, if no satisfactory reasons can
be given for these things, perhaps some one can
explain why it is that South. Carolina is permitted
to have reSerre force for State defence, composed
to some extent at least oc conscrpts; while the
bare alluSon to intention OF the same kind on
the part of North Carolina throws the Destructyes
every where into the most horrible commissions.
One might conclude the reason to be that this State
is farther North than South-Carolna, were it not
for the fact that Floyd in Virginia is farther North
than either
In conclusion, we inculcate that this question
mus: be decided upon principles Of expediency. So
far as regards the conscrpt law the constitution is
clearly with the States. At all events a Congress
ar,lD tA,k 81 i
made with the twelve months volunteers with so
much facility, after creating the necessity for the
violation, have but slender claims to a hearing on
constitutional questions.
The Eastern portion Of North Carolina is at the
mercy Of the enemy. There ought TO an active mer-
curial force constantly the alert in that section
! Over 900 slaves are East of the Weldon road
worth $50,000,O00 to say nothing Of the immense
amounts of corn, large quantities of live stock and
other property amounting to untold millions These
must be protected, and to do this is the object of
the bill now before the General Assembly of this
State. We hope it will pass. We believe it to be
both constitutional and expedent but should it be
the reverse and contain elements of notification, as
has been alledged say emphatically that the old
nulliers and Union-breakerS have no right to read
us lectures on these points. We hope and believe
the Assembly will go forward and do whatever in
its wisdom it may think right and if it should place
even as many volunteers as it is proposed to raise
in the hands Of Gov. Vance, they will not be mis-
placed, for no one doubts either his patriotism or
ability. Did the Governor however, as the Pres-
dent advocate standing armies in times of peace,
contrary to the maxms of the fathers of the repub
lie, we would be charry of granting troops even to
him, for we believe, with the celebrated Mr. Black.
stone, that 1.-THE true liberty of the subject consists
not so much in the gracious behaviour as in tho
limited pOUer of the sovereign"
PALERMO.
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