Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-10-02
sEMT-WEEKLY STANDARD.
from the Progress.
THE RALEIGH MODS.


an alteration with the soldiers at the depot As
no rumor of this sort ever heard of in Raleigh
till it reached here in the Observer, it was mani
testify fabricated as the basis for the ObSerVerS apo
logy for an act which ought to excite the deepest
Indignation Of every man, who has sense eAOugn 10
understand the value of the freedom OF the press,
and the importance of keeping the military IN Sno-
ordination to the civil power, or pride enough 10
resent an insult to the State.
The tendency of the Observer articles is to make
the public believe this was the act of thoughteSs
soldiers. reused to patriotic passion by an alterca
ton with friends of Nm Holden, who went out Of
their vsy at an unreasonable hour and got intoa
disp0te with these soldiers at their quarters. Of
course the Observer does not justify outright the ac
ton of this mob much less that of the citizens but
artf0lly shows its leaning between them by de-
scribing the action of the former as deliberate,
and that of the latter as furious"
Did this act of the soldiers spring from tempo
rary ebulltion of passion or did they act in obe
dienee to their Superiors?
Was the Office of the State Printer attacked by
soldiers melted to the act by authority? shall en-
deavor to pursue this inquiry with candor. If the
affirmative be true it should arouse every freeman.
hope for the'hOnor of our country that the mega
tive Is true.
What are the we'll known facts bearing on the
question? The Standard was q very popular
Journal in this State and for months past has had
rapidly increasing circulation 1t had long ago taken
ground against the original seceSSionistS, and con-
seQuently. became OdouS to the powers that be- 1t
had taken the lead of all other State papers in in
sisting that ticket should be got up at the last
State elections to change the councils OF the State
had ZealouSiy advocated the election of Gov Vance
and the party who constituted the majority in the
last General Assembly. For this the Editor was
habitually denounced by the Richmond Enquirer,
State Journal ct i'd 0nsne genus as wanting IN pa
triotism. An immense majority of the State con-
CURED with the STANDARD. In this he exhibited
another proof of his remarkable sagacity in under
standing the popular voice in North-Carona. He
continued Zealously to advocate the measures OF
Gov. Vance, and of the General Assembly which
eo.operated with the Governor. No jar existed
under this new order of things: the BaSte at Sail
bury was evacuated; the Rev. Mr. Graves who had
been wickedly and in defiance of law deprived of
his liberty, restored to the rights of afreeman
the DECISIONS of our independent judiciary were
sustained and the military was compelled to respect
the civil authority.
Thus far tie Observer co-operated with the Stand
ard
In July last the Standard took ground that this
State ought to take steps looking to peace-hat the
appointment of the chief Tithingman from another
State was reflection on North Carolina, and that
North Carolina ought not to send more conscripts
to the field until other States furnished as many in
proportion to population North Carolina had fur
niShed He maintained that these were the views
of the people, and that they ought to hold public
meetings and give expression to their wishes. In
some of these views the Governor did not concur
He objected to the erpsdFency, not to the TlgAt Of
holding these meetings. This difference Of opin-
ion showed only that neither was in leading strings
to the other that each exercised the right to think
and act for himself there were never two indepen-
dent minds which did not differ on something and
it would be unjust to suppose that this difference of
opinion produced any alienation between them. 1t
is not pretended that it did But the party out of
power seized on this difference of opinion with
avidity and sought to widen the breach to oring
about unffiendly alienation; their mouthpieces, the
Journals and Register kept it constantly before their
readers that Holden was a traitor. Holden insisted
that he still wished the war prosecuted with vigor:
denied that he was for reconstruction unless in the
progress of the war; plan Of reconstruction should
be practicable which mi ght seem preferable to being
paRquiShed. The minority press now Wed with
each other in extOiRg Gov. Vance and the Observer,
and denouncing Mr.. Holden. Holden published the
proceedings OF the popular meetings. The Observer
and many other papers refused to publish them,
whether fer or against peace, unless paii for ad
vertsements. The officers of the regiments, as
delegates appointed for the purpose by our North
Carolina regiments, held Convention ut Orange
Court House, Va in August last, at which meeting
they resolved, among other things, as follows:
THAT in a struggle of the character of the one
in which we are engaged, involving as it does the
preservation or destruction of all our rights as
fHeemen, the freedom of the press does not demand
that any sentiments however reasonable, NAV be
uttered with impunity, and that that inestmable
right, in every well regulated government is, and
should be restricted within such limits as TO forbid
this and if it should be found that true patriotism
in North Carolina has far lost its hold upon the
minds and hearts of her people as to be unable to
check the course Of the Standard and other papers
which are giving utterance to such sentiments then
the public authorities would be receant to the cause
of the country if they should fail to take measures
for their suppression"
By these resolutions drawn up by delegates pro-
Tossing to represent the opinions of our soldiers in
the army, they are made IN effect to declare that
the editor of the STANDARD is traitor and that if
public opinion sustains him, the authorities ought
to suppress his paper. What authorities ~ If
he was guilty of any crime, the Courts were npen
1t is hoped these officers are as well informed as it
is certainsthey brave. To suppose they did not
know the paper could not be suppressed according
to law, would be to impute to them degree Of
ignorance which would be humiliating to the State
whose troops they command In the fergor of
their patriotism, they determined to supply what
they deemed defective in the law, by the employ
ment of the mob. I'll misinterpret, hope somebody
will give an explanation. At present. hope our
brave soldiers exhibited more zeal than Judgment
and in their martial fervor, forgot their duty as
citizens.
These resolutions attracted the attention of the
whole nation They could not have escaped the
attention Of the President and Secretary of War
Their appreciation is to be inferred from their omis
sion to make known to the army and the codhtry
their disapprobston Of this bold ATTEMPT ON the
part of the army to control the press. The O6s.r-
Ger, notwithstanding its rule of excluding the pro-
ceedIngs OF political meetings, published the sub
stance OF these proceedings, and UerS1ti, believe,
the portion denouncing the treasona BILE senti.
ments" of the Standard. The Observer, and eve
~ body having an ounce of sense, who has read
the Standard, knows it has contained no treasona,
BILE sentiments Treason to publish the proceed
ings of citizens lawfully assembled to express thei
views on public affairs Treason to fight, and a
the same time negotiate for peace as our ancestors
did in the war which separated US from Grea
Britain.
After the publication Of these proceedings, tn
State Journal editorially and through its CORES