Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-09-02
The sentiments of the Soldiers.


example of the Richmond Ehquirer, seem to
take peculiar pleasure in publishing the proceed.
ings of meetings gotten up by few officers in the
army for political effect grossly defainatory of the
Editor of the Standard. We have never injured.
any one of these Editors personally, except nciden.
tally in lfdefence andsome Of them have professed
to be friendly with us and disposed to do usoustce
Now, we intend, under all circumstances, to main.
tain our equaEimlty and our rmness. Passion shall
have little control over US as possibejn this SOL
emn crisis. : 1t was passion and ardent spirits that
involved to great extent in present troubles
and the indulgence of such things now or in the f
ture, can only multiply our sorrows. Reason and
sound judgment are required now more than at any
period in our history. We may possess but little
of either but this little is due to our country we
shall not turn aside in our straightforward course
on account either Of the Establishments or the rowns
of power: -.4..
"Here shall the press the peoples rights maintain,
Unawed by influence, end unbribed by gain"
We repeat these army meetings were gotten up
by few Destructive officers in the army, to graft
fy malice towards US, and to influence the elections
in this State The primary object, conceived at
Richmond. and carried out by aspiring army OIL
GERS and their tools, is to divide the Conservatives
of this State, and thus PROSTATE our people at the
feet Of central power. This accomplished, liberty
will depart from us-Bastiles will again be reared
and filled with victims in our midst-martial law
will be proclamcd-test oaths will be established
our Courts will be assailed and silenced-and the
sword, with no appeal from its DECISIONS will wave
in triumph in the place of civil law. The Standard
is somewhat in the way Of all this and so the Stan
dard must be trampled down. Will the people per-
NIT it? We believe not Will the soldiers permit
it2 We believe not.
We have in hand great many letters from officers
and soldiers in the army, assuring us that as gen.
eral rule the privates were utterly ignored in the
fate army meetings both in Virginia and in this
State; and that at least threefourths of our brave
boys endorse our course Some Of these letters con-
tain expressions which it would not be prudent to
Of the meetings referred to do not speak for them.
soldier of the 57th writes US as follows:
1.-THE Orange Courthouse Convention vas per
feet burlesque. A few days ago we held secret
ballot in our brigade, and all our regiment but
eleven endorsed your course. Our Generals
threaten to stop the North Carolina mall appoint
a committee to examine it before it is given out
write this to let you know the sentiments
of the privates whose friend believe you are. Go
on with your course-the marrow of the army will
sustain you"
This letter was mailed at Joyner's Depot, in this
State, having been sent there by hand Many Of
the soldiers who write US beg US to conceal their
aS thew 10 pupiSbed. They
NAV rest assured that their names will not be re-
vealed.
A soldier writes us from Daniels Brigade that
the privates were ignored in the meeting held by the
officers to denounce the Standard.
A soldier writes US from camp near Raccoon
Ford, Virginia, 63d regiment enclosing $42 for sub
scrbers to the Standard, and informing US that the
meeting held there was very thinly attended, and
that there was "more gas than powder in it." We
have also received number of subscriptions from
soldiers at Wilmington.
soldier writes US from the camp of the AID reg
iment near Kinston, as follows:
"The meeting held in this regiment to act on
your course, was composed of officers and privates,
but the privates had no part in it. They were
present, but did not dare to say any thing. Ii the
privates could have voted their sentiments two
thirds of them would have endorsed your views
The soldiers here are mad to thlnk that they haye
got to be represented being against the Standard
when it is not so. All they ask is vote by ballot
We in the 42d are deprived Of the privilege
of reading the Standard, unless we do it slyly, as
the Colonel has forbidden them to be brought into
camp"
Another soldier who writes us from Knston to
the same effect, says:
"Please do not use my name, nor suffer this let
ter to be seen by any one, for if our officers knew
that had written such letter to you, they would
punish me for.it; but have written ME truth"
Friends IN and out of the service, write US frop
Weldon that the soldiers of the 49th regiment almost
unanimously endorse our course.
A soldier writes US from Charleston that the sol.
diers of the 9lst regiment are almost unanimously
with us, and that many of the Georgia troops also
endorse our course.
We observe that some Importance is attached to
the meeting held in Wrights Battalion to denounce
the Standard, and the proceedings published as
if they had been sanctioned by the men. Now,
we learn from several sources that Maj. G. G. Wright
Destructive, made speech and introduced ,resolu'
tions condemning the Standard, and deprecatine
the holding of meetings in this State; and when
the resolutions were put at leas. two-thirds of the
battalion shouted no! Not satisfied with this and
dstrustng the evidence Of their own ears the vote
was again, and yet again called for, with the same
result. A handsome proceeding, truly-the men
cote doom the resolutions, and still they are pub
lished as embodyng the sentiments of the battalion
What is Maj. Wright doing at the head of that bat
talon? Who placed him tberea Was he not thrust
upon the battalion by Gen. Hill, against the wishes
of alarge majority Of both officers and men? And
is not Maj. Wright the officer who arrested one of
his Captains, because that Captain insisted on obey
ing the writ of ha5sas corpus issued by one Of the
Judges of our Supreme Courte 1t is not at all sur
prising that an officer who treats with contempt our
highest judicial tribunal by obstructing or delaying
its precepts, should be anxious to trample down