Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-12-23
REMARKS OF MIR. HENRY.


b.!issrsa "a the bust ns.a9as of North oarolna De.
crmbsr IL, 1888. s..
The resolution to authorize the Governor turn over
70 Inc Confederate companies and bat
ta'lons OF troops in Eastern North Carolina being its
second read ns, Mr. Henry said he had not expected
this late hour of the session, to trouble the House with
any remaTks but justice :on gel and suffering people
III the East ged him to ask the indulgence of the House
~he ne gave the reasons that would induce him to vote
agYhst the passage of the resolution.
viii be remembered, Mr.. Speaker that this LegisIa-
ture ~ extra session. July 1868, passed bill to raise
troops for home and local defence Under that act the
uoVe nor has authorized certain officers to forth to and
IN certain parts of the State to raise troops for home de-
fence The and consent Of the Governor once OBJ
tanned those have canyassed sections of the country
making exciting speeches to the people to their fears
and d. press their feelings and thereby dragoon them
any scheme however destitute Of reason principle
Time and again has my section Of the State been visited
ami schemes Il" deception already mstured been prscsed
upon the Tears aud Ignorance Of the people for the purpose
OF raising that some Men might ver the button and
fill fat offices. Many e,mpaneShavs been organized in
Eastern North, Carolina with positive Piled to the PEG.
pie that they for local Oms State defence and I'M
der no condition would should they be taken from
the counties and districts which they were raised Prom.
Uses and pledges have repeatedly been made an gsen to
the people coming from the Governor of the State.
species of deception has been pracsed upon the ceduy
.. hS people that WILL II persisted any Do.
saily and overthr9w the best form 81 government the
sssr ~ DO not say dol believe
sa Y %s.s saesR saa PsqP
eountrymen when they make false promises and forty
them with hs name. Many companies might name and
of which will, for illustration, Lave3 been organ
:zed my Of the State with the express and deGl-
lite understanding that ID, not of the State.
Capt. j. b. Chenys comIhy in Berthe had that delusive
promise made to il. Col Ferebees regiment raised BY
where The scenes of their haiships? Have they been
skept home for State defence promised? Go to the
battle fields Of Frg aryIand and Pennsylvania and
yoa will find the the question: Gu that field
d: bloody strife Getty sburg and find pad the decay.
g bodies of many Of Those good men, Visit the prison
houses apd jars in the Solthern States, and there eil
lind may Of these men, who came into the sesS of
their country that they might b. permitted to throw around
their and children the OF Pro1ecton at home
They gone not To return but to leave behind helpless
aud Rispt children live in the deep depths of pow,
eriy aud ignorance Many other companies in Chrwan
Herf Perqumans, BERTHE. and other eastern counties
havr been organized with similar and mare positive pledges
They have the service Of their State in good faith
ready and willing pc, form their part of the contract into
which they Should Ihe State tail to perform its
part of the agreement breach ct faith IS the result and
Generalization ani Issof confidence in their rulers must
E,,lnw. S.,.asE
Inow to notice, in brief manner, the reasons as
sgned by the member from Beaufort, Mr. Carter why the
troops in the Eastern counties Should be turned oyer tho
Confederate government 1t is said and urged with some
degree za that the Of the resolution will
be the Governor to free h State OF great and exhaust
ing military machinery AS to the existence Of that ma
ch<nery have the slightest doubt in the world but it
is PLAIN. papabe all, thai it does exist and that IT is
is. eating up the substance Of the state sus ask mem
Ia make it SO? viii il make the State any better on hnan-
cay speaking by shifting the place Of payment of those
trocPsy VIII not the State finally be taxed 10 pay their
expenses through the Confederate government and that in
gold and silver may BE-? Sir, doubt not but the State
quite able to pay her soldiers as the
eminent is Or will be- War IN gu ages Is eAaaus.ns IL
pubcs that haze existed and can see no reason or
argument prove thai such will not be the case with the
Stale vi Nurth Expenditures OF lie and money
is the inevitable result Of war. = ~
The only way to save the one is to stop tue OTHER
make the declaration to-day stand that the passage
of the resolution will be violation Of good faith existing
between these troops and their commanders and rulers
occurrence which, for the honor apd good Of tie State
should take place. No people in any age OF country
have ever evnced greater Of and deter
animation stafd by and uphold the at principles OF
freedom and justice than have the people in Eastern Nort-
Carolina Tns first shock of this bloody revolution spent
its force and fury upon them From that day to the
emit they have had to submit to the power OF three gov
crnments Their numbers have wasted away like SNOW
fakes under the rays of the mid day SUM- their property
has been desoaed until poverty and starvation must
koek at door,, and yet it seems troubles not
at an enI Sir it that forbearance no longer be
virtue in their case-brpught the verge Ct by neg
lect they are be turned away from their homes to
fluid misery und death in other part of this suffering
country Turn those troops over to the Confederate Govt
and where will you find them in 30 days? Is it loo much
TO saw that they will be marched to other State to
give room and place to soldiers from other States is
now the in my county, Is the object Of the State
zion and the troops, and the first act in the
drama will have been played Confidence and hope the
future gone How long ask in the name Of civil freedom
and the fear those people to suffer the scourges
oa cruel war? When will their RULERS give them and
suppolti God speed the time and the day when they shall
be released from the shackes Of war and its attendant
hardsh ps. Death is more inviting to them than f,
when life is made but lingering state of suffering
visit that land once the home Of peace and plenty and
see its condition and thousands of its people
reduced r broad fields and rich that teeu
ed With plenty and gave ample support to beast and
are now deserted and given uH4 where once grew the
inxurant corn wheat cotton and other agricultural pro-
ducts now shoot forth the wild weed and forest shrub
berry. With no commerce, fsldom, proteeton and
cut of from the world how ask you, Mr. Speaker,
even the utmost stretch of hui suffering, such
neope exist! There must be 40 end to ali hanSn suf
ne and that end what the Eastern people are hoping
looking and waiting fiji. Will it come speediRi. God
Another argument offered by the supporters
Aution that BY turning these troops the
government they will be more efficiently osessd and
trained for the eld argument which do not think is
very complimentary to the appointing power IN he 4tate
or to those who are in command Of these oces in
competeut men have been placed in command, no one
doubts such is the weakness Of the age in live.
and while such the case in the State goverpmsnt SAX
iii is not equally true in the Ceofderate
Ineompetency s to be found 10 high and iox Plses
Sir the argument is dtdk one, Ind imples3 II many
words that North has military her
ranks and service and therefore the Governor snsbe to
make efficient appointments The CORY battle feds Of ths