Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-09
2 CAROLINA.

The following article is from an eminent
citizen of North Carolina. 1t gives US great
pleasure ID hear such cheering accounts from
that truly gallant State. Her trials have in
deed been great, but we hope she has now
marfully met and overcome them:
Il ollie Editors ofhe Enquirer:
Gentlemen hare recently traversed this
| State, from East to West; visiting many other
principal towns and counties. Aly aequain-
lance IL quite extensive with her people, and |
made it an object to ascertain their present
| political sentiments. am satisfied the al
iesed disafection in certain parts and sections
is greatly exaggerated. Many of the deserters
| within her borders are from other States, en-.
| feed there under the criminal teachings Of
| the Raleigh STANDARD" / am firmly persra-
| ded the Stata is sound to the core, and that
| eye-y county in it contains an overwhelming
| majority Of true Southern men, and influences
| are now at work that will soon demonstrate
this to the country and to the world.
The Confederate authorities were ~unf)rtu-
nate. in their policy in that State. Party
feeling still ran exceedingly high. People
| became bewildered, dependent and discour-
aged. The Editor Of the Standard" Ia
shrewd and able, if not an unprincipled man
seized upon this state Of things to infame the
passions Of the ignorant and of the disafected
to the highest pitch. In the midst Of this
| excitement came the fall Of Ticksburg and
Port Hudson, the bloody repulse at Gettys-
burg, the call for more coEscrlpts. and the
! execution Of the tax law. In certain locali-
ties-generally dark corners-a few bad men.
| aided by deserters, unwilling conscripts and
| disloyal taxpayers, succeeded in getting up
| the s~o-called peace meetings and threatened
resistance 70 the laws. The original seces-
%sionis;s were powerlsss to control these men.
Too many of the fre-eeters in that State had
| lodged the service. We had no "Extra-Bil-
lies there. And. unfortunately, certain Wing
| leaders were in 10 humor 20 undertake the
| defence Of Mr.. Davis and his secession friends.
At last patriotism %triunphed over party. Mr..
! Hale, ofthe"O Observer, " the leading Wing organ
declared against the "Standard' and its tpry
meetings. All other papers and politicians Of
that school followed suit, and soon the Stan
dard" and its traitorous allies found their
occupation gone" All party feeling was AZ
once buried the people arose III their might ;
war meetings were held the old Wing lead
ers came nanfully 10 the rescue, and the thun-
! derirs tones Of Morehead, Davis, Gilmer,
Smith, Gorrell. Wilson and others proclaimed
war to the knife. Next cam the proclama.
ton Of Gov. Vance, and finally the Standard
itself faced about and told its tory friends
they had gone too far-that the laws must be
enforced-conscripts must 90 into service, de-
serters must return TO duty, ard the taxes
must be paid. The old State breathes freely
again her people have taken new heart and
fresh courage; the taxes are being cheerfully
paid; conscripts are reporting by thousands,
and deserters and skuikers are every where
returning to their posts. find, on my return
to the army, that a few Of these men, taken in
arms, or convicted of the second and third Of;
fences, are being shot. hear That they, in
almost every instance, die with curses upon
| the name of w. w. Holden. Lot US hope that
] his race is run, and that the State Of North
| Carolina, nov led by her noble and gallant
| COMMEMORATIVE has succeeded in uniting all
true men-will prove herself greatssx md
| stronger than ever in this war for indepen-
| dence, for our liberties, Tor our lives, our
property, our families, and our persons.
October, 1863. y CITIZEN.