Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-04-17
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We very cheerfully give place to-day to the CON-
munication Of "Elbert" on the subject Of the Lau-
rel troubles; but in doing so we must remind our
correspondent that he has done irjustice-uninten-
tionally no doubt-to our correspondent who fur
nished us with the facts, That correspondent, af-
ter speaking of the cold-blooded murder of some
fifteen Of the Laurel men and boys by the officer in
command said: "I am no apologist for these mis-
cradle ignorant thieves, yet many of them were not
aware that they were committing great wrong
But hold that the Constitution and laws of this
country guarantee to every man and woman in the
Confederacy, no matter what their crime, a fair
and impartial trial" And in our article on the
same subject we said: "These men had committed
great wrong against society. They deserved Sc
we're punishment 1t may bs that death by the law
should have been their portion, but the law was
not allowed to speak. The musket did the work"
&C. We went further and said that these men
might have been in open rebellion against the au-
thorities, and might have committed all kinds of
atrocities; yet it was unchrstian ts kill them as
they lay wounded, and those who survived were
entitled to atrial of some sort. This is the sub
stance Of an that was said by our correspondent
and ourselves and we feel sure that our CORES
NATTER will agree with US. But our correspondent
says:
Every body knows in these western Counties
that Col. l.. N. Allen was the Confederate officer
in command, and have no reason to doubt that he
acted with these men according to the regulations
of the army. l suppose he had a right to court
martial them, and deal with them according to their
crimes"
1t is true, the Gath regiment is commanded by
Col Allen, but we learn that Lieutenant Colonel
Keith was in command at the time, and that these
butcheries took place by his direction. The infor-
nation we have is derived from the best authority
and we learn what we have heretofore stated, that
some fourteen or fifteen of these Laurel men, in
cluding two boys of fifteen, were captured, denied
trial Of any Kind shot, and then thrown into
trench and covered up. We learn also that some of
the Laurel women were roped around the neck and
whipped. This is what we denounced as unlawful, |
cowardly, and unchristian. We happen to know
also that Gov. Vance takes the same view of this
matter that we do, and that he has written to the
Secretary of War requesting him to have Lieuten-
ant Colonel Keith arrested and tried for this crime
and that Col. Keith has been arrested, and will
doubt be tried. No one, sure, will intimate
that Gov. Vance has any sympathy with the Laurel
tories; but he is determined that even outlaws and
tories shall not be executed without trial Of some
sort, and that the civil law shall not be trampled
under foot by the military power IfKeith should
be acquitted by the court martial he will still be
amenabe to the civil law.
We have recently heard that COL Thomas, with
his Indians is securing the Laurel country and that
his Indians had come in with secen scalps! Col.
Thomas, who was an original secessionist and very
anxious to meet the enemy, had better ask for some
position where lie will be nearer the flashing of the
Yankee guns, instead Of devoting himself to the
small business of hunting down and scalping few
tories.
We also learn, from Knoxville paper, that the
Confederate authorities have been engaged in col
lecting the women and children Of the Laurel coun
ty, with the view Of exiling them to some other
State; but we grat6ed to state that Gov. Vance
has given orders that these women and children
shall not be exied by the military power.
It is a singular fact that although some fifty
Counties in Virginia are in rebellion against the
State and Confederate authorities, and have even
gone so far as to attempt to erect new State yet
we have heard of no execution of tories in those
Counties similar to the Laorel butcheries
We repeat we are no apologist for tories or trail
tors in any quarter; but do insist the obser-
vance of the rules of civilized warfare especially to-
wards our own people, no matter how guilty they
may be and we intend to resist as we have here
tofore done, every encroachnent by the military
the civil power. There never was State, since
the world was made, so united in the purpose and
hopes of its people as North, Carolina; and where
nine hundred and ninety nine in one thousand are
true it is both weak and wicked to trample on the
law, and on the instincts of humanity, in order to
visit the erring or the guilty with punishment.