Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-01-21
THE TEN REGIMENT BILL.


This bill does not appear to be understood by the
people generally. There is nothing compulsory i'll
the BILL 1t is bill to raise troops by volunteering,
and if the people do not volunteer for the defence
of the State is contemplated the matter is at an
end. People ask how are the men to be spared p
Thsanswer is that is not the question. The con-
scripts between the ages of eighteen and forty are
now being enrolled, and will soon be called out
The remaining conscripts up to forty five, will soon
be called for, and if these do not volunteer for
the defence of the State the President will compel
them to enter the armies Of the Confederate States.
The main features of the ten regiment bill are
these the Governor may accept the services Of ten
thousand volunteers of any age over eighteen who
not in the actual service of this State of
the Confederate States. These volunteers are to
serve one year, unless sooner discharged; are to
receive bounty of fifty dollars and are to be sub.
ject to the command fthe Governor. They are to
DO organized as speedily as possible into companies
battalions, regiments divisions, &C., electing their
company officers, the Governor appointing and COM
missionng all ether officers The pay, equippage
etc, is to be the same as that of the Confederate
state> troops. "Immediatey after each battalion
regiment brigade or division, shall have been Or
ganized, the Governor she'll tender it to the Presi-
dent Of the Confederate States for special service
and local defence to serre only within the limits of
this State, except in where the Governor shall
deem it advisable for the defence of the State re-
move them into contiguous districts" 1t is not
probable that the half Of the ten thousand men can
DO raised by volunteering. Those exempted by the
conscript law will not volunteer to any extent, and
when we reflect that according to Adjutant General
Martins report only seven thousand one hundred
and thirty-pine conscrps had been sent to the
army on the 10th Of November, 1862, under the
first conscrpt law, it IS not probable that there are
more than five thousand left, between the ages of
thirty.ive and forty five, capable of bearing arms
It is probable, however, that the conscripts will
volunteer for State defence, the alternative being
that if they do not, they will be compelled to 90
into the regular service.
But it is said that if the bill passes, conflict will
ensue between the State and Confederate govern
ment. How can this be? The troops are to be
rendered to the President for the defence of the State
And does not the President want troops and il It
not his duty to defend the Statey The object the
President should have, and the Governor has is the
same-the defence of the State. But it is said the
President has other States to defend besides North
Carolina That is granted, and We reply that we
have given him, from first to last about eighty thou
Sand men for that purpose, and after making every
deduction for those killed in battle discharged and
sick, or who have died from disease, We have yet,
Is the records show, fully sixty seven thousand
North Carolina soldiers at his command 1t is con.
coded that the conscrpt law has been more success
fully executed III North Carolina than in any other
State But after all this is said how, Ae ask, has
North-C Carolina been defended? Let Hatteras, Roa-
noke Island, Newbern. Kinston, and the Whining.
ton and Weldon Rail Road answer It is true troops
were sent to Kinston and Goldsboro' for defence
but they arrived too late; they were too far off, the
damage had been done and the enemy had retired
before the renforcements arrived
But Congress has passed conscript law, and
claims the conscripts for the common defence and
the Legislature is about to pass bill which will
authorize these conscripts to evade the claims of
Congress by volunteering under the State law, for
State SERVICE which is right and which party is en-
titled to obediences Without subscribing to the
doctrine that the State is sovereign it is neyerthe
less clear that the State has rights and those rights
are reserued rights; therefore they are
al rights. The States have given up the right to
keep troops or ships Of war in time of peace, but
they have not given up the right to keep both in
time Of war. But how the States to keen either
if the President can take all their fighting men p
The Governor Of the State has the right to call out
the militia IN case OF lnsurrection invasion but
hoy can this be done if the President has taken the
whole militia by CONSUMPTION? The facts being n,
stated the Confederate government has no consti
tutoual right to conscript men, ,oithout the consent
of tho States. But who is to Judge between tn,
Confederate government and the States upon thi,
constitutional question? We are sorry to saw ,ha
there is no tribunal constituted for that purpose
We have no Supreme Confederate States court
The constitution says there shall be one; bnt Con
gress says there shall not he one. The Confederat
government is not complete. It has no iudiciar
department except tile circuit courts and these ma
give variant and conflicting decisions. The govern
ment is one in two, instead Of in three and tn
Legislature may abolish the Executive, or rice rers1
and all the elements of tyranny are in one depar,
ment because If any body OF individual can max,
judge and execute the laws, all that Is wanting
piAy the tyrant is the will Congress then havin
dspisd thu States supreme judicial tribunal, hs
already violated the constitution and the inferene
Il sear thatit devolves upon the States to judge
their own rights, under the constitution.
It is then mere question Of expediency ar
policy, whether the State shall permit its soldie
n volunteer under this bill or noE II further pro
of this is needed, it may be found in the fact III
the canscrip. laws are defended upon the ground