Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-05-01

to the Enquirer our profound Acknowledgements for
its frank development. Enough for the present.
The Confederate States constitute Contederacy.
It's government is merely an agency OF the States
copfederated. Each of the States composing it is
a sovereignty to which all the citizens inhabiting
it owe allegiance. Treason is the violation of ale
glance Hence every State ofthe Confederate States
has laws in existence for Furnishing treason. 1t IS
impossible, therefore, for any citizen of the Coned-
crate States to commit treason without being amen
able to punishment by the laws and tribunals ol:1
State. The States still exist; and tner.
citizens owe allegiance to their sovereignty. we
have not got a consolidated despotism at kicnnohu
apd the States are adequate to punish traitors 70
their authority. The suspension of the ha0eGs cor
pus act by the Congress of the Confederate States
is not necessary to punish treason. Indeed, we
doubt whether it is in keeping with the theory OF
the Confederacy that Congress should have the
power to authorize the President to suspend the
ha6sas corpus act at all The Executive OF the Con-
federacy should have 70 power in State beyond
the lines of the army. As The head of the military
of all the States in State he should have the con-
troll of all military command. But beyond this, the
sovereignty of State its citizens ought not 20
be interfered WITH Its independence is essential to
the theory of Confederacy The flaming zeal OF
the Enquirer against the enemies of the Conledera-
cy can be kept hot by the action OF the States. 1t
has a case in point in the course the Governor OF
federate prisoner, still inhumanly immured in the
damp dungeons of the United States. Ten prison
erS, we believe aiken by the army of Virginia, have
been placed in close prison. to correspond with, and
await the fate OF, that prisoner. If Louisiana had
separate force in the field, and held prisoners,
would she not aVenge the death of Mumford? And
if our troops in Missouri had been under the con
tro' of that State, would that hideous slaughter in
cold blood, of ten helpless prisoners, ON mere
grOundleSS suspicion, have been so long unrequited
To make no call upon the Executive for energy and
action, upon such fragrant cases as these, and then
to lnstgae his incarceration of citizens OF the Con
federacy BY the suspension Of the habeaS corpus act
in our Judgment, practically proposes surrender
Of the liberties of the people, and the establishment
of a despotiSm in the Confederacy."
And in its issue of the 23G the Mercury says:
"There is but one security for liberty. DespOtisn
in no form can be tolerated. Whether it affects
omnpOtence over our property in the shape Of legS
lative uSurpatonS, or over our persons by the SuS
pension of the hdGeS corpus act it must not be per
United to enter as an element into our government
No man shall be dsseized of his lire, liberty OF
property but Oy the Judgment of his peers and the
law Of the land" This was the declaration Of our
English ancestors in Magma ChGrta centuries ago
and we of the Confederate States must sa0edly
maintain it. if free institutions to continue oil
this continent Liberty is gone in the Northern
StatCS-and, we believe, goTO forever. The people
OF tnoSe StateS nave SHOWN themselves 10 Oe lncapa
bic of preserving it They first submitted to the
violation of the hdbeas corpus act by the President
of the United States without the Sembance Of law.
! The venerable Chief Justice of the United States
endeavored in vain to interpoSe the authority Of law
in Vindcation Of this act His interposition was
| condemned and defed. 4 SubServient Congress Of
the United States has not only passed law exempt
ing the President from penalties for arbitrarily set
ting aside this act, but they have given him power
to suspend it whenever he pleases, and thus place
the persons of all the citizens of the United States
under his arbitrary arrest and Imprisonment. This
constitutes a deSpotism over the United States
| despotSm over the persons Of their people Shall
the Congress of the Confederate States initiate thI
Congress Of the United States and establish sim
liar deSpotiSm over the people of the Confederate
/ States2 The Enquirer answers-yes! We an
swer-no; and will oppose it, as long as We car
utter speech or WELD a pen. The Enquirer would
go further. 1t would clOthe the President not only
with the power to imprson, but to hang or shoo
| whom he pleases. 1t would go beyond the Yankee
| despotism, and put over the Confederate States
ruler possessed of power to play the part OF Ca
| ligula Robespierre.
| The Enquirer, we trust will now understand
! what We meant when We asserted that the PROPOSE
ton in the Confederate Congress to authorize tn
President to suspend the habeas corpus act involve
all that we opposed the United States or are nov
| fighting for"