Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-11-24
Arbitrary Power in the Army.

1t is more difficult to rule with frmness and JUS
tIce than it is to submit to authority The officer
should know his duties and perform them, and the
Soldier should know his place and at the same time
have his rights The service is never benefited
by harsh or tyrannical conduct on the part of off,
GERS. The vicious and the guilty should be pun
shed, but never tortured or disgraced Put out
the fire of manhood in a soldier and you DESTROY
his usefulness. Fan that fire by Justly bestowed
praise, and sympathze with the soldier in the hard.
ships and privatons he has to endure and YOU will
not only render him grateful and satisfied, but you
will add courage and enterprise to his conduct
To buck a soldier, or put hm in the guard house
because he reads certain newspaper, or to punish
him for trivial offences as if they grave ones,
is of the essence of tyranny. 1t ought to be the
pride and glory of our government and of all off,
GERS who are placed our soldiers to GUILTY. ate
in the soldiers a of dignity and manhood, as
we'll as disposition to submit to authority The
great Napoleon, Gen. Haveock Generals Andrew
and Stonewal jackson, and others who never march
ed but to victory where victory was possible, were
idolized by their men, because they were not only
inhexbly just in their dealings with them bat kind
and generous towards them whenever opportunity
offered. The common soldier, as he is called, is
the only hope of the country in the terrific struggle
now upon US; and every consideration of interest
as we'll as justice dictates that he should be kindly
treated.
We have been led to make these remarks by
letter recently received from worthy officer in
one of our regiments, who says:
"The arbitrary power now being exercised by
iS haar rof
Sionaf instances gentleman Of intelligence, phi
lanthropy and patriotism the other day suggested
an idea to me which think would De good one
especially when visit the guard house. and see the
manner in which the men treated. 1t is, that
the Legislature authorize the Governor to appoint
an agent whose business it shall be to visit all the
prison houses, inquire into the condition of those
confined, the nature of the charges against them
DC, and report to the Governor or Legislature,
This suggestion, if carried out, would certainly
make commanders more cautious in preferring
charges and infcting punishments."
The suggestion is good one, but we doubt
whether it could be carried out. 1t would be ob-
jected to by the Confederate military authorities
and the States our correspondent will bear in
mind, though they were sovereign in theory and in
fact when the new government was formed have
very little power now. The Governor has the
power to promote officers in certain regiments, and
that power we believe he has generally exercised in
just and proper manner; hut We trust he will
hereafter make it rule to promote no officer, and
recommend the promotion of none, who are in the
habit o! treating their men cruelty. We do not
know that he has promoted any such, nor do we
believe that he will hereafter; but the extracts we
have made above will, we trust serve to impress
him more deeply with the Importance of the SUBJ
ject Gov. Vance is the friend of the soldiers and
sympathizes with them in their suffcrings and pri-
vatons; and while he is the advocate Of proper
discipline and subordinaton in our regiments and
would do nothing to render the men discontented
with their officers he will not stand by and see our
brave soldiers made the victims of injustice, cruel
ty, and tyranny, if he can prevent it,