Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-07-15


not confined to appointments only, but the defence
Of her coast at time when The country Was less
pressed than now, was by many thought unneces-
sary. By little more attention and effort Roanoke
Island might have been projected and all the Abe
marie region-the granary of the South with its
vast resources, you'd have been saved to the Con.
federacy. It. was surrendered, however. almost
without . struggle without . blow. The siren
song Of Gov. Ellis tina. our coast defences ct any
point would defy the combined power of the whole
Federal navy, lu!led our people to sleep from
which they were aroused BY the thunder:ngs of the
enemy At Roanoke Island and NewSern. Where
was Gen. Huger, that he did not make proper de-
fence and resistance at that important point and
Thus save the key to Norfolk and Portsmouth p
Where was Gen. Wise when the attack was made
and the fatal blow was strickenf
Perhaps the same spirit Of party fidelity to the
administration and opposition to States rights caused
the defeat of the seyen regiment bill in the Conyen-
ton, and the consequent surrender of the east to
the mercy OF the enemy. Seven thousand veteran
troops fighting TOR their own immediate homes and
fresdes-upon their own Immediate sol-inspired
BY thevery presence of their wives and mothers,
with bold hearts and stout arms would have struck
immense advantage would have been to have saved
the vast resources of that country for the subss-
tence Of our armies, besides the protection Of our
defenceless citizens who have been driven forth
from their neglected homes But perhaps this
would have lost some patronage to the Confederate
authorities thehat Montgomery, and disappointed
the greedy throng Of partizaus who were clamoring
fqr, place. re-
More lately when m attempt was made to retrieve
the errors Of the past and organize force to defend
whatiIttle OF the East was not quite los, when we
were disposed to lend listening ear to the cries of
the helpless inhabitants of that devoted and neg
lected section, and that too p accordance with the
plain provisions of act Of Congress- authorizing
the raising of troops for especial service and local
defence" we were met npon this floor and else
where by the argument of conflict with the Con.
federate government ,-.,
hope no such groundless fear will deter any gen.
tlerhan, representing an Independent constituency
from voting for the publication Of this correspon-
dence H.. s.
d North Carolina has done her whole duty in this
struggle for independence and she will continue to
do it. am for its prosecution to successful and
honorable issue; but am for maintaining her in.
tegrity as State and demanding recognition. of
her just.claims and such official treatment as will
not-tend to mortify and degrade her.
determination on the part of the Governor to
vndicate those claims and the honor of the State is
clearly indicated in this correspondence and hope
it may be printed and sent forth to the public
source of encouragement to the people, that in the
prosecution of this great struggle for national indie
zeaousy guarded and projected.
Gentlemen express the fear that the publication
of this correspondence will give information to the
enemy that would encourage them. ask the gen.
tleman from Davidson what there is in this cores
pondence that can possibly have such effect!
/ Mr.. BeaIl answered by saying that there was in
formation from official quarters that there had been
some assertions from North Carolina regiment
and he did not wish it to go to the enemy.]
Mr. GRIssoM-1s not publication made through
the newspapers of the country, under the official
signatures of regimental and brigade commanders,
constantly and frequently Of large numbers of de-
| serters Does not that go to the enemy2 Have
not charges of disloyaly against this Legislature
and against this State by oligarchs and their low
and contemplate hirelings, both in the State and
out. of it, been constantly made? Did not that go
| to the enemyp Were not resolutions vindicating
this Legislature from false and sanderous imputa-
tions and declaring in favor of q vigorous prosecu
ton of the war, introduced and passed at its last
session, and did not fifteen members Of this General
Assembly vote in the nesasivef Did not that go
| to the eaemys
Edo not impugn the motives of gentlemen in
giving that vote. Some of them gave reasons that
were doubtless satisfactory to themselves and their
friends. thought it at the tune great error Of
| judgment 81
Mr. Cobb, of Edgecombe, said. he was among the
number who voted against the indicating resolu-
| tons, and he desired to ask the gentleman from
Granville whether he charged him with intending
to vote against the prosecution of the war II .
| Mr.. GRIssoM-With the motives of the gentle
man from Edgecombe have nothing to do. The
| resolutions are on record They are in plain Eng
.lish. They are part of the history of the coun.
try. The gentleman can read them and interpret
for; himself I shall not allow the gentleman to
place me in a false position about it.
But Mr.. Speaker, l have listened in vain for
good reason why this motion to print should not
shoud deliberate in omen session here nnen snbec.
matter vitality affecting the public interest," there
can be no good reason advanced for Withholding it
from the public.
TT II At =, r.,