Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-18
The discussion which the presidant,

Inc discussion which the President
greatly encourage, upon the subject n neSsage
slaves by the Confederate gover6moD. u ,purcb,s
pose Of the employing them in the an lor The D,
them in the arts Of war for active sor- andr,1i,,
when needed, with additional urovi.;O ce as G.S
are to be freed to remain among us o@, that d.
over, is in our judgment. much 70 \" as "a
The question was mooted short IL uePfsa,5
leading presses, which however W. e ago b. d.
unequivocal marks of disapprovaI I'm met By nj
the country would he spared the rivt tdt We boz
discussion. But it must not he a.. :" 50 defa5
advocates of this scheme, that the AXIS by Il
subject will force those who view tbs Iacy Of L
adherence to be silent Questions ~ scheme VII
are intimately blended with this snb.' ,AS' aOus
volve the utter subversion of the ;nCt;.SS "nlcl
very. if not the whole fabric Of onr S..S
ments, ana the consequent destructoD a ~ go'sr
ertv itself Vi aNS
Viewing the subject ain the LIGHT of -,
our social economy" President Davis d pousIr
those "who advise general lew and s raSspS
slaves for the duty of soldiers, but wbsn Sdh
ed to him as necessity, as affordnp h;u.P res
its being barrier to subjugation. The" ' nOs
reason to doubt what should then te m, J Sst
And have we arrived at that point in ao u'e''
sethics, when the Chief Magistrate Of oOsrnns|
who in other DAYS and on another forn9I M. peP
himself as the champion of State RIGHTS
construction of the organic law, becapcs n. -
of position, with his eye and hand rori,a yuan
! Confederate constitution, which he b,, ~" VI
fore High Heaven to support and mant,io o"U'a u
that instrument to the winds upon the NJ, .Gu
SitY? Verify to that plea-more m, pi,s :. AS'
real-does the South owe all it preSen, H. ~i'
This plea Of necessity is an insidiOns foo -
tv. 1t stri kes down all the bulwsrkS .r,; ~.0
preston and RIGHTEOUSNESS reared nv Il" a"s! p
and the'common law, all constitutional imDein.,,
to the reign and riot of power, changing nos =.
ialy the genius of our institutions and goyennsr,
1t was this plea that led to the violation Of s M
stitutIon by the Northern States, forced nv s,.,,
aholi'ionism-it was this plea which led South q,
DINA to seeede, to ward off anticipated greater Evil,
which perhaps, never would have been realized a.
this forced the dire necessity of the gener, sea-.
sion, which eliminated in the plea of DeceSSitv /
Lincoln, to force upon US this desOating war r.
necessity knows no law"
There is safety in the constitution and the I,v
if we abide by them. Beyond these all is en-,
and ruin. A strict regard to constitutional barre
would have saved US from. the evils We suffer-
ignore them now will only plunge US into deep
calamity.
The necessity has not get arrived, the PreS5.
Thinks to force us to make soldiers of our slaves
general laws, and we believe it never will, We,
here to the first principles of the government
the prosecution the war. A free people like Tia
of the South, adher;ng to the principles Of ii,
and the great landSmarks Of civil liberty, can nsI
be conquered We have no fear of subiugati9,
we stand firmly to these principles But red1
Us to the AFFECT slavery OF necessity, aud We are
ready subjugated
But the President proposes to purchase o.
10000 slaves for present purposes, who NAV
trained in the art of war, to be used when necs
~, and should they do their duty and survive
rayages of war, then free them to remain among
If the President of the United States, while Nj.
Wis was member of the old Congress, had N
such proposition, what would have been bis re
as a strict conStructiohist of the constitution
Would he not have enquired for the authority
the Congress to purchase slaves and to manu-
| them? Mr. Davis admits that the social and pO
cal coalition of slavery is question resting 50
with the States. Does not the question Of the r
Of property in slavery rest with the StaeS also +!
MT the whole institution under the control Of
States where it exists? The common gOVernm
may tax them as property to sustain war Oh
meet its necessities, may hire or impress them
property when required, but has it the right to
moYe them beyond the limits of the State With
its consent? These are questions which must
settled definitely, we should think, before Cong
proceeds to favor the Presidents proposition
| SerUltiye