Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-01-06
For the Standard.
"isa1us populs supreme est lsr."

"Isa1us populs supreme est kr"
LuIBERroN, Robson Co Dec "a, 1863.
W. W. HOLDEN, Eso-Dsar Sir In. such perllo9s
times live it is refreshing to know that thsre is
at least one man and one press in the State not
afraid to stand up in vindeaton Of the civil liberties OF
the people at all risks and hazards. write you at this
time not to obtain newspaper nooey or 10 % h
self unnecessarily tue attention OF the puoc put
rather to furnish you with plain statement OF 1acIs con-
peced with gross outrage which was committed on Inc
laws and Constitution of the Stale of ON
my person. by nv illegal arrest and removal from my
family snhome By order Of General Whiting command
ing the district Of Cape Fear, Wednesday the 10th
instant, Of daybreak.
On the Sd day of September last was fully enrolled
conscrpt and given in charge with other conscrp:s to
Col Morrissey, commanding 5sth regiment N militia,
to remain with him nnlll iarlher orders Believing from
the peculiar nature Of the facts case that the enroll
ent arbitrary and contrary to the prescriptions OF
both the military aad civil laws of the Confederacy ap'
pealed to headquarters at Richmond setting TORN me
facts length, and complaining of the conduct Of the en-
rolling officer partial aud illegal. After waiting Tor
period of than two months for reply from the war
Department, and receiving none, peoned tor writ OF
the hearing of the appointed take place before
Battle Chambers ut Chapel Hill the 9th ut: on
my to the above place and while sitting IN the cars
Wilmington Wednesday the 18th ultimo, Capt Bule
BY orders from Gen. Whiting proposed to arrest me on
the charge Of treason to the Confederate States The gen
tleman who had charge Of Immediately produced his
authority for bringing before Judge Battle upon which
Capt. Bue his responsibility, Though he was the
day placed under arrest and charges preferred against
him thereor declined enforce the orders of the Cen
era in the face Of what he considered Nor1hCarOl
MAN, the laws of his State
Immediately on my return from Chapel HILL sent the
accompanying letter to Gen Whiting, in which respect
fully requested an early investigation of the charges al
legged against me- at the time rendering him the sur
render Of my person at Wilmington, at any time he might
choose to order. This letter written on the Cd inst
and received by Gen. Whiting the evening by
train When several days had eused without any word
from the General, concluded very naturally that the
order for my arrest belonged to certain class OF such
a. fnfJsp .Iulpa fnnS W
unduy excited and that with cooler moments of reflection
he had dismissed the whole matter from his mind was
therefore little surprised the morning Of the 18th
inst TO find Lieutenant loudly and rudely knocking ut
my front door, demanding adn!tsnce in tie name Of Gen.
Whiting while all around my residence he had his armed
sennes posted in ODD cut off my retreat Of course
submit ed at once and requested leave for time to pre-
pare to accompany him. but informed that had to
depart once 60 with the train which to leave iii
few minutes for Wilmington
leave you and your readers to imagine the conserna
ton and terror produced BY this raid If armed men
citizens dwelling, when the inmates reposng IN peace
full siunbers aud unconscious of having committed an,
crime calling for the of military force Imagine
if you the state Of mind of delicate lady and
of young children thus reused from the SAUNDERS "i
the night BY armed ruIiuns who refused to assign
for the forcbe seizure of the husband and fah
except the lott res de cdchet Of General Whiting 10 Who'll
fourteen days previous from certain family considerations
and to avoid this very excitement that husband apd father
offered to surrender his person at any time or place b.
night please to order.
Two soldiers with loaded guns and bayonets fixed
companied me to Wilmington where was detained fo'
three days at my COST and finally discharged withou
the Formally of trial. will not dwell upon th
uncourteous violence of language and gesture which Mr.
Whiting exhibited at my interview with him, as all thes
have been than compensated for by the gentleman.
urbany of Col Cunningham the Commander of the Posi-,
who treated with kindness aud respect which
could expect from heightened Southern gentleman
Expensive troublesome and annoying this arrest has
been to me- my present pecuuiary circumstances. AMI
mnrtfvng it is in every aspect to my family and friends
d. not complain of it much do Of treatment pre-
cedng it, and of which this arrest but the natural
quence.
You and the public generally are acquainted with the
nature of certain reports which burd abroad through
the press of this State and Il Virginia touching my
duct on the field of battle below NeSbevn the Spring
1852. Nov it is not my intention to reflect in the least
degree upon the merits dement's Of single individual
living dead who participated in that engagement hope
shall be permitted sucrncly possible 10 show thai
the conduct OF General Whiting. illegal aud tyIannica
it may seem only the If example, if not Of pre-
cept furnished him by Mr. Davis and his Cabinet at Rich
m0nd.
After the battle Of Newbern when smartne under the
reports which circulated against me- and place
myself right with my fellow citizens of North Carolina
whose good opinion was anxious to secure, and whose
censure deprecated than all else in the world re-
spectulIy requested the Brigade, General commanding
grant Court of Inquiry, TO hear AID determine Whit
conduct was on the battlefield wish rhe 1"aic 10 l.
the Words asked fer court to uGnjTe ir eonarr.
on the battlefield and no VII, ,,e5, vs. vs.
field decided that Col Sinclair ,os his prncer POSITION
during the engagement, csGSa cent M-9ayiol
remained there until the right wing of his regiment whch
separated from the left by section of artillery and
independent company, gave wayIhat he towards
portion of the retreatng men, and ordered them back
their entertainments and then took his original position
that he afterwards ,eceieed The order to rtreat and gae.
the der to his regiment" &C., &c. Public at thu,
time had charged me with cowardce, and with carving
my regiment cut of the field without ORDERS and conse
queny with being the author of all the disasters of
unfortunate day But the testimony before tho Court had
shown differently and would suppose that having sat-
sed themselves that my conduct rreproachabe even
by the testimony Of bitter enemies, the matter would
have been dismissed aud any further investigation dis.
pensed with in my But such course did not com
port with the determination of the government would
be understood indicating the agents of the
whose acts have been and sustained by the
eminent. wherever in this Communication Mr. Davis
government or administration is mentioned use gov.
ernment and administration synonymous terals) Not
only my conduct the field inquired into but every
step of the retfeat from Newbern kinston was infinitely
explored and witnesses from every direction sworn t
show where, under the and trying circumstances in
which found myself placed, any committed bs
and these blazned forth to the world in
the papers of this State and Virginia To this conduct
however did not attach much Importance then do
now as ain not ambitious of military removal saw The
intention at the time to kill me off as military
man but if they killed the Colonel wished the
preacher to be allowed to live: If could not lead
broken, raw and undscipned and d:spirited troops
in disasterons retreat, according to the rules ap
proved Of at West Point it was a matte of no M.
ment to me- or to my family. as had only engaged IN
military life as would in the discharge of other TEN
idencs pointing out to me the But it is of infinite
Importance to and to the Church Of Christ whether
ought to be engaged in leading sinners the Cross nc
cording to the command which have received from The
MASTER to preach His Gospel every creature Ally con-
science points out this duty to me. The word Of God
points it out The judcatories of my church insist upon
it. and viewing it in worldly and peculiarly point o
view the necessities of large and helpless family urgent
" call upon to discharge the functions of nv Office
But how can as and minister of the Gospel d.
this when am charged by the government of Mr. Davis
with uttering an uubIushing positive falsetoodf
have begged and prayed Mr. Davis and his Cabinet to
condescend review the evidence in my case where
the above infamous charge fastened my character
without single extenuang fact to mark its connection
with the circumstances Of the case as testified u under
oath by the late Col. G. G. Lee, a7th N. c. T. RELYING
upon the justice proby and piety Of Mr. Davis aud
little upon prior services rendered the cause of the
South, thought could appeal to him with confidence
for redress especially did not seek justification of
military which might have committed but rather
tue vindcston Of my moral character which assaed
BY thu finding of the court oinqury was but IN obscure
fresby ran clergyman and did expect as the case Of
WE'LL esastic of the Presidents own communion
nublc ex resson of Executive confidence my military
prowsss thro RI the press of the country would
been coutented 18th official removal from the verdict Of
the court of inqmry of all offensive clauses which
mt stained by the evidence. with the publication
ibo ;os.imonv in tho case with the finding of the curt