Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1864-05-26

rent expenses of the vessels engaged in
trnnning the blockade, and noneI will be
necessary, for these expenses can be paid
lby selling bills, drawn on onr agent IN
tEngland, as being incurred in Wilmington
chiefly for the expenses connected with
the loading and unloading vessels, COM
pressing cotton, &c. And they can be
discharged in currency. would suggest
that you authorize the Treasurer to pur-
chase these bills out of any money in the
Treasury, and thus keep the sterling ex-
change in the Treasury which otherwise
would have to be put on the general mar
ket, aud be lost to the State. = 81
Being convinced from experience that
the legitimate business of my Office, now
four-told greater than formerly, is suh-
cient to tax all my energies of mind and
body, and that I cannot do justice to the
interest of the State in business so cons
plicated, as many of the transactions of
which is carried on at such distance, /
respectfully recommend that a commission
Of one or more gentlemen, skilled in such
business, be appointed to conduct the fu-
tnre operations of the State, in importing
supplies, whether for the purpose OF con-
tinuing the operations or winding up the
business.
On the subject Of suspending the writ
of habeas corpus the Governor is very
lengthy and concludes as follows:
1t must be remembered, however, that
these are merely my opinions. The Su-
preme Court, which alone has the power
to decide upon the constitutionality Of the
law, has not yet spoken. When it does
speak, we must give heed to its voice, so
long rs the law remains on our statute
books But whether for constitutional
reasons, OR reasons of mere policy, the
people have right to demand the repeal
of any obnoxious law. On both grounds
recommend that you urge Congress to
| repeal the act suspending the privilege OF
Aabeos corpus or, should you concnr in
the Judgement of Congress, that suspen-
sion is required by the exigencies OF the
and stripped of it's unconstitutional or Cat
least) obnoxious features.
| Ny opinion on this subject is we'll known.
In the first message l had the honor to
send to your body, in 1862, speaking of
the then existing act authorizing sus-
pension of the writ, used the following
| language: Il have not seen an official
copy of the act, but learn from the news
papers that Congress has conferred upon
the President the power to suspend the
writ of ha6eas corpus in all cases of arrests
made by Confederate authority. If this
be once admitted, no man is safe from the
power Of one Individual. He could at
pleasure seize any citizen Of the State,
with or without excuse, throw him into
prison and permit him to languish there
without relief-a power that am unwil>
ling to see entrusted to any living man.
To submit to its exercise, would, in my
opinion, be establishing precedent dan
gerous and pernicious in the extreme" !
| There is nothing of this am desirous
of taking away or adding to. My earnest
| remonstrance against the passage of the
present act is herewith transmitted, togeth
| er with divers other letters to the Confed-
crate authorities in relation to the execu-
| ton of the civil laws, rights of the people
&c, and which will convince you, TRUST,
that have been equally Jealous to guard
| against the inner as we'll as the outer dan
gers which threaten u.s. sy4a. 5@
A report of the Adjutant General Gov
| ering reports OF his subordinates in. the
different departments, is hereby submit
ted. ~. srs.s sfl rt<se s<,5. ira ~s,stsf.
The impressment of property of citizens
/ by officers and agents of the Confederate
Government, harsh enough in itself, has
become doubly 50, by the constant disre-