The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-07-12


THE News Communication is again open with
Petersburg and Richmond All the news we have
been able to collect will be found in to-days paper
The situation of affairs is not at all discouraging
Grant has failed to capture either Richmond or Pe-
tersburg and his assaults will continue to fail Our
army is in fine spirits and has suffered but little loss
in the fights around Petersburg. While Grant is
digging around Petersburg, it that the north
ern people are beginning to fear attack on Wash
ington from Gen. Early. They report that our
troops wero marching towards Harpers Ferry.
Gen. Early is the man to stir up yankeedom and
make them feel some of the horrors of war.
Gen Johnston has fallen back to strong position
on the Chattahoochee River. from which it is said
Sherman can drive him and gain possession
of Atlanta. The yankee papers confess that Sher-
man has met with heavy loss since he started to-
wards Atlanta.
FINE SEAsONs.-This whole section has been
blessed recently with fine seasons. On Sunday the
3D., there pretty general rain. and on Saturday
last there another splendid rain. Crops
looking well, and the prospect, thank Providence,
is really encouraging. The wheat has turned out a
much better yield than expected some time ago.
Let all take fresh courage, for surely Sod is our
side.
THE SECRET ORGANIzATIoN.-Wep publish some
revelations made by Baptist Minister and others
in Chatham county, in regard to the existence of
secret, oath bound society. We publish these reve-
lations not with view of affecting pending cleo
TONS but for the purpose of assisting in exposing
reasonable organization which ought to be crushed
i'll its infancy and the leaders brought to punish
ment. 1t is the duty of every man who desires to
promote peace and good feeling among own
people, and unite all in vigorous resistance to q
common enemy and thereby hasten peace and indie
pendence, to condemn and discountenance all com
binatons which tend to produce divisions and en-
courage the yankees in making upon US. This
society originated by yankees and traitors,
and if any true southern man belongs to it he had
better come ont Immediately and acknowledge his
mistake and seek forgiveness. Intelligent men
must certainly be aware of the guilt and infamy
which will attach to every who joins it, and
that sure punishment will overtake them sooner or
later. 1t is said that the members are known: if So
we hope list will be published. Let the public
know who it is that is holding communication with
the barbarous enemy and seeking protection for
their persons and property, while their neighbors
are being preyed upon, robbed and beggared. The
true men of North Carolina bid defiance to their
enemies, whether secret open, domestic or for
eign. If the law does not punish traitors, the peo-
pie (whosc lives and property are at stake) must
und will. Ferret out the members of this 0rganiza
ton, and try the law first.
There traitors in North Carolina than
in the other States of the Confederacy-not as many
as in Georgia, Tennessee Mississippi &c,-but
North Carolinians intend to root out what few there
here and expose and bring them to punishment.
MORE PROOF.
We find in the Raleigh Confederate of Friday last
a card from the Rev. w. N. Bragg of Raleigh "a
minister of what is called the 'Christian' church)
confessng that he a member of this secret So
ciety, acknowledging his error in connecting him
self with this criminal combination and asking for
gveness. We copy the following extract from his
card:
1.-The facts concerning my connection with Sc
cret political organiL said to he in existence in
this State simply these. A friend informed me
that he could put me in possession of certain nfor
nation that would be of use to and my family in
the event of the enemy overrunning this section of
the country; and this information was communica-
ted to me, and have communicated the same i'll
formation to a few others, believing it would be of
benefit to them, But it did not occur to at the
time that in order to receive the protection the in
formation promised that the common enemy must
be in way connected with the matter, so as to
respond to my appeal for this protection Had
done SO, would not have consented to receive the
information. | now sce however, that there must
be some criminal combination of the kind, Though
none has been communicated to me) and adiure
and dcnounce it; and shall henceforth have no con-
nertion with it. Heaven knows there has never
been any design my part to affiliate with the ha-
ted yankee army, or to give them any information
that would inure the Southern cause or any citizen
of the South. / have been betrayed into this thing
by weak and over anxious desire to protect my
self and family. Nothing more God is my wit
ness. What the purposes and designs of others are
i Al
unfortunate steps have done anything nimical
to my government, pray forgiveness, while de-
clare all Innocence of bad intention. 1t will be
warning to noe, however, in the future
DECLINEs.-We authorized to state that J.
Solomon Reid, who has been announced as candi-
date for the Commons in this county, declines being
candidate and therefore withdraws his name