Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-04-20

any man, woman or child IN the -Cenfederacy on
the bare charge unsupported by oath, any of the
! acts for which arrests allowed 10 be made
| Could the whole country be more completely under
the power and control of man, except to life
and limbH Could dictatorial powers be more CON-
pete In this connection consider Also the strong
appeals that have been made for some time past by
leading journals, openly for a dictator. Coming
events often cast their shadows before. Could art
or ingenuity have devised shorter or surer cut
to that end, for all practical purposes than the
whole policy adopted by the last Congress- and now
before you for consideration As to the objects,
motives, patriotism of those who adopted that
policy, that is not the question. The presentation
of the case rs it stands is what your attention is
called to. Nor is the probability of the abuse of
the power the question. Some, doubtless, think
it for the best interests Of the country to have
dictaorl Such are not unfrequently to be met with
whose Intelligence, prObity and general good char
aeter IN private life are not to be questioned, how
ever much their wisdom, Judgment and principles
may be dePlored. In such times, when considering
the facts as they exist and looking at the policy
indicated in all its bearings the most ill-timed,
delusiYe and dangerous words that can be uttered
are, can You not trust the President2 Have you
not confidence in him that he will not abuse the
powers thus confided in him 2 To all such ques-
tons my answer is, without any reflection or impu
taton against our present Chief Magistrate that the
measure of my confidence in him, aud all other
public officers, is the Constitution To the question
of whether would not or cannot trust HIM with
these high powers not conferred by the Constitution
my answer is the same that gave to one who sub
mitted plan for dictatorship to me some months
ago: "I am utterly opposed to everything looking
to or tending towards dictatorship in this country.
Language would fail to give utterance to my mex.
pressbe repugnance at the bare suggestion of such
lamentable catastrophe. There is no man living,
and not one Of the illustrious dead, whom if now
living would so trust" .... ~. .........
In any and every view, therefore look upon this
hG6eGs corp1s suspension act as unwise, impoltic,
unconstitutional and dangerous to public liberty.
But you have been asked what can you do p
Do? You can do much 1t you believe the act to
be unconstitutional you and ought to declare
your judgment to be.
What can you dol What did Virginia and Ken
tucky do in l79s-99, under similar circumstances
What did Jefferson do, and what did Madison do,
and what the legislators of those States then do?
Though war was then threatening with France
though armies were being raised-though Wash
ington was called from his retirement to take com.
mand lieutenant-general-thoug it was said
then now that all discussions of even obnoxious
measures of Congress would be hurtful to the pub
lie cause they did not hesitate by solemn resolves
by the legislatures, to declare the alien and sedi
ton lawse unconstitutional and utterly void
Those acts of Congress in my judgment were not
more clearly unconstitutional or more dangerous
to liberty, than this act now under review. What
can you doH You can invoke its repeal, and ask
the Government officials and the people in the
meantime, to let the question of constitutonality
be submitted to the courts, and both sides to abide
by the decision.
Some seem to be Of the opinion, that those who
oppose this act are for counter revolution. No
such thing am for no countsrrevolution. The
object is to keep the present one great in its ar1s
and grand in its purposes, upon the right track
the one on which it was started, and that on which
alone it can attain noble objects and majestic achieve
ments The surest way to prevent a counter-revo-
luton is for the State to speak out and declare her
opinions upon this subject For as certain as day
succeeds night the people of this Confederacy will
never live long in peace and quiet under any gov
ernment with the principles of this act settled as
its established policy and held to be in conformity
with the provisions of its fundamental law. The
action of the Virginia Legislature in 1893, saved
the old government beyond question, from eoun-
ter and bloody revolution; kept it on the right
track for sixty years afterwards in its unparalleled
career OF growth prosperity, development progress
happiness and renown. All our present troubles,
North and South, sprang from violations of those
great constitutional principles therein set forth.
Let no one, therefore, be deferred from perform
ing his duty this occasion by the cry of counter
revolution nor by the cry that it is the duty Of all
in this hour of peril, to support the government
Our government is composed Of executive, legsla-
tive and judicial departments, under the Consttu
ton. He most truly and faithfully supports the
government who supports and defends the Constr
tuition. Be not misled by this cry, OF that you
must not say anything against the administration,
or you will niure the cause. This is the argument |
of the preacher who doubted that his derelictons
should not be exposed, because if they were, 1t
would iniure his usefulness as q minister. Dere- !
lict ministers are not the cause Listen to no such
cry. Aad let no one be influenced by that other /,
cry of the bad effect of such discussions and such
action will have upon gallant citizen soldiers in
the field. know something of the feeling Of these
men. have witnessed their hardshiPs, their pri
vatons and their discomforts in camp. have wit
messed and ministered to tter wants and suferings
from disease and wounds in hospitals.
know something of the sentiments that actua-
ted the great majority of them, when they quit !
home with all its endearments, and went out to /,
this war-not as me-cenaries or human machines, I!
but as intelligent high minded, nebiespirited gen.
tlemer who were proud of their brthright as free
men, and "who, knowing their rights, dared main
tain them, at any and every cost and sacrlhce-
The old Barons who extorted Magma Charta from .
their oppressor and wrong doer by resort to arms,
did not present grander spectacle for the admira
ton of the world when they went forth to their !
work, thoroughly imbued with sense of the right :
for the rights sake, than this gallant band OF pa
riots did when they went forth in this war; inspired
with no motive but thorough devotion to and an !
ardent attachment for constitutional liberty. To |
defend this and maintain it nvioate for themselves
and those who should come after them, was their
sole object Their ancient rights, usages institu-
tons and liberties were threatened by an insolent
foe, who had trampled the Constitution of our COM
mon ancestors under foot. They and we all had
quit the Union when the rights of all of US were no
longer respected under it, but we had rescued the
Constitution-the ark of the covenant-and this is
what they went to defend These were the sent
ments with which your armies were raised as if by
magic These are the sentiments with which re-
enstments for the war have been made. These
are the sentiments with which your ranks would
lIaIk 10 lac uuhOo an
be relied upon in action if CONSUMPTION had never
been resorted to. ~"-
You cannot, therefore, send these gallant defend
ers of constitutional liberty more cheering mes