Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-01-08
Dependency among the People.

One of the Editors of the Hendersonville Times
writes to that paper follows, from Waynesville,
Haywood County
al find the people throughout Western Carolina
all o. K, except alarming dependency which
seems to prevail in every mind Nor does this feel
ing of deSpondency seem to be alone confined to
Western Carolina. | learn from the papers and
from gentleman of undoubted veracity and loyalty,
that it exists throughout the State. and in manyo
sections to even a more alarming extent
have made digent inquiry to ascertain, If pos
sible the true cause of the despondency. To my
inquiries on this subject have received such re-
plies as the following irresponsible persons
have come into the country from the army with de-
tails of men to scout the country for deserters-
Many of these have been guilty of outrages on the
citizens" l have been informed that houses have
been forciby entered at the dark hour Of idnight
and searched without authority, that even FEMALES
have been arrested and forced off from their homes
or threatened with summary punishment for real
or imaginary crimes in harboring their husbands oI
sons that the property, not only OF deserters oue
in some instances of good and loyal citizens, has
been carried off and appropriated almost ad tt6'tum
to the use of the capor ministers OF The Gospel ano
even ladies have been halted and insulted on the
public high ways. These are q part only OF the
Outrages Of which learn the people are complain
ing.
Now, know nothing Of my personal knowledge
have been committed. But hear them complained
of in almost every neghborhood and by great
Qumber Of citizens; so there must be some ustlhca-
tion for the complaint. And there is no mistakng
the fact that four ths of the people are approach.
ing point that and will burst forth in the ln
auguraton Of and terrible revolution, if some
thing rs not quickly done reconcile the disstfsc
ton. Men whom knew year ago as the most
devtHed Southern men, men who would have vol
UNFAIRLY laid down their lives for the Confederate
government, have become So dSgusted at the con
duct of would be rulers. thatotheir sympathIes
have almost become entirely changed.
Now is there no remedy for this fearful demoral
-izatOn among the people? Can there oe no means
devised by which :he confidence of the people IN
the government can be restored?
The people have been taught that their sons and
brothers are fighting for freedom, for liberty,
for their rights This being so, they cannot under
stand why they deprived Of their civil rights by
their owl rulers To them this is iuexpfcaole.- -
Hence they begin to each look to the flesh pots OF
Egypt Now the remedy for this very dangerous
evil that now threatens the peace of the community
is simple and easy-by the adoption of those great
principles of the Conservative party which direct
that while the war is heing prosecuted with vgor,
the military is.subOrdiaats TO the cIUH authority
that there shall be infringement on the constitu
tonsl rights Of citizens.
If the South is saved frm subjugation and slave
"
ever subugated the responsibility for such calam
ity rest with that reckless portion of our pop
ulatIon, who while acknowledging themselves orig
ina! SeccSSlOniStS, have shown such disposition to
be guilty Of acts Of tyranny as to tax the oIbear
arce of reasonable thinking nen to unbearable
extent. Confidence in the government must be re-
stored. 1t only be done by q refurm--the peO
pie demand that reform. If their demand is un
needed, they will demand something elSe-it will
be peace on any terms
We have the ability to bring the war to a sue
ceSsful cloSe-I say we have the ability, bnt have
we the will ?-thde determination that is necessary
to secure that object
The President, in his message, points out some
grevouS errors IN our military system and the rem
edy therefor. If competent officers be placed in
command Of our regiments, companies and 6rigades
everything will wear new and more favorable as
pect We have too many ofhcers--at least one
third too many. We need men with guns in their
hands, not, Innocent sabres. We have the guns,
but no body TO carry them What Congress ought
to do is this: Let the army Of officers that hang
around our hotels, that are always absent from
their command in the time Of battle be dismissed,
let them be at conscri2ted and forced into the
ranks.
learn there are commissioned officers in WeS
tern Carolina that have been at home Tor three OF
four months under various pretenSiOHs. They ought
to be advertised as deSerters and treated according
~. arc lOO III 10y "uot
do his duty in this war, If any unwilling to do
their duty, let them he compelled to do it and We
are certain of success in the end One third ofour
army is absent without leave; and Of this number,
commissioned officers, including those who manage
to get trIfing details and other modes OF shirkng
out of the army, constitute very liberal part.
When commissioned officers so frequently get fur.
oughs ami details home il be expected that the
rank and file will be content? Such is unreaSOna-
ble If the officers do their duty, the men will do
theirs. If the former neglect their duty the latter
may be expected to do likewise. If the former are
absent unnecessary details ill gotten furloughs,
what more be expected Of the men than the fact
that they will desert. To enable armies to con-
tend successfully against the powerful army Lin
coin is sending against us, the dcseTters now at
home be induced To return To their coOrs, while
a remedy must he obtained for the evil 1t is within
the power of Congress to do both. If It falls the
sooner We get terms with our enemies the bet
ter"
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