The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-06-08
Habe2s Corpus-Gov. Vance 10 President
Davis.
State Of North Csrolina,
Executive Department,
Raleigh. Feb. 9Th, 1864.

PsicBus Eop. oms toVfsJ
zn Ezeeileney, J.Dsrson Davis,
Ny DEAR SiR:-Since receiving your
letter Of the 9Th ult., to which il was my
intention to have replied before this, re :
ports have reached me from Richmond
which. # true. would render my reply un.
necessary. | hear. with deep regret, that
,bill is certainly expected to pass the Con
gress, suspending the writ Of habeas corpus,
throughout the Confederacy, aad that GER
tain arrests will Immediately te made in
North Carolina. OF course, if Congress
and your Excellency be resolved upon this
as the only means OF repressing disaaection
IN this State. il would be q mere waste oil
time Tor me to argue the matter. And ye,
should not hold myself guiltless Of the
consequences which | fear will follow, dil
not add yet another word Of expostulstior
10 The many have already spoken. If III,
bill referred TO. about which can form nc
opinion until | see il. be strictly withir
the limits Of the constitution, L imagin,
tue people of this State will submit to it
50 great is their regard for law. If il i,
sdjudged, on the contrary. TO be in viola
tion Of that instrument and revolutionary
IN itself. IL will be resisted. Shauld il be
come Law soca. earnestly advise you I,
be chsry OF exercising the powers will
which II did invest you. BE content 10 tr,
at less, for while the moral effect of hold
ing this power over the heads OF discon
tented men before shocking all worship
pers Of the common law throughout III,
world. By hurting freemen into sherit1les
dungeons for opinions sake. | do no
speak this factiously or by way Of asur
ish. Nor do believe that as ,n enlight
ened lawyer, and . CHRISTIAN Statesman, 70,
could feel any pleasure in the peformane,
OF such az ungracioas task. | am on tn
contrary convinced that you believe il {
be the only way 10 secure North Carolin
10 the performance Of her obligations 10 he
Csniedersies. The misfortune Of this be
lief is yours. the shame will light upe
those unworthy sons who have thus sough
20 stab their mother because she cast then
OF. ii our citizens are left untouched b
the arm Of military violence, 1 do not de
spair sf an appeal 10 the resssn and pa,ri
otism Of the people at the ballot bos. Hun
drs,ls Of good and true men now actin
with. and possessing the confidence Of IN
party called Conservatives, are at wor
against the dangerous movements Tor
Convention and whilst civil law remain
intact will work zealously and with hear
| expect myself ts take the field a. soon 1
the proprletles Of my position will allo,
me. and shall exert every effort TO restrai
The revolutionary tendency or pablic cpin
ion. Never yet, sir, have the people
North Carolina refused 10 listen 10 the
public men il they show right and reaso
on their side. do not fear 10 trust the /.
sue nov 10 these potent weapons in III
hands OF such men as will WELD them ne,
summer. | do fear TO trust bsyonets an
dungeons. | endeasored soon after IN
accession 10 the Chief Magistracy Of Mort
tarolina, 10 make ysu aware OF both II
fact Of dlsaheciion in this State and II
cause Of il. In addition TO the many lie
trrs TO YOU, have twice visited Richmon,
expressly TO give you information on th
point. The truth is, as have often sal
before. that the great body of our pcop
have been suspected by their go,ernmcn 4
perhaps because OF the reluctance vii
which they gave up the old Union and
know ysu will pardon me Tor saying th
the consciousness OF their being suspccts
has been greatly strengthened. by VIII
seemed TO be a studied exclusion OF The ant
seeessionists from all the more imperial
oIhces OF The government, even from tho,
promotions N the army, which many
them nad won with their blood. Was IN
suspicion justF And was there suificiel
effort made TO disproye that il existed, if
really did not exist in Richmondl Di
eussion, II IS true, has been unlimited sr
bitter, and unreleutiDg criticism upon 70,