Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-11-30
ded we return to the policy Of the Conven-


Contederacy. The grand sources Of reve-
nue. are duties Oh imports and exports.
The Constitution gives to the Contederacy
the exclusive right to levy these duties,
and consequently the ability to sustain the
vast expenses of war. When a State keeps
ND a war establishment, the expenses must
be paid by direct taxation. Besides, mil
ifary operations are more efficient and
less expensive when directed 10y ore head
and one government, than Wien under
different commands, and Supplied by COM
peting Commissaries ord Quartermasters
Our military establishment, therefore, ex-
cepting so mu:n as may be deemed nee
essary for I,olice purposes and the execu-
ton of ..ne laws, ought to be turned over
to .ne Confederacy; or disbanded. and
made "phjecs to conscription, where the
turning vi them over would violate any
pledge OF the Stare under which the
troops catered into the service.
We have generously undertaken the exc"
cution ot The Confederate act OF conscrlp-
ton, 50 far as arresting- dcserters Is con-
cerned. 1t seems to me that it is an an
omalous proceeding for a State to assume
the burtilen of execnting-an act OF Con.
sress and that the expenses incurred
ought to be paid out OF the national Treas
ury.
have been forced into this reference
to the State military operations, subject
apparently foreign to my department, be-
cause could net otherwise present the
recommendations expected from me.
Whether You adopt this recommends
ton or not, the amount to be raised must
be very large. l recommend that the
amount required, be raised by taxation ;
and il this course be adopted, unless your
appropriations be very small, a collection
should be l4.ade at as early Il day as prac-
ticable.
IL you adopt taxation as the means Of
supplying the Treasury, you Will co-ope-
rate with the Contedt government in
the only plan, in my opinion, materially
tending to sustain the currency.
| 1t is possible that the pressing wants Of
this department may be relieved by the
pay meu5 Tito the Treasury OF some Of the
large profits said to lave been realized
from blockade running; or by an act of
Congress. reimbursing to the State q large
amount expended by US in the earl y part
of the war.
Under the act "to provide ways and
means Of supplying the Treasury" ratified
Dec. 20, 1862, appointed z. Ii. Winston,
Esq, of Berthe, to collect the debt due the
sia;e from the Confederate government.
As soon ;s the vast number OF vouchers
! Necessary to support the claim could be
put in order BY the State Auditor, Mr..
! Winston proceeded with them to Rich
! mond, ana has since prosecuted the settle
ment with great zeal and industry, and
with as little expense to the State as was
consistent with the proper discharge of his
duty. Many difficulties have retarded the
settlement Of the claim in Richmond.
Some time elapsed before the Secretary OF
the Treasury could asst en- 10 this duty the
necessary clerical force and the work has
been repeatedly arrested by the calling o
the clerks to the field to repel attacks q
the enemy. Within the past few days
the auditing Of about $;2,l0o,00O of the
claim has been completed. t is now be
fore Congress for an appropriation to pay
! it, have good reason tn hope that it vii
be paid, either in currency or bonds. The
act Of. lS62 aforesaid. directs the Treasurer
ont OF the money collected on this claim
to pay oft, by the LIST. January, 1865, thu
State bonds bearing per cent interest
unless the holders Of these bonds exchang
them for per cent bonds, payable on tn
lst January 1868, and also to pay tn
debts due the Banks by way of tenporar,
loans, with like option to the Banks t
take & per cent bonds. Some 100000 @
! this claim, which could be paid under eS
neutrality-suspicious., was paid SOME month
ago. l advertised my readiness TO p.
the 5 per cent bonds, or to make the ex
change of bonds, provided for in said act
A few OF lie holders of the per Ger
bonds have exchanged them for the skies
but hone Of the bond holders or the Bank
have received payment in Contederat
currency. The ground on which they II
fuse TO receive payment is, that the Stat
received from them currency much MOI
valuable than that now offered in pay
ment.
: Another :nstalment of our claim is no
, made ready by our State Auditor, to h
submitted to the Confederate Audito
As the principles on which he allows {
rejects our claims are now settled, and OF
accounts are put in better shape than thos
of the early part ofthe war, it is presum c
there will be little delay in settling thes
+ claims.
Should. Congress act favorably on Il
amount now audited, it will relieve OF
! Treasury materially, and diminish, to tn
+ extent, the means to be provided by 20
We get nothing for the bounty we pa
, our troops.
The total expenditures of the State {
. account OF military appropriations, SIM
the commencement ofthe war, as shown