Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-15

from s-Tcs of the entire elias ses should be wholly abOn
dOUed 1t affords great fActy for abuses, offers inc
temptation well the ready OF escaping service
by fraudulent deyices and Of the principal sbstruc
tons the efficient operations of the conSrup laws
general militia law is neeoui IN 'ne ~ ~ VI nn
pubic defence The Constitution, by veStng the power
Congress i'm on it the duty Of providing for or
ganizng aruiGg and dscipning the militia and for go v
wee u the Confederate States The great diversity in the
legislation of the several States this subject and the
of PROVISION eSub shng an sxaet methud for
calling the militia Confederate service sources OF
embarrassment which ought no longer u be suffered 10
iInEede defensive measures
The policy requiring furnish their own horses has
proven perniciOus in many respects 1t inerieeS with
discipline npairs efficiency, aud Is the cause oI frequent
aud prolonged absence from appropriate duy Inc suo-
ect fully the Seer eiary report win sugges-
Ons the proper measure Tor reforming tna' orancn
The Recommendation hitherto often made, is again
newed that measure be sdJied for the eorganza-
ton and consolidation of companies aud regiments when
far reduced in numbers seriously 10 impair their
efficiency 1t is tue moIe necessary that this should be
done the absence of legislation the subject has fore
ed generals IN the field TO various edens for
approxniaUg the desired end 1t is surely an evil that
commanding officer should placed in position which
forces upon HIM the choice of allowing the efficiency of
his command be seriously impaired or OF attempting to
supply BY the of doubtful authority the want OF
proper legal provision The regard for the senslb y OF
officers have heretofore served with credit and which
is believed to be the controlling motive that has hitherto
INSTRUCTED legislation this subject, however honorable
and proper may be carried to point which seriously u-
ures the public good and this be the it
y be questioned which OF tie two considerations should be
deemed paramount
The Secrearys recommendations on the subject of ia
citaug the acquisition of the iron required for maintain
the efficiency OF railroad communication on the imor-
military lines commended 10 your favor. The
necessity operation in full Tgor, OF such lines is
too apparent 10 need comment
The question dispute between the two governments
relative the exchange of prisoners OF has been fire.
quently presented former messages and epurs and is
fully treated by the SeCreEY The sncude If the glve
ment for the relief Of captive Fellow ctZeps has known
Abatement but has the contrary, been sill more
deeply evoked by TIE additional suferingS to which they
have been wan9ny subjected by deprivation Of adequate
foed clothing and fuel which they not permit
ted To purchase from the prison suffers Finding that the
enemy attempted their barbarous treatment by
the uniounded allegation that 1t relgiiatury for like
c,aduct our part, of made BY with
of ending all preeXt Tor such recrmlnatons or pretended
retaliation
The oder has been accepted, and each government is
hereafter to be allowed to provide necessary comforts 10
its citizens held captive by lh- other Active Efforts
are in progress for the Immediate execution Of this aee
nent, and II is hoped that bat few ys vii eapSe before
Shall be Relieve, from the distressing thought that
painful physical suffering endured D. If
fe!owciIzens whose fortitude captivity illustrates the
national character fully did their yaior IN tue actual
eJfict.
EMPLOYMENT SLAVES.
The employment of slaves for service with the army as
teauSers cooks the way of ok upon fortitcS
lions, the government workshops, hospitals
and other similar duties, authorized by the of
nth February last and provision made for their i'm
preSSnent numbet not exceeding twenty I'll md if
II should BE- found ImpTacilcabe 10 obtain them nv
with the The law contemplated the hiring
only OF the OI these the
erpment she liability to pay for the ya!us such might
be lost to the owners Om casualties resulting FROM their
emp yment in the service.
This mas produced less result than was anticDated
and further provision required render efcacaus
But present purpose 10 invite your con.d .raton to
the propTey Of radical mod oatlon IN the theory of the
law.
Viewed merely property and therefore, as the subject
of inpressment til. service Or labor of The slave has
been euueuly Claimed for short periods in t. ep.t,c
ton Of defensive works. The slave however hears
another relation the State that of person The law
If losrE
slave TO the master, aud limits the impresSment to a
certain of service But for the purpose enumerated
in the act instruction in the manner Of encampug march
ing and parking trans Is needtu 81 that in this
limited employment length Of service adds greatly to the
value of the negrU labor Hazard encountered in
all the POSITIONS to which the negroes be assigned for
with the army, and the dulles required of then
demand loyalty and zeal In this aspect the relation Of
person predOniUate5 far AS render II doubtful
whether the private right If properly consistently
and benehcaly be Continued and would proper TO
acquire for the puJc service The entire property the
labor the save and TO pay therefor due cmpensation
rather than impress his labor for short terms and this
the especially the effect of the present law would
Vest III = entire property all cases where the slave
might be recGptured after Compensation fu his loss had
been paid to tue private owner Whenever the entire
property the service of slave is thus by the
government the question presented by what tenure he
should be held Shrud he be retained in servilude or
should his emancipation b. held him as q N ward
for iahu service or Shoud be granted at tue
promise of such and If ed what action
should be taken for the the permission
of the State from which he drawn 10 reside within
limits after the close of his pubhc service The permits
would doubtless be read accorded
past faithful serviCe and double motive for Jealous
discharge OI duty would thus be offered hnse employ
cd by the government their freedom and the qualification
of the local attachment which is marked character
stc of the negro, and lUrus powerful an incentive to
his action. The policy of engaging iberae the negro
ON discharge service faithfully rendered seems To
preferable 10 that granting immediate manumissou
that of retaining hIm in Servitude. If this policy
should recommend itself to the judgment of Congress It
suggested that III addition the dnties hcre,of re-
performed by the slave he might be advautaEeOuslv
pOyed pioneer and engineer lsborer and in event.
that the number should be augmented To forty thousand
BEYOND lnlS hut ana IhGSe elnPlUymens, 1t does not
to me desirable, under existing circumstances 60
brood moral distinction between the use of slaves
soldiers in the defence Of their homes and the excite
nent Of the persons nsurrectinn against tn cir
masters The Is ustiiabe If necessary; the other
3 lnquOuS and thy civilized people; and such
the judgment of all writers public law as well as
hat expressed and insisted By enemies in all wars
rIur 10 that now waged against BY none have the
ractces, Of which they guilty been denounced
nth greater severity than BY themselves the
With Great Britain in the last and in the present centu
y; and IN the Declaration Of Independence of 1875 when
enumeration was made Of the wrongs which Justified the
'eVOIt from Great Britain, the climax Of atrocity
deemed to be reached only when the English monarch
denounced as having excited domestic Instructions
mOngst u.s."
he subject to be viewed by u.s. thereof solely in
he light Of policy and so!cia economy. When so
regarded must dissent from those who advise general
levy and armug OF the slaves for the duty of soldiers
Until our white population shall prove insufficient for the
armies we require and afford TO keep in the field
employ as soldier, the negro, who has merely been
rained 10 labor and as abOrer, the white man,
Omed from his youth TO the of fire arms would
be deemed wise advantageous by any; and this
he question before But should the alternative
ever be presented of subiugaOn the employment of
the slave soldier tire reason to doubt what
should then be decision Whether our vi, W embraces
what would in so extreme case be the sum of misery
ents!ed by the dominion of the enemy be restricted
solely 10 the effect upon the welfare and happiness OF the
negro Pppulaiion themselves the result would be the
same: The appalling disqualification suffering, disease
and death which have been caused by partially substtu
ting the invaders system Of police for the kind relation
previously substng between the master and slave have
been sufficient demonstration that external interference
with our INSTITUTION Of domestic slavery productive of evil
only If the subject involved other consideration than
the mere right Of property the sacrifices heretofore made
by our people have beeu such to permit doubt of
their readiness to surrender every possession in order
secure their independence But the social and political