Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-01-29
" For the Standard.
Public Meeting in Grapsille County.

For the Standard.
- Public Meeting in GTaDvilIe County.
On Thursday, the 21st inst, public meeting Of
the citizens was held at Wilton, and on motion Of
Elijah Winston, Col. j. j. Moore was called to the
chair, and DR.. N. NJ Lawrence, was requested to
act as Secretary and on motion, VIM. M. Black.
well, Col VIM. r. White. H. Freeman, DR.. N. N.
Lawrence VIM. R. Gooch, John Peede, p. George
Rodgers were appointed CON mlttee to draft reso-
lutions for the action of the meeting.
The committee returned aud through their chair.
man, VIM. NJ Blackwell, reported the following
preamble and resolutions:
WHEREAS, The alarming and fearful tendency Of
the Confederate government towards the establish
ment of military despotism by the enactment OF
laws that unjust and oppressive and just cause
Of complaint; and an earnest desire on our part ps
citizens of sovereign and independent State to re-
orejus;ice domestic tranquility, perpetdate
the blessings of civil and religious liberty to our
selves and posterity is just cause for assembling
ourselves together, consulting for common good,
instructng our representatives and petitiopng the
Legislature for q redress Of grievances: Therefore,
be it
Resolred That all political power is vested in and
derived from the people only, and any legislation
by Congress or decision of the Judiciary, denying
or abridging these rights would be unconstiIution
al unjust and oppressive, and ought to be resisted
by all Constitutional and legal measures.
Resolred That strict subordination Of the mill
tary to the civil authorities is of the cardinal
principles of free, republican government and any
attempt By Congress to destroy it, by a suspension
of the writ of hGbedS cOTpus to supercede the civil
law upon the plea of military necessity would be
revolutionary and despOtic.
Resoloed That the late act of Congress, consc-ipt
s ing the principals of substitutes gross viola
ton of plighted faith between the government and
her citizens, and is we'll calculated to destroy the
confidence of the people in the stability Of the gov
.ernmspt, and the wisdom and honesty of Congress
/ and ttD administration.
ResOlped, That in the opinion of this meeting,
the passage of the remarkable propositions now
pending in the two houses of Congress- presented by
Messrs. Phelan and Miles, would do more for the
%subjugauon of the South than all the combined
armies of the North.
ResolOed, That North Carons as free, sovereign
aud independent State has the right to consult
the present good and futurehappiness her citizens,
and when she IS forced to choose between military
despotsm and her State sovereignty, she will choOse
the Iatter by Convention OF her citizens.
Resolred That in the event of the adoption of
measures by Congress looking towards the estab.
lishment of military despotiSn, then and in that
event Gov. Vance be and is hereby requested to
convene the Legislature with a view to the calling
of \ Convention for the assertion and maintenance
of the rights and sovereignty of North Carolina
ReS0t1ed, That for as much as the States OF Mis-
souri, and Kentucky have never yet become mem
bers Of the Southern Coufederacy, we unwilling
to submit to the enactment OF just and oppressive
laws, passed by the votes of meInbers Of Congress
from said States, unless they could be executed in
said States.
ResOlUed That the proceedings of this meeting
be'published in the North Carolina Standard, with
request that all papers in the State; friendly to
the cause, copy the same.
The foregoing resolutions were read and, unani-
mouSly adopted.
After the adoption of the resolution the very large
and attentive audience entertained with speeches
from DIR. N. NJ. Lawrence, Ii. Freeman, E. Winston
and Col. Moore.
OH motion the meeting adjourned.
JAMES j. MOORE, Chm.
N. NJ. LAWRENCE, Sec'y.