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

hibiting free negroes, belonging TO either
the Northern States, or to European pow
ers, from entering the States; and by, the
most rigid provisions, they are seized and
put into prison should they enter it. These
were her rights under the Union OF the
UnHed States, recognized and protected
by the government of the United States,
and acquiesced in by all foreign nations.
And, now, here, it is proposed that the
government of the Confederate States, not
only has the right to seize our slaves and
to make them soldiers, but to emancipate
them in South Carolina, and compel lis to
give them "a home" among us. We con-
Tess that our indignation at such preten-
sions is so great, that we are at loss to
know how to trR hthom. To argue against
them is Standardization. They are as
monstrous as they are Insulting.
The pretext for this policy is, that we
want soldiers in our armies. This pretext
is set up by the Enquire, in the face of the
fact disclosed by the President Of the Con
fcderate States, that two-thirds of our sol
diers, now in the army, are absenteesfrom
its ranks. The Enquirer is devout up.
holder of President Davis and the Admin
istration. 1t does not arraign the gover1
ment for such a state of things passes
over the gross Encouragement which has
produced them, and cries out. that ne
groes are wanted to fill the ranks Of our
armies The President retutes the asser-
ton. They are not wanted. The freemen
of the country are not dependent on slaves
for their defence There are twice as
many at home as are in the field. Why
are they not in the service In our opin-
ion. it is the fault of the government, and
can be rectifed. But if it is the fault OF
the people, can slaves supply the place OF
twothirds Of the people, to give the Con,
fcderate States independence and liberty 2
1t is vain to attempt to blink the truth
The freemen of the Confederate States
must work out their own redemption, or
they must be the slaves Of their own
slaves The craftsmanship, which looks to
any other source for success, is contempt
BILE charlatanry. 1t is wCrse-t is treach-
cry to eur cause itself. Assert the right in
the Confederate government emancipatC
slaves and it is all stone dead.
of the two-thirds of the freemen of the
Confederate States, who are absent from
the army, there are two hundred Thousand
who have, by the direct action and per
mission Of the government, been exempt
ed from service in the field. These alone,
placed in the field, are sufficient to give
success to our arms. They constitute a
portion of our enrolled soldiery, belonging
to distinct military organizations and COM
mands. The residence of every man OF
., 49,, :, Lro,rp oD1 flow oro o,,,oDoilo r.,
military discipline and seizure. Congress
has passed a law, taking from the govern
ment the power to continue these eXempts.
Why are they not pnt INFO the army 3
The ground Oh which they were exempted
from service in the field was, that their
labor was more important to the Confed-
eracy at home to provide for the country
and the army, than in the field.
Admit that for this reason, the govern
ment was right in exempting from service
in the field-it conclusively proves, that
orr slaves ought not to be distracted from
this occupation. Ii for the last year, not
and of cur soldiers, were necessary, by
their labor, to make food for the country
does it not follow, that if you withdraw
the two hundred thousand soldiers from
this occupation-the slaves ought not to
be withdrawn also? The labor of every
slave in the Confederacy will be required
TO give us food, and thus to save our cause.
They have been, and must continue to be-,
vastly more useful to us as labcners, than
they could be as soldiers But we feel, in
presenting these reasons Of eapediency, that
we, in some sort, degrade the right. We
deny that the government of the Cnnfed-
crate States has the power by the Consti-
tution of the Confederate States, to con-
scribe our slaves into our armies, or to en-
ancipate them.-CHar. Mercury.
TIIE AGE OF DOGIIEDN