Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-22
UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEASURES.

The President has sworn to uphold the Constitu-
tion yet he proposes in his message to violate It IN
two points In the matter OF the emancipation OF
slaves under certain conditions be shows an unmis-
takea6le inclination to usurp power which was
never granted to the general government ana
which, without the shadow of doubt belongs to
the States alone In the matter OF the restriction
of the press he displayed an equally unmlstakeaole
inclination to perpetrate an act which is expressly
forbidden to the general government, and which
the States are solennly engaged by their own Con-
situations not to commit The passage in which
this last measure is discussed aud recommended, IS
the more suggestive Of dictatoral aspirations, be-
cause it contains what looks very much like an IN
territorial Misrepresentation of the existing exemp-
ton law. In that passage as if with the design OF
producing false imp esSion to the extent OF the
exemption law, physicians, editors and printers are
clasSed with workmen in mlnes tanners, mllerS,
shoemakers, and mechanics generally, who the .wri-
ter of the message must have known are not ex.
empted bat detailed, and who consequently would
not lie affected by the change which he suggests.
This artful confusion Of professions with trades
could not have originated with Mr. DAVIS; ne Is,
We trust and believe, too honest man to resort to
such subterfuge to gain any end whatever; we
are therefore, disposed to charge the attempted lm-
position to some power behind the throne But be
the author of This part of the message who he may,
there can be no doubt that the association of the
two above mention ed classes in this question IS
Misrepresentation, whether intended or not, and
that it is calculated to produce false impression as
to the number who are now exempte1 from military
uuty 1t is therefore, necessary to state that this
proposition of the President involves only the teach
er, the physician, the clergyman and the represeu-
tatiyes Of the press and there IS no Small ground
for believing that it made to involve all Of these
for tire sole reason that there was no possible ex-
tu by which it could be made to involve the rep
resentatives of the press alone 1t is at the latter
that the Executive is aiming; it is for the purpose
of sencing those watchful sentineS who IRE always
ready to sound the alarm when they smell tyranny
in the tainted gale that class exemptions are, at
this late date asserted to be ndelensible in theory
There must be no more Remuneration of official in
Justice, no more exposes Of official mismanagement
or corruption, no mora outbursts Of Indignation
against oppresSion-in fine, no more discussions OF
otical policy except in the way of unqualified eu-
logy. We must all be base sycophants OiLes Assem-
tat0res or close every printing office. Is this an
alternative which the Congress OF the Confederate
Sta O.; the law makers of country, where burns
the last hope of conservative Republicanism, will
deign to offer the press? We do not believe it
They know the value of that press too we'll they
know that the preservation Of liberty and, to u
great extent the maintenance OF the spirit Of the
nation in this contest depends upon the retention
of its privileges they know, moreover that, if ever
the doctrine Of reconstruction should too haugh
tly its repusive head it is to the fiery tongue Of
the Southern press that We must look to consume
it, else may be necesstated to drown the reptile
in its own blood They know all this, and scorning
to weigh the services of the journalists of the Con-
federacy against the advantage Of Iuttng one, two
or three hundred men into The eld, they will deal
this monstrous idea such blow as will deter its
author from ever repeating suggestion so insult
ing 20 their wisdom, their patriotism and their de-
votion to the cause of truth. II they do not act
thus if they pass such law as the President de.
sres they will have the satisfaction of having ad
ded company or so the army, only to earn for
which records the meanest Of the most cringng
Senate of imperial Rome.-South Carolinian