Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1864-04-14
name in letters Of living light on "history's
story" Our Captain.4eneral and Com

tetOIy. OuT OapLaln-1encral auQ CON-
mander-in-C Chief" accom- panied by Major
General Rodes and staff, rode down the
line, and the troops then broke into col
umn and marched past the reviewing off,
GERS, after which, they all repaired to the
quarters of the Both N. &. Regiment,
where stand had been erected, to hear
the speech to be delivered by the Govern
or. By dense packing, as thick as they
could stand, all around, the audience were
perhaps enabled to hear the speech, but it
was no little strain on the Governors lungs
.or them to do SO. Your correspondent
took no notes-it was impossible from the
stand point to do so-and he cannot there
fore give anything like synopsis of his
remarks-but as your readers would like
to know what the Governor talked to us
aoout, we will try to quote some things he
said, from memory.
The Governor was introduced by Gen.
Ranseur. He began his speech by re-
marking that on Saturday be addressed his
hearers as ''fellow soldiers" but on second
thought, he recollected that although he
was once soldier, he was not one now
having skulked out OF service by being
elected to a little Office down in North
Carolina-and &c felt that he had no right
to greet them by that term. They were
not his "fellow-citizens," and he knew Of
but one other term to use-a term that
had been given them by their comrades
from other S;ates--''tar heels"-and he
would borrow the term, and address them
as 'Felloso- Z I'ar-Heezs."
He said he knew we ali wanted peace
everybody in the Contederacy wanted
peace-and as the blessed word was first
in everybody's month, he would make it
the first point in his address. He then
discussed the subject in all it's bearings,
and showed plainly that the only way for
us to obtain peace honorably was by tight
ing tor 1t, that it was impossible to nego-
tate peace with our enemies, expressed
q willingness, however, to send commits
sioners whenever it was thought neces-
sary, although he felt sure our enemies
would reject and refuse to receive them,
but he was willing TO bear the humiliation,
that Europe and the world might see that
the bloodshed aud misery caused by this
war was not of our making, and that the
United States Government alone was re
sponsible therefor He was opposed out
and ont to any separate State action it
was unconstitutional, would look like acts
ing in bad faith with our Southern sisters;
and il attempted, would only make mat
ters worse. He depicted in glowing col
ors the consequences that would result
from any attempt of the kind that Lin
coin would not treat y ith Us, without we
first laid down our arms, and submitted to
the most degrading terms that it was
impossible, from our geographical position
If from no other cause, to be neutral; if
we would have both parties
on us; we would soon be in worse con~
dition than Maryland or Kentucky, that
we would be compelled to either assist
our Southern brethren, or to join Lincoln
: submit to his drafts, pay his taxes, fghr
our comrades who have fought by our
sides for three years past, and become the
slaves and vassals of the most
rotten and corrupt people on the face of
the earth that it would transfer the seat
of war to our own homes, cause the whole
LAID to becone howling wilderness, our
families outcasts, homeless, aud ourselves
despised by all, aud our memories shabd. |
ed down in history to be execrated and
loathed by generations yet unborn. He
begged his hearers to listen not to the sy-I
ren voice Of evil minded men, who would
adv:se them to pursue this sgnas ftstuus
If peace. That if we would only stand by
our colors, maintain our organization and
discipline and continue to strike boldly ii,
he future as in the past---for home, free
iorn. and independence-the sun Of peace
would soon rise in the east and shed it's /
benign rays over oar war-worn land. ANY,