Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-05-18
House of Representatives.

Mr.. JAS NJ Leach asked leave to make personal
explanation. He noticed in the Examiner, an arti-
Gle making an attack upon the people of North
Carolina, in general, and those of his District and
himself in particular. After reading the article he
entered into lengthy criticism upon it He said
the rumors and charges against his people origina
ted in the State; that they came from a clamor
gotten up by certain disappointed parties who had
vented their spleen by grossly misrepresenting
those who had received the support and couDte
nance Of the people. 1t originated with men who
once denounced the present Governor as peace
man and traitor Mr.. L. said he was peace man
a peace man upon the principle of recognizing
the independence of the Southern Confedcracy.
Said he was in favor of the appointment of commits
sioners to be ready to treat with the United States
whenever they were willing to treat with US, as had
been done IN the Revolutionary war, in the war Of
1912, and during the Mexican war; He said the
people Of his district were as loyal and devoted to
the Southern cause as those Of any other in the
Confederacy. IIe said that they had sent to the
army more men in proportion to their population
than any district in the South That they had
proved their devotion to the cause upon almost
every battle 6eld--had nobly fallen with "their feet
to the enemy and their face to the sky" He said
he was prepared to prove that there had been fewer
assertions iron the troops of North Carolina than
from those Of any other State in the South.
He said the views he entertained upon peace
were the same that had been expressed by the Vice
President OF the Confederacy and many other dis
tngulshed men in the South lie said that it was
true that there much opposition to the late act
passed for the suspension Of the writ Of habeas
pus and since the publication of Mr.. Stephens
speech it had much increased. He had intended
himself to introduce bill to repeal the late act
He had heard that the act had been passed for the
purpose Of suppressing public sentiment in North
Carolina. If so. its object had been and would be
defeated While the people of North Carolina were
willing to make any and every sacrifice for the hon.
orable prosecution of the war, they would not qu-
city submit to the destruction of their rights and
liberties.
Mr.. }. I. Leach also rose to a personal explana-
ton. The article in the Examiner, he had no
doubt, alluded to him. He said he endorsed every
word that had been said by his colleague He said
he was peace man-for an honorable peace-a
peace that will do justice to those who commenced
the war and those who have sacrificed their all
upon the altar Of their country. He said he was a
Southern man, and would stand by the cause of the
"sunny South" and was willing to make any prop.
er sacrifice for its success But SAID he, is it any
discredt to man to be in favor of peacef How
are you to pu. end to the war without negota-
ton, and how are you to negotiate without being
in favor of peace? Commissioners had been ap.
pointed in all wars had ever bad to bring about
the cessation of hostilites and put stop to the
S0eQolnS OF DlcOu. lie SAID we must lay aside all
this spirit of vllification and prejudice which seem.
ed to fill The minds of so many persons upon this
subject. The people of North Carolina had been
abused and vilhea more than those of all the
States Of the South, and why was it? Wasit be-
cause she had furnished so many thousand noble
and true men, who had sacrificed their all for the
| cause?
! He said it was true that there was disloyalty
there-a disloya1ty that he was proud ola disloy
atty that is opposed to bad laws and worse admins
tration Tie said that the recent act suspendins
the writ Of habees corpus had created disloyaltJ
! there.
| Mr. Staples desired to ask the gentleman ques
ton. Are you for peace on any other terms thar
that Of the independence of the South?
Mr.. Leach.-I am for peace on the basis of tn
independence Of the South if it can be obtained
but if not. then am for peace on the best term
we can get short of subjugation. Is the gentleman
satisfied?
Mr.. Staples.-I am not; ard was about to pro
coed to address the House, when Mr.. Atkins Q
Tenn, objected, unanimous consent being neces
sary, and farther debate was prevented.