Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-09-28

% - Sc Arrest Of: Deserterss - -
We are glad to learn that the recent efforts Of
the Home Guards in this State, in arrestipe and
getting in deserters, have been crowned with much
saceess- Scores, indeed we may say hundreds, have
responded to the appeals of Gen. Lee and Gov.
Vance and have come in and gone forward to their
regiments. We trust these misguided men will do
all they can to atone for their transgression and to
wipe out the reprosch they have brought upon
themselves BY deserving the flag of their county,
Some Of them are veterans with the scars of maEy
battles on their bodies and it is to be hoped they
will remember their good conduct on the occ asons
when these scars were recsived and will so act in
the future Is to cause their comrades and their
countrymen generally to respect them as good SOL
diers We also trust that the evil of desertlon will
now cease, and that every soldier will resolve to
stand firmly under all trials by the common flag
We repeat what we have so often said that nothing
will justify soldier in deserving his colors and
that policy IS we'll as sense of honor dictates
that under no circumstances should he abandon his
comrades and the cause he has sworn to uphold.
But while We say this, We feel bound as a public
journalist to refer to rumor, which, for the honor
and good name of our State We hope is not true
1t is said that in several Counties the officers Of the
Home Guard, acting under orders from Headquar-
tiers at Raleigh have arrested whole families, incu
ding women and children, and placed them in camp
and held them there in order to induce or force deser
ters belonging to families thus arrested to come in
The law of the State in relation to deserters is
proper and wholesome one, and should be rigidly
enforced but surely that law does not contemplate
the arrest of women and children and the placing
them in camp, on mere suspicion of sympathizing
with deserters We append the act on the subject,
SO that our readers may it and judge for them
selves. Persons suspected of sympathzing with de.
serters, or who hsrbor, assist, or maintain lhem can
be reached only by civil process returnable to the
Courts the military power cannot, with any show
of respect for the civil law arrest detan, or lmPris
OH any one on mere suspicion.
We have made this inquiry in good faith, out of
sincere respect for the character of the State-s mil
itary arm included--and with no purpose to injure
or embarass Gov. Vance. We trust he will make
public his Order on the subject and that these
rests Of women and children, if made at alb will ap
pear to have been made without his direction or
sapction
AN ACT TO PUNISH AIDERs AND ABETToRs OF DE.
sERTERs.
SECTION l. Be it enacted By the General Assem-
6y Of the State Of North Carolina, and it Is here
by eAacte4 By the authority Of the same, That any
person who shall knowingly aid, assist harbor or
maintain, under any pretence whatever any deser
ter from the military service Of the State or of the
Confederate States, shall be guilty Of high INSIDE
meanor, and upon conviction thereof in the Supe-
rior Court, shall be fined, or imprisoned or both,
in the discretion of the Court the fine not to exceed
i've hundred dollars nor the Imprisonment to ex-
ceed four months
SEC. O. Be 1t further enacted, That any person
who shall under any pretence whatever, knowingly
aid, assist, harbor or m.intan any person enrolled
and ordered to report for duty as conscrpt, in
refusing to obey such order, snail be guilty Of
higk mlsdemeanor, and upon conviction in the Su-
perior Court, shall be fined or imprisoned or both,
In the discretion OF the Court the fine not to
coed Eve hundred dollars, nor the imprisonment
four months
SEC. 8. BE 1t further enacted, That for the pur-
pose Of enforcing the conscrpt law Of the Confed-
crate States ard arresng deserters and conscrpts,
the Governor shall have power to call out the militia.
SEC. 4. Be further enacted, That this act shall
have force from its ratification. Ratified the 7th
day of July, 1864