Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-01-24
For the Standard,

Mr. EDIToR:-With your permission propose to
make a few remarks for publication in your paper.
have been a constant reader Of events now in pro
gress, both of public and private character, and
it is not yet treason to think or speak, ask the
insertion of this article in the Standard The peo-
pie entitled to be beard am one of the people,
interested in common with my fellow men in all
matters OF principle OF policy at issue, and claim
the right to discuss all measures as well the acts
oil public men, who are the agents only Of the peo
pie, and Of sequence bound to respect their wishes
Of the present Congress of the Confederate States
l do not propose to say much. From that body the
people have but little to hope, judging the future
by their past conduct as legislators The people have
long since lost all confidence in their Justice or
mercy, or at least the dominant party therein
whose sole aim seems to be to execute the will of
relentless Executive and to enact laws alike repug
nant TO justice and common, sense What people eau
entertain respect Tor the patriotism and judgment
aEany set Of men who pass laws so unequal in their
application to men, so dishonest both in theory and
practice as that revenue bill of last Congress For
instance, where double is claimed and collect.
ed off the owner of rented lands while his more for
tunate neighbOr who owns slaves enough to cult.
vate all his land has only the 1.-THE tax in kind
to pay, but the man who is unable TO procure Ia
borerS to cultivate his land is charged six per cent
money tax and the 1.-THE or tax.in-kind also. Call
you this justice? .'s.
Again, the man who makes one hundred and
ninety nine bushels Of corn is an exempt and en-
titled to government charity, while he who raises
two hundred bushels Of corn, in the eye Of the law
is wealthy man and has to pay the government
twenty bushels Of his crop the latter may be SOL
dier'S wife or widow and the corn have been made
by herself and little children, while the former is
an athletic, boub-broofoficer holding obsolete
commission. Qn my neighborhood find case in
pOint) Call you this justice?
The same principle applies to all property exemp.
tons, and refer TO them only 10 show the absurd
ity of the acts Of COngreSS-the total lack Of CON-
nonsense and ignorance of human nature on the
part of those who make the law, for if as sup
pose land no other suppostion is reasonably this
class of legislation is prompted by the weak and
wicked motive as a bride to win men to the support
Of the government Of that class of our people who
are called poor the trick is so palpable and bald
that it dISguStS those attempted to be bought Such
laws are obnoxious to all honest people whether
poor or rich, and any government that adopts them
will ultimately become odious and full of reproach.
still greater objection lies against the theory or
perhaps more properly the practice Of our govern.
ment in its revenue laws. Is their tendency to cor
rupt and demOraliZe the country-Owng to the sad
example the part Of the government to keep faith
with the people, man accept it as q license to de-
fraud the treasury of its dues 1t is to be feared and
and if may be pardoued the expression, look up
on the whole concern as q vast engine Of corrup-
ton. r'.-
But am happy to be able to say that the present
LIE 5lsa ture of North Carolina exhibits marked diff
ference in its legislation to that of the Congress at
Richmond The evidence Of a return to common
sense is quite apparent While | regret to see the
votes OF some mon recorded as between individuals
and also subjects Of vital principle, still there is
abundant proof that the madness that once govern
ed the land Is fast disappearing. In the name of the
people, hail this suspicious event with unbounded
gratitude, and in the name and behalf of suffering
people, urge the brave men in the Legislature not
a Al. Il L
Carolina to the deSpotiSm at Richmond. Your re-
ward will be that Of the good and faithful servant
certainly felt deeply mortified at the defeat of
Judge Reade for Senator. l have no acquaintance
with or prejudice against the honorable gentleman
who was elected over him, but l could not appre-
ciate the motives of those who preferred any other
man for that position to Judge Reade. True, no
expected the Destructive war party to vote for
him, but humbly contend there is no sufficient ex-
cuse for any Conservative withholding his vote from
E. G. Reade
After ALL Mr. Editor, it may be fortunate thing
that Judge Reade was defeated if in the event Of
his election to the Senate of the Confederate States
he should have followed the footprints of some of
his illustrious predecessors there and elsewhere
for one had much rather know him defeated in or
der that North Carolina may still claim him as her
own Others, as well as your humble correspon.
dent have often wondered what magic power there
is in the city of Richmond to win men from the
support cl principles Always nelu sacred ana para
mount? What fatal and malign influence prevails
in that fated atmosphere to cause so many men
when once there to ignore the people and lifelong
principles, and to turn cold and indifferent look
on those indoctrinated in conservative truths by
themselves? Why is it that men at home and out
of Office enunciate great and good political mea-
sures, should so soon forget them in the halls of
legislation? Is it terror at the approach of some
great and terrible power whose influence is felt but
not seen by the people? ...
do not know how it may be in towns, but am
convinced the people all over the land saved in GER
tain localities where government officers and large
spectators prevail the earnest voice of the people
is peace, and they desire peace founded upon
reconciliation with the people of the United States
government that will result in treaty offensive,
defensive and commercial" between the two Sec
tons and people. You may call such peace re-
construction Of the Union or what ever you please,
such is the wish Of the people and mistake. For
in that alone they look for cessation in some de-
gree of their troubles.
know, Mr.. Editor, short while ago, such an
idea was held reasonable by stuck up officials who
traffic in human gore, and breathed in whispers on
ly. Now it is out spoken, and our public men have
trifed long enough with the people-they will learn
ere long that am speaking the words of soberness
and truth, The trade Of politicians in blood and
human rights will soon cease. So mote it be-
All reasonable men now see and believe that if
this war goes a year or two longer, the land of
the sunny South will be the scene of unimagin-
able horrors-a guerilla eutthroat warfare (now
upon US in many places) will usurp the abode Of
civilization and Christianity, and the Ties of kim
dred and friendship will be blOtted from the page
Of our history. Oh, terrible thought 1t is even