Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-03-15
Col. Golfers Speech.

lie enemy. do not believe that such was the de.
sign of the men in authority. l do not doubt their
patriotism or earnest desire to succeed. Such has
been the effect Of the public measures, to the de.
plorable extent seen in the well known fact that in
this agricultural country-one Of the richest on
earth-the production of provisions is so reduced
that the public sentiment most coqspcuously, is in
painful anxiety for continued subsistence. The
atrocous sentiment expressed in the African church
by Hon. Judah P. Benjamin, that the people have
no rights, and all belong to the government is the
exact exponent of the administrative policy Which
has alienated the people from the government
That other idea, expressed at the same time by
President Davis, that Richmond might be captured
and yet no remedlless i'll ensue to our cause, is
another phosphorescent emanatien from passionate
imbecility which can Goat and fare only in the
socket of disordered imagination; and such delu-
sive light ought to be put out On the declared
policy that we desired to be let alone, and from
fear of arousing the enemy, President Davis de-
clined going to Washington when our army was
flushed with victory and the enemy were routed.
Afterwards, when the balances in the chances Of
war were hanging in equipoise, and peace party,
to al appearances, was gaining in the North, ne
went with his ofensive-de:ensive into Mary.
land and Pennsylvania, and reused the enemy and
united the North. When the people were lending
all the labor of the country, and abstracng it from
the production of tobacco and cotton to produce
subsistence, scheme of impressment to supply
the army was inangurated which has annoyed,
and rritated and discouraged the producers until
they have been forced, most reluctantly, to dis
cover that the Confederate authorities do actually
believe that the community-unrewarded adequate
ly for their labor and not allowed subsistence for
themselves-will, nevertheless, continue to pro.
duce subsistence for the army. Space fails to tell
onetenth of the sad story of the loss of confidence
by the people in the administration I have but
one suggestion to make. | see no other way of
escape. With spirit as free as my heart is op.
pressed with sorrow, will declare it boldly. 1t
that President Davis will resign his high trust,
land Vice President Stephens will follow the noble
example, am sure,) in order that the administra-
ton may pass into-if not more competent-most
probably more successful direction of the public
affairs.
Our military operations have elected the admi.
ration of the world. Our army has gathered to its
flag extensive renown, and to the fields of its gal
lantry immortal glory. But that army cannot be
sustained without civil administration of wisdom
as sagacious as comprehensive, and which shall
display its enlarged and well directed exertions
with quickly effective energy. We have nothing
now left OF any life to assure hope and kndle and
keep expectation alive but that army. That army,
courageous and unconquered, as it is if supported
adequately by the civil administration, as it might
be, will find in the eztent of our country an un-
falling resource afording all else that is requisite
give it victorious career to triumphant treaty
of peace. The extent of country, if the civil adj
ministraton can be got into competent hands, will
be an invulnerable shield against any force the
public enemy can bring against US to subugate US.
will say no more. If what have said shall have
success whereunto It is addressed We will win the
great success of independence and self government
Ii it fail clouds and darkness will still hang about
US; and how long, or how to be dispelled, do not
| perceive.
The resolution, Mr.. President ask the Senate
to observe, does not necessarily embrace the resig
nations suggest The principal object of the res
olution is to give prominence to the fact and the
conempations resulting from it, that the ertent Of
our country is most powerful shield for our
| protection. -.
We hear great deal every day about the neces-
sity for furnishing the Southern leaders, and some
persons 60 so far as to propose the outIawry of
| everybody in the Confederacy who has held any
higher rank in its service than that of colonel But
it may be laid down as rule, dictated not simply
by humanity and Christianity, but by sound policy,
that no punishments whatever ought to be inflicted
on anybody, except such as are plainly called for
by prudent regard for our own safety. With
those who wish to leg slate put the existing law
in force, for mere purposes of vengeance, it is
whole people thirstng for vengeance on large
body Of their own countrymen, and seeking it
through acts of Congress- is barbarous and repul-
sve one, repugnans to the spirit of the age, and
hostile to civilization. 10 suffer anything Of the
sort to be enacted on American soil, in our day,
would prove that we had refrigerated instead of ad
vanced. ...
States who have been actively engaged both in get.
ting up the insurrecton and carrying it on, whose
position with regard to it is such as to make il
quite certain that they can never Settle down again
into peaceable citizens of the United States, and
would never. if we allowed them to return quietly
to their homes to kick against the authority
of the Government and intrigue for its overthrow,
Against these men the rigorous enforcement of the
aw is iperatively called for in the interest Of So
cia order but sincerely trust that the list even
of these will be made small possible, and that
the rest Of the population will be let alone. Nc
penal measures whatever, as regards them, we may
feel quite satisfied, will be necessary to prevent the
repetition Of the attempt of which are now wit.
Messing the failure. The fullest punishment fol-
their offences, whatever they may have been, has
been already inflicted in the prosecution of this
war. There is something puerile in talking of ad
lninstering further chastisement for crime which
has already caused the slaughter or manning Of two
or three hundred thousand of those engaged in it.
and the desolation of almost third of their terri
tory. With what power can we arm either courts
or police that will impress the imagination of mer
and women like those of the South who have livee
through the horrors of the last four years?
And we ought to beware, above all things. o
harassing them with the presence of great swarm'
of officials, most Of whom will doubtless, at leas
for while, have to be Northerners. For few
years after the war the Southern people will b.
morbidly sensitive to whatever reminds them o
their defeat, and those among US who are opposes
to all attempts to respect this susceptibility, onl!
show how little they have learnt from history, ant
how little they know of human nature. Our grea
aim should be to avoid all unnecessary display Q
force We shall be bound to protect the emanci
pated blacks and Northern or loyal inhabitants an
see that the judgments of United States courts ar
carried into execution but all interference wit
the ordinary working Of local law, and the ordinar
management of local affairs, ought 10 be strenuous
Iy guarded aganst-Neo YORK. Times.
TRANsrERED.-The5 18th regiment N. O. troops
heretofore in Davis brigade has been transferre
to Cook 8 brigade.