The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-04-25
The Meeklp Standatd,
RALEIGH. n. g.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL IS, 1865.

ouSHo W NC W SOo DtloA w oAAS = &-,
and that every thing should be sacrific-'
ed to this. AS long as we remain out
of the Union---for practically we are
out---we shall be subjected to injustice
and many hardships, without being
heard in Congress by way Of either ex-
PLANTATION or remonstrance. We are
enduring many hardships now, which
must be continued until we can get a
hearing in Congress. For example, the
tax on manufactured tobacco, which
was intended for the Northern States,
for the law was passed before the re-
bellion was suppressed,) is SO high that
but few can afford to manufacture the
article. The tax is forty cents to the
pound. This tax can be paid by man.
ufacturer who is engaged in the manu-
facture of cigars, and all the finer as
well as the coarser grades Of the article;
but when it is applied to persons who
manufacture the common article on a
small scale, it is so heavy that it cannot
be paid, and the planter is obliged to
sell the article as it is, to be manufac-
tured elsewhere. This is great incon-
venience to many of our people. 1t
cripples trade and keeps down enterprise
and industry. If we had members Of
Congress who could explain this thing,
the law would be so altered that our
manufacturers could go on as before.
Again, after the armies of Generals
Sherman and Stoneman had taken out
of the State nearly all the fine horses,
there were left Behind some thousands
of inferior mules and horses, which were
loaned to the farmers. These animals
had been captured, and belonged to the
United States. The Quartermasters
were bound to order them in and sell
them, or pay their value to the govern
ment out of their own pockets. This
could not be expected. The conse-
quence was they were ordered in and
sold, and many were greatly distressed
thereby. Now, what was the remedy
for this? If we had had members in
their places in the two houses of Con-
gress, and if the facts had been stated,
as they would have been, Congress
would have passed an act giving these
horses to the people. That this would
have been done there is no doubt.
We have stated these things simply
as examples. For the want of repre-
sentation in Congress, and for the want
also of State administration possessing
the entire confidence of the government,
we are suffering, and are likely to suffer
in many ways. But our members of
Congress must be the right sort of men.
They must be men who possess the re-
spect and confidence Of the majority of
that body 1t will not do to send
members who have made themselves
odious to the majority. If we want
members in that body to renew and
continue sectional strife---to engage in
alterations with Union members from
the Northern States-to re-assert the
right Of secession, or to declare that
Mr.. Davis and his followers were right
in fighting to the last, and that the fed
eral government was wrong in sup
pressing the rebellion-to assail and
abuse the Union men of the country,
and to foment bitter feeling, no matter
from what motlve,--we say if we want
such members, we must not expect IA
vors or kindnesses from Congress. We
must not re-enter Congress to dispute
and quarrel; but we must go there with
pacific intentions, and with the hope
and determination to obtain every adj
vantage and benefit we can for our
State. We are not disposed to pro-
scribe any one, bit ace rant those men
seat to Congress aeho can do most for
aus. That is our judgment. Those who
can do most for lis are such as had as
little as possible to do with the rebel
lion--such as opposed the attempted
secession OF the cotton States-such as
abandoned the Union only when they
were forced to do it such as opposed
Mr.. Davis, and labored to arrest the
war and make peace--such as submitted
cheerfully and promptly to the national
authority, and are anxious now for the
return Of that harmony and good feel
ing between the North and the South
which prevailed in the early days of
the Republic. Are we wrong in this ?
We think not. And if we be right in
this view, what remains for us but to
act accordingly? Do our people really
desire to be restored to the Union? If
they do they must show that desire by
their acts. they have followed uncer-
tain sounds and blind guides long
enough. Let them think and act for
themselves, or drift, drift, drift, as they
certainly will under present auspices,
to still deeper impoverishment and ruin.