The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-10

mcnC, tne AuQrcSS OF dOV. WOTtn u Ilc
people of the State. We were not disposed
to manifest the appearance even of a purpose
to embarrass Gov. Worth in the outset
of his administration. and we were, there
fore, willing that our readers should peruse
this document by itself, and form their own
opinions in relation to it but the " truth of
history and proper estimate of the real
condition Of things, require that we should
notice some points in this Address.
Gov. Worth warmly congratulates our
people on the restoration of civil govern
ment in this State. We are as anxious as
Gov Worth can be to get rid of military
rule, but we do not perceive that his installa-
ton has effected that result We still have
martial law The ha6eas corpus is still sus-
pended. The Freedman's Bureau is still in
existence, controlling both whites and blacks
in essential particulars so far as society and
industrial pursuits are concerned. The State
has not yet been restored to its constitutions
al relations to the Federal Government, nor
will it be till our members of Congress are
admitted. is it true, then, that civil govern
ment has been restored2 Why, the Gov
ernor himself admits in his Address, 'that
the powers of all officers appointed under
the authority of the Provisional Government,
ceased with the discontinuance of that gov
ernment." That government ceased on
Thursday last. With the exception, there
fore, of the Governor himself, and the Su-
preme and Superior Court Judges who may
be qualified by the Governor, are hare no cUt-
GERS Of a cica character in the State. And if
this be so, it follows inevitably that we can
have no civil law even of character subor-
dinated to martial law. The Governor adj
mits that there are no clerks and sheriffs, eX-
cept in rare cases in which these officers, re-
Gently elected, have been qualified: for the
provisional Justices have ceased to be, and
no Courts can he held to take the bonds
of clerk and sheriffs until new Justices shall
have been appointed. Nevertheless, says the
Governor, "as no Justices of the Peace were
appointed by the General Assembly it may
happen in some of the Counties that the
next term of the County Courts cannot le-
gally be held, but where such Courts shall
be held or other acts shall be done by. such
provisional officers, their acts will probably
be validated by an act of the General As
sembly." First, says the Governor, "all Off
GERS appointed under the authority of the
provisional government have ceased; sec
ondly, if some of these officers, who are not
really officers, should happen " to transact
business, he thinks their acts will "proJa6ly
be validated" by the General Assembly!
What is this but hap-hazard or anarchy !?
| If these officers have ceased to be, as the
Governor declares they have, they have no
more right than other private citizens have
to transact business If the Governor had
desired it, or had been disposed to submit to
It, it would have been easy for him or for
Gov Holden to have obtained an order from
the President continuing all the provisional
officers in their functions until the meeting
|
of the Legislature; but it is well understood
that Gov. Worth and the bulk of those who
elected him, have no fancy for provisional
governments, and are disposed to be depen-
dent to as slight an extent as possible on the
government at Washington for advice and
| aid
Bullet us suppose that one of the County
Courts, composed of officers who have ceased
to exist, should grant letters of administra-
ton, or make partition of real estate, or con-
tract debts for County purposes; and suppose
the General Assembly should not approve
these acts, what then2 The Governor says
the Assembly will "probally' do it, but sup
poseit should not. Suppose, for example
the Court, composed of officers who really
are not officers, should order man to be
whipped, and the Assembly should not ap.
approve the act, what then? Why, the man
would have the consolation that he had been
punished once illegally, and would have tc
submit to his trial second time, to be pun.
ished legally in case of conviction. This re-
minds us of the big man and the little
Frenchman who were about to fight duel
The large man complained that the contest
for life was unequal, for that he was twice
the size of tie Frenchman, and exposed {
double mark to his pistol; but the reply o.
the Frenchman was, Be Gar, that make nc
diffarance. Mark my size on your body and
fire, and if Init outside the mark, the shot
no count" Just SO with the whipping. TIL.
illegal whipping no count" and the MAJ
must be whipped second time
In concluding his address Governor Worth
says:
I've did not 60 voluntarily into the late calam
itous rebellion"
This is true. He also saws:
The action of coterminous States forced us t,
take sides in the strife" -
This is also true But, he adds,
Having taken our position, zoe acted ,cith 400,
faith to our associates and bore ourselves gallantl
in the fight" :
We not only admit, but we claim that w
bore ourselves gallantly in the fight" North
Carolinians always fight gallantly, whether
right or wrong A drawer or more self
sacrificing body of men never trod the eartl
than the North Carolina soldiers in the lat
rebellion. But this is not the point. Her
lis, and just here is tie diuiding line betwee,
the true Union men and the secesaonaists of thi
State. Gov Worth says, 1--WE acted in goot