The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-05
HORRORS OF THE REBELLION
Extracts from the Address Of Ro
Pool, to the People Of North Car01sl< "
ted March % 1867

"In the beginning, q majority of the peo-
pie of North Carolina were opposed to the
secession ordinance, and accepted it only as
an memorable necessity, forced upon them
by the action of the adjacent States and the
dangerous excitement of the times. But
many earnest Union men, especially the
Young and inconsiderate, were soon borne
along by the madness of the day, or became
unable to withstand the derlsion and taunts
of cowardice with which they were con-
stantly assaulted by the press, in public as
semblies and in the social circle. Others
were deceived by the tardy and vaccilating
action of the national administration, into
the belief that no adequate resistance would
be made to the attempted separation, and
that upon the establishment OF the COnfed-
eracy, perpetual dshonor would attach to
those who refused to support promptly the
action of their State. But, the most potent
agency resorted to was the bold, systematic
and INSCRIPTIONS misrepresentation of the
designs of the United States in waging war
against the secession movement. The object
was asserted to be to abolish slavery, to force
negroes upon social equality with the
whites-to compel their admission to the
best society-to the table, and even to mar
riage Relationship deprive the Southern peo-
pie of all rights-to plumber, contiscate,
murder and reduce to state of dependence
and ahject vassalage. The whole Northern
people were denounced as hypocrites rob-
beers and vandals-and the Union soldiery
as hirelings and licentious vagabonds. The
assemblies of the people, the legislative halls,
the press and the social circle teemed with
this scurrilty, coupled with still viler cpl
thets and threats of infamy towards such as
were supposed to sympathlse with the gov
crnment in its struggle to suppress the re-
bellion and preserve the Union. All at
tcmpts at contradiction were suppressed by
arrests and imprisunments, or by mob violence.
A system of the basest espionage sprung up
spontaneously in every neighborhood, and
every man had spy and informer at his
door. Good men were thus deceived the
timid were appalled,, and the boldest could
see no hope of success in any effort to stem
the general current Could the TRUTH at
that time, have been plainly told to the peo-
pie of North-Carolina, and needed by them,
how much of calamity would have been
averted, and what untold miseries spared us i!
But, after the lapse of about two years,
the truth began to force itself upon the pub
lie mind. The overwroueh hit excitement be-
gan to work its own remedy, while the en-
ergetic action Of the Federal Government
exposed the falsity of the assurance, so re-
peatedly given by the instigators of the re-
ton of the States. Volunteering in the Con-
Tolerate army nearly ceased, and the people
began to think and speak of peace on the
best attainable terms. 1t was then that the
instigators and leaders of the rebellion threw
off the mask which they had so long worn,
and instituted despotism so complete and
merciless that scarcely vestige of liberty or
right was left. 1t was discovered, when too
late, that power had been placed in the
hands of men, who scrupled at nothing that
might be requisite to the accomplishment of
their ends, and hesitated not to set at de-
fiance not only the wishes and rights of their
fellow-citizens. but even the sentiments and
feelings of humanity. They had a we'll
trained army under their command, differed
by men oftheir own choosing Almost every
civil position in the Executive, legislative
and judicial departments OF the State and
Confederate governments, was filled by their
most violent partiZans and willing friends
Thus resistance became impossible and re-
monstrance dangerous They enacted laws
of wholesale CONSUMPTION, and executed them
with the most searching rigor. Impressment
laws, so framed that the property of the cit
izen was practically at the disposal of ire
sponsible military subordinates were execu-
ted in such manner as to awe or ruin every
one suspected of disaffection or personally
obnoxious to the petty tyrauts sent out to
scourge each locality Scouting parties
composed of the most desperate and aban-
doned of the soldiery, ranged in every coun-
ty, and were changed sufficietly often to pre-
vent any kindly relations beng formed with
the people or any influence gained over them
by men of character and justice The sus-
pension Of the ha6eas corpus placed under
military control the persons of those whose
age, sex or condition exempted them from
Prisons, kept in the most
loathsome condition, were established in
Richmond and in other localities. To over
awe the struggling Union sentiment of our
people, the one at Salisbury was set up and
made the scene of horrors, at the recollec-
ton of which the blood still runs cold
Hundreds of our private citizens, exempt
from CONSUMPTION, were there, and at Castle
Thunder in Richmond, incarcerated upon
mere suspicion of Unionism, and met their
death by starvation and other indescribable
cruelties.
But the failing resources of the Confeder-
acy would not allow the expense of sufficient
prison accommodation for as many victims
as was necessary to suppress the struggling
Unionisnl of North Carolina. The rest was
left to the ne:ghborhood scouts and authori-
zed bands of guerrilla ROBBERS, not only I'M
but encouraged in lawless violence |
wives and children. In remote places, upon
he public highways, in the humble dwell
ngs of the poor and around the family
hearth, from which the husband and father
lad been dragged in chains to the army and
PRISON, or driven to the mountain caves and
orests, scenes were enacted that can never
)e described, and, if told, would not be
credited as possible in Christian age For
he crime Of not betraying husbands and
ons to death, the virtues and claims of wo-
manhood were set at naught. Mothers were
AIKEN from helpless infants, and kept for
weeks in outhouses and pens IN the woods,
t the mercy and disposal of depraved and
rutal men, until, in some instances, their
reats burst with the accumulation of milk
7hich the merciful God of nature had pro-
ided for their starving infants at home. In
randolph county the thumbs of poor wo-
Ian were put under the rails of fence, and
vo soldiers seated themselves upon it, until,
,reaming with pain, she disclosed the place
her husbands concealment and consigned
i'm to death. And this was done in pres
ices of her two little children. This state
ent of particular instances is made upon
10 authority of MI bic reDresentations in |