The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-07-12
Especial Correspondence.l


-estlng pamphlet has been carefully
read by the writer and sheds much ligh
upon n strenuous period of the civil
war 1t is on dingy paper and contain:
n ordinances and resolutions Of the
various state conventions of North Car
DINA, Of these there being really q
small number. The first convention
was held in May and June, 1861, and its
first ordinace repealed the one adopted
oy this state at the convention at Fay,
etteville in 1889, whereby the constitu-
Il of the United States was ratified
and adopted. This ordinance was
adopted May 20, 1861, and Immediately
a battery stationed in the capitol
square fired a salute, upon a precOn-
certed signal, which was made by a
lady who waved a handkerchief from a
window of the hall Of the house of COM
mons. 1t was at this time. as one of
the artillerymen now tocuiariy remarks.
"the first North Carolina blood was
shed, a bull dog having bitten one of
the sunners, the dog thinking that as
the man swung the sponge and rammer
IL O. dDOAN W oNNoNh Hill.
Among the ordinances were several
ceding the Jurisdiction of North Caro-
lima to the Confederate States over
the arsenal at Fayetteville belonging
to the United States. which this state
had seized in April. and from the great
store of small arms in which it had
largely armed its troops, also letting
Virginia have 1000 guns in exchange
for cannon taken by Virginia from the
Norfolk navy yard where the latter
was abandoned by the United States.
Two OF these very cannon are now to be
seen in the capitol square, beside the
Confederate monument. Jurisdiction
of light houses was also ceded. A. board
of claims was created which did a great
deal of business during the war On
h 18th of June a resolution was
adopted authorizing the First North
Carolina regiment to inscribe the word
Bethel on its colors. This flag with
the word inscribed in blu silk is now
in the Hall of History. An ordinance
defined treason against the state, say
ing that this should consist only lin
IeEyInS war against her, or in adhering
10 her enemies, giving them aid and
comfort. No person shall be convicted
OF treason unless on the testimony of
two w tnesSes to the same overt act
or confession in open court. Under
this ordinance quite a number of ar
rests were made in various parts of
the state. Four thousand copies of the
Confederate army regulations were or
dered printed for the use of offictrs and
soldiers TO give them a knowledge of
the military laws. On the 18th of June.
1861, the convention adopted an ordi-
nance ratifying h constitution of the
Confederate States, which latter had
been adopted at Montgomery, March
18th. by Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina
and Texas. The pamphlet contains the
full text of the Confederate constitution
is MOI long, and which, Of course,
was largely modelled upon the constitu-
ton of the United States. Though there
are some interesting differences. On
The 10Th day OF June an ordinance was
adopted ratifying the constitution of
the provisional government of the Con-
federate States, adopting at MontgOm-
cry February Sth and setting forth that
Carolina would enter the assO-
of states upon the terms therein
proposed when admitted by the con-
gresS or any competent authority of the
Confederate States. This first onven
ton spent a great deal of it's time in
conference with the governor and other
heads of departments, particularly con-
sidering the military necessities, and
it really adopted but few ordinances
resolutions.
On the End of June the governor W a
authorized to receive into service, arm
and equip upon application of the re-
cruiting officers appointed by Colonel
ID. H. Hill of the First Regiment OF
volunteers (the Bethel Regiment)
all sue volunteers as those officers
obtain, the recruits to be sworn
into service for the same length of
time as the original privates in the res
pective companies for which they were
recruiting were bound for. This was
was a six months regiment and a great
many of its enlisted men had become
officers in other regiments which were
being so rapidly raised. Also on the
End of Jun the state flag was pres
Scribed, exactly the same as the pres
ent flag except hat instead of bear
ing the date of adoption OF the HaIIax
resolves, it bore the date May 10th,
Strange to say, this later date
was that of the secession of
North Carolina stood until after Gov
ernor Vance came into office In 1871.
An ordinance in regar dto taxation
the poll tax not less than the
tax On land of the value Of $500, this
As years, no other free persons
and no slaves to be liable to such tax
alton; land and slave to be taxed ac-
cording to their value, the tax on. slaves
be as much, if not more, than that
land, according to their respective
values but the tax on slaves might
laid on their general average value
their value in respect to age sex,
other distinctive properties in the
discretion of the legislature.
On the 9th day Of June, 1861, the lot
in Charlotte on which the United States
mint stands was coded to the Confed-
federacy for the same use, n all the
forts, with their cannon. etc, as well
as lighthouses, ETC., were conceded.
ordinance on the same day trans
ferred the estate Troops" raised by
the legislature, these being 10000 in
number, formed under an act providing
for the public defense, ratified May
10th, to the service of the Confederate
just as if they had been raised
upon Confederate authority and it was
ordained further that all levying and
recruiting of troops under that act
should end August Goth n all troops
raised prior to that day be formed
regiments and transferred to the