Year: 1863




We published in our last the resolutions intro
duced BY Mr.. Mckay, of Harnett denouncing the
conduct of squad of Confederate troops in burn
ing house in that County, and requesting the Gov
ernor to call out any portion of the military force of
the State to prevent such wanton and lawless de-
struction of property. These resolutions passed the
Commons by vote of 72 to 81. 1t seems that this
squad of soldiers required the wife of deserter to
tell where her husband was, and because she refus
ed to do So or, not knowing, could not tell, they
set fire to her house and burnt it to the ground
We learn that Gov. Vance has very promptly and
properly had these soldiers arrested, and we sup
pose they will be held to answer for their conduct.
In the course of the debate on the subject Dr. Nc
COrmick, of Harnett said that the proof of this
wanton destruction of property was ample, and he
urged the house to take prompt action, so as to
warn evil doers against such conduct. He said he
was determined te insist at all hazards on the rights
guaranteed to his constituents by the Bill of Rights
and to see to it, so far his action was concerned
that those rights were not trampled on with i'm
punty. He said he had it from good authority that
preparations had been made to burn the house of
another citizen of his County, thus showing dis
position to make these outrages more general.


DR.. Mccormick and Mr. Mckay deserve the
thanks of their constituents for the firm and deter
mined manner in which they have asserted their
rights


No good citizen is disposed to obstruct or embar-
the military authorities in their efforts to ar
rest deerters But nothing will justify the destruc
tion of property, whether belonging to the innocent
or the guilty. 1t is the business of the officers who
command our troops to protect not to harrass and
oppreSs the people No deserter, unless in the act
of resisting, should be shot without trial and the
families of deserters ought not to be punished on
account OF the guilt of deSerters. But we have
heard and fear it is rue that horses have been Ia
ken from the plow, provisions seized and carried
away and even the fathers and brothers of deser-
ters roped around the neck and hung up until life
was in jeopardy, because they could not or would
not tell where the deserter was. We have heard
also that these cruetes together with the arrest Of
citizens on the charge of disloyalty because they
had attended public meetings, have depressed and
alarmed the people in many localities in the western
part of this State insomuch that they deferred
from going to the polls and exercising the right of
suffrage at the late elections; while the domestic
tletcctiges-certan Destructves-who are regarded
by certain officers as the only true men, and who
are swift to give false information against their Con.
servative neighbors, went to the polls with their
heads up, and voted. We repeat deserters must
be arrested and sent to their regiments and all
proper steps to this end should be sanctioned and
commended; but no military officer has right to
order the destruction Of property, the personal
punishment of citizen even the arrest of cit
o;r tho s
ter without trial. unless the deserter is in state of
resistance or rebellion. This is a gOUernment of
Christian people, upheld 'Jy reason and based on
LAW; and every wanton, cruel, illegal, unsconst-
utional act by the military tends to array peo
pie against the government 1t is the interest as
well as the duty of military officers to act in such a
way as to make the people love, not hate the gov
ernment Il they love it, they will die for it if ne
cessary; but if they hate it, it will perish, and with
it our independence