Year: 1864

waste of time for ms to argue the matter. And
yet I should not hold myself glIiltlsss Of the
consequences which fear viii follow, did not
yet add another weEd of sxpostisls.ion to the
many have already spoken.


II the bill referred 10, about which can form
no opinion until I see it, be strictly within the
limits Of the Constitution, imagine the psoplc
of this State will submit to it--so great is theiE
regard for law. If It is adjudgsd, On the contra
~, to be in violation of that instrument and rev.
olUsi0nRTy in ITSELF It viii be resisted. Should
it become q law soon, earnestly advise you to
be chaTy of exercising the powers 'Hith which il
will invest you. Be content to try at least for .
while, the moral effect of holding this power
over the heads of Disseminated men before
shocking all worshipers of the common law
throughout the world, by hurting freenen into
sheriffissS dungeons for opinion sake. do not
speak this faeiiouslY, or by way OF flourish.
Nor do l believe that As an enlightened lawyer,
and . Chrisiian statesman, you c0uld feel any
pleasure in the performances of such an uDgTs-
eiOus task. I am, on the contrary, convinced
that you believe it 10 be the only vFay TO secure
North Carolina in the performance of her obi
cations to her COnfederAtes.


The misfortune of tha belief is yours, the
shame will light upon those unworthy sons who
have thus sought TO stab their mother because
she cast them of. Il our citzsns are left, an
touched by tho arm Of military violence, do
not despair of an appeal TO the rsason and pat
notism of the people of the ballotbox. Hun
dreds of good and true men now acting with,
and possessing the confidence Of the party
called Conservatives, are st work against the
dangerous movements for = eorVsation, and
while civil law remains intact will work seal
oJsly and with heart. expect myself 10 take
the field as soon as my position viii allow me,
and shall exert every effort to restrain the revo.
lutiOnGTy tendency of public opinion. Never,
Jet, sir, have the people Of North Csrolins re-
fused to listen 70 their public men if they show
right and reason on their side. / 30 not fear 10
trust the issue now TO these potent weapons in
the hands of such men AZ will wisld them next
summer. do fear TO trust bsyoHets and dun
geons. I endeavored soon after my accession
70 the chief mRgistTacy of North Carolina to
make you aware of both the fact of disaf5c.iOn
in this State and the cAuBe of it. In addition
to the many letters to you, l have twice visited
Richmond expressly TO give yoa information
on this point


The truth is, as I have often said before, the
great body Of our people have been suspected
by their government, perhaps becHuse of the re-
luctsnce with which they gave up the old
Union; and know you will pardon me for say
ing thst the consciousness of their being sus
Pected has been greatly strengthened by what
seemed to be a studied exclusion OF gnti-aeees
sionists from all the more important offices Of
the government, even from those promotions in
the army which many of them hEd won with
their blood Was this suspicion just And was
there sufficient effort made to disprove that II
existed, if it really did exist, in Richmond
Discussion, it is true, has been unlimited and
bitter, and unEelenting criticism upon your ad-
minissrAtion has been INDUCED in; but where
and when have our people tailed you in battle,
or withheld sither their blood or their vast re-
souIcesi To what exactiOn have they not CUB
mittsd-WhRt draft upon their patriotism have
they yet dishonored1 Cenacrieiion, ruthless
and unrslenfing, has only been srcseded in the
severity Of lts execution by the ilnpressmeHt Of
property, frequently entrusted to lnsn unprinci-
pied, dishonest, aud flled to ovMhowing with
all the petty meRnness Of small minds dressed IN
. little brief authority.


The files of my Office are piled up with the
unsvailiDg complaints of outraged citizens, to
whom redress is impossible. Yet they have
submitted, and so far performed with honor,
their duty to their country, though the FOiee of
their very natural murmur Is set down to dig-
loyalty. l do not hold you responsible for Hll
the petty ann0YAnces, the insoiance of Office
under which our people lose heart and patience
Even If l do, l cannot forget that il ia my
country that 1 am serving, not the rulers Of that
country. I make no threat. desire only with
singleness of purpose and sincerity Of heart, to
speak those words of sobsTness and truth, which
may, with the blessing Of God, best subserve
the cause Of my suffering country


Those words | now believe to be the advice
herein given, to refrain from exercising the sx-
trsordinsry powers about to be given you by
the Congress, at least until the last hope Of
moral influence being sufficient, is extinct
Though you expressed fear in yoUr last letter
that my continued efforts to conciliato were in
] 1dicious, l cannot yet see just cause for aban-
doning it. Perhaps lam unduly biased ia my
Judgment concerning a people whom love,
and to who l owe so much. Though trust
not Our SUCCESS depends not Oil the numbers
engaged to support our cause, but upon their
zeal and affection. Hence have every hope
in peTsuading, not one in forcing, the sympA-
thies Of an unwilling people.


The Legislature of this State neetS next May
Two thirds are required by sur constitution to
call a convention. This number cannot be OBJ
tanned, bare majority vote for submitting the
propesition, will, IN my opinion, be impossible.
Under no circumstances can q convention be
assembled in North Carolina during the present
year, in my judgment, and during next sum
neR the approaching State elections will afford
an opportunity for f1ll and complete diseas-
sion Of all the issues, the result of which do
aa. fear if left 20 ourselves. II there be q pso-
pie on EARN given W. tha a0hax see1ga thought,
smenabls to reason and PegRrdfuI of theH
plightsd honor, I believe that may claim that
it is the people of North Carolina.


Very respectfully,


Your ob't servant.


q B. VANCE.