Year: 1863

Luz OOSoJOcT S COTTeCL III euyluR Luhb bhS ASoi
orginators of party feeling are those who admins
tered the State government in 1851, when our peo-
pie determined to resist Mr. Lincoln's procama-
ton. But 60 further and say, that this was on
ly part of the party programme that leo 10 'ne
dissolution of the Union, and which has goVerneu
the Confederate administration from its lnaugura-
ton at Montgomery to the present moment "hen
our people separated from the federal Union and
united themselves with the government at Mont
gomery, they did so in the belief that men of all
shades of opinions would thenceforth be political
equals, and that the form of government adopted
would be so administered as to preserve the rights
of the sovereign States, and protect the free ex-
preston of thought and opinion. In this they
have been grievously disappointed. The admins
tration of Confederate affairs has been strictly par
tizan. No man who did not regard the election OF
Mr. Lincoln as good cause for dissolvng the Union
has been admitted to the Cabinet councils of the
President. Prescription of such men, both in the
field and council, has been the order of the day
and not only this, but when they have complained
of such treatment and endeavored to correct the
errors and blunders of the administration, they
have been sssailed in venomous terms and threat
ened with a "hideous mark" which would dis.
grace them and their children.


But even this could have been borne for the sake
of the country, if the rights of the States and the
liberty of the citizen had been respected. When
North Carolina seeded the States were regarded
as the masters of the system, and the government
as the servant of the States to their will
How is it nowH Under the operation of laws not
Il L. n. A.. L..
to be voluntary in its character and the Governors
of the States have become mere registers of the
will Of Congress and the Executive The conscrip-
ton and the tIthing law leave nothing to the States
but the central government takes our fighting men
with hand, and the tenth of our substance with
the other. If the first was really necessary the
States themselves could have enforced it. and each
State could have kept its quota of men in the field
in brigades, duly offcered; and if provisions
needed, and could not be purchased, the States
could have furnished them by system of purchases
of their own, and taken in exchange for them the
currency of the government Seizures of persons
and property have become common as they are
in France and Russia. Personal liberty has been
made dependent on the mere will of army officers
appointed by the President. Hundreds have been
arrested for opinions sake, immured in dungeons,
denied trials before the civil tribunals and released
only when the military power chose to do it. Our
Courts when they have interposed to protect these
unfortunates and to uphold the law have been dis
regarded in many instances, and their integrity
fected on in gross terms by the War Department
at Richmond. The Confederate currency, which
is the life blood of the SYSTEM and the emanation
of plighted public faith has been to some extent
repudiated as matter of convenience; and por-
ton of it in instance has been refused by
Cabinet officer, on the same ground, in open viola
ton of law of Congress. Our patient uncom-
planning, heroic soldiers have been placed in the
van of every battle and in the rear of almost every
retreat; and when they have fought with an ardor
and steadiness which would have reflected credit
on the old guard of Bonaparte itself, just praise
has been denied them by journals supposed to
speak for the administration, and their fathers and
brothers at home who are Conservatives, have been
held up as disoyal and unfriendly to the cause
Brgadiers and Major Generals from other States
have been placed over them in many instances, and
when such officers have been appointed frou our
State they have been almost invariably of the same
politics with the administration. Prescription has
thus been practiced over the very bones and blood
of our people. Superadded to all this has been the
appointment of surgeons, enrolling officers and the


like from other States over our regiments and over
our people at home, until the crowning outrage
was reached by the appointment of Maj Bradford,
of Virginia, to collect the tithes This led to the
first public meeting held in this State; and but for
this and other meetings, and the earnest remon-
strances of Gov. Vance, Maj. Bradford would still
be Tithingman for this State.


Such are some Of the causes that have reused the
people of this State to Of their rights and
led to the meetings so much deprecated by the o.
ser0er But there are other causes, growing out of
the partzan policy referred to- and out of the ine


cheney which must always characterize party ad
mlnlstraon in the midst of great revolution like
the present The arms of the whole country, it is
true, have been dedicated to this struggle but only
half of its mind if much as that has been called
into requisition The counses of every great sta
man and good man who die not believe that Mr.
Lincoln elections sufficient cause for Inaugural
ting civil war, have been as efectually excluded
from the ear of the President in his practical admin
vi aS ii Lney QaQ Oeen e4-
lies in foreign lands. The idea that secession would
be peaceable the great mistake that underes the
whole movement. The President was urged at
Montgomery to purchase the stock of cotton then
on hand as means of procuring ships, munitions
of war, and other necessary supplies, and also as q
basis for paper currency; and also to call for
and accept five hundred thousand volunteers. He
declined to do it and his Congress ordered fifteen
thousand stand of arms, and borrowed fifteen mil
lions Of dollarsl Seeing his mistake but not admit
ting it by calling statesman who had thus advised
him to his aid, he adhered to his party policy, and
ran to the other extreme of general couscription
of seven hundred thousand men, without due re-
gard to the productive interests which success
Iul prolongation of the war must mainly depend
under the lead Of pet Generals whose incompetencY