Year: 1863

The following preamble and resolutions were in
troduced in the House of Commons on Thurday last,
by Mr. Avera of Johnston, and laid on the table.
They embody in all probability the views and feel
ings of very large majority of the people of john
ston County


WHEREAS, All political power is vested in and de-
rived from the people And Whereas it is an inalien-
able right guaranteed to freemen to assemble in
public meeting and consult for the common good
and give public expression to their honest senti.
meHts upon questions of policy pertaining to the
good of their common country. And, whereas tho
freedom of speech and Of the press is the great
bulwark Of civil liberty, the suppression of the
same should never be tolerated by republican and
free people And whereas, we are at this time
and have been, for nearly three years. engaged in
deadly conflict of arms with the federal government.
And, whereas, our arms have been crowned with the
most brilliant victories that the annals Of history
record in any age country, and still the breach
between US appears to get wider and yet wider.
And, whereas, yet there has been no formal prop.
ostion for negotiations and settlement of the ques
tiOns dispute between And, whereas, it is
the wish of large majority of the freemen of North
Carolina expressed at the ballot box for repreSen
tatives to the Confederate Congress- that all honor
able means should be used to stop the strife deso-
laton and horrible slaughter of human life that
must follow continuance Of this dreadful war:
Therefore,


ResOLred, That the freemen of North. Carolina
have the constitutional right to hold public meet
ings and consult together for the good of their
mon country; and that when the freedom of speech
and of the press of this State is trampled under
foot and suppressed by mob violence military
force with impunity, the people to be free
men and become vassals and Slaves to military
deSpotism, which will never be tolerated in North
Carolina.


ResolUed, That the wise and independent deci-
sions of the judiciary of the State cannot be too
highly priced by all lovers of republican liberty,
and North Carolina as a sovereign State will ever
maintain and defend its loyal decisions, assaied
from whence they may and that all true North
Carolinans should be justly proud of the name of
our patriotic Governor Vance, for his noble defence
and maintenance of the decisions of the judiciary
and the laws of the State.


Resolred, That formal negotiatonsfor an amcable
and honorable settlement of our present national
troubles upon the basis of separation with CONNER
cal treaties offensive and defensive should at the
earliest day possible be commenced with our enemy,
by the legal treaty making power OF the Confederate
States of America and we do hereby most respect
fully request and instruct Senators and Repre-
sentatives in Congress to make an effort to bring
about negotiations bE instructing the President to
at once appoint ambassadors, whose duty 1t shall be
TO make and receive propositions from enemy
pointing to a settlement and peace, and to propose
to the Federal Congress the calling of peace con-
venton of the people, by both sections to be repre-
sented by delegates to be selected by the people of
the sovereign States to make an honest, patriotic,
Christian effort as brethren, to put stop to the
present cruel, savage and unchrstian war, with
power to ratiy Subject to vote Of the peOpel any
treaty or compromise they may make.


Rcs0Ioed, That we are justly proud Of the chival-
ry and heroic V.lor of brave soldiers who have
so nobly batted in the defence of our rights upon
every battle field Of this bloody war; and we exhort
them to stand firmly By their colors as We can not
and must not relax any constitutional effort for a
vigorous prosecution of the war to an honorable
peace until armistice and cessation of hostites
declared for negotiation of treaty Of peace as
we can but hold the olive branch of peace in one
hand and the sword in the other, until we make
a settlement by negotiations or are recognized as
a free and independent people. &.