Year: 1864

Tor conscripting all the people of the South


between the agos Of eighteen asd fifty .fve
years, and also reyoking the exemptions of
those who have furnished substitutes, and
which bill has passed the House of Repre-
sentatves and At tho last accounts was before
the Senate, has produced much excitement
in the rObolious Stated, and especially in
North Carolina, The popular feeling in the
latter State finds a voice in tho Raleigh
Progress published at the State capital, d
late number Of which contains tho following
remarkable editorial article, which has
special significance from it's confident refer.
ence to tho Governor and Legislature and
othor State officers:


Tho present Congress ia bent on fastcn.
ing military despotsm on tho people OF
these Confederate States, and the people
must other submit quietly TO receive the
yoke, or resist the tyranny Resistance to
tyranny is obedience to God. and the people
or North Carolina will not hesitate as TO the
course they should pursue. Pass the bill to
enroll the whole population reported in the
House by the Military COMMITTEES on yes
terday and spontaneous cry will come up
from evory nook and corner of North Car.
olina for Convention, and unless tho mill
tsry shall gag the last man in the State in
cluding tho Governor the Legislature, and
other State officers, they will havo it,


"Mr. Davis has the reputation Of a pa
trlot and statesman, and as such we implore
him to use his influence to arrest tho mad
ness Of Congress. Pass the tyrannical bill
reported by the Military Committee ara th,
collision so long talked of between North
Carolina and the Confederate States is upon
us We may be imprisoned for this Secla.
ration, but believing before God and man
That ws arc doing our duty, we appeal to
the President and his Congress to pause and
reflect before it is too late. North Carolina
cannot and will not submit TO havo every
ablc-bodiod man conscribcd, and the whole
State turned into military camp. We want
to achieve an independence over the COM
mon enemy, but we are not willing to be.
como the vassas Of usurpers at home to
achieve that or any other object We speak
me words OF truth and sobcrdess because
we know tho sentiments Of the great mass
Of tho people in North Carolina This State
will never willingly submit to n despotism
with Jefferson Davis or any ono else at its
hend"


Nor is the Progress alone in its express
sion Of intense dissatisfaction. Another
paper, tho Press, published at Salem, in For
syth county, one hundred and twenty milos
west Of Raleigh, contains the following
article upon the exodus of its citizens 10
svcd tho Operation Of the new military
bill and the widc spread anxiety for peace
1t -ays:


"Fvory dag t0nvinhes lie moro ard moro
that we are upon tho eve of events which
arc pregnant with the iato Of the Confede.
racr, Grne all seems quiet but it is but
the lull that preccdos n storm. Every pa.
per we open contains remarks upon the ex.
odns of our citizens from their homes to
avoid The recent law placing the principals
of substitutes into the army. Even men who
were devoted to the cause of Southern hide
pead'nrr feel thor courage grow less and
less as the prospect for placing them into
the army becomes more and more certain.


Men cry for peace peace who former
~ cried as Justify for war to the bitter end,
and who seemed ready to take their lives in
their hands and shed the last drop Of blood
in the cause Of their beloved South Is
this calculated to strengthen or encourage
the lukcwarm---those who honestly doubted
the ability Of the South to conquer her inde.
pcndcnce? Is this calculated TO cause the
enemy to fear and trembc, or to encourage
our soldiers in tho field?


Last summer, when the people held
meetings in many counties in the State, with
q view to iaaugurate negotiations for an
honorable peace, til y were den ,unced as a
band Of traitors who were stirring up strife,
and giving aid and comfort to the enemy
A change now seems to have come over the
spirit Of their dream and the time is not
far distant when all will agree that this war
must be brought to a close by other means
than by the sword "


In the Confederate Congress, o, the 5th
ultimo. Mr. Read, Of North Carolina, intro
duccd Joint resolution of thanks to certain
North Carolina troops who had re-enlisted
for the war. In the course of his remarks
Mr.. Read alluded to the malignant charge
that North Carolina was dsloya and said


II do not conceal from Senators that there
is dissatisfaction in North Carolina. And
the question is again and again asked,
What does it mean? 1t is easy to tell you
what it does not mean, and quite a. easy,
but much more tedious, to tell you what 1t
does mean. 1t does not mean dsloyalty-
It means rather an excess of loyalty to the
State. without any abatement towards the
Confedcracy This ought to be satisfactory,
at least to those outside Of the State.


Suspicious distrust and threats on the
part Of the authorities have chafed her con-
tinuallv And Senators have doubtless
heard as have, that it has been gravely
considered whether force ought not to be
employed to overawe and silence her people,
Distrust of her has begotten distrust in her
towards them and now she is alarmed afresh
at the dangerous power. which it is pro.
S1sed in Congress to confer.