Year: 1863

dldate to represent you in the next Confederate
Congress. Regarding it as one of the fundamental
principles of a republican form of government, that
the people have light to know the opinions Of
those who offer for their snffrages as to enable
them to cast their votes in reference to their pres
ent welfare ana future happiness, feel it my duty
to lay before you my views upon such subjects as
will most likely occupy the attention of the next
Congress.


We may most naturally suppose that during its
next session, Congress will be almost wholly
pied IN legslating upon the present unhappy con-
dltion OF our country, and the bloody civil war
now raging between the North and South. In these
patterS shall deem it my duty to shape my course
IN reference to the most successful and satisfactory
mode OF securing an honorable and speedy peace.


In the accomplishment of this object, dear to the
heart OF every true statesman and patriot we must
proht by the lessons OF the past and learn to shape
our future course by the bitter experiences of this
dreadful war, remembering that there is but one
lamp by which to guide our feet "and-that is the
lamp Of experience"


We have tried peaceable secession, Yankee cow
ardlce, King Cotton and foreign intervention, and
they have all signally failed, predicted by
those who calmly viewed the then impending
troubles from proper standpoint; and surely
there is now no one so devoid Of reason, as 10 de-
sire to travel over the same road again, with its
frlghHul consequences so fresh in their memories.
What shall then do to terminate this cruel strife
between brethren, is the alabSorbing ISSUE which
engages the attention of every man, woman anu
child capable OF approaching the present unhappy
condition of affairs.


In my humble opinion low-cilzens, there are
but two alternatives left us-either to negotiate an
honorable peace or to- conquer one and as Chris
tan people, who, at the request Of their Chief Mag
istrate, have recently invoked the blessings of
Heaven in your behalf l ask you should we not
offer the "Olive branch" to our enemies, and thus
endeavor to secure an honorable termination to this
fearful struggle? Thirty millions of immortal beings
wCuld be the recipients of its hallowed blessings
But should we fail, we would then have the conso-
latlon of knowing that we had discharged our duty
to God and our fellow-man; and the blood of this
war would thencefOrth rest upon the skirts of our
enemies alone. The cry would then GO up from
every patriotic heart, let rather die rs frcelnen
than live as slaves! 1t would produce concert of
action once more the last dlscordant note would be
hushed and the last man seek to lay down mis- life,
as freely as brave soldiers have hitherto shed
their blood upon the battle field.


In this connection, | will allude to the right Of
the people to assemble together to consult for the
public good, to instruct their representatives and
petition the Legislature for redress of grievances
II is Constitutional right bequeathcd to them by
the blood and treasure Of their revolutionary an
ceslors, and none but military despot would at
tempt TO wreSC it from them. Is there any one so
blunt Of feeling SO devoid of understanding as to
deny that war is a witherng, bightng curse upon
any nation? Then let the people assemble and ex-
press their opinions upon it. If their proceedings
are unlawful and injurious, they are amenabe to
the civil law and not to the military which should
be kept in strict suGOrdinaton. Let US not depart
from the teachings Of Washington and his COM
patriots


This brings me to another subject-the freedom
of the press. The teachings. Of these iustrous
fathers equally applicable here 1t was with
them the great bulwar of liberty" and its rights
were never abridged. Who but military tyTant
desires TO see this great cornerstone of bety DOW
dered to dust? The father of our present Com
lnanderin-chief received a wound in Baltimore in
defence OF this right, the freedom of the press the
mark of which lie carried to the grave


] feel it my duty to cali your attention to sub
iect which has occupied much of the public atlen-
ton of North Carolina ! refer to the department
OF the Confederate administration and Congress to-
wards our State. 1t mas been charged that North
Carolina has been treated unjusty both in the civil
and military departments, by having from
other States placed in Office within her borders
the exclusion of her own sons. 1t mas been Chal Q.
ell that she has been required to send mere men 10
the army than any other State according to popu-
lation. have not the data before TO decide the
truth of these charges, but if they so, it is
burning shame-a disgrace that should put TO blush
the most abandoned of race. If elected shall


institute the proper enquiries to ascertain the facts
, and apprisc you of them at the proper time.
favor The strict accountability of the represen-
tative to his constituent and am therefore Oppos-
ed to secret sessions and closed doors. But little
good comes of them, much harm may result from
them, and besides, they are Gntirepubcan in their
tendency, and should not be tolerated by free
people.
| am opposed to the " tax in kind law passed
| by the last Congress L: is alike unjust and op-
pressve in its operations; and OF its most OBJ


ectIonable features is the depriving of the wives
and children Of our soldiers Of part Of their hard
| earnings, when so few of them make more than a
! Scanty support.


am opposed to the odous twenty negro feature
in the Conscript law, paraeIed only by LincCla's
emancipation proclamation. why one man with
! twenty negroes should be exempt from the tolls and
dangers of camp-life, and another with nineteen
none conscrpted, is an idea that have never been
able to comprehend, upon Inc principles of equity
! and commonsense | am opposed to the principle
| of exemption in every shape, except in cases oi
mental and physical inability.


Much has been said in certain quarters about
submission and reconstruction. If those who were
! instrumental in breaking up the old government,
and have refused to fight for the new, not sub
mssonists, am at loss to know who are. What
was LOYALTY in one man three years ago, in advoca
ting the dissolution of the old Union, is treason in
another man now; and if there be any recOnStruc-
tionsts they certainly have the precedent of the
cessioniSs by which to prove their loyalty Let
these men who cry treason! treason pluck the
beam from their own eye, so that they may behold
the mote in their brothers more clearly. They de-
sign again to mislead and deceive the people.
am in favor of raising tie wages of the common
soldier from eleven to thirty dollars a month. The
present exorbitant prices, together with the scarci
ty of the neceSSares Of life, demand it an act Of
Justice; and at the same time, more pramptitade
should be observed in the payment of their wages.
Our currency should engage the early attention
of Congress. Ifs present deprecated state is re-
sultng njuriouly and regret to say, it is caused in


great degree by the bad faith OF Congress- in alter


ing the terms as expressed in the face Of the notes
Nothing can 50 speedily remedy the enI, as to
make the notes legal tender.


Fellow citizens, let me assure you that no effort
Of mine shall be ~anting to secure an honorable
permanent aad speedy peace. 1t is the prayer o.
thousands Of widows and orphans and should bt
the animatn5 desire Of every true statesman.
will, moreover, endorse no terms of peace, as youl
tod