t I f Mil
WILLIAM W .HO IiDI! N.
: v Editor and Proprietor, '"; scV' . A
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RALEIGH : SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1862.
! . ' The Latest News.
Our War News" column to-day will be ' found
quite interesting,- though no great battle has been
fought The last mails bring us but little news.
. Dispatches from Western Virginia affirm that
Gens. Ileth and Marshall attacked the Yankee Gen
eral, Cox, near New River, and have driven him
fromi that section, routing him with great loss in
prisoners, equipage, baggage, &c
In New Mexico our forces had attacked Col. Can
by's reinforcements, killing and capturing over 100
of the enemy. Our forces are now in possession of
Santa Fe.
A strong re-action in the public feeling of Ken
tucky is taking place, which it is thought will rev-
olutionizc the State. Abolitionism and Lincolnism
are working out their legitimate fruits there.
Col. Morgan has recently made a dash upon the
Nashville and Louisville Railroad, and destroyed 53
loaded cars. The Atlanta Confederacy says, he
captured $350,000 from the Yankees.
The Yankees are approaching Charleston by slow
stages. Five Federal vessels shelled Coles', Goat
and Kiawha Islands, about 15 miles from Charles
ton, on the 20th, and our forces retired, burning
their quarters, &c
But little can be gathered from the Richmond and
Petersburg papers as to the condition of matters
around Richmond. What McClellan is doing seems
not to be known, except that he is rebuilding the
bridge across Chickahominy. . .The Dispatch says
the enemy's advance is near Richmond, and a trav
eller on the cars reports that the Yankees are with
in C miles of that place. Gen. Johnson's head
quarters are in Richmond and our army near at
hand, and yet we hear of no fighting. Ihe talk is
strong yet about fighting and holding Richmond
but if Johnston allows McClellan to cross Chicka
hominy without the most determined resistance, we
predict the city will be evacuated in a fortnight
There is some talk of McClellan's passing around
the Swamp and uniting with McDowell. The Fed
eral gun-boats were at City Point No further at
tack had been made upon Drury's Bluff. Our forces
around Petersburg were being re-ihforced. No fur
ther news from "Stonewall" Jackson. Another
battle looked for. ,
It is reported that the first N. C. Cavalry, late
CoL Ransom's, had a skirmish on Sunday or Mon
day last with the enemy, in which it is said the
enemy lost 15 men. Our loss reported small.
The infamous proclamation of the infamous But
ler, at New Orleans, excites universal disgust and
the most bitter resentment.
Newbekn. Just before goi ag to press we received
from an intelligent and highly respectable gentle
men of Craven County, who recently left Newbern,
a melancholy account of the condition of our people
in that place and of the vandalism practised there
by the Yankees. We are compelled to defer it till
our next issue. He says the people there believe
that the Yankee loss at the battle of Newbern, was
not. less in killed and wounded than 4,000. About
15 Yankee soldiers die daily. What must it be in
August and September ?
Suffolk is believed to be occupied with Yankee
troops. The impression appears to prevail in Vir
ginia that Burnside will move his troops to that
point and join the forces from Old Point to move
upon Petersburg nd Richmond.
Onr Fourteenth Regiment.
As we have seen' no mention made in the papers
of the part taken by the 14th regiment of North-
Carolina Troops, in the recent battle near Williams
burg, it gives us pleasure to learn the following
facts: They were ordered, to their position about
3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and remained ex
posed to the fire of the enemy until night During
that time, however, they. were not idle, lor they
poured a galling fire among the Yankees, which
caused many of them to bite the dust The officers
and men, during the engagement, behaved with
great coolness and courage, and nobly sustained the
honor of the Old North State. ; .
The following officers are now in command of the
redment: Colonel, P. W. Roberts, formerly Cap
tain of, the Rough and Ready Guards; Lt-Colonel,
R. T. Bennett, Commissary of ihe regimeut ; Major,
E. Dixon, former Captain of the Cleaveland Blues.
All of whom were in the fight The following are
the casualties in this-regiment :
Liit of the killed and wounded in the lith Jf.. G.
Troopt, on tlie oth of May, near Williamsburg.
Company A, Roanoke Minute Men Private Pe
ter Boswell, Sllgtltiy wounueu.- -
T: Lezinalon. Wild Catt Private . A.
Penry, killed; private Monroe Peninger, slightly
wounded. . " ; '. .'
Company C, Anson Guards Private James M.
Smith imru ulirrhtlw wounded. - V -'
Company H, Stanley MaritmenPriya. EWn
Powder, mortally wounded. . . .' .
Company E, Oak City Guards. Private b.
Holmes, killprf- Uailev, M. Yarboroueh,-slightly
wounded; private L. H. Powers, killed; Sergeant
W. H. Hamilton, mortally wounded. ;:.
Company K, Raleigh Rifle Private John Las
siter, killed. '. '
Company O. Deid Guards Private j. D. Bad-
get, t, killed ; private Cornelius Hobbs, killed ; pri
vate ij. vv. Taylor, mortally wounded ; corporal J.
M: Lea. slightly wounded. .' r. : -
Company B. 3d Serg't R, M. Snider, slightly
The Yankees are said to have two regiments of
negroes formed and drilled in Washington City, .and
o ie at Charlestown, Va. . Similar attempts are said
to have been 'made at Port Royal and other places,
but tailed. .
TT i VVT7TTT .XT a OO .' '''i' n "iW." nr - ' ;v -
. A Word to the" Conservatives.
It is of the. utmost importance that - the govern
ment should be reformed, -f We have good Consti
tutions, both State and Confederate, and the frame
work of the government is all we could desire;
but the administration of government must be re
formed, and that speedily, or ruin will overtake .us
all. Those who have been in power for the last
twelve months have shown themselves utterly in
competent to manage our public affairs ; oiy if com
petent, they have been so occupied in parcelling out
offices among themselves, and in proscribing the
conservatives or late Union men, that they have not
devoted their time and their thoughts, as they should
have done, to the duties assigned them. Besides,
a large proportion of the leading public men of the
ultra secession school, in common with those of the
rank and file of the ultra secessionists, are so much
under the influence of impulse and passion as to
render them unfit for office. Impulse, passion, in
veterate prejudice, and a want of judgment and fore
caste, seem to be natural to them; and it is on this
account, as well as because of their selfishness and
greed for place, that they have shown themselves so
unequal to the crisis and so unworthy of the popu
lar confidence. They have had the control of pub
lic affairs for more than twelve months, and where
are we ? The people, if thev would save an v thins?
from the wreck, must rouse up and take their own
affairs into their own hands. They must turn out
the selfish, the venal, the passionate, and the short
sighted, and put the patriotic, the upright, the con
siderate, the clear-sighted, and the sagacious in their
places. They must do this, and do it at the next
election, or prepare themselves for still further trials
and sufferings, and still further and bolder infrac
tions of their rights, under the rule of the men who,
for the last twelve months, have so abused their con
fidence. And in order to effect this, there must be
unity and concert of action among the conserva
tive's, and no compromises of any kind with the de
structives. Let the conservatives hold their meet
ings and nominate their best men for the Legisla
ture, and let them have nothing to do with the de
structives or ultra secessionists but to tote them down.
The State is conservative, and opposed to the ruin
ous mismanagement which has heretofore prevailed,
by at least thirty thousand majority.
The conservatives or late Union men can never
forget the manner in which they have been treated,
during this war,. by the ultra secessionists. They
made the State a unit in April, 1861, and they have
contributed more men and more money to the war
than their opponents; and yet their opponents,'
happening to have the control of the State and Con
federate governments, have proscribed them from
all places of honor and trust in the civil and milita
ry service, and have treated them as a subject race
in their own country. And not only this, but this
proscription has been coupled with opprobrium and
insult Their best men have been charged with in
fidelity to the Southern cause, and many of them
singled ouc and marked as traitors. They have en
deavored, by sedition oaths and test oaths, and in
various other ways, to put a "hideous mark" upon
them ; and they and their children, though they
have given their blood and treasure to the South,
are to be pointed at hereafter as enemies to their
native land. There is but one present remedy for
this, and this remedy is to be found at the ballot
box. Conservatives! late Union men! "if you
have nature in you, bear it not." You have the
power :use it You have the votes cast them
against those who have so mismanaged public af
fairs, and so insulted and reviled you. They will
approach you with honied words and propose com
promise tickets, so as to avoid party spirit But it
is thus that the Devil quotes Scripture and affects
to be shocked at sin. Trust them not. Of all oth
ers, they are the fomentcrs of party spirit They
have made the government at Raleigh and the govern- j
ment at Richmond party machines, to advance their j
own interests, to put honors on their backs and money
in their pockets, and to gratify their hatred towards
the late Union men. And now, when they see the
hand-writing on the wall, they beg. They want to
j . . a il
compromise. Again we say, irusi mem not,.
We trust the Mass Meeting advertised to be held
in Raleigh on Saturday, the 31st, will be largely at
tended. Let every conservative be present A can
didate for Governor will be recommended, and a
ticket will be recommended for the Legislature which
will sweep the County by one thousand majority.
Come up, conservatives, and stand by your country-
in this hour of trial. .
Norfolk appears to be in the hands of the Dutch.
Persons who have recently left theje, represent that
the number of soldiers is not large, and that an en
tire Dutch regiment is among them. The people
of the place keep" aloof from the Federal soldiers.
Some distinguished man must have died, as the
colors of the port were at half mast on Saturday.
The municipal authority had been restored to Mayor
Lamb, it is said.
The people of Baltimore are represented as being
still devoted to the Southern cause. Though down
trodden, they still hope for a better day.
Many of the principal men in and .around Nash
ville have been arrested by Andy Johnson to fee
tried for treason. He has ordered the directors of
the State Bank at Nashville, who gave up the assets
to the Confederate leaders, that they must return
every cent which belonged to the State.
.-- iii
It will be seen from our columns that CoL Mor
gan and his rangers are still playing havoc with the
enemy. . '
Gov. Baylor of Arizona speaks encouragingly of
the Confederate cause in that territory. ' He calls it
a splendid country. ' y
The papers contain a
proclamation from. Gen.
Hunter, the Yankee commander in Georgia, South
Carolina and Florida, in which he emancipates the
slaves in those States, declaring that martial law
arid slavery are incompatible. This is another de
velopement of this wicked war. v ... ; " y
LouisTOii. Late- advices fronv Louisville say
that a great reaction is going on in that .city, and
that the people are reaay 10 reyo in mrgo Buiauerp
if they only had arms. ; The ,i eaerai iorce m Ken
tucky, we also learn, is verj small . . ..
i Abraham Lincoln has been on a visit to Old Point
and Norfolk. At theformer place ho "was welcomed,
hut; his reception at Norfolk on the part ofthe:citi-
tenB was decidedly cool.
"' . The Conscription Act. . . A : '
We publish to-day the list of exemptions under
the "Conscript, la wi- by the Secretary, of. War.:
" Anxious inquirers" on the subject' can see for
themselves who are and who are not exempts.
Gov.-Brownj of Georgia, has announced it, as his
opinion that the Conscription Act '? is not only sub
versive of the rights and sovereignty of the States,'
but is a palpable violation of the Constitution of the
Confederate States, and to that extent void and of
no binding force upon the officers of the militia of
Georgia." ' In a. general order issued by hiai, he
says; ' ' ' ..
"The language of the Conscription Act lately
passed, by Congress is general and embraces the
Officers of the Militia of the States as well as the
privates. . But the States having by the 16tb para
graph of the 8th Section of the 1st Article of the
Constitution of the Confederate States expressly
reserved ' to themselves not only the appointment of
the Officers of the Militia when . employed in the
'service of the Confederate States, but each State
having also reserved to herself the authority of
training her own militia according to the discipline
prescribed by Congress--which cannot be done
without officers and there being no. vacancy that
Attn lin H 1 1 is.-1 -.. aHA(liM. . n ........ 1X1 C i 1 1
v " " we j iiubuci iii unro au ituicer ui me
Militia is carried out of the State as a " Conscript"
without his consent, which if done generally, would
entirely destroy the Military organization of the
State and prevent her from exercising her reserved
authority of training her militia at a time when
the safety of her people absolutely requires that
this should be done to prevent internal insurrec
tions, that may occur at any moment without strict
military police regulations therefore the Commander-in-Chief,
after careful consideration of this
question, holds, that the Conscription Law, so far
as it interferes with the officers of the militia in the
discharge of their duties by attempting to reduce
them to the ranks, and place them under officers in
Confederate service (by which a Major General of the
militia, for instance, might bo forcibly taken from
his command and placed under the lowest subaltern
appointed by the President under the penalty of
death if he refuses to serve) is not only subversive
of the rights and sovereignty of the States, but is a
palpable violation of the Constitution of the Confed
erate States, and to that extent void and of no bind
ing forco upon the officers of the militia of Georgia.
He therefore commands every militia officer in
commission in this State to report by written com
munication, directed to " Henry C. Wayne, Adju
tant and Inspector General, at Milledgeville," speci
fying in his report, his rank, the number of his Dis
trict the date of his commission, the county of his
residence ; and his postoffice. Those who thus re
port are directed not to enroll themselves as " con
scripts," but to continue actively in the vigilant
discharge of their respective duties as officers of the
nii'.itia. 1 hose who report as herein directed, and
only those will be protected by the State against
the operation of the Conscription law."
The Governor of Georgia, it is seen, interposes
and practically nullifies the law so far as is necessa
ry to retain the militia officers of the State and the
existing organization of the militia. He has also
refused to have anything to do with enrolling the
conscripts, but leaves this business in the hands of
the Confederate government That he will be sus
tained in this course by a vast majority of the peo
ple of Georgia, we entertain no doubt
The Georgia Telegraph is much excited against
the Governor for the course he has thought proper
to pursue, and very plainly intimates that the Con
federate Government tuts the power to coerce Geor
gia, but says it would be better to leave " the whole
matter of nullification, insurrection and insubordi
nation to the Confederate Government to the cor
recting hand of time and public opinion." That
paper says :
" What but endless confusion and trouble can
come of such proceedings as this f Suppose the
Confederacy should insist upon vindicating its con
temned authority exercised in pursuance, of our
own sanction and consent through our own repre
sentatives ? Why, then we should have two wars
upon our hands before the month is out 1
But if she winks at the contempt, then she is
equally bound to wink at all contempt of her author
ity ; and what in that case will she be worth as a
government? A government is worth nothing for
our protection, unless' she can first protect herself.
But you say the- Confederacy will not attempt to
protect herself against Georgia at a time when she
is up to her elbows in blood against a common ene
my ! That is extremely probable ; but it docs not
console a generous mind that such a time should
have been selected to snub and insult the govern
ment" The Telegraph, in the above extract, has advanced
nothing more nor less than the Lincoln doctrine !
What will the federal government "bo worth as a
government" says Mr. Lincoln, " unless it can pro
tect itself " against rebellion and insubordination ?
And this from an original secessionist ! this from
one of the champions of State rights and State sov
ereignty ! The Telegraph forgets, or, if it remem
bers, it abjures the doctrine that under our form
of government the States are absolutely independ
ent and can nullify or secede at pleasure. What
power exists that can say to Georgia that Georgia
shall not do as she pleases ?
The want of forecast, which it is said rendered
this act necessary, is without example in the histo
ries of nations struggling for independence. The
dullest man that ever pitched a crop looks more to
the future, and makes better provision for it in his
particular vocation, than appears to have been done
by our common government in a matter gravely,
and perhaps vitally affecting our success.
This unconstitutional and oppressive conscrip
tion act was passed in secret session, and the people
do not yet know how their representatives voted on
it Let us have the yeas and nays. State secrets
on a subject which nearly and vitally concerns every
man, woman, and child in the Confederate States,
cannot be maintained consistently with the spirit or j
the principles of liberty. If the people are not per- 1
hiitted to know how their representatives vote" on
questions submitted and passed upon, they cannot
hold them, as it is their right and duty to do, to an
accountability for their conduct; and if the repre
sentative is not accountable to his constituents for
what he does or omits to do, then our system of a
free government is a failure. -. . . 'J. -
Lincoln has announced by . proclamation that on
the 1st of June next the ports of Beaufort, N. C,
Port Royal, S. C, and New Orleans will be open to
the commerce of the world. What amount of com
merce does he Suppose they can furnish 1 '
The Columbia (S. C.) Guardian speaks of wagon
loads of bacon and salt passing through the streets
of that place, and' hopes that it will fall into the
hands of those who will supply the community at
fair prices. Vain hope. ""' "- ' '
j The Charleston Mercury says that the little ice
in .that City has been forbidden to be sold by the
military.9iuthorities,for the purpose of keeping it
for the soldiers. A good idea.
o:.r!Li.
" No War but to fight if rat.".
So says the. Richmond Dispatch', and it is true,
;AH cooL discerning men saw this before; the war
was brought on,they-have seen nothing else from
the time ; thai Lincoln determined to coerce the
South. None but the cation-barons and the fire
eaters ever dreamed of ' peaceable secession, or of a
short war, pr of aid from Europe! Hard fighting
vigorous, terrible fighting by the South,' has-been
the only means of conquering a peace, in the judg
ment of sensible men. Why is it not done fr ,
"We hold the enemy at bay every where ; now
let us drive him! Let General Johnston swiftly
strike the blow that is to make him a name and give
him his rank among the Generals of this war. Let
Beauregard drive home upon Halleck, and strive for
another victory. . Let our commanders everywhere
show all their enterprise, all their skill, and all their
activity. They must not be afraid to trust their
soldiers, for no generals ever bad better. The only
question is, whether the officers are worthy of such
men and that is what we wish them everywhere
to prove."
' That is sensible talk. Our men will fight and '
many 0f 0r offlcers wllL
They did not enter the
war for the mere fancy, or the ambition to gain rep
utation. The rank and file, and we have no doubt
many of the officers have no other ambition but to
whip the enemy. The army is sick of "falling
back." In another article the Enquirer says : -"
To show the spirit of our soldiers, and their
reluctance in retreat and alacrity in fight, we repeat
the statement of an officer in Johnston's srmj.
His regiment was slowly making its unwilling way
in the retrogade march from Yorktown, when orders
came that a tight was in progress near Williamsburg,
and their aid was required. Immediately the regi
ment was on fire with enthusiasm ; and responding
with a shout it wheeled and retraced its steps, pass
ing in one-half an hour over ground that just before
had formed a five hour's march. And not a man
dropped out of the ranks. Such is the difference
between "forward I" and " retreat I" in the estima-.
tion of the noble fellows who compose our Richmond
army." .
What is true of the "Richmond Army" is true
of all our forces. In proof that they will fight
witness their courage and uniform success in skir
mishes, when off in detachments with fighting sub
ordinates, or with such men as Price and " Stone
wall" Jackson.
But the Enquirer must needs make a dash tit
croakers and complainers. Of what do they croak
or complain 1 Is it not for the lack of the very
thing which the Enquirer says ought to be done
and must be done? We have heard ho croaking or
complaining from any one against the principles of
the government or of the Constitution none that
wo hear, utter complaint decry, or mutter against
the Confederacy. It is wholly against the manage
ment of the government and the war. No govern
ment ever had a more hearty support of the people
than ours. No administration has ever been so ob
sequiously sustained and supported. Men, money,
talent, time every thing the people had has been
at its bidding ; and yet their beautiful country is
more and more overrun by the spoiler, and want,
poverty, and subjugation stare them in the face.
Our armies are made to bristle up and confront tho
enemy for a while, and then ingloriously to back
down, with a heavy loss of munitions, provisions,
clothing, &c The large forces of Johnston and
Beauregard are said to be enduring great privations
and suffering, and yet they are ready to fight Why
not put them in motion ? We have no fears of
Southern courage. Let them drive the enemy back
or die in the attempt Better, far better fall into
the hands of the enemy, fighting desperately, than
to slink away before him, until he wastes our. means
and resources, without striking a blow, rendering
us powerless, humiliated and poverty-stricken.
Rev. Wm. B. Welloss. This gentleman, tho ex
cellent Editor of the Christian Sun at Suffolk, Va.,
is within the enemy's lines. His card in the Peters
burg Express announces that he has been compelled
to suspend the publicion of the Sun, until circum
stances will permit him to resume. The Federals
occupy Suffolk, and he is thereforo cut off from all
communication with the patrons of the paper. . The
subscribers to the Christian Sun in North-Carolina
will therefore readily appreciate the reason why
they do not get the paper.
Edward Stanly.
A week or two ago we expressed a disbelief of t
the rumor, that Edward Stanly, of California, had
been appointed by Lincoln Provisional Governor
of North-Carolina, and that he had accepted the
appointment We gave our reasons for disbeliev
ing it We have since seen a letter which purports
to have been written by Gen. Burnside, and pub
lished in the Yankee paper at Newbern, which as
serts the fact and the following extract from the
New York Herald of the 15th inst, if any reliance
can be placed in that paper, confirms it:
" The Hon. Edward Stanly, a prominent citizen
of North-Carolina, who was fornerly a member of
Congress from the Newbern district and was pre
viously Speaker of the North-Carolina Legislature
and Attorney General of thati State, returned from
California on the Champion yesterday, and will soon
proceed to occupy the new position assigned to him
as Provisional Governor of North-Carolina."
We confess that we are surprised at this, although
there is no reason to be surprised at any thing now
a-days. Mr. Stanly's affiliation with black Republi
canism in California, it is well known, had lost bim
his popularity in Eastern North-Carolina, and Mr. S.
knew this to be so ; but that he should come back
to his native State as an officer of Lincoln, in bis
wicked attempt to subjugate our people, was what
we were not prepared to believe of any man of Mr.
Stanly's previous character and position.
Personal Controversy. When we inserted the
short article signed " A Conscript" a week or two
ago, we had no idea of opening the door to a bitter
personal controversy in our columns. ' Our readers
are not interested in this matter, except in the
County of Johnston, and many of those ho doubt
prefer its discontinuance. - Our friends, the parties
in the matter, must therefore submit to our deci
sion to stop it If Mr. Sanders desires to make a
rejoinder, he is entitled to it and we. will publish it '
but beyond that, if it be continued, which we should
regret, it must be through some other channel. t ?
- -r. ..... .,:;.'. - '. ' ','
The owners of cottonaionB tne Mississippi," are
generally burning it, to keep it from falling. into the
bands of the enemy. . " .' ' ,
. William T. Smithson, the Washington City
banker", whom the Yankees threatened to' hang fn
retaliation for the punishment of Webster, the. spy,
has been released from Fort Lafayette.
' ;"-" a- TankeeGon Bonis,. '-T. i.'..'
; : One of the most humiliating and damaging events
of thlswartothe South, is the - fright and alarm
produced both upon the government and the people'
by Yankee gun-boats. Clod-headed engineers and
parlor or saloon General have been put in com
mand of important positions, and in hot haste the
announcement has been made, "the position is im
pregnable." Timo wore on the people had be
come assured of safety, and lay on their oars en
gineers and Generals have lounged and dosed, until
suddenly they have been awaked by shell and sbof
from a Yankee gun-boat, when at once it was dis
covered that if the enemy had only delayed a few
days longer, or had attacked us from another quar
ter, we should have been ready- . But what now ?
Since Port Royal, and Hattcras, and Roanoke Island,
and Henry, and Donclson, and Columbus, andjsland
No. 10, and Pulaski, and lastly, New Orleans have
fallen, the whole coun try as if startled by an earth
quake, exclaims, "Yaniee .gun-boats L" " Yankee
gun-boats!" "We can't resist them it's useless
to try it" And forthwith the government aban
dons Norfolk, which Gen. Wool declares might have
been held by 5,000 men burns up the Navy-yard,
timber, every thingr-dismantles Craney Island and
Sewell's Point losing 200 cannon, powder and mu
nitions forces the destruction of the Merrimac, and
then gives up Pensacola and destroys the Navy-yard,
&c. And all for what ? Because of the Yankee
gun-boat panic which has seized" the country. We
ridiculed the Yankees last summer about their
shameful and cowardly alarm at the " masked bat
teries" which they imagined were every where to be
found. Are we placing ourselves in a less ridicu
lous position in regard to "Yankee gun-boats?"
Look at the facts, In every instance of failure, it
has been clearly shown that our defeat was chargea
ble to incompetent or negligent engineering, to poor
guns, scarcity of powder, inexperienced or undrilled
gunners, bad Generalship, or to unnecessary delays
in the execution of the work. Whose fault was it ?
Where does the responsibility lie ? Docs it lie
against the Yankee gun-boats ? Not at all. The
gallant defence of Fort Donclson, Island No. 10, Ft
Pillow and Drury's Bluff against Yankee gun-boats,
proves conclusively and irresistibly that it does not
The fault lies in our inefficiency or cowardice our
want of skill and forecaste unfaithfulness in the
agents oft the government or incompetency in the
chief officers who project and carry out our plans.
Who believes, for instance, that New Orleans would
have fallen, if Gen. Bragg had been in command,
and the government had backed bim liberally and
promptly ? No one. '
New Regiments. The 17th regiment, formerly
the 7th N. C. volunteers, has been re-organized Jit
Camp Mangum, by the election of Col. William F.
Martin, Colonel, (its former Colonel who was cap
tured at Hattcras;) Capt J. C. Lamb, Leut Colo
nel ; and Capt Thos. H. Sharpe, Major.
The 54th regiment was organized on the 17th by
the election of John Wimbish of Granville, Colonel ;
J. S. C. McDowell of Burke, Lieut Colonel ; and
K. M. Murchison of Cumberland, Major.
The Cincinnatta Gazette says the muster rolls of
Gen. Halleck's army in front of Gen. Beauregard is
160,000 effective men, but thinks it cannot be so
large. - .
Gen. Floyd has been appointed by the Legislature
Major General of the Virginia forces, with authority
to raise 20,000 men for the defence of Western Vir
ginia. A Yankee correspondent to the Northern papers
says, that .hlizabeth Kiver near .Norfolk, is of a
brownish color from the quantity of tobacco sunk
in tha river. Why will the Yankees lie so ? .
Salt. Waeonsare passing through this place
daily says the Salem Preu, on their way to the Vir
ginia Salt Works. One of the wagoners informed
us he paid one dollar per bushel, and was only
allowed at the rates of ten bushels (500 lbs.) for a
two-hprse wagon.
Cotton Factories.
The following letter is from an intelligent friend
who is doubtless considerate of the wants of the
poor. But our correspondent does not seem to be
aware of the extreme difficulty in which the ques
tion of extortion or exorbitant prices, placed the
Convention. The question was not, has the Con
vention the power to regulate the prices of cotton
or woolen goods pnluced by our State factories?
If cotton and wool factories were the onjy sinners
in this regard in North-Carolina, the duty of the
Convention would have been plain and easy. That
body could not -with any show of justice or reason,
however, determine to regulate the prices of cotton
and woolen goods, while there were thousands of ex
tortioners in other necessaries, suffered to go un
trammelled. But the question was, how can the
Convention wisely, justly and impartially, regulate
the prices of all necessary commodities bought and
sold, from a paper of pins or needles, to a bale of
cotton yarn, or any other article classed among
necessaries ? Every member of the Convention de
plored the existence of extortion, and was anxious to
do something to prevent it but the extreme difficul
ty of adjusting an ordinance which could be en
forced and which would, operate equally upon all,
prevented action. It therefore determined to lesve
the matter to be controlled by public opinion nd
the consciences of those engaged in trade: "
Salem, N. C, May 20, 1882.
To the Editor of the Raleigh Standard;: ;
Dear Sir: It is with some regret that I correct
a statement you made in your late editorial, as re
gards the price of yarn at -the factories in our vil
lage. They are not exceptions in favor of low
prices; but have actually ranged their prices at
higher rates than you imputed to other factories.
Yarn sells here at the factories at 2 25 per bunch,
though cotton is bought at about the same rates as
when yarn sold at $1 per bunch I . f -'' . .
; Why was it that our -Convention failed to follow
the example set by some of our sister States, and
protect the people against the extravagant prices
demanded for certain necessaries oi iner xnere
certainly was no constitutional provision that .de
terred the Convention from acting on a subject-that
directly affected the people at large.' They, looked
'with full confidence to thV Convention to protect
them against the many -money sharks that- infest
every community; and they argued thus: '.If the
Convention had lae power to sever: tneir connection
with the general government, it certainly coukLj'
claim the power to deter men front demanding,x
travagant prices for certain, necessaries ef life. -
The failure of action pa 'this subject, was a little
akin to the bill passed to restrict distillers after the
fifteenth of April By that day, it was notorious,
near nine-tenths of the distillers " would stop opera
tions at all events, and turn their attention to the
working of the farms. FORSYTH.
' rJ3i!iatkirmkh.
- The following interesting letter from our valued
rrespoirfent,'gimBv:aocoaBt of the latest skir
mish Lwitbl the enemy below Trenton, which will b
seen to have been one of the most brilliant affairg of
the. wan -: Qur icSbrreapondent ia not only intelligent
and reliable, but being av member of another rejei-
ment 'tH-la V r, 1 - . . ii:
t i - . y. vavairy, nis account is impar- i -p i
a ms aHair confirms fully what we have here- U
tofore saiS, that the 2d N. C. Cavalry contains some
trf" the best Bghtine stock in the KtAUt and differ- '
"ltntfroin that which it has re- )
.;ceived ft0m Tthe authorities of the State, would have
rendered it as efficient as any regiment of Cavalry
in the Confederacy. T&e regiment has been organ
ized ten months or' more, and to this hour we pre
sume, it is not fully armed and equipped. The 1st
N. C. avalry being rather a favorite, may have
fared better, than the 2nd any way, in these re
spect8,.but we have reason .to know that its early'
and prompt equipment was mainly owing to the
zeal and indomitable perseverance of its Colonel,
now General Ransom. .
Better or braver troops no State in the Southern
Confederacy has furnished, whether infantry, cav
alry or artillery, than North Carolina. If at any .
time they have exhibited inefficiency or ill success,
it has been owing to deficiencies in their equipment
or means, or in those officers, who were not ap
pointed because of their fitness, W on account of
personal or political considerations. It is rumored
that the loss of the enemy in killed in the affair
named, could not have been less than 25, besides a -number
of wounded. '
" " Outposts or thb Abut, )
. May 17, 1802. .
I have the pleasure of announcing to you a very
"handsome" skirmish which occurred on our lines
on the 15th, between a portion of the 2nd Cavalry,
and an advance column of the enemy. Early in
the morning, an advanced scouting p arty of the
Yankees attacked our videttes on the road leading
to Newbern from Trenton, on the North side of the
Trent; the videttesa-etreating,. hotly pursued by
the Yankees, who Iguess were felicitating them
selves trpon " dispersing rebels" in such a hasty man
ner. The reserve of the pickets, coranTanded by
Lieuts. Rogers and Graham, and stationed a short
distance off the main road, suddenly entered the
road, upon the alarm being given, and charged down
upon the column of Yankee cavalry moving rapid
ly up. .Then commenced the bait Our men dis
charged their fire-arms as promptly as possible
then drew their sabres, and went to work in regu
lar style. The galling fire they had given the ene-
' my on coming up, and their thrilling yells as they -
oore down on tnem, added decidedly to the discom
fiture of the blue coats, and they commenced falling
back. The platoon which had pursued the fugitive
videttes, hearing the fighting in their rear, wheeled,
and our men found themselves attacked by this
body also, in their rear. Then commenced . a con
flict which I imagine was proportionately similar to
that which Eckmuhl and Cowpens witnessed. The
steel of foemen rang vividly against that of his an
tagonist, and cries of agony (I am told by one who
heard,) mingled with the shouts of enthusiasm and
the sharp cracks of small arms The Yankees con
tested well the ground for about half a mile, and
until their infantry and cavalry made their appear
ance on the roadside, and in a small old field. Our
men having cut through the force attacking them
in their rear, on seeing their infantry, immediately
withdrew out of range to await further demon
strations. ' r
The Yankees now returned to where the fight
was opened hastily collected their dead and wound
ed burned the church and dwellings around which
the fight raged, and concluding that it would not be
advisable to await further movements on cur part,
beat a retreat to their encampment completely fail
ed in their attempts to force a column upon Tren
ton, which they evidently designed doing. Their
loss as reported by citizens who saw, was five am
bulance loads of dead and' wounded, and five pris
oners which fell into our bands, together with eight
horses and. their equipments, several pistols, sabres
and other cavalry accoutrements. Their force was
200 cavalry, 2,000 infantry and a battery of can
non. Our force was between 40 and 50 cavalry,
from the companies of Capt Hays, Capt Andrews,
and Capt Turner, almost the entire number being
from Capt Hays' company, commanded by Lieut
Rogers. We Jost one man killed (Mr. Ray, of Capt
Hays' company,) with several slightly wounded,
mostly with sabres. We lost two or three horses
killed. . (
It looks decidedly marvelous and improbable that
so small a force as ours should effectually check and
whip so superior a force as the cavalry ' they en
countered on the 15th but what I have stated is so,
if Well sustained reports are to be relied upon. But
the 2nd Cavalry, that were engaged, are certainly
fighting men. I am convinced that the regiment
has been belied by the slanderous reports circulated.
It has undoubtedly some of the best fighting mate
rial that the State has in the field, and if they
were efficiently armed, equipped and officered, the
regiment would win as high a reputation as any in
the service has achieved. The locality of their re
cent skirmish is on the road mentioned, and about
4 miles below Trenton, near a Mr. Foscue's planta
tion, and around White Church. Five companies
of our regiment are now on picket here, and I trust
you will bear a' good account of us in my next
- TENN.
The wealthy cotton merchants of New Orleans
have issued a circular to the cotton planters urging
them to destroy their cotton rather than send it to
that City, for the purpose of encouraging the revival
of trade with Europe through the agency of the
Yankees. . : " -
EXBMPTIOSS FROM THE CONSCRIPTION LAW. The
Executive Council of this State has adopted and
published a resolution, construing the Conscription
Act of Congress as exempting from Conscription
all persons at the time legally exempt by the laws of
the State, including, in South Carolina, the exemp
tions made by the Convention, and those made by
the Governor and Council by authority of the Con
vention, and those; made by the Legislature and
retained by the Council ; the Governor and Council
holding that the Exemption Act of Congress does
not repeal the' Conscription Act but is concurrent
with; the existing laws of the State. Charleston -Mercury.
' j
The occurrence at Charleston of the stealing of
the Steamer Planter in broad daylight 8 one Of
the most shameful events of this war. The troth is
that this war has been rather misunderstood. Offi
cers seem to have thought it a nice frolic, and the
wearing of uniform a " gay old thing," without a
due regard to the deep responsibilities involved.
We doubt much judging from the number of officers'
uniforms visible about every town, whether as a rule,
the officers in any branch of the Confederate service
devote themselves sufficiently to giving personal at
tention to their commands. Wil Journals
The .magnanimity of Gen. Beauregard, we hear,
prompted him to Under to Gen.. Price any posi
tion in the coming battle at Corinth which he would
indicate. Getu- Price "replied to this magnanimous
tender from the eommahder in-chief, that, if left to
himself he would take the position . of danger"
whereupon he was assigned the frpnt position and
allowed to lead off in the fight We know not
which most to commend the magnanimity of Gen.
Beauregard or the cool aad brave daring of Gen.
Price. . We hope they both will win fame for theui
f elves and victory for their country 1 None win be
more rejoiced than ourself if audi should be the
result at Corinth.; Memphis Avalanelu.
A Mississippian is very much irritated at the
"serins." He says that the first plague that came
upon him was the county scrip, then the railroad
scrip, and flow, to cap the dimax, here comes the
Merint Poor fellow, be might have added a post
orio't and offered some of the county or railroad
gcrip to get out of the conscript scrape. .
' r Th Wmat Chop. We are gratified to ace from
every quarter encouraging accounts of the promis
ing appearance of the Wheat crop. Itppears that
a greater quantity of land has been sowed :r
usual, and. as said by the Western Carolinian u
oldest, inhabitants ignorant of a Wore Pr'i-
,.i mil. D. '
Jieill. XIM. lW'"i
r j
1'
111
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