fears on their side; you see what I mean. If nothing can be done to quell the submissive spirit, the Confederacy has nothing to hope from here. I cannot yet judge of the tempter and purpose of Congress. But a Government with power can alone now save us. Let the President immediately secure in every post in the State a firm friend and a patriotic officer. Let him be so selected from the State as to give no cause of complaint, and then let measures be adopted as will deter men from hurting the cause, or punish them immediately if they do. I have as little at stake now as most men, and can go down with those who fall with the country, but there is no need to allow trouble in North Carolina. It can re ready quelled by energy and proper governmental authority. The Legislature has adjourned and does not come together until May, but we shall have a most deleterious agitation in the interval unless it be prevented. They not only did no good, but they passed every possible exeption to keep men out of the service, the purpose being openly announce. I write hastily and with a bad pen. I hope for the best, but good dones not lie in discussion before the people, but in acute legislation and governmental action.

Yours, very truly,

D. K. McRAE.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

RALEIGH, N. C., February 14, 1865.

[Colonel J. TAYLOR WOOD:]

MY DEAR COLONEL: You have no doubt supposed, as any rational man would supposes, that the peace element in North Carolina would have subsided after the insulting repulsion of our commissioners and the manifestations on the part of our enemies to force upon ua degrading submission. But such is not the fact, and that you may see that it is not, I send you extracts from the press of this place published since the return of Messers. Stephens, &c., on the 10th instant, with a view, if possible, to elicit a co-operation of the press and people in the cause. I wrote the article which I inclose from the Confederate. I inclose also articles from the Standard and Progress of subsent dates. No response has been given to my proposition from either of these papers. Above articles will speak for themselves. Now, it is evident that not only no encouragement is to be given by those who have heretofore stifled the cause in this State to any local manifestations, but that the same efforts are to continue to depreciate the Government, to pronounce hopeless the cause, to dispirit and depress the people, and to disaffect them. If this be allowed to continue it is impossible by any argument of speech or writing to counteract the evil influences. Desertions will increase; people will withhold their supplies. The spirit of submission will take fast hold and North Carolina will await the approach of the enemy with resignation to her fate. The present state of things is the natural consequence of the illegitimate course pursued by these journals and their coadjutors for a year past, and we are reaping the fruits of our tolerations. You will see plain as day that both these papers recommend submission on any terms and they have the advantage in that all the logic to be addressed to the fears and prejudices of side, and something stronger than the strongest appeals to manhood, pride, and patriotism, is needed to avert their evil influence. I see no way for any practical aid from the State, not much even for a show of returning enthusiasm except in the military strength of the Government.

Yours, very truly,

D. K. McRAE.