North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-07-02
THE DISCUSSION Ar WAsaINeroNs

by Col Ruin the subject, and refused say what
he or the Wings for whom he spoke would do, in
case the fugitive-saye law were;repealed. Let this
be remembered. .-z.,.....--.--
Il is evident from the article below, thai Col. Ruff
fin sustained himself triumphantly. The Republican
and Patriot says:
"We had the pleasure on Tuesday the 18th inst, OF
hearing the remarks made by Col Rufin. the Demo
cratic candidate for Congress, before his teow-ciil-
zens of Beaufort county, and also the reply otoa.
Edward Stanly, late representative in Congress from
this District. In our notice of the discussion we
shall content ourselves with giving merely an Outline
of The remarks made by each, and do moi attempt a
detailed report. s.=@---s.[..t, ~
Col. Rufin having been introduced to the audience
by W lillian B. Rodnian, Esq, announced himself as
candidate to represent the 9Th Congressional Dis
trict in the next Congress of the the United States,
and said that he appeared before them to give them
his views on such matters might be brought up in
the next Congress. He held that il was due to the
constituent body that the candidate should lay before
them full and fair exposition of his views on pub
lie matters, that they might be able 10 choose un
derstandingiy between the various candidates who
might be brought forward for the same position.
Col. Rufin then briefly reviewed the history of the
two parties, and showed clearly that the present wing
party held to the same views of the powers Of the
General Government did the old federal party,
while the present Democratic party maintained the
principles Of the old Republican party. He held to
the doctrine OF strict construction of The Constu-
tion--that the General Government possessed only
the powers expressly delegated to it, the remainder
being reserved to the States to the people. This
the cardinal principle of the Democratic party,
and the doctrine of the Republican party of '9S
and SO. Col. R. next alluded to the series of acts
passed by the last Congress, generally known the
Compromise acts. Two compromises had been
tered into beween the North and the South. The
admission of Missouri was opposed by the North,
because she was slave State, and her admission
finally secured only by the adoption Of the Missouri
Compromise line by which all the territory North of
that line declared to be free territory. Missouri
was ransomed at great price. The second comPro-
mise had been recently adopted. OF the acts COM
the Fugitive Slave law, and to this the South had
just right under the Constitution. The admission of
California the organization of the territories Of
Utah and New Mexico with the determination pro-
claimed by the North that slave State shall
hereafter be admitted the spo!iaton of Texas, and
the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Co
lumbia. were series of acts less aggressive
upon the rights of the South. Yet these acts have
become the laws of the land, and as good citizen,
Col. X. declared he would abide by them, if they
were adhered to in good faith by the North. 1t
for the North to say, whether the compromise should
stand, and not for the South. The South was area-
dy pressed to the wall, and further aggression
drive her to resistance Here the candidate put the
question what Southern Wings would do, if tie fu-
gtive slave law repealed.
The Tariff, Bank, and Sub Treasury were then
briefly alluded to. He should maintain the present
tariff adhering strictly to its distinguishing feature,
ad valorem duties. opposed protection, was opposed
sury. These were measures established by Demo
cratic Administration, which the Wings had gener-
ally acquiesced in and which they had dared to
attempt to overthrow.
lures of the General Government, and thought that
they might be greatly curtailed. The ordinary ex-
penses were now over SAC, 900 0OO-neary twice as
much as was spent by the Administration of Van
Buren,, whom the Wings charged with extrlvagance.
The expenses of the army too great During the
war with Mexico the expenses of the army per man
was but $500 per year; now, the expense per man
in time of peace is 5000. This needed correction
Col. Ruin then noticed the proscriptive policy of
the present and the late Wing Administrations. No
Thing like it had been known in this country.
Good men had been turned out, and Incompetent Of
icers put in the r places. Charges having foun-
dation in truth, had been made against officers whose
character for honesty capacity. and fidelity un-
questioned, and upon these charges, removals had
been made. E.z.sE t.-y ~ --E5ssEz
Col. RutIin made number of other points which |
we have to enumerate the present time. |
Mr.. Stanly wasPresent, and Immediately proceed !
I'd to reply MT. Stany is the of all work for the
Wing p ary-makes the speeches, does the canvass |
ng, and writes the charges and specifications for the
Wing newspapers. He spoke in his usual fippant
siyle and at proceeded TO the discussion Of The
Compromise acts. He had advocated the admission
IF California, trusting to the North do justice
afterwards. He thought it great matter that the
Proviso had been put down. He defended the Nor
hern people; the fanatics were only handful; they
we're not be feared. 1t sludcrous TO him that
nv danger should be feared from the AboitionIsts
The North did get the lions share of the appropri-
tons, but then the North liberal, and voted lib
,ray, while The South was not 1t the fault
If the South if the North got than her due pro-
portion. ...l.a-.-....
Mr.. StanIy rdiculed the idea Of the sovereignty of
he States, and denounced the doctrine that State
las right to withdraw peaceaby FROM the Union for
ust cause g an abominabe doctrine..'' He tried
hard to raise the question of Union and
0isunioR and to show that the Democratic party
n favor of the latter This was labor spent in vain
IS none believed it. excepting perhaps of his
'ody guard-the North Stale Wig, and others OF that
Tx.
Mr.. Stanly painted in vivid colors the horrors of
,vi war-as if that would follow the assertion of
he right of State to withdraw from the Union.
But civil war must follow revolution, which is the
doctrine held by Mr. Stanlys party 1t may be fairly
concluded therefore, Mr. Stanly is any
hing like fight, that he will submit to any amount
If aggression the North may heap upon US. Is it
lot SO We charge distinctly that nothing, mat
er what the aggression might be. could drive Mr..
Stanly 10 revolution even, anything leading civ
war in self.defence. To the inquiry what the wings
would do if the fugitive slave law repealed, he
made reply whatever.
Mr.. Stanly of course defended and lauded the pre-
ent administration. Nobody had been turned out of
,fice except for cause and every thing exactly
IS it should be. He in favor of altering the
if law somewhat he desired to project the ,vhite
abOr Of The country, denounced the doctrine Of State
overeIgnty and the right of secession. His speech
vas rambling usnal,-a little here and not
much anywhere If no better candidate could be OBJ
aimed he would take the field. The Wing party
hould not be without candidate. 80 :,
Col. Rufin replied briefly, and Mr. Stanly rejoined
when the discussion ended. 1t conducted in
ecoming spirit and for once Mr.. Stanly behaved
- kano and