The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1852-12-11
THE NORTH CAROLINiAN.
Fayetteville. n. c..

y =
MEETING OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
OF NORTH CAROLINA.
!. This body met according to Law on Wedaes-
day the 1st inst. aud cast its vote fnr Pierce
and King. Waiter F. Leak presided its
deliberations Perrin Busbee. Esq, acted as
Secretary. Il
Wecopy from the daily Wilmington Journal
fhe following report Of Mr. Leaks address on
tzisng the psesiientias chair of the college. It
i.sspe5 - 1hs .p;r;s ,sn.efvssssm: i
- sGe.lue,ssa ofs de conzae:-k
return you my warmesfsthanks for the
unmerited compliment you have just be-
stqwed in selecting me to preside over
your honorable body. To say that do
not fee proud Of the honor you have now
conferred, would be to indulge "a peurile
and an unwerthv affec.ation. unbec "nins
the oecasi.n. and altogether at variance
with the emotions of NY bosom. At no
period. since my entering lot" public life.
have l been called upon t., address an
audience. political Or otherwise. IN which
| labored under as great uegree of EN-
harrassment, as / tio on the present occa-
sion. Ny embarrassment originates less
from not knowing what to say, than hOW
to say it,-a feeling know you AID each
of YOU. and those around. can more pro-
pe,ly appreciate than describe.
White | have been ever ready. under
any and under all occasions, to stand
| forth the humble advocate Of the E~inc-
pies of my party. and that. too. in the
| hour of their greatest need, now the bat
tie having been fought and the victory
won, feel no disposition 10 indulge in
any, the slightest remark. that may be
calculated to wound the feelings OF the
most sensitive gentleman present. Yes,
in the language Of our distinguished po-
| iitical leader, ''with the man of noble.
high minded and generous impulse, the
hour Of victory is always the hour Of
masnanimity;'' and. gentlemen. l need
not say that such kno,o are your sent-
ments.
That political controversy. eifcumscrib-
ed within proper limits. is both rish and
commenda able. we presume. is what no
wel-inf"r"ed mind will deny. / will 90
further. and say, that while it is the very
element that su>tains the vessel Of State,
great care should be taken that the ex-
! ed WITHIN proper limits, Test its naitvo-
lence shesuld generate ii spray and bevil-
der the pilots course. and end in the
..wreck'' Of the whole ships crew.
We have been oontrndins, and as l
know and believe. on both ssdes. honest
~ eont-ns'ns. for principles. We have
met each other before the proper quorum,
and then and there entered into our re.
spectivc views of governmental policy; :;
and | now congratulate YOU an.! each ut
YOU. and [ congratulate the A1nerican
people. upon the verdict which arc
this day to record. They. the jnr"rs of
| moi have in
thunder tones too loud to be unheard, as
we'll as too significant to be misunderstood.
that the principles Of Democracy as han-
ded dvwn to Us from oar political fathers.
arc the principles best calculated to make
! Us great, prosperous and happy
people. We have now met to record that
verdict by selecting men known to enter
tain the principles which the ina foritv of
the Frecmen of North Carolina have en-
dorsrtl. Yes. We have here assembled,
aud organized ourselves into an Electoral
C"llege; aud III the presence of this array
of intelligence and responsibility. VIC are
about TO east our vote for "A President aud
Vice President Of the tuted States; an
important political rieht-a right, while it
illustrates both the theory aud practical
operation ct cur government. procta,ins 10
t"c ".li lhat the American Democracy.
has been falsely char.ed) IN every man $
governing himself, but IN every man'>
having the right to choose his own
! Governor.
When se say that Democracy Is equal
ty. we do not mean absolute. but relative
equality; not equality per sc, but that
KIND ot equality consistent with governor
anss governed. American Democracy has
as much to fear from cr1fen7e equality "a,
from marked inequai,,y-as much from
iicentiousne,> which is an eXcrescence Oi
liberty. as from Aristocracy, which is IA
scion "t monarchy. No. gentlemen,
Democracy, as have pr"clained IT,
i, con>er> alive IN its character. and ha =
not one single Ie.e!ins trait. No man.
for one u,u.,eut. s!,ubt> either the patriO-
tisn OF the intelligence ot either OF the
great political parties; the patriotism OF
both looks to the I."pr", ",enacut as welt as
t. the preservation of Il Common country;
aud the only difference c"n,is;s III the
.nca:,s mpi"yed To attain tina, end. Pa
triotism, allow nae To say, | nave often
thought Is d word lutte understood by
those who are most noisy In lis cutumen-
da,ioH. That is not patriotism which.
by u,eriuuking the tncan, h3, an eye
,snyIe only TO tue end, even though that
end should be national aysrandizement.
40 national elevation should ever be
pursued at the expense of national charac-
ter Justice. til. love of light. the prac-
tice of rirht for ryhts slkp-tnest