Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-06-30
For the Standard.
OrEJNGHAM,

CONSEQUENT upon sIITTng
by Messrs. Reid and Kerr, has somewhat aoH'eu
the Judgment left to pronounce us ho'Fe. 0o" a6
tons, sit down for the purpose o. glVt.g Jooe
ers full account, not only OF me I sns,ainet
ted lint of the manner in which they were sus'"i'
nv The respective speakers; promising as now 90
if know myself neither to extenuate nor SCI W"
aught in malice. . ,;a.1. ro.,,o
far man entirely to dspossess himself OF pre-con
ceived opinions, and more so when those opinions
have been long entertained and are the result OF h
most deliberate convictions yet at me same u,e
being thus forewarned that things inward have con
trolling influence upon things outward, shall non
esty attempt to exercise the demon PreJ"oIce' "''
proclaim the language of soberness and truIh. n
At 10 o'clock the 18th instant Governor neIo
and John Kerr, ESQ.,, with some 200 OF thelr le'io"
citizens, repaired to the Court house. 49,.
By an arrangement previously entered into' II oe'
came the turn of Gov. Reid 10 open the discussion;
The Governor assembled the rostrum and commenced
by giving a clear and well-dehned exposition VI ''e
pTi3ciples of the Democratic Republican party;
He seemed if he was conscious (suI.1uhueo =, a.
he was BY far the greatest proportion OF NhesJ 'nd'
the sentiments of his party had not only been mis-
represented, but had been shanetully perverted Dy
the Wing papers, as well as the Wing orators, OF ms
part of the State and with view OF counteraring'
to some extent, such Influences the language employ
ed by the Governor to have been weighed win
the utmost care, soiha both in his exposition as wei
as in his defence of the principles OF the
party, the most uncultIvated intellect present heeu
not to have labored under a mistake.
He openly proclaimed his opposition 10 a BANK OF
the United States to protective Tariff anG 10 Sys-
tenn of Internal Improvements by the general gov
eminent
AS to the public lands he opposed TO their be-
ing given away to The States at any time, and SILL
more so the present, when we had an empty Treas
ury and government heavily in debt.
He thought the better plan was TO place the pro-
ceeds of the sales of the lands in the public Treas
ury, and thus tighten the taxes which the farmer pays
in the shape of high protective duties; such as the
Wings enacted in 1912, but which was repealed by
the Republican party in 1916.
He was opposed TO the Homestead bill, and sta
ted that it advocated alike by the Democrats
and Wings of the North and West, and was meas
ure for which neither party at the South was respon-
sible.
He was in favor of the Independent Treasury,
and honestly believed that the separation OF the
funds of the government from banking institutions was
only indispensable to the safety of those funds, but
was alike dictated by the true interests of the people
and as proof of this the Wings, although they have
been in power, have never attempted its repeal.
He was in favor of the qualified veto OF the Pres
ident; that it " one man power" and he
challenged his opponent to deny that it had not
been exercised by all the Presidents from w ashngton
down, and he challenged him still further TO show
sngl ms lance in which il had been abused.
If there had been one instance, 1t had escaped his
recollection.
He said that with the veto power it was mpossi-
BILE for the Executive do any HARM and experience
had demonstrated the protection which il had at diff
ferent times rendered the country that by its exercise
that insolvent and dangerous institution The Bank of
the United States, was put down, and by its timely
exercise upon internal improvement bills hundreds
of millions Of dollars have been saved to the Treasury
He stated that the federal government of
strictly limited powers; that those powers were de-
rived solely from the Constitution, and that it
both inexpedient we'll dangerous exercise any
doubtful powers.
He opposed to any alteration or substantial
modification of the Democratic tariff of 1916 that
while it afforded sufficient protection it had given
evidence to the untry that it had yielded
nue-yes, said the Governor, revenue enough
Tor this extravagant SO million Administration!
After the Governor had thus, one by one, gone
through the most prominent and hitherto distinguish
ing traits of federal politics, he then proceeded
give his views, in the same frank and open manner,
upon measures of Stale policy.
In the outset he stated that although he was in
favor Of so amending the State Constitution as to
allow of Equal Suffrage, yet he opposed to any
change OF the basis of representation, and here, said
the Governor, will do my competitor the Justice to
say that upon this basis question he has come out
with frankness and with candor and that there is no
difference as to that and believe do him no nus-
ice by saying that this is almost The Only instance in
which he has shown his hand, although he most al
ways commences his speeches by saving that both
himself and his party have no conceaments.
The Governor showed that by the existing Con-
stitution highly meriioIious and industrious class
was excluded from voting that he could see rea
son why they should exercise all the PRIVILEGES
of freemen for, said the Governor, they certainly
have to perform all the duties imposed BY law upon
citizenship, they work the roads, patroll your dis
tTlcts, perform militia duty, and in times of war they
furnish more than their proporonate number to VOL
uneer in defence of your country, yes 10 fight for
your liberties and hat be greater liberty than
The one of which they deprived, the liberty
of the free unrestricted right of Suffrage the right
OF choosing those no make laws affecting their lives
their liberties, and their property?
The Governor proved that it was the least exDen-
sIve mode, was likewise the more expeditions mode
for the reason at present that The Free Suffrage crop
was already half made the ground had been ell bro
ken up by the discussions which had taken place
the seed had been deposited, and the growth looked
timely and promised an abundant yield, and needed
nothing more than one or two ploughings. Yes said
the Governor the question OF Free Suffrage has been
both before the people well as before the Legisa-
ure, and has received the Constitutional sanction of
three-hths vote by one Legislature, has been adj
Vertsed Tor SIX months at expense of some 50 OOO
and just at this time the hg party through their
representative Mr.. Kerr steps forward and 1roposes
TO plough up the crop and make the rows some little
wider
Yes said the Governor, Mr.. Kerr and his nartv-
while protesting only opposition to the mode of OBJ
talnng 1t by Legislative amendment are under this
gnlse doing all they can to prevent il and nv word
Tor IT, unless you obtain it there will not be soop
presented to you favorable an opportunity for who
so blind not to perceive that is at least nrohahIe
1t you go into Convention, that the opponents of
Equal Suffrage will couple it with other provisions
so objectionable that its friends will lose it entirely
Gov Reid stated that it was said by his oppone1ts
mat ne mad taken up the question of Equal Rights to
make himself popular, and thus to obtain some rank
beyond his merit. To this he could only saw that he
had given every evidence the contrary for il was
wen known that 1t was unpopular when he first es-
poused 1t; as proof of this, he was beaten for the
advocacy of those VeTV Dripcnlea in 1910