Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-06-01
ICorrespondence Of the siandard.l

candidates for Congress this. the 9Th District, mef
in Rockford on the 10Th inst. being Tuesday ofSnfry
County Court A large number of the voters Of
Sury and Yadkin were present.
Mr.. Puryear opened the discussion by stating that
ne was " hig, had always been Wing. and ex-
Peeted to die Wing that upon the old issues he
had advocated the Wing policy, and that the longer
he lived the more firmly was he convinced of the
soundDess and correctness of Wing principles. He
then proceeded TO discuss the question of the Public
Lands and charged substantially that the Democrats
are the enemies of North Carolina and the other old
States, that they engaged in squaDderiDg the
Puhtic Lands among the new States, and alto
gether unworthy of representing the Old North
State In the next Congress- but that he the man,
the particular and intimate friend of the Old State
and the dear common people, and wanted to 60 10
Congress TO for them equal distribution CT
the Lands, their proceeds-he did not care which.
He blamed the Democratic party in the last Legisla
ture for not elecng Senator when Gas he sadly they
had ii in their power to do so. He, with several
other Wings, voted for Gen. Saunders, and all shat
was necessary for the Democratic party TO come
over to him and elect the General.
Let US pause moment, Mr.. Editor, and determine
what ought to be done with the Democratic party for
not dropping their caucus nominee and going TO
the ever-to-be-remembered and neVer-o-Se-forgotten
Col. Puryear. Are you not little surprised to hear
that the Colonel has become the eulogist of Gen.
Saunders Well, Sir, he is dead in love with him
owing to his land notions. His effort that point
perfect failure, for there not intelligent
man in the house who belived that Col. Puryear was
sincere in his support of Gen. Saunders. We all
believe that if the body of the Democrats had gone
over 10 Gen. Saunders Col Puryear and his other
Wing supporters would have dropped him Instantly.
Mr. Boyd then took the stand and announced him
self as the Democratic candidate. He said he did
so reluctantly, because there were other Denoerais
in the District who he would prefer occupying
the honorable and responsible post of standardbearer
in the contest, but he was induced 10 forward
by the urgent solicitations of Democrats from every
part of the District-that he then their
vice, and designed visiting every County in the Dis
tric and discussing the public questions to many
people as he could possibly see between now and
the election. My opponent, said Mr.. Boyd, has told
you that he Wing upon all the old issues. Let
me understand him. Does he mean TO say that he
is in favor of a United States Bank i'll he n
| swer me, yes or no? Here Col. Puryear rose and
spoke for quarter of hour about banking in gen.
eral. The Stale bank system had succeeded very
we'll, but he was not prepared TO cay that the country
would not have been better off if they bad continued
the United States Bank Everybody amused
at his efforts to keep from committing himself TO any
points, and his disposition to deal in general decIama
ton. But George D. Boyd was not the man 10 be
put off In that way-he remarked that he knew
more about the gentlemans position than he did be-
fore, and asked him if he would introduce bill in
the next Congress, vote tor one, to establish
| q Dted States Bank if he should be elected. Col.
Puryear said he would not. MIR. Boyd asked him if
he in favor OF disturbing the present arrangement
of the Tariff by increasing the duties foreign i'm
ports. Here the Colonel spoke about ten minutes,
about protection TO manufactures, &C., but would
! say that he would vote disturb the present
Tariff. He seemed to have forgotten that most of
the Wings in the Legislature of Is50-'5I voted for
Erwlns resolutions, and thereby formally abandoned
their old doctrine. Mr.. Boyd then remarked that,
notwithstanding his declaration in favor of all the
old issues. upon being questioned he seemed I'M
! willing to disturb the present Democratic measures
upon which the Government is administered,
and which the whole country have approved. and
submitted ii 10 the people say If II not better
/ TO send man to Congress who would acquiesce
with the President in carrying out these measures in
-
do everything in his power annoy and PerpIex the
Administration by factious opposition to any meas
ure whatever provided it Of Democratic origin.
With regard to the Public Lands Mr.. Boyd placed
himself upon the Baltimore platform, and conlended
that the position of the great Democratic party upon
that subject-was defined in their resolutions adopted
last June. Thet if the Wings, party. had ~
position upon that question he would like to know it,
Where their position defined There not
word to be found that subject in their last
platform. Why they silent? Because there
two bills before Congress the time their plat
form was constructed-oDe, Bennetts bill, popular
in the old States, the other, the Homestead bill pop
uar in the States-so that if they adopted the
principle of either they were obliged TO lose the
support of the friends of the other and consequently
they JOg0t TO say word about this great question:
in order that Col. Puryear and others might contend
for thing here and their Western bretheren for
decidedly different, and yet all be good Scott Wings
He commended that if distribution should Se made,
and NortAtiarolina should receive large sum her
share, still it wOul1 be nothing than putting in
with one hand and taking out with the other, for sad.
he, these proceeds have been applied Gefray the
expenses of the general government; now, if she
should give them away, it would be absolutely ne
cessary 10 raise the same amount in some other way,
and how would that be done? Why, of course hy
increasing the duties foreign imports, and as
North Carolina is consuming State her taxes in
that way would amount TO great deal more than
she would receive by distribution. Should they
distribute the lands the general government would
longer be bound TO protect them, and North Car
DINA could not do so COW enieEtly, as her share
how could prevent the States in which they lie
from taxing them, and in few years selling them
for taxes.
! AS to being enemy of North Carolina, Mr..
Boyd said he would appeal to the record to who
had been her friend when friends needed. He
said when the Mexican declared l was
too old go, the country would not have me,
butt Sir, voted for appropriation by our Leg
islature of ten thousand dollars to equip our req
iment and defray their expenses of the State.
| Col. Puryear. all recoeci, would not vote the
appropriation without the infamous and traitorous
preambe-he voted against every attempt 10 strike
out amend the preamble. He also voted against
giving the election of officers the regiment which
hope will not be fors often the first Thursday in
August.
! have given you full account of the discussion,
/ which closed by some humorous hits, leaving
the audience in the best of humors.
! Our candidate bore himself manfuly, and made
very favorable impression. He warmed IN the
Democrats, and will get the vote OF every one who
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