Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-07-30
anInTATInN y AGAIN

It is fayorite resort with certain persons to cry
out dictatson whenever their peculiar notions are
exposed or assailed. They forget, orido not know,
that dictaton, if attempted by any one at this time
of day, would meet deserved rebuke at the hands
OF the people. Certainly have attempted nothing
OF theSort nor do we expect to; and those who
aege that we have, have either misstated the facts
or misunderstood the language we have used
What is it, then, that we have done? NE haze
stood By principle and E06ored to up1o1d 01y0aisG-
tiOn s0ith0ut regard to men, our 'offence hath this
extent-no more" We might-if we thought it
would be of any present or future service-express
regret for not having spoken out at an earlier
period in opposition to the positions assumed and the
course pursued by Mr.. Venable; silent be-
cause desired if at all possible, to preserve har-
mony, and because hoped some settlement of con-
ficting aspirations would be effected. But when we
saw an issue presented between Wing and Mr..
Lewis and Mr. Venable with the latter against his
party on two important questions well as on orga-
nizaton when we foresaw that, without concentra-
ton of Democratic strength the Wing would be cleo
ted and when foresaw also that the masses of the
party could not unite one who so widely differed
from them as Mr.. v, but could and would do so
on Mr.. Lewis, who agreed with them, we should
have been untrue to the responsibilities of place
and to the expectations of readers if we had held
our peace
Mr.. Venable, we learn, discourses in his peculiar
way about "cliques, and boasts that the Standard
shall go down. Welznow of no Democratic clique here
or elsewhere. 1t does not become to refer to
services sacrifices in the cause; but may state
in self-defence, that lose more money per annum
for the advancement of Democratic principles than
Mr.. Venable has expended for the same object dur
ing the last ten years. The Standard will not go
down until desert principle and prove untrue to
the of the people; and that will be when the
sun rises in the west Several of Mr.. Venable's
friends in Granville and Franklin have it is true di-
rected discontnuance of their subscriptions on ac
count of the course we have deemed it our duty to
pursue; but their places gratified to state,
have been more than supplied by subscriptions from
other quarters. We allude to this to show how vain
it is to attempt to control free press We have no
unlind feelings towards those who have discontinued
they had right to do so, and do not complain;
but do think Mr. Venable's course in this matter
and that of his friends, looks more like attempt
to dictate than any thing which has been uttered in
these columns.
Again: Mr. Venable took ground during the last
Congress against his party on the land and Cuba
questions and is endeaVoring to bring the party to
an Abandonment of their principles on these ques-
tons and to agreement with himself What IS
that but dictatiOn? He well knew that in voting for
Benefits land bill, and in speaking against Cuba in
January last he s0as making mp an issue against
his party and against Gen. Pierce. What was that
but dictation?
Again Mr. Venable found himself, at the close of
the last Congress, in District; and instead of
awaiting the action of his party he at declared
himself candidate and spoke in contemptuous terms
of Conventions and of Democratic organization. In
addition to this he exerted himself in every way to
prevent Convention of the party he and his friends
constantly maintaining that no Wing would take
the field and that there was therefore, no necessity
for Convention. What eOas that but dictGtaon?
No, feDow-Democrats, stated in our last Mr..
Veaa6Ee is the dictator, and not the Editor of this
paper. Will you submit to his commands? Will
you endorse him? Can you return such to
Congress as your servant? If you do, depend upon
it yow aciU rue 1t. We can have interest in this
matter but to advance Democratic principles, and to
guard against dissenson and bitterness in the cam
paign of 1854.