Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1853-05-04
MR.. EDWARDS ADDRESS.

in regard to Free Suffrage, as follows
For the course deemed it my duty to pursue,
as Speaker of the Senate, the last General Assem-
bly,, in regard to the Free Suffrage" Bill, in with.
holding my vote from it on its final reading, have
been arraIgned at the bar Of public opinion for dis
loyalty the principles of Democracy and the most
unsparing vi,uperation has been dealt out to me-
nay' many would consign me to the bock-and de-
mand my political life OF as little value as it is-as
an aionement for what they arrogantly denounce as
an offence against the majesty Of party. Whether
am an offender to this extent will appear in the Sc.
quel of this paper. 1t will be seen. that, for my
political principles. have looked the example and
precepts of the sages and Fathers of the Church
end not to the crude views of the youngings If yes.
terday-nor to the teachings OF modern political
Doctors who claim the right to prescribe aEtic-
les of faith-as tests Of OEhodoxy-and, as by au-
thority-to prescribe and excommuncate all who do
not subscribe to them.'
Now, SO far as we are concerned we have "dealt
out no "vituperation on the gentleman. We
have uniformly spoken of him with respect and
though we dsapproved his conduct as a public man
on this question, we have neither impeached his
motives nor questioned the soundness of his De-
mocracy other issues He says he has been
arrogantly" denounced as an offender against
the majesty of party our reply is, that it would
Uc SLTduHc IL oil Tie betQOCfdLC uleuOGTS Oh Iuo
last Assembly were wrong in voting for Free Suf-
fragc, and Mr.. Edwards alone right in refusing to
sustain it. If therefore, any "arrogance has been
exhibited, it has not been by those who differed
unanimously with Mr.. Edwards. An arrogant
person is defined to be " "conceited person-that
is, one who is right, though every one else may be
wrong-one, oe body of friends and associates,
who deliberately takes his own course in opposition
to the entire body, and then censures them for diff
fering with him! That is I" arrogance"
Mr.. Edwards says for my political principles
! have looked TO the example and precepts of the
sages and fathers of the Church, and not to the
crude views Of the younglngs of yesterday-nor to
the teachings of modern political Doctors, who
claim the right to prescribe articles Of faith.
NATHANIEL MACON was one of the "sages and
Democrats that ever trod the soil of America.
Well, what was has opinion in relation to Free
Suffrage! We quote from the debates of the
Convention Of 1885, page SO, as follows:
"The President Mr.. Nacon1 said, he did not ap.
proue Of the land qualification for roters Suppose two
respectable neighbors had each son-that one Of
them had fifty acres Of land, perhaps not worth more
than twenty five cents an acre. and the other had no
land, but was good blacksmith shoemaker. and
his standing in society irreproachable ,chy wiu you
allow one to uote and not the other -
| Did Mr.. Edwards ever read that to his constitu-
ents and attempt reply to it! Are these the
"crude views" of ''youngling Of yesterday" v?
The masses of the people of the State, in de-
manding Free Suffrage stand upo" the Macon
platform, and their position is impregnable.
Mr.. Edwards rather contemptuous allusion to
'younglings and to "nodern political Doctors y
is neither we'll founded nor in good taste. His
party, in two onventions-composed of young
men not more "arrogant than others, and Of old
men, who can produce quite as long record O
Democratic service as he can-deliberately ant
unanimously announced themselves in favor of thi
: Constitutional amendment, and placed themselve
upon it before the people, trusting not to ''crud
views, " nor to the suggestions Of "younglings,
nor to "modern" theories, but to THE TRUTH, a
old as free government ITSELF and sanctioned by tn
sages of the party in this and all the other States
and they would have succeeded in their efforts at tn
late session, but for the opposition of Wings, ant
;. of one, elected as Democrat, and who was in
dcbted for the place he occupied Speaker to tn
+ liberality and kindness of the very men who ar
: now held up by him as "youngings, or as mo
dern political Doctors, claiming the right to pre-
scribe new articles of faith" We say, therefore
j that the ausion is neither we'll founded nor j
| good taste !; nor must Mr.. Edwards be surprised
r his blows have brought, not only heat to the su,
face, but fire from the flint The advocates of thi
great principle of free government are not the me
to submit tamely to epithets and to course of al
S tack designed and calculated to bring odium O
e their cause; they have the spirit not merely t
carry this question to its consummation, matte
who may oppose it, but to defend themselves
Y the meantime against the assaults made upon
n and them.
g More hereafter.
: The Union speaking Of our relations with Mex
co, and the accession to power in that country {
Santa Anna, says If the friendly relations Of tn
two countries should be interrupted, the unfort,
nate event will not be in consequence of the unu'
action of this government. satisfactory solutio
of existing difficulties with Mexico is sincerel
2 2 sought by the government, which is prepared
make every reasonable sacrifice to peace.
re- We learn that on Monday last Mr.. Lam
e Brcklayer who has been engaged upon the L.
~ 4 Al. II. II