Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1854-07-19
MR.. GRAHAM, THE FEDERALISM

Gov. Graham, now the Federal Candidate Tor the
Senate in Orange, was member of the Senate
the United States during the famous extra ses-
ion of 1s41 and co-opertaed generally with
the Federal leaders of that day in all their ef
forts to create National Bank and make the States
dependent on the General Government by distribu-
ting the proceeds of the sales of the public lands.
He voted for the distribution act of that session. by
which the new States got each five hundred thou
sand acres of the lands and ten per cent upon the
sales over and above the old States and he also
ted for provso TO the act to the effect that dstrbu
ton should in case the Tariff should be raised
above twenty per cent. For proof of this see Sem
ate journal of 1s41, page 212 The Tariff scas
raised, by the Federal party, above twenty per cent?
and distribution ceased, North Carolina having re-
ceived only some twenty thousand dollars, while
the States got their lands above referred to- and
lands of the best kind too for they permitted
to select such as they might prefer and they also
received the ten per cent. the sales This is
specimen of Gov. Grahams regard for the interests
of the old States.
He also voted, in 1S43, to lay on the table the
following Resolutions introduced by Mr.. McDuffie:
"Resolred, That the g. vernment of the United
States has no constitutional power to assume the
debts contracted by the States for their proper
purposes, by the issue of Stock whatever fund may
be pledged for the payment of the interest prin
cipal
Resozred That it is inexpedent for this govern
ment thus to assume the aforesaid debts"
For proof of this see Senate journal, 1s43, page
1914. His vote to lay the table was in substance
vote against the: Resolutions. Here then, see
Gov. Graham standing the old Hamiltonian Fed
eral platforms of dividing money to the States and
of assuming their debts by the General Government.
We need not dwell upon the danger, the -enorlnity
of such doctrine 1t would be fatal if carried into
practice to the rights ofthe States and consequent
ly to the permanency and harmony of the Union
established by our ancestors.
Under the old Constitution of North Carolina, the
Governor was elected annually by the Legislature;
but in 1885 the Constitution amended and,
among other things it provided that this impor-
tant right should be thenceforth exercised by the
people. In 1884 bill passed the Legislature pro-
vidng for Convention to make alterations in the
Constitution; and Gov. Graham member of
that Legislature When this bill was pending before
the House, it was moved by Mr.. Outlaw, of Bertie,
now candidate for the Commons in that County,
to strike out of said bill that clause in the 18th
section providing for the election of Governor of the
State by the free white thereof and the ques-
ton thereon was decided in the negative, yeas So,
nays o. Hilliam 4. Graham roting to strike ont.
For proof of this, journal of the House of Com
mons, session of 1884, page go So if Mr.. Graham
had had his way the people of North Carolina would
not have been in the enjoyment as they are, of
the right of voting for their Governor! Another
evidence of his Federalism and of his disrust of the
people. -
; James K Polk was native of North Carolina,
and graduated at Chapel Hill. In 1916, while Pre-
! sident of the United States, he paid visit to this
State and stopped in Raleigh his way to the Uni
vcrsity. William A. Graham was then Governor.
| Such was his dislike Of the President and such his
bitterness as Fedcralist that he took no part in
receiving him at this place, and did not visit
| him at his lodgings until within short time Of his
leaving for Chapel Hill. His coldness towards the
President was matter of common rsmark; and il
is doubted now, as it then, whether he swoud
have called upon him at all but for the fact that he
Gov Graham, was by virtue of his Office President
of the Board of Trustees and he knew he could not
well avoid meeting him at Chapel Hill. Another
evidence of thea strength of his prejudces, and Of
his bitter dislike of Democrats
William A. Graham was Governor of North Caro-
lima during the war with Mexico. He was opposed
to that war; questioned its constitutionality and jus
tcc and sided with the Federal leaders in the Leg
isature who voted that Mexico was in the right and
the United States in the wrong; and he also agreed
with these Federal members in not voting money tc
purchase blankets and other necessares for the North
Carolina volunteers, unless they could pass, along
with the Resolution appropriating this money, pro
viso to the effect that the unconstitutonay
and unjustly begun. Is there of these volun-
tecrs in Orange who will not remember him at the
polls?
We take it for granted that, with his sentiments ir
regard to the people, he is opposed to Free Suffrage
One who could vote to keep the people from elect
ing their own Governor can scarcely be counted up
on as the friend of measure to place all free white
men on an equal footing at the ballot-box.
VETO SUSTAINED. The Senate, the 9th inst.
sustained the veto of the INDECENT insane land bill by
vote of 26 to 21. 1t is confidently asserted BY
many who approve of the veto of the President tina
he will sign the homestead bill should it pass the
Senate and it is believed that it will most certainly
pass that body. Raleigh Star.
President Pierce will not, in our opinion-and W,
base the opinion authority entirely satisfactory
give his sanction to the Homestead bill. 1t may pas
the Senate, but will not be permitted to become
law President Pierce believes the true policy is t
"hold" the lands, and manage them as "pruden
proprietor would his own lands; and he will ad
here unshrinkingy to this position. He has bee
fully equal, all occasions thus far, to the grea
\ l,,k:o, II cofh cfofo