Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-04-05


land quail cations for Senator's Colnmoners and
sGovernor--for Free SufTag and for electing JUS
tees of the Peace and Judges by the people The
Wing party of this State, we undertake to saw are
opposed to most if not all these amendments to the
Constitution and the Argus in pursuing this course.
is clearly arrayng itself against its party Besides
that paper is going far beyond the platform of the
late federal Convention for that body ayowed itself
only ii favor of "a change in the Constitution.
What is that change, Mr. Cameron Is it Justices
of the Peace by the people Or annual sessions of
the Legislature? Surely it cannot be Free Suffrage
for how could your Convention have hestateo if in
favor Of the measure, to announce the fact? Was
it considered SO unimportant as to be referred to
only as "a change?
But there is no installing the position of the Ar
gus this question. It spronounces the present
Constitutional denial of Free Suffrage an /" Odious
distinction and says he is for placing all free white
men on an equal footing at the polls. The Argus
has gone far ahead of all former Wing Conventions
in this State, and far ahead of Wing sentiment as
expressed in primary meetings and in Wing news
papers 1t also censures by its present course the
conduct of its own Editor in voting for Gov Manly
and Mr.. Kerr, both of whom opposed the measure ;
and it is equally upon those Wings in the two
last Legislatures who conspired to defeat it. Why
was the Editor of the Argus silent in the late federal
Convention in relation to this odious distinction "?
Why did he not raise his voice against it? Why did
he not frankly and boldly tell that body, in the
course of his speech, that he not to be satisfied
with mere reference to the measure as ga change"
to be effected in the Constitution, and insist on
speaking Of and for the measure in plain direct and
unequivocal language? Why did he on that occas-
ion, desert the poor non landholaers, for uhons he
Processes mach sympahys All Cameron!
you could discourse about every thing else in that
speech but Free Suffrage; you walked all round the
measure-you looked at it, and thought of it, and
then you remembered the congregation of federalsts
by which you were surrounded and you silent!
And then how did it happen achen Gen. DOckerys
letter Of acceptance penned, that ausion
made to Free Suffrage? If Gen. Dockery
be in favor of it. as you say he is, Mr. Cameron,
why did he give it the go-by in that letter? Was
he ashamed or too proud to speak out for the non-
andhoders? Did he fear that, by doing, he
might lose the support of certain aristocratc men,
bers of your party?
But then suppose it be admitted, as you claim,
that Gen. Dockery is for the measure-what of il?
The bare fact admitting it to be So eridence that
he hesitated the question, and has been forced by
the po,cer Of public opinicn to .taror it, He is,
therefore, if for it, not heartily for it. He goes for
it. if at all, by compu1sion-he goes for it "a
change and does not have the manliness to declare
for it in so many words And can it be possible that
the great Wing party North Carolina is at
last for "Reds hobby? Why, the Argus in the
very issue in which these Free Suffrage notions
advanced, speaks of "Reid's broken down hobby
and exploded humbug" and aludes to Gov. Reid
himself as trickster and that too with full
knowledge the part of the Editor of the political
character of Gen. Dockery, who is the most consum
mate demagogue in the State and the inferior, in
every respect, of David S. Reid.
We are therefore compelled to regard the talk of
the Argus for Free Suffrage insincere the Editor
may be less for it, because it is popular but
he takes to it just boy would take to good
whipping. He breads it. and therefore he begs to be
allowed to say, from this time till the election that
it is not so very Objectionable very danger
ous after ALL if the people will only consent to call
Convention and accept it in the way the Editor
and Gen. Dockery would give it to them; but after
the election, and after Gen. Dockery's defeat, the
Argus will not be much disturbed about Free Suf-
frage. Wing members of the Assembly may then
vote to retain this " odous distinction without any
the least apprehension of encountering condemna-
ton at the hands of the Editor of the Argus.
RALEIGH AND CASTOR RAILROAD. The branch
Proad, connecting with the North Carolina Railroad,
is in a very forward state. The workmen busily
engaged on it, and judging from its present appear
presume it will be completed in a few weeks.
Though the road is less than mile and quarter
long, the nature of the ground made some deep
cayations necessary, which, with the entertainments,
executed in manner creditablc to the contrac-
tors and all concerned The bridge, which spans the
road Hillsborough Street. is spacious solid struc
ture fully competent to accommodate the travel of
that much frequented thoroughfare, while the side
walk being built Independent of the main roadway
gives safe and convenient passage to pedestrians.
We understand the entire work executed under
the immediate superintendent of the energetic Pre-
sident of the Company, l.. OBJ. Branch, Esq
PORTRAITS OF EMINENT AMERICANS. We have
received work of some 80 pages, by John Livings-
ton, of the New York Bar, containing sketches of
the lives of President Pierce of the members of his
Cabinet, and of Justices Mclean, Grier and Catron
of the Supreme Court with likenesses. The like
nesses are good The sketch of our distinguished
countryman, Mr. Dobbn, is quite full and well writ
ten. His likeness is excellent.
SEVERE FRosT AT THE Souri, There wasa severe
frost at Charleston, Columbia, Augusta and other
sections of. South Carolina and Georgia, Sunday
night seriously njurng it is said the fruit crop and
garden vegetation The growing and wheat
also suffered
The weather here is quite cool. We have also had