Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1854-05-17
MR.. BRACES SPEECH IN RALEIGH.

Mr.. BRACES SPEECH IN RALEIGH.
Mr. Bragg the Democratic candidate for Governor,
addressed the people in this City on Monday last
The number OF persons present was quite respecta-
BE, especially when we consider that only few
hours notice had been given that he would speak
on that day.
He stated that he had accepted the nomination,
but had been prevented from commencing the can
7ass at an earlier day in consequence of professional
engagemcnts-was on his way to meet Gen. Dock
cry at Fayetteville and had yielded to the request
Of friends to address the people in Raleigh. The
Resolutions passed by the Democratic Convention
met his hearty appreciation.
Mr. Bragg then took up the question of Free Suf
fage and declared himself in favor of it by the Leg
lsative mode Asserted his belief that it was great
right which ought not to be withheld from the peo-
pie. They had declared in favor of it, and they
ought to have it. 1t was idle however to talk about
obtaining it in an impracticable way. He then con-
asted the conduct of the two parties on this ques-
ton The Wing leaders and Wing presses, with few
exceptions, opposed and ridiculed the measure when
twas first started and the leaders of that party had
e''ner openly or by stratagcm attempted its defeat
ever since; he did not recollect that the Raleigh Re-
sS'er the organ of the Wing party had even to this
Jay declared in favor of the measure, although it
never failed to proclaim Whig candidates better Free
outrage men than Democratic candidates. He then
read the Resolutions passed by the several Wing
Conventions since this question of constitutional re-
'n mad been agitated, and asked the people fthey
'ouia md a word in any of the Wing platfroms
"n'ch endorsed Free Suffrage. He then alluded in
paylu terms to the fact that the Wing Conventions
Always said "IF" constitutional amendments are to
Oe made that they for submitting to the people
"say whether they desired amendments, and "IF "
.'e! desired amendments to say what they should
w a' the same time carefully avoiding to tell the
p peOiie What amendments met the approval of the
wing party This course conclusively showed that
"'' party was opposed to the measure, but feared
w VI. consequence of making an open avowal of oppo.
,on and sought to defeat it in an indirect way, by
I''a'l's they would not have Free Suffrage unless
'y could get it by Convention; when the leaders
"e wing party knew-and every other candid
'@u ought to know-that Convention would no
AUea'0r to make the people believe that Whg.
"ere ~ better Free Suffrage men than Democrats
nO~ different, said Mr. Bragg, has been the cours,
s ', "s Democratic party, which has invariably de
Ieu Iaa expressly in favor of Free Suffrage by tn,
e''au'e mode without any IF whatever The De
''''c party too has been equally explicit in de
s' '"g against change of the basis of representa-
n.a @ winch most cordially met his Qlr. Braggs) ap
i..'auoh. i 1t was true that the Wing party in it
o.m ooneention "re:ommends" the Legislature t,
do,. convention, and in submitting the election
Io TO the people $50 to provide as to preserv
t.. present basis Of representation in the Legisa
tu,. out the better opinion was that the Legisla
tios nad no power to limit the action of a Conven
st,, aed under the provisions Of the existing Con
toa aOn and that such attempt at Legislative res
io, 0n would be found idle and Intellectual if a ma
o,on. 'ne delegates, when assembled, should thin
f'' " disregard it. He hoped the people woul