Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-01-25
RHNeoMRE "a. THE FIELD,

nounce their attachment as of old for the great prin-
ciple of Free Suffrage. We hail this movement in
Buncombe with much satisfaction ;sand we trust the
other Counties in that region will respond until the
! whole of the great West shall be fully aroused and
prepared for the important struggle SO near at hand
We learn from the Ashcville News that the Dem
ocrats of Madison were to hold meeting last week
and the Democrats of Yanccy were to hold meet
ing on Tuesday of County Court Union County, it
will be seen, has also held meeting and appointed
Delegates to the State Convention.
We are indebted to esteemed friend for the fol-
lowing interesting account of the Duncombc meeting
and the position of parties in Western Carolina:
AsuEvILLE, n c., JAM II, 1864
W. W. HOLDEN, EsQ.-Detr SIR: AS Il word from
the mountains may not be devoid of interest to your
readers, have concluded to give you the benefit Of
few leisure moments Tuesday last proud
day for the Democracy of old Buncombe Accord
ing to previous notice. given through the News, on
that day public meeting was held to appoint dele
gates to the Democratic State Convention. Never
before was so large and enthusiastic meeting of
the party witnessed in the County The hard listed,
sun-browncd yeomanry from the mountains and the
plains here and from every indication better
spirit never animated the Democracy thaE at present
You will observe from the proceedings published
in the News of the 12th that the Democrats of Bun
combe have walked up square and straight to the
Baltimore platform and that as regards State issues
they are right.
The meeting did not express any preference for
Gubernatorial candidate. Principles, not men, is
their rule of action They will do their Buty let the
candidate from what section he may Whilst
this is so, we would hail with joy the nomination of
DIR. c. MILLS, of Rutherford, OF Col. W. w. AVERY,
of Burke. Both of these gentlemen have claims of
no ordinary character upon the party. No men i'll
the State have been more unflinchng in their devo-
ton to principles, and certainly have made
greater sacrifices for the of the party. But
it is not wholly upon these grounds that the West
would delight to honor these gentlemen; they
both able and popular dcbatcrS, sound statesmen,
and would do honor to the chair ably filled
by His Excellcncy, Gov. REID. Either of them
would be acceptable to the West, and doubtless to
the Democracy of the entire State. The Democracy
of the West however, arc not factious, and whose
the nominee may be, he will receive the cnthu
siastic and undivided support of the party.
The meeting on Tuesday addressed at some
length by David Coleman and Marcus Erwin, Esq rs.
Mr. Coleman is old line Dcriocrat-a Of fine
abilities and a speaker fluent, forcbe and pleas
ing. He Is what FcCcraist would call an uHtc1-
riFed Democrat bold Jealous, uninchinS, and
cmphaticaily scor&t1lg man. His address was well
received and made its mark upon the public mind
lie deserves w:il of the party, and talents such
his cannot long be kept down. Mr.. Erwin followed
i'll speech which every way worthy of the man
That the Editor of the Spectator unable to find
any fault in it, except so far IS the principles
advocated concerned, is the hg hest compliment
that gentleman could have bestowed pom it, proven
bal as he is for his carping taultndine propens-
ties. Mr.. Erwin commenced his speech by stating
that what he had to say not with any reference
certain class of ncwSpaper-writcrs and would-bc
great men, who thought it their right TO sit in Jud
ment upon the consciences and conduct OF others
For them nc Mad no respect. But he wished to give
the people of Buncombe, who had manifested friend
ship for and confidence in him, the which
tuatcd him in renouncing the Wing party. Respect
for them and justice to himscfrequired that he should
do this. He then proceeded i'll mastery manner
to trace the history of the socalled Wing arty for
some years past-spokc of the utilization of th,t par
ty with the Freesoilers and Abotoniss of the North
said that the party which once boastcd OF its men
and its principles nothing more than mere sec
tonal Abolition faction, without any great leading
principles or landmarks-spokc of the influences
which secured the nomination OF Gen. Scott-oi the
shameful abandonment of principles by the " hig
leaders the question of State rcorm-ot their du-
plicty in advocating reform before the people and
afterwards killing the Free Suffrage bill i'll the legis
lature-Said they only advocated Convention III Or
der to smother Free Suffrage and thus tasten upon
the people remnant of arstocracy. His remarks
upon the subject of Reform close and cutting,
and were fully understood and appreciated by the
people. They centre shots, and told IN the
right quarter with good effect. Mr.. Erwin IS known
to be = gentleman of rare abites-has served one
session in the Legislature and politician SIN
cereiy believe has equal of his age III the State.
rejoice, and the Democracy everywhere Will reoice
that he has thus boldly and rcarcssy renowned the
hcrcsics Of Federalism, and taken his stand under
the broad and ationat folds of the Democratic flag
He is fully able and always will lg to sustain the po-
sitions he has so calamity taken.
The Wings held meeting here on Monday last,
but silent the grave in relation to Const'-
tutional Reform. WHAT the matter? W hats broke
\ few years ago they boiled over with patriotic zeal
for the peoples rights i'll this behalf. The only
capital left them appears to be land distribution
Alas poor YoricIi. \. W. Woodlin was nominated
as the choice of the meeting for Governor. That
class of citizens who by Mr.. Woodfins vote in the
last LEGISLATURE were forbidden the right of suffrage,
would no doubt hail his nomination with Pec"fidT
relish
Western ,men have had their eyes opened by the
course of certain Wing members of the last Leslsla,
turc They too stupid to see the consistency OF
advocating Reform before the people and then slaug-
tering Reform bill in the Legislature Wings by
their conduct have shown that they do not intend we
shall have it ALL if they prevent it; therefore
the people will cooperate with the Democratic party
as the true reform party.
[ see the Spectator speaks very dIsparaslnSy OF
our meeting and says most of the crowd present
were Nhigs This is not so, but admitting it to be
true will the Editor be kind enough to tell the pub
lie why his party saw so much attraction IN Dem
ocratic meeting and SO little in their the day be-
fore? For it is notorious that there were five times
as many persons at the Democratic as at the W ing
meeting! ,,,u
PERSONAL In addition to Hon. Abram Renchcr,
and Mr. Wright, of Cumberland, members OF the
Democratic State Committee, were pleased to see
in the City last week, Samuel p: Hill, Esq, OF CAS-
we'll, and Col. S. j. Person, of New Hanover. we
found them all in good spirits and as much devoted
as ever to Democracy, which is butanothcr name Tor