Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-12-20
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Mr.. s. A. Williams.

We find in the last Standard, a commune
cation from this gentleman, complaining Of
our remarks last week, concerning his repeat
ed motions to lay the Temperance Memorials
on the table. Had he furnished US with a
copy of the same, it should have found place
in our columns, with pleasure; and we here
take occasion to observe that, any one taking
exceptions TO any Of our Editorial remarks.
can obtain the use of our columns for res
pectful reply.
Mr.. Williams complains that the Editor Of
this paper g has gone out of his way, and re-
ally strained the point" to place him in a
false position on the subject of temperance"
We certainly had, nor have We now, any in
~tention or desire to do him injustice in any
respect. We stated that he persisted in ma
king motions to lay the memorials on the tG-
BILE, instead of having them referred to the
committee. Ills repeated motions to thus
dispose of them, we thought, clearly indica-
; ted that he was opposed to their respect
; full reference and consideration. He says if
/ we had consulted the journals Of the House,
: we wonld have discovered that he had never
: NOUtQ hSlluSI bIIG IeCcplAon VI temperance
memorials, &c. ,Mr. w. does not deny hav-
ing made these repeated motions to lay on
the table, thus amounting to killing them off
) without a hearing; and taking it for granted
+. that he voted for his own motions, there was
no necessity for consulting the record-his
acts were evidence enough. Mr.. w. further
If says:
"The right of memorializing and petition
;s ing legislative and representative bodies is
a right regarded as sacred and inestimakie
ne to freemen, and | shall be the last to do VIC
Id lenpe to such a principle but the gentleman
re must learn there is a manifest difference be-
tween the ri ghto fpetition and the consumption
ofthe time of our legislatures in debating and
n- wrangling about a question the most san
guine friends of which must know that the
ne principle which they are eontending for will
he not be adopted or sanctioned by this General
Assembly,
= We are glad to receive this admission from
Mr.. W., but would respectfully ask the cues
. ~tion-what use is it to petition, if the prayers
Of the people are 20 be stiaed and left to slum
i'A Der on the table unheard? But the reason
'o given for his conduct is the richest Of ALI
a" will produce debating and wrangling."-
= Do our legislators "wrangle"-or is it t
'uS prevent this unhappy thing that he goes fo
smothering this great matter of public inter
W est and excitementl Are all matters tina
an will produce debate and consume time, to b
thus snmmarily disposed o.? And furthel
by what spiritual telegraph was he informe
as to the course Of the Legislature concernin
80 this measure? These are new reasons VIII
questions should not be looked into by tt
General Assembly.
That portion of his letter relating to GU
self and the Maine Law, we pass by as Gd ca
tanduns verbiage, calling for no reply fro
US but we claim the privilege, and shall e
%ercise it too, as the conductor of a pub
press, to speak in becoming language of pu
lie men in the discharge of their public d
ties but We shall do so, as we have in ii
case, with no feelings of disrespect or unkir
nino ness towards those with whom we NAV diff
with nor shall we feel that we have g gone out
vorld our way" to do so. Its our duty andrig
and we, cannot believe Mr.. Williams desi
to rammel or circumscribe it. If he does,
is travelling "out of has way" and can.
+ CO. be g~ratiied in this respect. But we KIN
"A wa him too well to believe such a thing of hi