Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-05-13
MIR. BRACES SPEECH IN RALEIGH.

Mr.. Bragg the Democratic candidate for Governor,
addressed the people in this City Monday last
The number Of persons present was quite rcspecta-
ble especially when we consider that only few
hours notice had been given that he would speak
that day.
He stated that he had accepted the nomination,
but had been prevented from commencing the can
at 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 lis hearty appreciation.
Mr.. Bragg then took up the question of Free Suf-
fage and declared himself in favor of it by the Leg
islative mode. Asserted his belief that it great
right which ought not to he withheld from the peo-
pie. They had declared in favor of it, and they
ought to have it. 1t idle however to talk about
obtaining it in an impracticable way. He then cen
trasted the conduct of the two parties this ques-
ton. The Wing leaders and Wing presses with few
exceptions, opposed and rdiculed the measure when
it was first and the leaders of that party had
either openly or by stratagem attempted its defeat
ever since he did not recollect that the Raleigh Re-
gster, the organ of the Wing Larty,ad to this
day declared in favor of the measure, although it
never failed to proclaim Wing candidates better Free
Suffrage men than Democratic candidates He then
read the Resolutions passed by the several Wing
Conventions since this question of constitutional re-
form had been agtaed, and asked the people they
could find word in any of the Wing platforms
which endorsed Free Suffrage. lie then alluded in
playful terms to the fact that the Wing Conventions
always said "IF" constitutional amendments are to
be made that they for submitting to the people
to say whether they desired amendments, and " IF "
they desired amendments to say what they should
be at the same time carefully avoiding to tell the
people what amendments met the approval OF the
Wing party This course conclusively showed that
that party opposed to the measure, but feared
the consequence of making an open avowal of oppo-
stion and sought to defeat it in indirect way, by
declaring they would not have Free Suffrage unless
they could get it by Convention; when the leaders
of the Wing party knew-and every other candid
man ought to know-that a Convention would not
be called Yet the leaders of the Wing party would
indeavor tn make the people believe that Wings
were better Free Suffrage men than Democrats.
How different, said Mr.. Bragg, has been the course
of the democratic party, which has invariably de-
clared expressly in favor of Free Suffrage by the
Legislative mode without any IF whatever. The De-
mocratic party too has been equally explicit in de-
claring against change of the basis of representa-
tion which most cordially met his (dr. Bragg's) ap
probation. 1t was true that the Wing party in its
last Contention recommends" the Legislature to
call Convention and in submitting the election of
delegates 10 the people to provide to preserve
the present basis of representation in the Legisla
turc" but the better opinion was that the Icgisla-
ture had no power to limit the action of Conven-
ton called under the provisions of the existing Con-
stitution and that such attempt at Legislative
friction would be found idle and Intellectual if
jory of the delegates, when assembled, should think
proper to disregard it. He hoped the people would
watch these movements and not suffer themselves
to be deceived Mr.. Bragg said the Democratic party
was in favor of the Legislative mode of obtaining
Free Suffrage; it was constitutional, and the only
practicable mode at present. The Democratic party
at the session Of 1850 81, aided by portion of the
Wigs passed the measure by the constitutional ma
jorty. At the ensuing session, 1852, the measure
passed the House, but lost in the Senate by
vote. The Speaker of the Senate heirg Democrat
and not voting for the measure the leaders of the
Wing party have avaed themselves of this pretext
to proclaim that the Democratic party defeated Free
Suffrage and did not desire its 1t had been
stated publicly and he did not remember that it had
been denied that the Wings had caucused on the |
subject and arranged the matter so that the bill |
should be lost by VOTE and thereby enable them
to Cefeat the measure and at the same time have, as
they thought, some excuse for laying it UPON the
Democrats! But when the people look at the Jour-
rails AMI see that not single Democrat in either |
House voted against Free Suffrage, they will Place
the responsibility where it properly belongs, and
know that the leaders of the Wing rarty defeated
the measure. If the vote of Mr.. Edwards, the Spea
kerr would have secured the passage of Free Suf
frage, so would the vote of either of the sixteen
Wings who voted against it. The chances there
fore, of the Wings to save the measure, under the
were sisteen to one! And yet they
attempt to hold the Democrats responsible for its
defeat He repeated that the Legislative mode was
the safe and sure way of consummating the measure.
Mr. Bragg in the course of his argument, quoted the
opinions of CASTOR, Meares Macon and others to
sustain his views in regard constitutional reform
He asked, if the Legislative mode unsafe and
anti Republican why did Gen. Dockery, his Compel
tor, vote for it, in Convention. The fact was that
he pretext Of the Wings, that they would not have
Free Suffrage by Legislative enactment, amounted to
nothing more nor less than opposition to the meas
are. Cen Dockery contended that he gave the first
ong big and heavy lick for Free Suffrage in the State