Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-01-17


the house. he seemed to be suffering very severely,
which greatly alarmed her when he told her that ms
foot was nearly severed from his leg. lie was SUI
fering much pain and complained very loudly But
lo when his wife undressed his foot to apply some
thing to it. she found, to her great astonishmenr
that not the skin on his foot had been broken
He had wrapped his feet in red flannel in the morn
ing, to protect them from the cold, and the cut IN
his shoe was just large enough to show the rco
flannel around his foot which he had forgotten nav
ing on, and which he imagined was blood. ms
dreadful alarm at mere imaginary danger Is most
conclusive illustration of the gross errors OF disor
dered imagination and the absurd conclusions 10
which it may lead its votareS. The dlfhcuity anu
danger, which the Senator imagines will ARISE rom
amending the Constitution by Legislative enact
ment is as visionary and chimerca as 1T Is prepos-
ferrous and ridiculous He is possessed of prolific
fancy and he has discussed his proposition to call
Convention with skill and ability but after an,
imagine it will prove to be as harmless as ala the
wound on " flannel foot"
His strange and incomprehensibc position in re-
gard Equal Suffrage, may be APPLY illustrated oy
anecdote of the man who commenced business III
a country village He Tanner by trade anu
at first much perpcXed in discriminating what
kind of sign put his door, as an indication
of his business, and advertisement OF his calling,
which to buy hides and sell leather Al last
he determined to bore large auger hole through
the top of his door, and stick cows tail In II, WIN
the bushy end hanging out.
Next morning when he went to open his shoP,
there man standing at the door with spectacles
on, and gazing steadfastly at the sign. The shop
keeper saluted him with good morning. The man
of spectaces said good morning." very carclessly,
without even turning his eyes from the sign when
he spoke. The Tanner, supposing the man might
wish to deal with him i'll raw hides or leather,
thought he would begin the conversation upon the
subject by asking-"Do you want to Sell raw
hides ?" mo" Do you wish to buy shoe leather :"
No" I" Are youa farmer ?" No Are sn you you;
g Are you lawyer" No" Are you Physi-
ciang" Mo-" Are you Naturalist" mo" I" Well
what the devil are your" Pm philosopher, and
I've been standing here for an hour, trying to COM
prehend how that could get through that auger
hole all but her TAIL and can't make it out to save
my life"
The Senator is adrot tactician, and he has de-
corated his favoritc proposition for Convention IN
elegant and graceful style, but it is impracticable
inexpedicnt, and unconstitutional. 1t Is theory
upon which the fancy may eXpaiiatc without accom-
pliShing any valuable result. IL shows that spccu-
lation is easy than practice. Ills position up
on this question is properly described by Shake
speare:
"Ifto do were as easy as to know what were good
to do chapcls had been churches, and poor mems
cottages princes palaces 1t is good divine that fol-
lows his own instructions can easier teach twenty
what good to be done, than be one OF the
twenty to follow mine teaching"
There is often broad and material difference be-
tween declarations and performances as the history
of the times abundantly proves.
The most supcrcilious and remOrselesS tyrants
may, as excuse for their mStlecds and enormi-
ties exhibit indications of moderation and JUS
tice, while their purposes and designs pregnant
with the most mischievOus and evil consequences,
at war with every principle OF morality, right ana
reason, and leading drcu and disastrous results
fatal the rcst hopes and the brightest prospects
of frccmen.
will merely mention example as an illustrations
On the Both of May, 1891 Robespicrre spoke in
the National Assembly of France, in favor of abol-
isLing the punishment of death; and yet there hard
" ever individual who showed less regard
for human life, or shed blood with such ndiscrmn-
ate profusion.
forward by the Democratic candidate for Governor,
in IS49, it was called democratic humbug."
But when, in the August election i'll the same year,
the Wing majority in this State reduced from
several thousand down to few hundred votes this
question of Constitutional reform found to be
not very Objectionable; and the Wing COnven-
ton of 1850, which nominated their candidate for
Governor, adopted preamble and resolution in ia
of amending the Constitution, but carefully
avoided any expression of opinion in favor of Equal
Suffrage. Their position upon this question
doubtful and equivoca, and they were routed in the
August election of that year
The Wing Convention of 1852 which nominated
their candidate for Governor, adopted another
luton in favor of amending the Constitution, but
expressed their opinion that it should he effected by
a Convention. This was the flag under which they
fought the great popular battle of that year, in
which their ordinance taken, their ramparts
broken down, their munitions of destroyed, and
they overwhelmingly defeated.
The Wing Convention of 1854, which nominated
their candidate for Governor, again expressed the
opinion that the people of North Carolina desired
change in the Constitution Of the State but they
took the position in favor of Convention as
BEFORE and after conflict they were again
vanuuished and driven from the field with dismay
disorder and confusion, with their colors tattrrcd
and their forces diSpirtcd.
| cannot give better exposition of their course
upon the Free Suffrage question than by relating
anecdote which has been often told that it is
perhaps not to any Senator But it is so APP
pcabe in this case, that shall be pardoned for
repeating it here. A vender of lottery tickets went
into a remote part of of the western States to
prosecute his calling. The novelty of the thing and
the great prospect held out of getting rich easily,
gave his business a wonderful Among those
who purchased tickets an individual remark
able for the large size of his body for the small
ness of his intellect. The drawing commenced, and
the first ticket, greatly to the surprise of the hol
der drew only blank Several others in success
sion met with similar fate, and there strong
suspicion and much complaint that all not right
The strong particularly vehement, swear
ing that it was all cheat and humbug, and if he
could only get to the wheel, he would smash the
wait little. Presently his ticket came out, and
ments till he understood the matter, and then ex-
claimed, Well, it's fair a thing as ever was"
So it is with Free Suffrage.-When it was first
advocated by the Democrats, measure just and
equal it was promptly denounced by the Whigs
as "a cheat and fraud" intended only for popular
effect and that it would never be adopted as part
of the Constitution. But now. when il is known