Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-09-08
Gbe STANDARD.
D1IEIGH. SATURDAY. SEPT. 8. 1855.
IrSsRs RAYNER AND BARRINGER,

.ho subject of the charge preferred by Mr.. Rayner
50 corrupt bargain between the Democrats and the
DOMAIN Catholic Church. We propose briefly
- refer to this matter again-to re-state the charge,
and to sum up and expose the proofs offered by Mr..
porncr in support of it-and to show how conclu-
,;Iv it has been met and overset by Mr.. Barringer
h;,,selG on whom Mr.. Rayner relied when he pre-
ferred the charge
The charge made by Mr.. Rayner follows ::
That there was corrupt bargain understanding,
during the last Presidential campaign, between lead
inr Democrats and the Roman Catholic Church, by
which the support of the latter was pledged and
carried in consideration of high political station to
b. conferred on a member of that Church. And
far proof of this charge, Mr. Rayner relied in the
onnairn upon what he stated Mr. Barringer had
told him-to wit, that the Nuncio Minister of the
pope at Madrid had said to him. Mr. Barringer be-
fore the news of the formation Of Mr.. Perce's Cabi
net ba, rca, he'd him, or had reached Madrid, that
h, thc Nuncio could tell him of one man that
,.os7i be in the Cabnet-to w.t. Mr.. Campbell, of
Pennsylvania" [See Mr.. Rayncr's letter to Mr.
EjSl Tbs is the charge, made by Mr.. Rayner,
and lis the proof offered by him to sustain it.
We have also the authority of Weldon cor
respondent for the statement that Mr. Rayrer, in
h., speech in that place on the Goth July, declared
not onl; that Mr.. Barringer had told him that the
NunciO informed him, Mr.. B., who " ac0uM be" in
the Cabinet meaning Mr.. Campbell, Roman Cath
,Ic-lut that he read an extract from Mr.. Barring
er letter OF the 9th July, to tie same effect though
# is well known-that extract having been frequent
" published-that Mr.. Barringer says therein, "the
Nuncio told me that Judge Campbell, of Pa, acas
appointed, and that he was Catholic"!! Again:
Mr.. Vespasian Ellis, of Washington City, who, &C
eorling to Mr.. Rayner's admission in his Weldon
speech received his information on the subject from
him, declared in Grafton delivered on the 4th of
july that the Popes Nuncio to Spain, before the
Cabinet of the President was known to the public
here declared, in Madrid that the present Postmas-
ter General, a Catholic, aeOuI be member of the
Cabinet of Gen. Pierce" [See Weekly National In
teligencer of July 7, 1855.
Mr. Rayner says that Mr. Barringer told him
that before " he had received any information in
regard to Mr. Pierce's Cabinet before it was known
in Madrid and was a matter of doubt and coniec-
turc, he, the Nuncio, stated to him /" that Camp
bell, of Pennsylvania, Catholic, qcas member of
it," [See Mr. Rayner's letter to Mr.. Barringer of
August T.
At one time, and during the campaign, and that
too when Mr.. Rayner had Mr. BIS letter of the 9th
preston, Mr. Rayncr declared that corrupt bargain
had been made, and referred for proof to the Nun
clos prediction that Mr.. Campbell acouM be-" a
member of the Cabinet; and at another time af
Ter the election, Mr.. Rayner admits that the sub
stance of the conversation with Mr.. Barringer was
that the Nuncio had told him that Mr.. Campbell
"ras" appointed; and the fact that the Nuncio
heard of the appointment before Mr.. Barringer did,
seized upon by Mr. Rayner's organs here as dis
creditable to the country, and proof of the bar
gain referred to. These are fdcts, which Mr.. Rayn.
and his partizans will find it impossible to meet.
Wherefore did Mr.. Rayner, if he did not fear ex-
posure by Mr.. Barringer, shift his ground? Why
did he after having SO long and confidently relied
upon the prediction of the Nuncio, fall back upon
the statement of an existing fact?
Mr.. Barringer, in his letter of August %, fully
meets the ingenious, and, must add 'iesuiticaI'
appeal to him by Mr.. Rayner of the 7th. He is
idcntly disposed to deal lightly, and even kindly
with Mr. Rayner. He doubt regrets that Mr..
Rayner has thus involved himself; and it is appa-
rent that he makes every effort in his letter of the
2eth which can be regarded by himself or by 9TH
rs as compatible with the truth of history, and of
the facts he knows them to exist to relieve Mr..
.tayner of his embarrassments and to reinstate him
4 the public Judgment straightforward, candid,
reliable public man. Speaking, for example, of his
conversation with the Nuncio, detailed to Mr..
Rayner in Raleigh and in Baltimore, he says:
repeat, I have never connected it in my own
mind or otherwise, for the purpose of proving the
charge of political corruption to which you refer
but TOR totally different object, just stated.
ana herein lies y0ur great miStGke-6ut one into
Fhch, wiM y0u, cieaos on tile subject Of that charge
ana ''1out the hnooledge Of the facts connectedooh
he conrersation ochich possess, you might natural
yWH mentioned it for one purpose-you en-
ploy it for another, without, l think, any just
ground for doing You mistaken in suppos-
ih9 that ever mentioned it to you at any time as
C9hhmatory of the political charge to which you re-
Ter could not have done so, for nerer 6etleced
80 l do not moao beLieUe so. 1t would have been
absurd in me to believe so, unless had imagined.
as you seem TO Think but which the facts do not
sustain that the Nunco had precious knowledge that
me appointment aoas to be made and before 1T real
~ oas NUDE"
We have made this extract from Mr.. Barringers
letter, first, to show the kind and liberal spirit in
which Mr.. Barringer is disposed to deal with Mr..
hayntr; secondly, by way of additional proof that
Mr. Rayner, during the campaign treated the state
ment OF the Nuncio to Mr.. Barringer a statement
involving "preoiOus hnOeolelge" on the part of the
Nuncio; and thirdly, that we might again spread
before our readers Mr.. Barringers unequivocal de-
caration that he nerer 6elieced the charge of bar
gam and corruption preferred by Mr.. Rayner, and
mat he does not n0ao beLieUe 1T.
Mr.. Rayner appears to be much irritated, because
portion" ofwhat he is pleased to term the ''anti