Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-07-04
Mr.. RAYNER'S RALEIGH SPEECH.

at Philadelphia and against Catholics, Democrats, and
foreigners. We did not hear him. but we learn from
persons who did, that his speech the most COM
plete compound of billingsgate, Misrepresentation
and low slang ever delivered in this community
not excepting that made here in 1s4O by w. G.
Brownlow, of Tennessee. We learn that he spoke
of President Pierce as wretch" lost to all sefres-
pect and of the members of his Cabinet as his obe-
dient slaves! He dwelt at length upon the Pope
and the Catholic church, retailing all the stale char
ges against that Church. He stated, among other
things that the priest were to curse at stat
ed times all Protestants as heretics and he repeat
ed, understand as part of the malediction the
famous burlesque curse of Tristan Shandy! He
said the Pope and his ministers claimed dominion
in this country and argued to show that they were
advancing rapidly to its possession! He also char
acterzed the nunneries as dens of prostitution He
repelled, as SANDER, the charge that he was pro-
scribng either Catholics foreigners and labored
with might and main to identify the Democrats of
the country with the Roman Catholics as their spe
cial friends and defenders.
We understand he was very severe in his remarks
upon those who have questioned the soundness of
his course on slavery in the Philadelphia Conven-
ton. He said men who never owned slave, and
never would unless they "stole" one, were charg-
ing those who owned hundreds of slaves with being
abolitionsts This is not true. No person, in this
State, so far know, has charged him with be-
ing an abotionist; but declare to the peo-
PIE, what Mr.. Rayner's own course at Philadelphia
abundantly establishes, that he was ready to act
with abotionists and disunionists aoithout any
pledge from them that they could cease to assaH
the institution Of slarery; and we furthermore de-
clare, what his own language here and at Baltimore
and Washington proves, that he IS nouo the ally Of
Wilson, Ford, Colby, dnd Gardner, all Of achom
a5oltionists and enemies to the Union Of these
States. That is the charge. AS to the matter of
owning slaves, we would have Mr.. Rayner to know
that those who own one, two, three five slaves
as deeply concerned in the preservation and ex-
tension of the institution he is. He may have
dollars invested in it than they but their rights
in the matter are quite as dear to them as his
be to him. We 60 further and say, that persons
who own no slaves inseparaby associated either
by blood, affinity, interest and business relations
with those who do and whatever contributes to
weaken the power of the South in this respect, or
to impair the safety and value of the institution
must fall in the end with equal force-wita equal
ruin upon all. His reference, therefore, to his
hundred negroes amounts to nothing Persons
who are so fortunate rs to own one hundred Afii.
can slaves generally possess suficency of othe,
property to render them comfortable in "these low
grounds of SORROW; and our opinion, is, that Mr.
Rayner would freely give up every slave he owns, if
the surrender would make him President of the Uni
ted States.
We understand he complained that he had been
personally assaed. We have heard of nothing of
the kind His private character has not been touched
nor is it likely to be. I've have dealt with him only
as public man and we shall continue to do so, with
a purpose which no amount nor manner of denun-
citation on his part will be able to shake. large
portion of the people of North Carolna-slavehold.
and non-slaveholders, Protestants and Catholics,
natives and adopted citizens-are heard through
these columns, not as sectarians-not as persons
holding certain religious opinions, for in politics
know no religion, and in religion we know no poll
tics; and that voice, which is the condensed will
all those just referred to citizens of q common
State, will be heard hereafter as now, without the
slightest regard to the threats of demagogues, and
without fear of what any man set of men may do
Mr.. Rayner we learn, advised his brother Know
Nothings not to assal their opponents-tob be prudent
to be on their guard-to act on the defensive, bu
to defend their honor, and if struck to strike back
giving two blows for one. He referred to the bowie
and revolver, and said he would defend himself &c.
&c. Now, wherefore all this2 Why stir blood al
ready sufficiently ersited? Why such language
culculated-though we feel sure such could no
have been his ntention-to array neighbor agains
neighbor, and friend against friend? Who has pro
posed fight2 Who talks of assailing the Know
Nothings personally? Why, these champions
| the Protestant religon-these God-sent dissemina
tors of the faith and doctrines of the meek and low
ly Christ-these defenders of the rights of consc
ence, of closet prayer, and of the glorious privieg
of saving their own sous each in their own peculia
way, and of repelling clerical instruction and advic
! just as the sick man should repel physician or
wronged man civilly should avoid counsellor q
aw-these persons talk as Familiarity of carnal wes
pons, of giving two blows for one, of fighting an
the like, as if they had been trained to arms an
stimulated by the neighng of the war-horse and tn
smell of gunpowder! We beg them to be at cas-
No one thinks of assailing either their persons
their private honor; but the Democrats, Mr.. RAJ
ner, arejust as fearless us you can BE- though the
may not think it necessary or even becoming
| boast of or to announce the fact in advance.
We dismiss this speech for the present, though
may be our duty to refer to it hereafter We shou
pleased to see itin print. Its circulation with pr
per explanations and corrections by the publish
in the way of notes, would render it quite as usef
to the Democrats in the present campaign as N
Rayner's speech in the Convention of 1886, ju
| e. IL kicyL-- lO 81 s