Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-04-25

more highly esteemed. Mr.. G. alluded to the Know
Nothing party-said it was the same old coon "
with another ring upon his tail, and that it was
endeavoring secretly to accomplish ends that it
knew it could never accomplish openly.
Mr.. Ezell; of Warren, made an eloquent speech,
and denounced " Sam in severe terms. He APP
pealed to the Democracy of North Carolina to rally
and help Virginia to beat back the dark monster
of abolitionsm that was now invading us under
the name of Know Nothing. He spoke with fer
vor and f1uency, and was greeted with almost con-
tinual cheering and applause.
Ed. Graham Haywood, Esq, of Raleigh, was
called upon and made some very happy and anus
ing comparisons between the Know Nothings and
that hoary old debauchee," Falstaff Their boast
ings upon par, and there was about as
much truth in Falstatf's account of the number
of "meu in buckram that he had slain, as in the
boosted numbers and victories of Know Nothing
ism. He would hit " Sam " lick, but he had
already been so badly beaten, that he could not
find a clean spot to strike. 1t was the same old
party we had always contended with, known first
as Federal, then Wing, and now Know Nothing,
with the adjuncs of various vile isms-that it was
" a thrice turned pair of old breeches." He re-
garded the party, under its present colors, with
contempt amounting almost to Indifference, and
had no fears of it.
Mr. Jas. T. Marriott of Raleigh, amused the
Convention for some time in his own peculiar and
inimitable way, and if we had been Know Moth
ing we would not have kept a seat close to him:
for his wit and sarcasm scathing, and his good
humored face, which had smile all over it, must
have been intensely provoking to any " Sam" that
could have had the courage to look at him, sup
posing the great irnprobabty that any one OF them
had such courage.
Several other gentlemen were called upon and
entertained the Convention with appropriate re-
marks, all of whom would like to report, but
that have not time and space to do so. Besides,
we took no notes Of any speech, and write only
from memory. We know we have not done jus
tice to any of the speakers, and we trust We have
done none of them injustice. We have not taken
the speeches in the order in which they were de-
livered either, for we purposely reserved that OF
Mr.. A. ]. Leach, of Johnston, till the last, that
might be the more full and explicit concerning it,
and that might, by having our mind relieved
from the other occurrences, concentrate, it more
upon this, as his revelations of Know Nothingsm
cannot fail to prove highly interesting.
Mr.. Leach said that he Joined the Know Moth
ings in Baltimore last summer. Being in that city
he met with an acquaintance, who had been at his
house, in Johnston county, few months previous,
and who had heard him make some remarks against
the Catholic religion and against foreign paupers
crowding to our shores. This friend remembered
the expressions, and soon reminded him of them,
and then remarked /" Now we have the very thing
to put down the Catholics and prevent these for
eign paupers from coming to our country" On
enduring further Mr.. Leach learned that it the
Know Nothing organization that was to effect this,
and he solicited to join, nothing being said to
him about oaths or pledges. He partially consent
ed, and after dark his friend called at his room and
proposed a walk. They went out together, and
after going some distance his friend put the enquiry
to him, could he take an oath? His reply was that
he was not in the habit of taking oaths except
when witness in Court Finally, however, he
concluded he would see what kind of an oath it
was. He was taken up pair of stairs, and he
and other candidates were stuck back in little
antic-room for while. He was then conducted
into the ledge or council room and the oath was
administered, and he invited to a seat. In the
course of the sitting the president Of the council
made speech, denouncing President Pierce and
his administration. Mr.. Leach, who had ever been
sound and consistent Democrat, said this began
to waken him up, and for the first time he suspec
ted some political movement in opposition to the
Democratic party, of which he was afterwards con-
WINGED. After the council adjourned he told his
friend of some things that displeased him, when
he was assured that he had not yet got fairly
into the merits of it-that he had only taken
degree, and k1aew notbing-that there were two
more degrees he must take to have all the beau
ties of the order revealed to him. Mr. L. decided
as he had got into the "snap" that he would go
through with it, and the next night he took the
other two degrees, which made him Son of the
Sres of U.s.; that being the of the order
after taking three degrees. He was then solicited
to buy some papers to enable him to establish
council in North Carolina which he did, with the
understanding that if he concluded not to estab
Ish council that he should return the papers and
get his money back. After he came home he sent
the papers back and demanded his money, but
mover got it. He was thoroughly Disguised with
Know Nothingis1n, and had never visited one Of
thn;r Iodpes since He raprefted the oaths he had