Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-08-01
For the Standard
The BEeared-ssEye Witness,' at Laws.

nv account of the discussion at Laws on the 14th
inst between Messrs Wilder, Busbee and Rayner,
which was published in your paper of the 18th inst
l claim a space in your columns for few remarks
on that communication. [ have been prevented by
sickness of myself and family from attending to this
matter sooner. .
The "Eye Witness sets out with stating that
my account of the discussion above referred to
would have excited feelings of indignation" had
it appeared in any other newspaper but the Stand
ard" 1t is we'll that statement was made other
wise we would have been sorey puzzled to &C
count for the lamb like miidness and orbearance of
the writer! And after thus having taken the edge
offlhis wrath, he makes the following plunge "
Will venture the assertion that this communication
was written by drunken foreigner and con-
tinuts, there the ground threatening
he would publish an account of the discussion"
The writer then goes on to enumerate the number
of falsehoods told ny this drunken foreigner, .
/" besotted toreigmer, -" dirty creature, - bog
trotter' &c.,-makng ten in all, and then pronoun-
ces the whole account "giant falsehood'
Now, Messrs. Editors my purpose is not to argue
the truth fasty of my account of the discussion.
I shall leave that between those who heard 1t and
this gentlemanly Eye Witness" My intention is
something different Let me identify myself before
the public.
My name appears below. I am an Englishman
by BIRTH protestant in religious matters Gf there
be any virtue in that and printer by profession.
I have passed fully onethird of my lifetime in the
United States, and about sixth of it in Raleigh.
I have a wife and children. OF my character it
will not become me to speak, than to say that
it is all the capital have in the world; for ability
without character is worthless. Though proud of
being an Englishman, have never been known ds
sucA in my Intercourse with Americans. [ have
passed along like other men-cnjoyed the friendship
of very many respectable and intelligent gentlemen
amongst them many now prominent know-Noth
ings, and whose friendship still enoy.) My asso-
ciates are men Lot commonly in communion
With "drunken,' "besotted," dirty creatures"
In political matters have hitherto taken active
part whatever In matters pertaining to the duty
81 q mo of rDa
This Messrs Editors, is much as it becomes
to say of myself.
And now to my connexion with the discussion
at Laws. l attended there not for the purpose of
furnishing account of the proceedings, but mere
ly as a spectator. 1t being known that was con-
nected with the press, l applied to the
ground to find somebody to take notes of the
speeches and publish fair report. [ knew of no
person there, except myself, who could would do
so, and therefore undertook the task. As to my
ability, will only say it has been part of my pro-
fesSion and that have reported for presses of as
high character any in North Carolina, and with
the appreciation of gentlemen at least eminent
Honorable Kenneth Rayner. | commenced taking
notes in shorthand for a rerdutim report but had
to discontinue it in consequence of a severe head
ache, brought on by long, rough ride in the sun.
Those who practise the of Senography will full
" understand this, they alone know the close at
tentIon necessary, particularly when not in full
practice. abandoned the idea of furnishing re-
port, but continued to take notes of the prominent
taken | wrote out the Gcc0unt for the Standard.
Not one statement have I made in regard to Mr..
Eayne"'s positions that is not written in legbe
characters in my note book Not one | have
examined it carefully, and l assert this not from
memory but from the bOok-from notes written at
the moment the words spoken. Of course
use my own language throughout, except where the
words of the speaker quoted. And fling back
the charge Of falsehood in the teeth of the " Eye
Witness" Does that writer wish to leave the i'm
preston that Mr.. Rayner, too, was drunk and did
not know what he said?
But the eye Witness knowing that amongst
those who know me my statements will be believed
as his Mr. Rayners, seeks to remove
their weight by intnating that the writer was
drnnh; and not only that, but by endeavoring to
make the Impression that he is confirmed drunh-
nrG-a " besotted foreigner" The neanness, the
vciousness of such all attack will meet with the
contempt it so justly deserves It is quite bad
enough, in these days, to be toreigner, without
Being a besottcd one! Now, there shall be no
lodging behind generaties or centuries OF assertion
no pretensc that there acre drunken foreigners
on the ground There may have been; l did not
see them. On the day my account appeared &C
knowledged the authorship to quiet the futterno
pgeons-days before that scurrilous libel went to !
the Register it was known the author of the |
article in the Standard. There is no mistake about
that, Now, I don't know who wrote the article |
n the Register signed " An Eye Witness" nor do /
care; and say, coolly ard deliberately to its au-
hor titther, that if he means me in the term |
. drunken foregner'-if he means to say was |
lIHHH at Laws Ill he means TO lnSnuate That am
l "besotted foreigner" and means thereby that I |
oes incapable of attending to my business
te has toll malicious, contemplate f17seh00G; !
md if he present at the discussion, and saw
ne and had any communication with me- he states
what he hnotcs to be false, and consequently LIES.
| am at no loss, Messrs. Editors, to account for
his contemplate attack upon my private personal
character. Do you believe it would have been made
lpon me if instead of being poor foreign
;hanic'-one of the foreign paupers and criminals
had been Wealthy son of North Carolina? You
annot believe it. Yet that is assuredly the secret
avs generally aware of their rights; and while
cheerfully submit to the one will take care am
lot infringed upon in the exercise of the other.
[ could not presume upon your space, if [ were
ven disposed, to examine into the paltry shifts
~ which this bleareyed qoitness seeks to extricate
lis friend the Big Potato out of his positions. [
will notice, however, or two as a sample, and
,oint out as go some rare specimens of barefaced
npudence. just notice how he opens He says
represented Maj Mlder as &C INDUCING in a strain of
enseless abuse and vulgar impudence towards Mr..
T., personally" and then continues: " Here he does
injustice to the Major The latter was very respect
III and courteous towards Mr.. Rayner-spol1e in the
most complimentary terms of him-and again and
gain discaimed all purpose of being offensive."-
he fifth line following is this, "He (the writer in
he Standard) even represents Wilder as having done
,orse than he really did," And again, {" he (the
Iaior did not make quite (his italics) so great
of himself the writer of this article in ques-
ion represents him doing!"
He now proceeds to manufacture falsehoods He
enies that Maj. W. said she knew some of the
rickS of Know Nothing orators" &c. Now Mai,