Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-02-07
For the Standard.

R' is said to be the Identical Mr.. Rayner, of North
Carolina Senator in the State Legislature from the
County of Hartford This is the second of series
intended to defend the secret political organization
of "Know- Nothingisrn, against the just and pow
erful assault of Mr.. Wise; and you will permit me
to say that this effort of Mr. RS is not less remark
able for its boldneSs Of advocacy than for its novelty
of argument. Perhaps, however, it is meet that Mr.
Rayner should advocate and defend this new order,
since his name has been suggested by some Of the
friends of that order for the Presidency-a sugges
ton, / may remark, in fine keeping with another
suggestion have heard of--the name OF Jacob Nor
decai for Congress in this District. Mr. Rayner too,
knows that other distinguished asprants for that
allied station have been putting in their bids, and he,
therefore, deems it very important perhaps, that he
should thus early, the slightest opportunity make
his bid and by warmly espousng the of
"Know Nothngism" place that order under superior
obligations to himself Perhaps, too, he desires to
insnuate himself into that order for the purpose of
gaining sufficient influence to verify his remarkable
asseveration two years ago, that those who had
pursued him with malignty unparalleled SHOULD
HIM if life lasted" That these remarkable
letters written under such circumstances, will place
him in the forcgr Ound for the Presidency, Of Fill
more Clayton, Houston and Others no doubt Mr.
r. feels very certain. To insure his success he en-
tiers directly into the defence Of the organization
a secret one we'll of its remarkable political
principles, thing hitherto not undertaken by any
one that have seen, publicly. Certainly such
ought to enttc him to the favor of the order,
il they have spark of gratitude among them. Mr..
Clayton undertook some time ago defence Oh tbelr
principles, and showed them to be as purely federal
as ever emanated from John Adams; but Mr.. Rayner
has gone bowshot beyond Linn, and. we may,
therefore, set it down certain that he expects
success
Mr. Rayncr in his second letter, now under con-
sideraton intimates that by the of argument
adopted by Mr. Wise, to wit: that we, being the de-
ScendantS of foreigners ought not in justice to be
too proscript of foreigners, he would make out
the BaTons who extorted the Great Charter from
King John set of quasi foreigners whose anccS-
tors had come over with the cOnqueror only one
century before" Why this reference TO Magma
Charta extorted at Runniucde am really at a loss
to perceive. According to my humble opinion, if
they "a set of quasi foreigners" then are for
egners pretty safe individuals to protect the liberties
of their adopted country, and therefore, much more
worthy of confidence than Mr.. r. seems willing to
admit in the other portions of his defence Does
not Mr.. Rayner know that Magma Chara is looked
upon by Eaglishmen the great buwark of En-
glish liberty?
Perhaps however it is So Perhaps they
sort of "quasi foreigners but if quasi Foreigners
at least in that instance quite tenacious of the
liberties of their country. And if the History OF
facts prove that quasi foreigners, as Mr. X. terms
those who have been removed a hundred years from
foreign ancestry are so tenacious oil their lIbereSa5
the English Barons showed themselves to be, is it
not argument by inference at least that adopted
citizens worthy of confidence! 1t strikes me
very forcibly that it is, and believe the inference
is Just and verified by the facts Ut history. | am,
therefore, willing to admit that the Barons who ex-
torted Magma Charta from King John were quasi
foreigners, and think that it makes against Mr.. RS
argument i'll the main in defence Of his order. Why
then, this reference to it by Mr.. R., and the
ton that they quasi foreigners?" Perhaps
Mr. r. intended it precedent to show that the
American people, notwithstanding their ancestors
were foreign born have the power 10 exercise the
proscrptvc right for which he contends, as we'll
the English Barons to cxtort Magma Charta. That
they have the physical power is unquestioned, but
that they have the moral right under the circum-
that's anfn
tence an independent power, is quite different
question
For the vindicaton of history, however, permit
ne gc1tlcmen, to remind Mr. r. that it is not set
tied fact of history that the English Barons were of
foreign ancestry. According to Mr.. Hume they were.
But Mr. Blackstone has left different impression
the minds of his readers in hislearned chapter the
Feudal system. Hear him on the 10th page of his
commentaries, ID book. And though the time of
this great revolution in landed property cannot
be ascertained with exactnesS, yet there are some
that may lead us to probable con-
lecture concerning it, For we learn from the Saxon
Chronicle that in the nineteenth year of King Will
liams reign an invasion apprehended from Den
mark, and the military constitution OF the SaXons
being then laid aside and no other introduced in its
stead, the kingdom was wholly defencelcss; which
occasioncd the King to bI ing large army of
Normans and Britons, who quartered upon
every landholder and greatly oppressed the people.
This apparent weakness, together with the Srievan
ccs occasoned by foreign force, might cooperate
with the Kings circumstances, and the better in
cline the nobility to listen to his proposals for put
ting them in position of defence. For as soon as
the danger over, the King held great council
inquire into the state of the nation; the immedi-
ate consequence of which the compiling of the
great survey called donesday- book which fin
ished in the next year, and in the latter end of that
very year the King attended by all his nobility
at Sarum when all the principal landholders submit
ted their lands TO the yoke of military tenure, be-
came the Kings vassals and did homage and feaity
to his person. These landhoders the Eng
fish Barons and we may safely conclude if this
count be correct, that they the ancestors of the
Barons who extorted Magma Charta from King John,
for Mr.. Blackstone says that the Fcudal system was
by the old English andholders acquesc-
ing generally in its introduction. With this view
Mr.. Rs precedent then falls.
Mr. RS. reference to the Israelites, think quite
unfortunate for contending for the prescription
of foreigners for however stringent their laws may
have been against the influence of foreign nations
over them nation their laws certainly inculcated
the utmost kindness towards foreigners settling
among them, and clothed them even with the rights
of citizenship. AS evidence of the correctness of
this opinion L cite the following passages from the
Bible: Also thou shalt not Cypress a stranger,
for we know the heart of stranger, seeing we were
strangers in the land of Egypt Exodus, 23d chap.
9Th verse. If stranger sojourn with thee in your
land, we shall not vex him. But the stranger that
dweleth with you shall be you as one born
among you, and thou shalt love him myself; for
we were strangers in the land of Egypt | am the
Lord your God."-Levitcus, 10Th chapt. 23d and
oath verses. That the word stranger" is here
80 o,o