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

LIZ hENNE1h a1NELn,
"Cromwe, charge thee fling away ambition
By that sin fell the angels. Haw man. then,
The image Of his maker hope to win by it!
Love myself last"
As understand sir, you have referred to the re-
yolver and bowie knife in connection with defense
of yourself l must ask pardon for addressing this
communication to you, and more especially for hav-
ing headed it with quotation which may imply
that you capable OF being actuated in your po-
tcal action by any other than the most exalted and
patriotic motives
You know sir, it has been said that ambition is
the infirnity of noble minds.'' cannot, consc-
quently, be deeply injured by any implication of
mine, unless you permit your ambition to lead you
into courses derogatory to your character as pa
triot and politician.
see YOU are charged, sir, with having used vio-
lent All improper language towards your political
opponents-speaking disrespectfully of the Chief
Magistrate of your country, and the gentlemen as
ISOLATED with him in his administration. trust for
the sake of your character as an able man and a
high priest of Know Nothingsn, that this is not
for if it is, it is evidence either of the weakness Of
your cause or of your head-perhaps of both. Pas
sion only usurps control when reason yields her
sway, is found inefficient for defense Remem-
Der, my dear sir, you are Know Nothing candle
set upon h-a specimen brick of that hugely
moral and patriotic Know Nothing edi6ce built up
to supersede those old and decayed corrupt and Of
fensive Wing and Democratic households; and as
Hamlet says to his erring mother, it becomes you
"to assume virtue if you have it not" Remember,
too, in denouncing Gen. Pierce you but echoing
the howl of hatred and anger which abolitionism
has raised throughout the North, and you will not
find response in a single manly Southern breast.
You speak of being STAKEHOLDER, and while you are
unbecomingly abusive of those who have sacrificed
their popularity for the rights of the saveholding
portion of the Union, you expect your fellow-slave
holders to take your slaves as many pledges for
fidelity to their interest. For one 1 cannot do so.
There are men, sir, who would yield seat in Heav-
to rule in Hades. There too many instances
in history of men sacrificing personal interest for
public station. Indeed, every man who enters pub
lie life may in measure be said to do so. Is is not
well understood that George Law has offered $780,
600 for the nomination of your Order for the Pres
dency? So that if you were to yield up your one
hundred slaves for the nomination to the Vice Pres
dency your contribution would fall far short of his
Why, sir, Gen. Taylor gave as his pledge to the
South his 800 slaves in Louisiana, and yet when
North and South were in opposition upon the Cali
fornia question, personal association and private at
tachment were forgotten and only party policy
suited Can you, said he to the Committee appoint
ed by the Southern Wing members of Congress to
wait upon and demonstrate with him, can you
pect me to sacrifice the greater wing of my party to
the lesser, ie, the Northern to the Southern? [See
Mr.. Cingman's letter in 1852. You, sir, according
to your own showing are only able to give
third as many pledges as Gen. Taylor You belong
to an Order majority of the electoral votes of
which protest against platform no stronger pro-
slavery than the one upon which the late Wing par
ty stood, and which but Greedy before the cleo
ton felt bound to spit upon. Already have your
associations had so demoralizing effectthat you
who as late 1862 refused for time your support
Gen. Scott because freesoilers wished his nomina
ton, proclaim with pride and joy" your ALI
ance with Gardner, Johnston, Colby, and others
in view of your antecedents, Mr.. Rayner, your ar
gunaent0na adj negro makes out the weakest of all
claims to Southern confidence
Don't you know, Mr.. Rayner, that in resting your
claims to Southern confidence on the interest you
have in slavery you attributing to Southerners
the very lowest motives which actuate men in polit-
ica matters? Do you believe that selfinterest only
is at the foundation of the resistance to Northern
aoornSSiOnS Is there in this
ton of equal rights and Constitutional guarantees?
Wherefore is it that many of our neighbors who
own ne slaves, who put their hand to the plough |
and walk the furrow day after day in the sweterng