Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-05-24


He said he concurred with Mr.. Gilmer as to the
beauty and fertility Of their country, and as TO what
he had said in relation to improvement and hoped
to see the day when it's now comparatively hidden
and locked up resources would be laid open and
developed.
He said that he was surprised to hear his COM
petitor to-day enter into the discussion OF some
matters which he had not supposed would be brought
into this canvass and he still more surprised to
see the manner in which he had treated them. His
competitor complained that the Standard had as
sailed him for his vote years since as to the
distribution Of the school fund. This was AZ mis-
take The Standard had never to his knowledge re-
ferred to it at ALL 1t may have been done in some
other paper; but his competitor would find, as ne
had done in former contest, that it was useless to
notice attacks Of that kind. If he did he would
have his hands full. But, from the course OF ms
competitor, he rather thought he was avallns nm
self of this matter to get votes in this sectlon lie
had made an elaborate argument to show the gross
injustice of the present mode of distributing the
fund, and had undertaken to show that the Demo-
cratic party responsible for it-that the org
nal pledge for distributing the fund had been viola
ted-that the " est had not been true to her own
interests or she would have defeated Gov. Reid
and he had made strong appeal to the people here
as Western man.
Now, said Mr.. B., claim not your support either
as an. Eastern man Western man, but as one who
intends to discard all sectional questions, looking to
the interests ana WISHES Oh inc WIoic Otate. LUZ
Mr.. Gmer is in error to one thing-the fund
chiefly for common schools was not raised by MI.
Yancy's bill, but came from the general government
as part of the surplus revenue under Gen. Jacksons
| administration. Nor did the Democrats OF lS42 IN
troduce the present mode of distribution oy re-
peal of any other law, but it done before that
time-it was not party vote butt was one about
which there was difference of opinion and contest
! without the slightest regard to party. Time and
again the matter was brought before the Legsla-
ture but for several years passed the question, had
| ceased to be raised 1t was considered as settled
In the last contest was so considered between him
and his competitor, and he regretted that Mr. Gllmer
had deemed it proper to reopen it. 1t would 10 no
| good-it would again lead to sectional strife-lt
would retard the public improvements oftheState, and
nothing practical would come of it !; because ex-
! perience had shown that it could not be changed
/ 1t would even njure the Common Schools which
were now doing well and improving, under the eff
| cient management of our State Superintendent
Gov Bragg said that he had no wish to conceal his
own opinions on this subject. He was against dis
turbing the matter. He would say SO in the Vest
he would say so in the East. And now, said he,
turning to Mr.. G., want my competitor to state his
position. He has said great deal about the mat
ter, but has not told you what he will recommend
in case he should be elected.
rat first Mr.. G. declined to answer; but before
the discussion closed he said that the opinions ad-
vanced by him were his prtrtte opinions; but it
change, but would acquiesce in the present law,
| whatever his own opinions might be.
Then, said Gov b. there is practically no differ
ence between us. But my competitor makes pub
lic argument in order to express his prirnte opin
ions and makes it III such way as he thinks will
get him votes here. hope, said Gov. B., he will
take the same course all over the State.
| AS to Free Suffrage. Gov. B. said that his COM
pctitor professed TO be great Free Suffrage man,
but somehow always voted against it. Formerly,
we were told that it was wrong tospass it by the
Legislature it must be done by Convention.
That was the objection two years ago. He had then
told the people that it idle to talk about Con-
vention-that the action of the several Legislatures
for years past had shown it to be so-that We must
| take things they and act accordingly.
| And now he would remind the people of what he
said and would ask if it was not true; for if they
would examine the journals of the last General AS
! semby they would find that the Convention bill,
when offered in the Senate received the votes only
| of some 6 out of the fifty members and in the
| House of Commons never received in any of the
different shapes in which it offered than
! 40 out of 100 members. Thus showing conclusive
| ly that there was large majority-two to one
| against Convention in the Commons in which
House the West has majority, opposed to the call
| of Convention whilst upon the passage, in the
same House, of the Free Suffrage bill, there
| only Is votes against it the members from Cher.
| okee and most of the mountain counties who had
competitor, already stated, had in every
ted against the bill, and says he is yet against t,un
| less amendment offered by him other
could be adopted and as that cannot be done now,
the bill having passed throu III one Legislature and
| to amend it would be to destroy it, of course his
competitor was opposed to it. Gov. B. said the OPP
ponents of this measure were always finding some
objection to it. First, it to be done by open
| Convention, then by restricted Convention, and
now it seems his competitor falls back upon old
objection always urged by those in favor of keep
ing things they are, that there is danger that the
landedinterest would be burthened unduy with taxes
| This altogether chmerical-such had not
| been the case in other States. 1t the largest
and most powerful interest in the State, and men,
bers of Assembly could not do such a thing and
sustain themselves at home. Nor was itlikely they
ever would attempt it, inasmuch as they themselves
must be land holders, and would suffer as we'll as
other land proprietors. The thing was preposter-
GUS. Let the freemen of the State, then, be true
| to themselves and the measure would be passed.
But let them be on their guard. Every effort will
be made by open enemies and pretended friends to
| defeat it.
As to the tempting bait held out to them of .hav-
ing cheap courts and trials of petty offences before
Justices of the Peace and thus keeping such mat
tiers out of court, no one knew better than Mr..
G. that the Legislature had power to do that with.
out Convention, and if he thought it expedient he
ought to have had it done when in the Legislature
! AS to Mr.. Gilmer's bank notions, in relation to
which he wished to know Gov. BIS opinion, he,
Gov. B., stated he should have it whenever he would
set them out with such painness as to enable him
to see what it was.
His competitor made brave promises, however to
the peope-that it would pay the interest on the
State debt and save them from taxation. He would
say this he did not believe that interest debts and
taxes could be paid by any such legislative hocus
pocus. As to small notes the Governor said that
the matter was not one of party character that
he had no wish to follow Mr.. Gimer into that dis.
cusson, as it would consume all his time, and he