Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-07-16

Letter Of the Hen. Hennoth Ray4eff AseclMAns
S. RALslon. n d. june g 1854
r s:ssss ~ gsse W. sss
dune II !" in which you inform me, that by
veniion Of the American party Of the United states
which closed its session in that city on the lJtn day
of June have been unanimously nominated as
candidate for the Office of Vice President OF the
United States with the Hon. Robert F. Stockton, OF
New Jersey, as q candidate for President.
Allow me- in the first place, gentlemen, to express
to you and through you, to those whose organs you
are my grateful appreciation OF this testimonial o.
their confidence and regard-my unaffected graft
tude for this exhibition Of wish to confer on me SO
distinguished an honor also duly estimate the
honor of having my name associated with that OF
the gallant Stockton in connection with the TWO hrst
places under our governments man whose acn'eve-
ments belong to his country's h;story-who, wheth-
er in facing the foe in time of war; or deberatngfn
the councchamber in tirle of peace has ever PROV
en- himself to be bold able, conservative ana patf-
otic Although those from whom this nomination
proceeded were but few in numbers-yet the honor
thereby conferred instead of being less, is, in my
estimation, the greater Considering all the crcum-
stances surrounding them, and the d'fhculties by
which they were enviroHed their action must be re-
gardcd, by every just and fairminded man, as Tree
from every faint Of sel6shness and corruption
Those who volunteer as "a forlorn hope" are not
likely to be moved by selfish considerations; and in
their selection of those who are to lead them their
choice is most likely to fall on men whom they sup
pose to possess the qualities that can be relied on IN
the hour Of trial.
While agree, in the MAN, with you and those
YOU represent, in regard to the evils and dangers
which now beset our common country, yet we do not
probably view the movements of the times, from ex.
acty the same standpoint. While we may concur
as to the end, we may differ somewhat as to the
means Of rescuing our country from the dangers
which threaten it. Anticipated as the idea may be,
with many who yet profess to belong to the Amer'-
can party yet, still regard the high mission OF the
American movement to consist of three great prl.
mary purposes objects, viz: The Inauguration OF
an intense feeling of American nationality, not only
in the administration of the government, but IN the
feelings and associations of our people-thc main
tenance of our civil and religious freedom, against
the daring encroachments and corruptiLg tendencies
of the Church of Rome; which has arrayed itself as
great political element in our country, in alliance
with powerful party-and the preservation OF our
| national Union, against all factionsts, North or
| South, East or West These three elementary prn-
cples or objects involve considerations higher, lar
higher than any of mere administrative policy grow
| ing out of domestic interests, as nation The
two first transcend in importance anything embraced
in the framework operation of our free insttu-
tons, even. They affect man in his moral and So
cal as well as in his political relations. Here then,
was platform" large enough and strong enough
| for every man in the Republic to stand on, who
| loves his own country and the people of his own
country, better than other countries other peo-
ples-who prefers religious liberty to the despotic
| domination of the Romish Church-and who Is re-
solved to maintain nviolate the Union with its i'm
perfections, rather than run the hazard OF dsruP-
| ton.
AS long as the American party adhered strictly to
these three great principles; as long as it was true
to its mission as long as it ignored all extraneous
and minor questions; as long as i: preserved its
prestige of great popular uprising against foreign
influence, priestly tyranny, and assaults upon the
| Tn;o II evnrvfhino before As long
its members agreed to tolerate differences of opin-
on on irrelevant questions and to act together for
the genera: good, nothing could stay its march
The rival parties of the country stood aghast at its
whirwind progress. l am not sure i!s Immense ms
strength did originate the of its late dis
asters. Its friends seemed to think strong enough
to carry any and every thng-and hence they en-
deavored to engraf upon it other issues of domestic
| policy and of sectional import Of its enemies,
those who openly assaied it with SANDER and mis-
representation were powerless for harm; whilst
others crept within its folds, some to pervert from
its principles and others to spy out its machinery
ana betray it to its foes. And then again the ind
ferent-those who have no fixed opinions on any
question, but who will fight for whomsoever will
pay them best; mean the trading politicians-en-
listed under its banner to carry out selfish views;
and to that end foisted on it, to some extent the
machinery of party politics.
The effect was instantly apparent AS soon as
those of one section began nterpoate on its Greco
their views of antslavery and those of another sec
ton, their views of prO-slavery-as soon as the d.
rection and management of the order taken from
the hands of the honest and unpretending masses
with whom it had originated, and who adhered to it
for the sake of its principles alone, and fell under
the control of selfish and ambitious potcians-the
people of the country saw and felt that something
was wrong, and enthusiasm began to give way to
indifference and neglect With its first reverses,
those who had gotten control OF the order became
alarmed: and then commenced that series of tenn
porisings and blunders which have ended IN myst-
fyng the public mind, to some extent, as to our deli
mite aims and su1jcctng US 10 the charge OF neon.
sisency and vaclation. In the vain expectation Of
dsarmng the enemies of the order of their weapons
of falschood and perversion concessions have oeeh
made again and again, which, instead OF a6ating,
have only increased the violence of their maignty
In the equally vain hope of modifying the hatred of
the Romish Church, and of satisfying the croaking
eonscientiousness of lukewarm friends, one OF our
cardinal principles, resistance to the aggres-
sons of the Romsh Hierarchy has been so diluted,
that like Douglas Kansas BILL it is construed one
way in one section and another in another. In ad'
dition to this other issues extraneous to the objects
and purposes of the order, have been added from
time to tme-diferng in different sections, to en-
able local politicians to themselves at home re-
CARELESS of the effect upon the general good of the
ORDER as national organization And it has turned
out, that many who aided in originating this great
, movement-many who fought for it with might and
MAN, in the days of its pristine purity-fnd them
selves left far in the rear and that they have be-
come objects of denunciaton and abuse, by those
who have thus >travested its simple and fair Inca
ments who held aloof from it in the weakness of its
> infancy, but who rushed to its embrace in the
strength of its manhood
= forcsaw the dangers which beset us and predic'
. ted the consequences, at the Philadelphia Conven-
ton in June 1856. then discovered growing