Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-01-21

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during the war Of 1912 lost sight Of Whist was due
to the country then, in their bitter opposition to
Mr. Madison's administration We are dealing, not
with motives, but with acts. That act-that pre-
ambe or rather the words referred 10 in itarc ur.
true, and reflection, whatever may have been the
intention Of the majority. the justice of the war.
lh's IS too apparent to be denied. What ,then9-z
Suppose some Legislature of this State should adopt
resolution repudioting the State debt ?--we put
an extremely improbable case by way of ilustra.
tion-what then2 Would not the next or some
succeeding Legislature erpunge that resolution -
We take it for granted they would simple re-
peal of it would sufficiently mark their sense of
its agitions character would postcrty be in any
way SO convinced Of the existence of such sense as
by an act Of expurgation. Are the words referred
to in the Mexican Preamble" less Objectionable?
Will posterity know, as do, the circumstances
under which they were passed, and thus judge of
them as VIC do-making allowance for party bitter.
ness and party rage?
1t idle to deprecate the existence of party feel.
ing, whether among the people in the Lcgsla-
ture. 1t will always exist, and should exist. 1t is
necessary to the State storms are to purify the
atmosphere. Nor will the Democrats gain any thing
in any respect, by yielding to- cooperating WITH
favoring the opposition. That opposition is more
inscriptions now than it was in 1876; while it is
not respectable it was then, either in its mate
rails or in its mode of organization. No matter
what the Democrats may do. omit to do at this
session of the Legislature, they will be assaed and
misrepresented by the Know Nothing leaders. They
took no action, for example, in caucus Mr.. Reeves
expunging resolutions, nor were these resolutions
submitted to them in caucus, because Mr.. Reeves
had determined to present them on his own respon-
sibility but, when presented and discussed, they
passed them through the Commons, and for this
they have been denounced in unmeasured terms
What he Senate will do on the subject it is not our
province to suggest; but if that body should lay
them the table, refer them, and not find time
to act upon them during this session, the Commons
may, if it should so decide, do its work in this
respect inasmuch as each House is the custodian of
its own journals.
The Register appears to be troubled because the
Democrats in the Commons consumed day in pass
ing Mr. Reeves resolutions and puts down the cost
at $3.50. This was not the fault of the Democrats,
but of the opposition. But for the motions to amend
to postpone 10 adjourn, and the speeches which
from the X N side, the resolutions could have
been perfected and passed in less than half an hour
But what will the Register say to the expensive ac-
ton of the Wings of 1916, aehich action has just
been emphatically endorsed by the Knoo Moth
ings Of the present House IF Commons? 1t requir-
ed trenty.sir days to pass the preamble in 1916,
when it might have been adopted in both Houses in
day, but for the anxiety Of the Wing leaders to
censure President Polk and achieve party triumph
over the Democrats and the cost thereof according
to the Registers estimate, was just Sill 7O0-being
700 more than at last voted to the volunteers
We repeat, whit we said in our last, we have no
fears that the Know Nothing leaders will make any
party capital out of the action of the Commons On
the contrary, should they attempt it they will lose
by it. The people will sustain the Democracy with
shout on this question. Ten years ago, when this
preamble was passed, the Mexican higs were
told by members in both Houses that the day would
come when it would be expunged. That day has
arrived. If the preamble he true let it remain; but
if false, let it be erpunged Let black lines encrce
it. shutting it out from the Gay and from the eye of
posterty. Thus will be indicated the character of
James X. Polk, the character Of North Carolina, and
the fair fame of the Republic and thus will be erec-
ted conspicuous beacon the way Of time, to warn
the factions against the appearance of extend
ing sympathy and encouragement to the public foe.
North Carolina was the only State which coupled
with her appropriation to her volunteers a decara.
ton against the justice of the Even Massachu-
sets forbore thus to trle with the feelings of her
regiment, but kept her own thoughts on the occa-
sion to herself Compare that deed of 1876 with
the heroic and self sacrificing conduct of the of
in, Tho IF
Democratic Republicans of this State in the Legs
lature of 1876 in relation to the with England
There were preambles then, setting forth the in
justice of the war but every influence in the State,
moral, political, and physical, was brought cheer
fully and ungrudsingy to the aid of the country
The records of those days are luminous with patri.
otism, and no black lines will ever rest upon them.
But it left to the pretended SUCCESSORS of the
Wings Of ITS TO perform an act which even many
of them now regret, and to atone for which it has
been considered necessary to resort to the extraor
binary process recommended by the Commons
While acknowledging the importance of party div-
sons in all free States, nevertheless as much
indisposed as any to embtter and aggravate
those divisions We always regret to see party
spirit exceed the bounds of propriety and degener
ate into faction but if act of simple justice, like
that proposed to be consummated by the Commons
should result in undue aggravation Of party feeling
the blame must rest upon those who, in 1896 so
unnecessarily forced that preamble on the journals,
and who now 50 stubbornly refuse to expunge it.
~ 1t is now considered pretty well settled that 4
Simon Cameron was elected to the United States |
Senate over Col Forney, by corrupt means. All
the Know Nothngs and black Republicans voted
for him and is stated that the three Democrats