Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-06-27
- d For the Standard.
FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
, When men attend the political discussions Of can,
tidates for the sufrages Of the people for poueal
stations especially when the different candiua'es
are held forth to the public as the REPRESENTATIVES
of different parties they naturally expec. ~ ..s.
discussed the different ideas OF government :"sea
tained bv the respective PARTIES, and some line OF
policy marked out upon which the affairs OF the
country should be administered. With such an ex-
nect.t;on vent into the Court House At Edenton,
on the 18th of this month, to listen to the oe1ate
between Dr.. II. N. Shaw and his competitor, Mr.,
W. N. H. Smith, rival candidates for Congress III
the first District. T. ,r' .a~
Dr. Shaw spoke first, and as the Democratic aoc-
trine is the same everywhere in our country 1t Is
needless to repeat the Doctors speech 1t was
clear, strong, convincing, and covered the Mnoie
ground of constitutional government and the prlncl'
plss upon which Democratic policy is FOUNDED.
From his remarks listener might gather some
theory of government, and the true policy OF our
government according to the speakers ideas. And
he allied upon Mr.. Smith to state what his notions
were in relation to the course of parties IN TINS
country for the last few years what party ne De.
longed to; what principles he advocated, and what
set of measures be represented in bis position o,
opposition to the Democratic rule. DR.. Shaw stated
that was futile and childish to attempt to dsavow
party according to the popular acceptation OF that
term and that he used it in the common sense, ana
not in the sense of being blind tool to accomplish
the ends of caucus or the purposes OF q iacuon.
And in that sense he asked Mr.. Smith to take his
stand upon some party ground, either w mig, Amer
lean or Democratic.
I was little surprised to hear DR.. Shaw, call in
this bold manner for the political opinions of man
who was, according to the newspapers, nominated
for Congress by two parties, and who could thus
choose from q double track either side of the road
More especially was surprised to hear such call
made upon such man as Mr.. Smith. have known
4: 60 a 0f
and as high official of our Courts no one discharg-
ed the difficult abors of his Office with more indus
try zeal and superior talent l have seen him in
controversy with the first lawyers and the first
minds of the State, and never saw him lower bis
crest to any, or come off with second honors.
Running back over his splendid career as lawyer,
almost trembled at the temerity of such an attack
from DR.. Shaw, and confess l felt uneasy for his
reply. expected to hear, in tones of burning elo-
quence the beauties of that goal Iehcarsed to which
the old Wing doctrines proposed to lead the coun-
try. thought to hear once more the appeal made
to the people to come to the rescue of the Ameri-
can principle" and consummate the darling idea of
the illustrious Clay. l thought to hear something
about banks and the Wing ideas of finance; some
thing about the Monroe doctrine, or at least some
suggestion as to the true foreign policy of the gov
eminent; and listened for the watchword of the
American party" Americans shall rule America"
And listened most earnestly for some rebuke from
his eloquent lips to the wild spirit of fanatcism and
foul injustice VIII oh pervades the body of Northern
slanderers of the South and her dearest rights. l
had right to expect some discussion of these topics
Mr.. Smiths opening remarks dispeled every idea
that he intended to respond to the calls made upon
him by Dr. Shaw. In his first remarks he refused
to belong to any party farther than he agreed with
that party in opinon-a very novel and original
declaration that He failed. however, to tell US
what the opinions and principles of the Wing and
Amoriran Marty or narfipS he failed n us
his own views upon any measure but one, nor did
he state whether his party parties held the same
opinion with himself The measure be claims to
expect the sufrages of Southern constituency
upon is not the tariff it is not any system of finan-
cal policy it is not the constitutonaty or exped-
eminent; it is not the Monroe doctrine; it is not
any scheme of foreign policy; it is not by any
action upon the naturalization laws or the Romish
Church it is not any principle which shall secure
to the whole country equal rights under the Consti-
tuition, and to the South exemption from the dark
outrages that aboltionsm is penetrating every day
upon her fair fame and attempting to commit upon
her dearest rights and most vital interest. Oh, no.
These are matters which he and the American Wing
parties or party. one or all of them, think very
insignificant at the present time when there is such
arniability displayed by the dear friends of the
South-Seward and others; at time when the
South is in all her rights, and her inter-
for. These are subjects of little Understanding
gerry, scarecrows-and must not be mentioned lest
an excitement should be aroused.
But there is subject in Mr. Smiths opinion,
before which the ancient lights of Whiggery, and
the grand Examinations of Know NothiDgism pale
and cease to throw gimmering beam upon the
pathway of statesmen. That star which has arisen
Neksheb, and to which he points as an omen of
victory to rally the dispirited bands of the oPposi
ton to one last charge upon the ranks of Democracy
is-ye Gods and little Observation-Disclosures Upon
that stupendous issue he stakes the perpetuity of
the nation. Distribute the proceeds of the public
lands amongst the different States in any manner
Qor as Mr.. Smith fails to say how it ought to be
accomplished it is reasonable to suppose that one
method is as good another that distribution be
efectedD and behold Brigham Young shall distri-
butte his sixty wives; Kansas shall smile in peace
and quiet; the law shall be cheerfuly obeyed by
abolitionists and promptly executed; the Central
American difficulties shall unwind into an easy clue
to solution the tariff shall adjust its variations
to the exact needs of revenue, like self winding
clock, and the halcyon days of peace plenty and
absence from taxation shall brood perpetually over
the land. America is to be paradise, and dstr-
button the PERKS choicest gift to unlock the pearl
gates his exordium on this momentous matter
truth he handled the subject as ably as it can we'll
be managed and placed it in very attractive colors
before the people.
But Mr.. Smith has one great defect in his view of
distribution, at least it is SO considered by some
he made no statement of the amount to be distribu-
ted, and when it was to DE done; whether annually
whether national jubilee was to be appointed at
the eld OF certain number of decades or whether
we were to wait till the States shall have dissolved
their federate partnership and the affairs of the
concern balanced Now, taking it for granted that
! am in favor of the measure call upon the Amer
lean wing party or parties, and upon Mr. Smith as
ts or Their representative, to state what North
Cardinals portion of the proceeds of the public
lands is Is it the l-s1 part of the money now in
the treasury derived from the sales Of those lands