Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-12-09
@ be Stan0arb.
RALEIGH, SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 1857.
HOLDEN & WILSON STATE PRINTERS
AUTHORIZED PUBLISHERS rEE-sSrrED
Mr.. HcRae,s LetteAI
w I l. L I A M w. HOL DE N
EDITOR AND DPRoPRIEToR.


= We copy to day, from the rarbornugh Souherner\
letter from Duncan McRae, Esq, late United
States Consul at Paris, addressed to w. F. Dancy.
ESQ.,. of Edgecombe, on the subject of State Debt
and Distribution.
Mr. Dancy, it appears. did not retain copy of the
letter he addressed to Mr. McRae and therefore has
not published it; but left to infer, from the
character of Mr. McRaes reply, that he nterro-
gated upon bat two questions, to wit, Stnte Debt
land Distri6ution/ Other gentlemen, learn, have
also been ntcrroga,ed by Mr. Dancy, and other and
further questions have been put to them. Ther
opinions have been asked, not only on State debt
and distribution, but in relation to Gov. Walkers
in Kansas the mode of distributing the School
fund, the subject of Banks and Banking. the Gr1sDS
borough and Danve connection, &c. I'VE presume
their replies will be published in the next number of
the Southerner.
Mr.. McRae, it will be seen, takes ground for dis
tribution, and declares that at this moment" it is
ga tar more important" question than that cf
sarery. and much more practical one" He also
takes grcund against organization an the Democratic
party, and inries opposition to that party in the
approaching canrass.
These are the main features of Lis letter, far
federal politics concerned.
We publish his letter as a matter Of courtesy, and
because we willing that he should be heard; but
we disagree with him thoroughly and radically on
the subject of distribution and in relation to the
ges Of the party. We regret to say that We now see
in Mr.. McRae enemy to the party which has pro.
NOTED and honored hi.n; and it will be our duty for
the future to treat him accordingly. Personally
we respect and like him; but this only adds to the
regret which feel on account of his apostacy,
and in view Of his almost certain aiiiation with the
Know Nothing party. He has deliberately severed
his relations with the Democratic par:y-he has
stepped off the platform and repudiated the usages
of the Democracy of the State, and he must blame
himself, and not others, for the consequences.
We shall examine his letter somewhat at length
hereafter
Mr. McRae's course will be hailed with sat;sfac-
ton and delight by most of the Know Nothing
presses of the State They will in it some CLEAN
of hope that the Democratic party may be dSoi gam
ized and that the result will enure TO their benefit.
They will find themselves mistaken. leader, so.
called, in the Democratic party, becomes instantly
poweress whenever he opposes or ignores any one
of its cardinal principles, endeavors to disturb OF
impair its organization.
- We will only add to-day. that Mr.. McRae appears
to be extremely concerned account of the squan-
dering of the public lands on the new States, and in
relation to North Carolina's share Gf the lands
This question gave him trouble four years ago, when
he took the field for Congress against Mr.. Ashe in
the Wilmington District. We have always under
stock that he favored dstribution them and that he
was generally sustained by the Wings Of that Dis
trict. 1t was most important, in his Judgment thai
North. Carolina should then have her share, but
meanwhile glittering prize. in the shape of eder
al Office, foated along, and he accepted it-wen
abroad, and for four long years we heard nothing
from the gentleman on the subject of the public
lands!