Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-07-22
For the Standard.
u,,r r1ETH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.


Aessys Holden d Wilson:
crxr,pxEN: Having seen notice published that
49, candidates for Congress in the Fifth District
nonid address their fellow-ctizens at Patterson's
S,ore IN Yesterday the 18th inst, concluded to at
tend and hear what they had to say. l was fully
comnensated for the loss Of time and my visit.
After the county candidates had announced them.
solves at one o'clock, Mr. Gilmer took the stand and
smoke for an hour and hall, not so much upon the
exploded subjects of banks and tariffs, or the doc
trines of his own cherished American principles
that so much haunted his dreams last summer, nor
did he venture to speak one single sentence on the
subject of KnosoN othingism, or sound the alarm Of
danger in the ears of his hearers that thousands of
foreign pau2ers were focking into the United States
from Europe to take bread and meat out of the
mouths of our wives and children.
Having given these subjects the silent go-by, l
expected to hear that the Catholics were burning all
the Bibles North, and that there was danger of our
colporeurs here being waylaid in order to destroy
such as might be in their possession South but in
this was disappointed
He at Length planted himself on the slavery ques-
ton, and complained of the agitation upon this sub
ject by politicians; spoke of the compromise of
1920, and found very great fault with the alien suf
age and squatter sovereignty feature in the Kansas
and Nebraska bill.
After moments pause. and apparent deep reficc'
ton, as though he was hestatng whether or not to
embark in the much-tried and weak cause, much
like the fellow who had climbed high up in tree
and ventured far out on a limb after an opossum,
he doubted the propriety ofattemptng to shake the
animal off, lest he might himself fall to the ground,
and hear something drdp.
But after somewhat recovering from the fear of
that awful and most probable dilemma, he nerved
himself up, and with warmth and much zeal advo-
Gated the distribution of the public lands; said it
was the only question of Importance that was at
present agitating the public mind; quoted Demo-
cratic authority to sustain his position, and eulo-
csed Gen. jackson to the skies and higher, for the
deposit act Of 1886 said Mr.. Clingman had jumped
Jim Cror, and gone far ahead of every body else
upon this subject-was in favor of dividing the lands
and paying to the States their full share of the
surplus renenue whenever it accumulated in the
Treasury, and take clear receipt.
1t was very amusing, indeed, to hear John a.
Gilmer applauding and praising Democrats.
This did not escape the notice of Maurice 9. Wad-
dell who dashed him we'll for the deserving merit
attributed to his political foes He did not aude to
Mr. W. in any way whatever as candidate for Con-
gress; but went strong for himself, nrst, last and
all the time His effort was able and his argument
ingenious.
After concluding, our much-esteemed and gifted
Young friend, Stephen E. Williams, arose and enter
tanned US for hour and 90 minutes in strain of ell
oouence and force of reasoning that worthy fhe
man who had gladdened the hearts of all unprendcad
men without distinction Of partv) who hear d him. |
most heartily wish you could have been present and
heard. as did with much interest, his able defence
Of Democratic principles.
the scene was the more interesting and lnStruc-
tive because Gilmers effort above-stated, and
required much talent and skill in debate to meet and
correct the many errors into which he had fallen
But the task was no sooner undertaken than accom-
plished- for our young friend being well posted, he
unveiled with much ability the argument of his ad-
versary, and very successfully put the wall every
erroneous position he had taken and whist he con-
Quoted the discussion with every degree of courtesy
and fairness he handled his subjects with gloves off
and with much honor and credit to himself and to
the perfect satisfaction of his friends.
He gave lucid explanation of alien suffrage and
squatter sovereignty; approved the Kansas-Nebras.
ka BILL and showed conclusively that if these two
features contained in it were wrong, that Mr. Fill
more and his allied and Know Nothing friends were
responsible for it, as they had been previously and
first approved and incorporated in the Utah and
New Mexico bills, from which they had been copied
word for word into the Nebraska act
He then boldly asserted that if Mr.. Gmer was
elected he would not ind single Know Nothing in
Congress North of Mason & Dixons line to cooper
ate with him in maintaining the rights of the South,
whilst if he was elected there would be found 81
conservative Democrats to stand side by side with
him upon that subjec:-remarked that this was very
important fact to be remembered.
He next took up the subject of distribution of the
public lands very clearly drawing the distinction be-
tween distribution and deposit; and showed that in
Al, when the Wings had the power and passed
bill to divide the lands, they very ngenioLsy and
astutely added clause that provided whenever the
tariff was raised above 20 per cent. distribution
should cease, and dwelt at some length upon the
fact, which not denied that at the next session.
when they still in power they raised the tariff
and thereby stopped distribution not, however, I'M
til after they had provided well for the western and
northwestern Statcs-giving them great advantage
by granting to them very large quantities of the
public domain.
Mr. Williams challenged contradiction, and an.
pealed to the people say ifthey had not been hum
plugged often enough by the American and Wing
party, who had ever been ready to promise great
things. but who, when in power had always failed
to grant even small things thought l could see
response from the bosom of every man present say.
ing zoe haze; and that we will drop Gilmer and
make you our representative from the Fifth District
Before proceed to speak of Mr. Waddell, let me
remark that Mr.. Williams is one of the readiest and
abest debaters have heard in the District and that
he is winning golden laurels wherever he goes and
is heard believe he is growing seadfastly and
rapidly in public favor, and is just the man whom
the people of the District desire and intend if III
their power, to honor with seat in the next Con-
gress of the United States.
MIR. Waddell prefaced his remarks BY telling
good anecdote, which gave to him the same patient
attention for nearly two hours that had been extern
ded to Mr.. Gilmer and Mr. Williams
lie set out by complaining that Mr.. Gilmer had
stated there was too much agitation upon the slav-
cry question in the South. Mr.. G. rose to explain
what ne did say, alleging that Mr. W. had not under
stood him correctly.
He then turned to Mr.. Williams and said he had
not correctly or fully and satisfactorily explained
what was meant by alien suffrage and squatter SOW
ereignty and proceeded to give his view of the sub.
Ject; and after speaking of Col Fremont and charg-
ing that he was Democrat, and run for President
by the black Republican party North, &C., he again
turned upon Mr. Gilmer and alleged that an attempt
had been made by few of his friends to rule him
off the track by means of a Convention. that was