Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-07-11
From the Salisbury Banner.
HON. JOHN KERR ..


BILE speeches His enemies in political contests and
his secret foes, fighting under the heavy cover Orwell
concealed hypocrisy, have shown ali utter want Of
that open generosity, which ought to be possessed
by foeman, worthy Of the steel of man so gal.
liant, noble, and independent.
man W I'll such strong features of character as
Mr.. Kerr Possesses will, as he has, always have
many enemies of the strongest dye. His indepen-
dence as man, and utter scorn for low intrigue and
servile sycophancy, place him above those who would
demand Of him, that he mix with their mingled, IN
discriminate ranks, and their dirty means ior 90
tanning their ends Fooled in their object OF b'ndhg
him down to their narrow and contracted views,
they assail him in the bitterness of their wrath and
try, with their might, to make the country oei'sve
that he has been traitor to his principles, anu MS
party Ard more than this: not content with thus
villifying man, whose sincerity anu PATRIOTISM mas
been but recently doubted, they Iaoor 10 make !"
appear, that his sole object was to be sharer IN
the spoils of the successful party. This is charge
which will show its falsty to the mind Of any one,
with a fair examination of the facts of the case.
While Mr.. Kerr was member Of Congress, be-
ing elected thereto by the Wing party without op-
POSITION his present foes, the Know-Nothings were
organizing, and daily adding to their strength in his
district They grew and increased in numbers, so
that not only almost the entire Wing party were
swallowed up by them but many democrats, being
deceived by their false pretensions, and thinking
that their principles were not incompatible with the
princp of Democracy also entered their councils
The Democrats in consequence Of this, had ma
jority against them of near three thousand IN Mr..
Kerr's district. Mr. Kerr at this time was written
to- by of his old friends, asking which side ne
would take of this new issue. He replied promptly
and without hesitation that he was opposed to this
new doctrine of K. Nothingsm, and would when
he returned home convince his constituents that 1t
was wrong, and would, if carried out, be dangerous
to the country. After that he was again written to
by the most influential citizens of his district who
were former members of the wing party, to the ef-
feet that if he would, in the next campaign remain
silent upon the new issues, and notice only the old
issues between the " Old Wing" and the Democra.
tic parties he would be returned to Congress with
out opposition. To this also, fearless of consequent
ces, and without debating the question which was
the most popular side, or which side would in the
end prove victorious he boldly replied, that let come
what would, he was opposed to Know NothingIsm,
and would publicly denounce it. His old political
friends within the organization scorn to stand
by its principles and its dictus and chagrined be-
cause they could not bring their representative to
be tangled in their meshes they were driven to the
last resort they knew not what course would prove
most effective, and finally concluded to write
third time threatening that if Mr. Kerr with all these
facts before him had the temerity to oppose
them, he would meet with " most signal defeat"
In the face of all this, Mr., Kerr acted, as man
should act not from prejudices, from influences,
but from principle, and from conviction. He came
home and at the first opportunity which offered it.
SELF disclosed in public speech, as far as any one
could then d. the obectional features to the party
leaving one in doubt to where he stood upon
this question. This speech was made at Henderson,
in Granville county, before he had reached the limits
Of his own district.
He entered the campaign of So, with hardly
hope of success left him. If what his former friends
had told him be true, ard he had to doubt
it. he might expect to meet, and finally did meet
with an overwhelming defeat These were the odds
against him when he entered the field. He chung in
protested. He called upon the wings of the district
to stand by their old party. The principles were
the same then, that they had ever been dear to
him, because he had been long imbued with their
justice, because he had fought for them through
triumph and through adversely by the side, and I'M
der the command of the venerated Clay and Web
ster. But strange gods had been brought into camp
and instead of rallying around the old standard and
its bearer, the wings fell off like leaves in winter,
and worshipped at the feet of their god. They
had already entered the secret councils; sold their
birthrights, and were then in imagination, devour.
ing the pottage; and were s,eearing that they would
stand by the bargain, Qeast they might fly the track
They openly declared that their old party was dead,
and demolished, and that their new one was built
upon the ruins Of both the old ones, whis and de-
mocratic. We have to concede to them that they
were right in part and that they had agreed to let
their party die, and from the dead body form new
one but they will hardly claim now that the de-
mocratic party died with them.
What then was the position in which Mr.. Kerr
was left? He was fighting Know Nothingsm with
might and main. and could not consistently with the
course he first adopted in the premises from honest
conviction ever consent to do otherwise so long as
he had will to act or reason to direct him. The
democrats were doing the same, and we leave it to
be said how he could have avoided acting willingly
or unwi'l'ngly in cooperation with party that
lighting foe, common to both him and them. Is
it surprising then, that Mr.. Kerr should have given
his vote and lis influence to the election Of Mr.
Buchanan, in preference to the election of Mr.. Fill
more, who was a Know Nothing himself and the
nominee of that party?
The old isms between the Wings and Democrats
have long been settled; SO that in afilliatlng with
" turned orer," as the Know Nothings charge from
one side to the other of any principle which he for
merly advocated. He rests, where he should rest,
upon the side OF Democracy, only national and
conservative party, confessedy, of which the Ameri-
can States can boast and the only salvation for the
American Union.
In this connection we will call the attention of
our readers to fact and upon that fact ask one
question: aud then we shall have done with the SUBJ
ject.
Mr.. Kerr, in the House, and Mr.. Badger, in the
Senate, both voted for the Kansas and Nebraska BILL
1t was not then made leading question with either
party. Each member voted as he thought right It
has since been one of the main dividing questions
For his support to that measure, one Of the green
est laurels in the Democratic wreath, Mr.. Kerr has
been derided, and abused but not one word do
those who abuse him, even say about the vote of
Mr.: Badger upon the same measure Why is this?
Is Ar. Badger to act independently with regard to
the great and momentous questions of his party, to
vote directly contrary to them, and be entirely un-
criticised and unnoticed? Why is not he assaied
Why are not part of the walls of the wrath of the
impartial Know Nothings, emptied upon his head
at the same time they poured out the head Of
Mr.. Kerr! We leave this for them to answer.