Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-12-05
Kmsros, N. G, Oet. sand, 1857.

s,sas, Kusros, N. G., Oct Sand, 1857.
M DEAR Sls: 1 have nov the 6rst leisure time
s;nce the recsipt Of your letter asGing my views
aon political questions now Of great interest to the
State" TO make you q reply. Our long acQ0ain'
tance-the relations OF pers0Aal friendship which
have always subssled between Ns-aNd the TACT that
Ne have sver been active mcnsoers of the sase po-
ltcal party, prompt me- without hesitation 10 com.
ply with your Wishes and having No political aspi.
ration 10 grAtty-haviag voluntarily yielded IN hon.
esahls office into the hands Of tho administration,
end being altogether DESTROYS Of decotisg myset en-
tirels b ny preysssiox, I am enabled to co.amani-
cate With you entire tranknesS and sincerity. The
present condition q North Carolina is well caleas.
led to excite Gveaesa concern. She is evidently
not advancing Ia prosperity at an equal pace with
her sister States, North and South. She has enter
Cd On . system Of internal Improvement which, az
get holds out promise Of recompense and scarce
. hone Of stability The railroads. while they are Of
great convenience and advantage 10 the pabtic are
% hr dead loss to the ssockhoeders-town proper
" Is depreciating in valae-our peopts, whose re-
sources 80 Ear Is they developed quite limit
ed-our Ssase bonds below par-rsfroad stock IN
Saleable and unprcdaceive revenue system an
csrtain and III arranged and Necessity Of incrcas.
Cd saxat on-may well inspire os, with every son Of
North Carolina, ~ith apprehension and alarm.
Row NAV the State be extricated from this situa.
Ton and placed on she road 70 pro perity-s ques-
Who viii strike out Tor her a method Of escape.
Alta caucus Of the democratic party which sat in
Convention at Raleigh in May 1852, called their At
tention the unjust and Ubiquitous system OF
dering THE PCBLIc LANDS, which was ro0o'ng Nortn
Carolina of her interest therein-which Was in utter
violation of the principles regularly set forth in the
national Conventions of the party, aid pointed out
the prospect Of . speedy and entire loss to North
Carolina If this valuable inheritance. That Demo.
cratic Convention in that caucus then rejected the
resolution on thissubject reported by the Committee
(which was in substance from the Baltimore plat
form. )-ond resolved "that in view Of the settled
policy of donations-and the impossibity Of main
tanning the old democratic docrine- scds dItogeth-
er right that a fair distribution Of this common
property Should BE- had among all the States"
Subsequently, the democratic party in the l.egis.
Iature Of 1928 resolved in substance. that If
this system Of squandering was to continue, North
Carolina should, in common with the old States, as
sert her claim to her rghtul portion OF the public
domain" This resolution was introduced by Mr..
Bynum, an ercellent democrat from Northampton,
and was voted for and advocated by such good DEM
ocrats as Gen. NJ. Saunders. Mr.. Dobbin, at that
Saml P. Hill, of Caswel, Mr.. Thos D. Mcdowell of
Baden, and indeed, by most Of the leading demo-
Gratis in the House Of Commons Thus has the demo-
cratic party in this State two occasions committed
itself soemnly and with deliberaton to the doctrine
of distribution, in view Of the departure from the
national platform by democrats Of the land States,
and the certain loss of the whole Of the public
lands to the State of North Carolina.
Every consideration which could have prompted
such policy, has greatly strengthened since the par
ty in this State took the positions have referred to-
The strength of the land squanderers in Congress
has greatly increased. At the last session of Con-
eress the Minnesota bill" giving about ten millions
Of Of public lands to corporations for railroads
in Minnesota, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and
Florida passed both houses of Congress orer the
to of President Pierce and such is the power of the
combination, that this conservative check, which
the last sheet anchor of the Southern non.land
holding States, is powerless for their protection
Not only is the Northwest c!amorous for the spos,
but Southwestern democrats have united in the cry,
and plan is now we'll matured as soon as Kansas,
Minnesota, Oregon and Nebraska shall be admitted,
and thereby unequivocal power secured in both
branches of Congress, to seize boldly upon all the
public lands, and give them to the States in which
they lie, and the Territories they become States
and thus by one daring act OF robbery, to sweep
away every interest and right we may have in this
valuable estate. Neither honesty justice will
impede or prevent it. The decree has gone forth,
and nothing avert it but own prompt and
decisive action feel that this question of the pub
lie lands is at this moment far more important one
than that Of slavery, and much more practical one
Upon the slavery question we have nothing more to
hope from legislation Free States have been the
result Of every compromise we have accepted. We
now rest the doctrine Of popular sovereignty, a
embodied in the Nebraska Kansas bill; if this be
pslpably violated the united South must determine
on her course Should any sudden cause disturb
the relations of the States and dissolve the Union
vast property will have been secured by those who will
then be our foes-indeed, it is a solemn view of the
land question, that all these donations of our mutual
property is building up in power and strength one
side, to the impoverishment of the other.
On the land question there is yet something to be
done by legislation. If the South ard Northeastern
States will unite in claiming fair and equal distri-
button Of portion of this common domain, among
an the States the claim would be recognized it 10
their refusal to receive which strengthens the I'D.
versazy, and at this time needy is the West and
90 eager for further assistance that che will 20
for this general distribution. But in very short
time the preponderance Of representation in the Sen.
ate and House Of Representatives from the land
States will enable them to do as they please, and
then viii be fulfilled the prediction of Mr. Benton
and ell this common property will be toreuer lost.
The policy Of gioing away these lands is not a new
one. They have been squandered under all admin.
istratons from Mr.; Jefferson to the present in do.
nations Of swamp lands, school lands &C., the whole
having heen If fraud .,d III