Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-05-07
Letter from Duncan X. McRae, Esq.

May 9th, 1858.
Letter from Duncan X. McRae, Esq.
RALEIGH, April 26, 1885,
ae for Tour SURFACES at the eeeon to be Ge August
next the office of Governor take the occasion to
neat the regret have often expressed, that else
better qualified maintain and uphold the great question
have been the last six months endeavong to present
you consented to take, continue in the field In
this of the have not been able to resist the ap
peas which have been made to by of all parties,
and without reference to party to consent to be candidate
No man who has proper appreciation of the popular
dignity fail to be impressed with the responsibility of
asking have conferred upon him the chief executive Ma
istracy of North Caroline and of ordinary sensi
5y can fail in right estimation of the honor and dstnc
a@ anon Justly mindful Of the one and the other and It Is with
unaffected didence of my merits and ability that make
ness that shall bring your SERVICE if honored by your
choosing, heart deeply deuoted to the welfare of be-
loved mother and wholly determined to strive after her IN
terests and faithfully maintain her honor and integrity
know that all questions of policy ought to be presented
tons upon every issue which may arise Having plat
form puroSeg Constructed 10 be eqiUoca which to stand,
without restraint by any dlcao OF caucus and having am
pie freedom of movement without danger of missing the
plank shall be able candidy to set forth to the people
my views and sentiments Seeking to obtain no mans vote
by concealment, arce evasion, my language shall be
used TO express, and not to hide my opinions.
1t is well known that opposed to any increase of the
State debt any addition to her liability at this tme for
works of Internal Improvement Nevertheless, am od
UOcde of the completion OF our present SYSTEM and OF ex
tending aid to other most important works noU sighted
neglected do not exaggerate or the
when say that if can lead the people of North Carolina
to adopt the plan shall present, Rail Roads be at
once extended to the Valley of the Mississippi The old
town of Fayetteville the only market town OF our State IN
the interior situated river really navgabe the ancient
market for friends of the West within 40 miles of
vast mineral resources and just IN this moment cut OF
and isolated, may be resOred to communication with her
customers. Steam enterprise from Eastern har
bor may be undertaken and all worthy objects OF improve
ment entered and completed echout additional burden
upon people, while the present debt be speedily
eXtnguished and our present heavy taxation removed
What this plan is shall present in detail at the proper
time as have already in part done It is known that in
politics. have been always Democrat From my youth
up the records of this party bear testimony to service
and fidelity There now no organized opposition Both
candidates. in all likelihood will be willing to have the votes
of those differing from them in politics 1t shall be eff
fort to deprive the of party characterto secure
to tle people for one tme the selection of Governor
without reference to his political affiliations. My appeal
deem worthy and cothe with the high trust to which
aspire will endeavor to hold the rens of Government
as to guide old North Carolina out of her difficulties and
barrassment, into the paths of prosperity and peace.
Your friend and obt servant
This is surely the most extraordinary letter put
forth by gentleman of ability, and addressed to people
of common sense. What have the people of North
Carolina been doing lately that Mr. McRae should set
them down as FOOLS for surely no sane people could be
expected to swallow anything monstrous and extrava-
giant. Make me Governor gentlemen, and you shall
have everything for nothing. Follow me-adopt my
plan and will build your railroads. pay your debts and
remove your taxes. When he is King the twohooped
pot shall have six hoops and quartern loaf shall be sold
for penny It would require mighty strong bond and
enormous security to render these promises worth the pa
per they are printed George Munday, the hatess
prophet used promise his auditors six acres of heaven
and diamond mine thrown in.
Speaking of plans and forth, we happened to turn
over the old files of the Journa-n fact we did 1t on
purpose and we found therein another letter from MIR
McRae printed in the weekly issue for March 18th, 1852
In that letter there was sort of shadowing forth OF an
other plan. What that was never fully understood
His present plan is virtually the with that advoca
ted by Mr. Clay. Let u.s. before introducing his letter
of 1852 call attention to paragraph thereof as fol
lows -
am further reported having endorsed the old meas
ure of Mr.. Cay-the distribution of the proceeds OF the
pub ic lands among the States Never greater mis-
apprehension have always regarded this system propos
ed BY Mr. Clay as of the stains upon his escutcheon
for have looked upon bid for popularity, contrary
to the : Deeds Of CeSsion impolitic and unlawful"
How the people of North Carolina will regard Mr.
McRaes bid for popularity remains to be seen, bu
as it is to all ntens and purposes the same with wha
Mr. McRae himself characterized as a STAIN upon thu
escutcheon of Mr.. Clay we should not be surprised
he should find the same that he melted out tt
Mr. CLAY in turn melted out to himself or if he should
be regarded as gentleman making bid for popular
ity" by advocating a measure which he himself ha
stigmatised as contrary to the Deeds Of Cession
impoitc and unlawful" The thing is the same. If tn
distribution of the proceeds of the public lands wa
impoltic and unawful-if the advocacy Of that meas
ure was stain upon the escutcheOn of Mr.. Clay, how
much stronger does the case become when Mr.. McRa
proposes to distribute not the proceeds but tn
very lands themselves.
There is such thing cutting it too fat-comng i
too STRENGTHENING it on too thick, and that is the diff
Guilty with Mr. McRae While he acaS at it he nigh
as well have proposed topay all private and persona
debts and give all coats, besides finding candy To-
the babies and hoop skirts for the fair sex. That wa
the great mstake-he ought to have offered the hooE
skirts When you are building castles in Spain" al
ways furnish them wel-it costs no more.
IF Nj. McRae were Governor of North Carolina, hi
could not do thing of what he promises to do-nay
he could get himself elected Governor of all the States
in the Union and President of the United States besides
he could not do it. for the simple reason that in th
world nothing can honestly be gotten without paying
an equivalent for it. If the States could get ten mil
lions year out of the General Government they woulc
have to pay twelve millions back again
We must confess that although Mr. McRae may
think that he is actuated solely by the impulses of
heart deeply devoted to the welfare of North Carolina
appearances force upon the conviction that he decev
himself No doubt he thought he was SO actuated il
1863 when he came out against Mr.. Ashe as a candi
date for Congress on the distribution ISSUE but-b be