Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1858-05-12
Mr.. McRae'S Letter.


We publish to day the letter of Duncan X. Nc.
Rae, Esq., late Consul of the United States Paris,
announcing himself candidate for Governor in op-
position to the regular Democratic candidate.
In making this announcement, Mr.. McRae regrets
that some one else better qualified to maintain and
uphold the distribution cause "has not yet con-
sented to take, or continue in, the field" This
includes Messrs. Venable, Arlington and Leake.
Neither Of the two first named gentlemen could be
induced to stake" the field and the latter, after
foray against the Democratic hosts which was as
weak as possible, and almost ridiculous deemed it
expedient no longer to {" continue" in the field.
Like the stories in the literary publications of the
day. Mr.. Leake concluded himself 70: the time being
under the promise " To be continued" at some fu-
ture time; and we shall look for him again in the
of four five years, in the midst of crisis
gotten up by himself, by Mr.. McFae, and few
other dsinterested politicians, and ready for any
candidacy any post to which his admring fellow
citizens may call him. We have no doubt that
when Mr. Leake Discontinued himself Mr.. McRae
said Amen! He was happy to know that the "some
else, better" qualified than he was, had retired
from the field; and now that he is the undisputed
possessor Of it, he will thank his sa,s that the new
grounds and stumpy places were so we'll broken up
for him in advance by the Richmond Farmer"
We shall see what seed this enthusiastic young
sower will put in, and what crop, whether of good
grain or of thorns and thistles will reward his la
bors.
Mr.. McRae says further
"No man who has proper appreciation Of the
popular dignity can fail to be impressed with the
responsibility of asking to have conferred upon him
the chief executive Magistracy of North Carolina,
and of ordinary senSibity fail in a
right estimation of the honor and distinction of be-
ing thus selected by the voice of the people,
This is taking time by the forelock." Mr.. Nc
Rae5admits that he "asks" for the Office. Who
'asked him to have it? Has he been " selected
by the voice Of the people either for the candidacy
or for the place? Who has called him outs Demo-
Gratis in good standing? Not one, SO far as We
know. He has been called, then, by the opposi-
tion-and what is this opposition? 1t is CON-
pound of old Federalists, incorrgible Wings, anti
Buchanan men, and inveterate Know -Nothngs-
These are the sweet voices to which he responds.
They come up from the time of the with Eng
land, when Federalism synonym of oppOsi-
ton to just war and to the triumphs of our flag
from the with Mexico, when these incorrigibe
Wings refused supplies to gallant soldiers, and
"preambled" !" and hesitated when victory hung in
doubtful scale, and when, so far they were con-
cerned, the foe might have triumphed and not Scott
and Taylor-from the enemies of the administration
of James Buchanan, and Franklin Pierce, and James
K Polk, so bright, useful so glorious in our an.
nals and without which neither Texas nor Caifor.
MIA would have been acquired, and the Union itself
would have been drifting, with all its precious inter
ests and high hopes, the breakers of dissolution
and civil war-from the dens and thickets of Sam,
where to persecute the stranger and to deny the
right of religious thought was esteemed cardina
virtue and where prescription, and secret oaths and
malevoence and vengeance constituted the test o
party fealty, and crowned such triumphs as these
factious societies succeeded in achieving. This
then, is the opposition which has selected" Mr.
McRae. Under this flag he fights 1t requires nj
gift of prophecy to foretell the defeat and humia
tion which must overtake him.
Mr. McRae further says
''Having platform purposely constructed to
equicocot, on which to stand, without restraint b!
any dietatom Of caucus, and having ample freedom
OF movement without danger of "missing tn
plank" shall be able candidly to set forth to th
people my views and sentiments"
Here is q charge by indirecton, that the Demo
cratic party of the State, to which Mr. McRae pro
tesses to belong, has been guilty Of deliberate at
tempt to deceive the people and to obtain their sui
frages by evasion, equvocation, fraud! Does MI
McRae believe the charge? Is he in earnest? Doe
he mean what he says and says thus by indirection
1t did not suit his purpose to set forth the pla
form, nor has he attempted to reply to it, but cor
tents himself with the sweeping charge that it
eauivocal, and was meant to be so This may d
for the present, or rather it may do among thos
who are in the habit Of taking for granted what
tain politicians say; but it will not answer on th