Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-08-28
For the Standard.
DAVE COUNTY, Aug. 10, 1858


MEssRs ED1ToRs: We have just closed one Of the
hottest campaigns that has been witnessed here for
some time. WiSeman has cut Ramsay's majority
down to Is votes. He would have beaten Ramsay
by a clean majority if our enemies had stuck to the
truth, or had only lied openly; but they showed
unusual tact in this matter, and succeeded but too
we'll in waiting until the candidates bad passed each
place before they spread their reports. Lest this
should be regarded as general charge, will speci-
fly few as examples; but there are some that do
not choose to repeat.
First they spread it all the county just before
the election that he was running secretly as pro-
hibitionist. This a clean dirty I mean) lie
from the beginning. DR.. Wiseman had regarded
this question "a dead cock in the pitt" and con-
sequcntly took pains to criticise Ramsay's past
career on it; and because his enemies did not bring
it the stump, he believed in the nnocene Of 9th
ers enough to suppose that no mention would be
made Of it during the canvass publicly or privately.
But at the last tax gathering at Mocksville finding
that they had spread it generally, he denounced it
lie, and called upon the perpetrators to prove it.
Thinking the report might have originated in the
circumstance that personal friend OF his had run
four years ago prohbtionist, he stated that he
told his friend, before he came out, that he could
not support him, and advised him not to run; that
his friend was then in the house and could rise and
correct him if he misstated anything. He called
upon the County Court Clerk to dsprove another
part of the charge, and he did it; but notwi:hstand
perpetrators continued to use it, and the day of
election others bought up all the "liquors," cakes
&c. at precinct, and by this and the reports Dr.
Wiseman lost about 20 votes At another place he
lost ID, believe, from the same cause and do not
know how many at other places. So you see that
"treating" alone cheated him out of enough to have
swallowed those ID votes whole. From the Hybown
lamentation that the Waterman sets up you would
think that a K N. would hardly vote in seeming
distance of liquor much less treat to the strong,
sweetened with Ie 1t was the principal cause of
the large majority in Davie. I wonder how many
black tears the Watchman shed off the point of his
pen over this fact? In another neighborhood, a
little distance from his home, and in which he had
a number of debtors, he was accused of using Led
ger influence" and disrespectful language This
was also a clean lie, and absurd as it may seem on
sober thought, it was believed by some in the ex-
element incident to such times
At one place it was asserted, all day of the cleo
ton, that the Democrats always opposed and the
Wings always favored free suffrage; and although
they would confess to your face that in its present
form it was Democratic measure, yet the first I'M
informed one they met they would reassert the same
old thing. Twill give you specimen of their policy
on this subject, at the election of 1857. Wing,
who was poor and uniformed, expressed . desire
to vote for free suffrage, when one of the knowing
ones" stepped up and told him that Puryear was
the very man, for he doing all he could to put it
through Congress- and the fellow voted accordingly.
So you observe that reports varied according to
locality. Even after perusing all these lies it would
be hard for you to appreciate the desperation with
which they fought. Soon after they commenced
canvassng this county, one of their leaders swore in
his wrath that something must be done or Wiseman
would be elected. That sonething was done with
vengeance-it was treating. Verify the Waterman
howed out of the wrong corner OF his mouth on this
occasion. --t.-~.--
Some rode day and night, and tasted with exem-
: can bring Wing evidence to prove that an snsa.