Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-08

his eEvice and - He soass thens
e bis own shovins. e onsS time = faithful
man; but now, according to his own showing also.
he . disorysnises. He mart have been. 1t one
time, platform Democrat, for the party keeps no
favorable record Of service and fidelity !" on the
part of dsorg anizing, anti. platform Democrats If
he is right now, in his "ample freedom, !" he must
have been wrong when " the records |" to which he
refers were being made up and if he is wrong now,
as he clearly is then "the records are the most
impressive preachers that could be arrayed against
him. In bringing them forward to attest his former
"servce and fidelity" he only renders the more ap
parent his detection his fall from Democratic grace,
bis to his party and his old friends who at
that day stood by and labored with him. It seems
the gentleman knows his peculiar failing, and does
not wish to get the platform any more lest in his
high leaps after Office he might miss 1t and fall
through.
But in 1914. 1916, ls4s, 1850, and 1852, he did
not g miss the plank. He got on the platform and
stood there, with one foot on the Southern rights
plank, and the other the anti Distribution plank
Mr.. McRae claims that in 1910 he was Democrat
and if SO he have been opposed to distribution
In December, 1913, the Democratic State Conven.
ton which nominated Col. Michael Hoke for Gov
ernor adopted the following resolution:
Resozoed. That in the existing state of the coun
try, the worse than exhausted state of the pub
lie treasury, and an already large and increasing
national debt, the distribution of the proceeds OF
the sales of the public lands would be measure as
absurd as impolitic; and further, that depre-
cate the proposition made by some of our oppo-
nens for the assumption of the debts of the States
by the federal government, whether the be
proposed directly by distributing the proceeds of
the sales of the public lands, specific fund for
that purpose indirectly by the imposition of high
duties upon foreign imports, with view to the Gre
alton of surplus, to be divided"
Mr.. McRae, therefore, in the campaign both for
Governor and President in 1914, opposed distribu-
ton and did all he could to defeat the MEASURE
He denounced and opposed Mr.. Clay because Mr..
Clay distrbutonist and he did this both on the
stump and in the Signal" newspaper, Of which he
was Editor. The files of that paper will show the
postveness and the ardor with which he then oppos-
ed distribution. He regarded it at that day part
of the great federal scheme to perpetuate high tariff
and to render the States dependent the federal GEN.
tre He did not then propose to divide the lands and
thus squander them among the States; nor did he
the propose to beg pittance from the general
government with one hand, and pay it back with
the other, with thirty or forty per cent. added in
tarriff.taxes
Distribution having been signally rejected
by the people in the defeat of Mr.. Clay in 1884, and
other issues having strongly engaged the public at
tention the Democratic Conventions of 1916, 1848,
and 1850, adopted no resolutions the subject
The battle had been fought and won, and distrbu-
ton was regarded, like national Bank, as an '' OBJ
solete idea" The national Democratic platform,
during all these campaigns as aforetime had de-
| - L,.k~
the Constitution and every Democrat was, as
matter of course, opposed TO it. To be national
Democrat, as Mr.. McRae claimed to be. was to be
| opposed TO distribution veil as to national
Bank and high protective tariff Mr. McRae
knows all this quite well d. and he no
doubt remembers the earnestness and the ardor
with which, from 1910 to 1852 incusiue he denounc-
ed distribution in all its phases. So long as the
plank" promised to give him spring forward into of.
fee he stood upon it, and praised it Of the best
planks that ever graced platform. There can be
no doubt of that
| In 1862 Mr.. McRae was a member of the Demo-
cratic State Convention, and presided over it: He
then approved the following resolution, adopted by
that body:
"Resolced That the public lands are the common
property of all the States, to be held by the General
Government a common fund for the payment of
the public debt and other charges upon the public
treasury"
Nothing is here said about distribution, or about
"North Cardinals share" The lands are spoken of
as common property" like the forts. dock yards,
ond vesss's of anu the declaration is that they
are " to be held" by the General Government
The above resolution adopted in May. Mr..
McRae voting for approving it. and in June of the
same year the national Democratic Convention as.
sembled in Baltimore Mr.. McRae was member
of that body, and was appointed on the recommen-
dation of his co-delegates, member of the Com.
mttee on resolutions. He was thus specially
charged with the duty, among others. of consider.
ing and reporting on distribution What did he do
He agreed with the committee in reporting the fol.
lowing resolution, which was unanimously adopted
by the Convention
" Resolred, That the proceeds of the public lands
ought to be sacredy applied to the national objects
specified in the Constitution; and that we are op.
posed to any law for the distribution of such pro-
ceeds among the States, alike inexpedient iE poll
cy and repugnant to the Constitution"
{" Repugnant to the Constitution "' That is, in
1852 Mr.. McRae regarded distribution unconsti
tutionah How did he overcome his scruples or
this subject What new lights did he receiver Fo,