Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-02-27
Mr.. McRae.

Mr. McRae is now engaged, and mas oeen en-
gagged for several weeks past, in enlightening the
people of North. Carolina on the subject of dstri-
button" He has spoken at various points on this
question, and intends, we presume, to continue to
speak, applauded by Know Nothings and condemned
and denounced by the party with which he was
formerly identified We learn that he devotes much
of his time to our humble SELF and that the applause
he receives from the opposition which he so faith
fully serving is in exact proportion to the point and
veh.mence with which he assails the Standard
We should be wanting in courtesy if we did not re-
cinrocate the attention thus bestowed upon u.s. and
we SHALL therefore, pay respects to the gentle
man at some length, and in such way as may al
ford. perhaps, some faint requital for the "distn
puished consideration" we are receiving at his
hands.
The facts in Mr. McRae's political career drive IT.
resistaby to the conclusion, first that he is not very
deeply concerned on the subject Of distribution and
the public lands and secondly, that he is the victim
of disappointed ambition.
What are the facts? In the Spring OF 1852 Con-
yention of the Democratic party of the State was
held to nominate a candidate for Governor. Mr..
McRae was member, and was made President OF
the Convention In his speech acknowledging the
honor conferred upon him there was no allusion to
distribution but the contrary, he referred in exut-
ing terms to the old andmarks Of the party and de-
cared himself willing and ready to be guided by
Them All former Conventions, State and National,
had discarded and denounced distribution, some of
them as incxpedient, and some of them as both in
expedient and unconstitutional. Mr.. McRae knew
this when he accepted the honor referred to-hc
&,o hut aOainSt
distribution, yet he left his seat and made speech,
in which, as he asserts, he took the ground that in
view of the settled policy Of donations and the I'M
possibility of maintaining the old Democratic doc
trine, it was altogether right that fair distribution
of this common property should be had among all
the States' He also declares that "t that Democrat
c Convention in that caucus rejected the resolution
on the subject reported by the Committee" and re-
solved substantially as above. This is his recollec-
ton of what took place. If correct how did it hap
pen that the Convention did not carry out the reso-
luton of the caucus? No such resolution appears
in the proceedings of that body, but the contrary
aresoluton very similar in language and substance
to those adopted on the subject by former Conven-
TONS Now, if Mr.. McRae declared on the occasion
referred to that it was impossible" to maintain the
old doctrine on the subject and that in view of this
it was Fright that fair distribution Of this common
property should be had among all the States" is it
not clear that he made distribution speech? And
who believes that if he had announced such senti-
ments before the Convention organized he would
have been chosen its President?
We raise no issue of veracity with the gentleman
We think, in the first place. that his recollection is
at fault in the matter, and secondly, that he
Inmates and overstates what really took place. The
incident certainly produced no marked effect upon
the Convention; and the gentleman was not consid.
cred thereafter, far understood, dstribu-
ZIONIST He regarded as having protested, in
common with the entire party, against the squan-
dering Of the lands on unworthy and improper OBJ
jects but this was no thing in this or other
States holding in good faith to the old doctrine that
the lands ought to be retained by the federal gov
ernment and the proceeds of their sales rlgidy ap-
piled to the objects specified in the Constitution.
But Notwithstanding this MIR. McRae as We learn as
serts that he afterwards endorsed as an orthodox
Democrat by being recommended by the Democratic
members of the Legislature of 1852, and by other
Democrats, the Senior Editor of this paper included
to President Pierce, for foreign mission. We have
no very distinct recollection of the matter but we
presume this endorsement made during the ses-
sion of the Legislature, in 1852. We presume also
that it was not volunteered, but was sought Mr..
McRae, believe, had fixed his eye on the mission
to Chill, and in this he disappointed. lie failed
to get Chill, but rendered the Consuship at St.
Thomas in the West Indies, sckly and rather in.
significant place. Mr.. Pierce, it seems, did not es-
innate the gentleman as highly as he did himself or
as highly as did those of his friends who had en-
dorsed him. as he insists, as an "orthodox" Demo-
crat with full knowledge of his distribution no.
tons; and so Chill faded from his gaze, and St.
Thomas doomed up before him as the sugar:plum
waiting to be tasted But Mr.. McRae did not like
St Thomas, and So like Oliver Twist he kept ask
ing for more" He did not get it, and thereupon he
became indignant, and in the midst of his indipna
ton he thought once more of the public lands and
Of the distribution triumph, which he thought he
had achieved in the State Convention in 1852. The
Congressional campaign was then going forward,
and Mr.. McRae took the field in the Wilmington
District against Mr.. Ashe, the acknowledged candi-
date of the Democratic party. He at once mounted
the distribution hobby, and appealed to the Wing
party of the District to come to his relief" there
demonstrating the singular fact that his ardor in
the distribution cause increased or diminished
just in proportion as office euded came within his
grasp He succeeded in his object and was at length
rendered the Consulship at Paris He promptly
accepted it. and, to all human Appearances at once
'''got distribution. The Democratic party with
magnanImty and long suffering which Mr. McEsae
should never forget bore with him in his disorgan
~'ns demonstrations against Mr. Ashe and the Ad-
.n'n'stration of Gen. Pierce, yielding most probably
70 the kind nternosition of Mr. Oohh;n o,d .n;.h
tue implied approval Of the Democracy of the State
e"atehed Mr.. McRae "as brand freu, the burning''
placed him in an honorable and lucrative office in