Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-09-28
ssThe Noble Army of Martyrs.,'

the Richmond Wing. MIR. Rldgway believes Ill
Composition" During his long labors in Virginia
he has never known any other than an Opposition
atmosphere for that old State, to her credit be 1t
said has never failed to vote the Democratic ticket
This, instead of reforming and improving Mr.. Rdg-
way politically, only serves to harden his heart and
stiffen his neck The more he is beaten the more
he is provoked and year after year he squanders
his fine talents in unavang efforts to put the Vlr-
gnia Democracy to the wall We admire his pluck.
but we distrust his judgment We do not ask him
to surrender his Opposition" convictions and join
the Democracy but we hope the day will come
when he will show his good sense by not attempt
ing any more to scale the moon in parachute, or
demosh Gibraltar with popgun
Some of Mr.. Rdgway's friends in Lunenourg re-
Gently paid him the compliment of public dinner
OF course he was there, and spoke. We find his
speech reported in his own paper, the Vhig In
the course of this speech, after advocating union
of all the clements against the Democrats he said:
"But, in the event of union and concentration
of the general opposition not being effected what is
the plain line of duty and policy, which the truly
conservative and national opposition of the two
SeCtOilS Vi TIC Co'titiy ~ VII
doubtedly, to nominate a candidate of their own,
support him cordially, and infexibly, and poll for
him all the votes in their power. We should stand
aoof utterly and entirely from both the Democratic
and the Black Republican candidates. Both of these
parties arc selfseeking are corrupt-both are
scctonal-both live and move and have their being
in the incessant agitation of the slavery question
both arc unsafe and both should be rcpudated with
equal adherence by good men and patriots in every
e Al D,,k Dl,oI- Do
publican should be eleced-wc should not be re-
sponsible Nor, for one, gentemen-and speak it
boldly-should l entertain any remarkably serious
fears for the rights of the South from the Admins
traton of Black Republican President Nor, on
the contrary, should I entertain any remarkably
serious fears for the Union from the Administration
of Southern, tire-eating, Democratic President
And why9 Elevate either the one the other to
the Presidency, and you will hear but little about
Northern rights, Southern rights, or dlsunon for
four years at least-or twenty five thousand dollars
year salary and the annual distribution of eighty
millions of public plumber together with the impos
ing dignity and influence of his high station, will be
ample security for his keeping the peace towards
the South, or towards the North, or towards the
Union, during his term of service. Besides, any
man would prefer presiding over thirty odd States,
to presiding fifteen or sixteen Having attain
ed the highest point of political elevation accessible
to him under the Constitution, would be content
with his good fortune. would quiet down on the
slavery question: and be very apt to egrcsously dis
appoint the expectations of the Abolition or fire.
eating fanatics that elected him. That is my view
Of the matter. And all this cry of Southern Demo-
CratS, therefore about the monStrouS ard unmagin-
able danger to result to the South from the election
of a Black Republican to the Presidency, is CANNON
humbug, bosh-rcsorted to for the purpose of fright
ening weak-mnded men and nervors old women into
the support of their own party and their own can
dIdates. And is not this pretty cry to come from
party that has done more to inilrc the character
and the institutions of the South, than all other
PARTIES that existed in this country put togcth
er? Demagogues. hvpocrites and drceivers all. are
these Southern Democratic politcians--and the
Wing who shall ever hereafter pay the slightest
heed to their idle clamors this subject should he
put in straight jacket and cut for the simpes. As
for myself under no present conceivable circum-
stances will ever give my humble support either
to Democratic or Black Republican candidate for
the Presidency. So far the interests, and honor.
and welfare of the country concerned it is pull
Dick. pull Devil" between them and l shall touch
neither with forty foot pole"
MIR. Ridgway would not "entertaln any remark
ably serious fears for the rights of the South from
the administration of black Republican PRESIDENT"
He thinks, upon the whole, that such President
would do toerably well He declares that all this
cry about danger to the South from the election of
Seward, is "humbug and boshr' No doubt Mr.
Ridgway thinks So and his for thinking so is
because he hates the Democrats quite as much as he
does the black Republicans. He would not touch
Democratic candidate for Prcsident-not even his
own countryman, r. NJ L. Huntcr-if by so doing
he could defeat Seward, or Banks, or Giddines =
He would stand by, with his hands in his pockets.
and see an aboionist ride into the Presidency over
such a man as Breckenridge, or Hunter or Dickin-
son, or Lane! After this let no one doubt Mr. Ridg-
ways Whiggery or Know Nottingham After this
let no one say that he is not an oppositonist" of
the strongest pref ulices and most deadly venom.
But we do not ask the gentleman for aid We hope
he aoH stand by with his hands in his pockets, for
the Democracy can succeed without him. Let him
continue to act with his North Carolina confrere Mr.
Syme, who has most emphatically declared that as
between Democrat and black Republican for
President he arouM make no choice!
But the richest feature in this Wing iubilation
was the sentiment with which Mr. Ridgway concluded
his remarks:
III offer you, gentlemen, this sentiment: THE
Wings Of Virginia-nnawed by power, unintimid-
ated by threats unseduccd by 1attery, interrupted
by the spois, they constitute noble army of martyrs
to principle and to PATRIOTISM
Martyrs belong to the dead, but their ghosts sur
vive. This mobile army of martyrs to principle
and patriotism" suffered in the culvcrt in 1854,
when, with their own hands, they kndled the flames
which consumed them. They martyrcd themselves
into heap of unsightly "ruins," on which they
erected the temple of "Sam." Now and then their
ghosts appear, and no doubt numbers of them were
fitting about Lunenburg Courthouse on the day re-
ferredto They lean, hungry, dissatisfied ghosts
They have recrossed the Styx without permission,
and they may look when driven back to those dreary
regions, for signal punishment at the hands of the
tormentors. Driven back they will be, without
"spols" and without mercy to "howl in the blue
season" till "Birnam wood shall come to Dunsin
| ane."