Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-04-25
Vol. XXvI.-No. II.
!. Know-Norhiug. whig 1nfstua,ion.

iQfatnation which characterised the proceedings of
the late Opposition convention that met in this
place on the 22d February How shrewdly and
dexterously the managers Of the olisarchy suppos-
ed they were fixing up what was to be done. How
adroitly they supposed they were concealing their
plans md purposes-and yet how completely they
exposed themselves Every thing was arranged,
cut and dried before. hand, all for the personal bene
6t Of less than hafa.dozen men.
These Opposition worthless have great contempt
for oticeseeking. Oh! how they loathe and abhor
it and yet with what melancholy fondness they
look back upon the day when they revelled in the
joys and delights of place and of official station
.llhL how they gloatea over the thonght chat by T
hitchng all ralorem TO the tail of their kite, they
would soon see it flying above the clouds. One,
becoming tired of the drudgery of the law-and
having tried his hand at the Presidency, with
the most disastrous failure concludes that by giving
himself margin enough, by striking for the Presl-
dency, he might possibly, in the shuttle of the po-
htca cards, turn up the Jack" of vice once more.
Another finding the philosophical quiet and repose
of private life proving irksome at last concludes
that seat in the Senate has its social pleasures and
dry and dull details of useful labor may be perform
ed by those whose mediocre abilities just calcu
lated for such employments. third has his vari-
Gus to grind, and his various purposes of self
ishness to accomplishment who so we'll calculated
to aid him in his ends as those whom he can manage
to thlmberig into positions Of power and influence
And then the dr[sergeants Of this oligarchiccabal
stand ready waiting with erect nostrils dilaed
and eyes glistcning ready to carry into execution
the behests Of their lege lords.
1t is really sckening and disgusting to see party
which has boasted of its contempt for ofice-which
has long prated of its devotion to principle-and
which, amid all its changes of names to suit the oc
cason, has ever boasted of its conservatism, all Of
sudden change 'front.' and in desperate fit of party
Madness inscribng on its banner doctrine which,
| not six weeks SINCE nineteen-twenteths of them
spoke of with scorn and detcstatlon. 1t is notori-
Gus, we believe that Gov. Graham refused to vote
for Mr. Turner in Orange last year because of his
advocacy of ad ralorem taxation and because Of
the manner of his advocating it, by trying to excite
the prejudces of nonslaveholders against the aris-
tocra,ic" shareholders of the country. And yet,
| "presto, change" and Mr. Graham becomes sudden
ly converted to the faith. And just about this
time somebody, somewhere or somehow, finds out
that the same convention that is to blow the trum
pet of dd ralorem shall nominate Mr.. Graham for
the Presidency. And as the prospect of the future
begins to break upon the mental vision Of those in
terested what and dazzling beauties continue to
present themselves "Oh! yes, that's the very
idea! With ad ralorem We shall certainly carry
the State. That's fixed and certain. We can carry
that gratifying assurance to the presidential nomi
mating convention. We can assure that body that
in North-Carolina we have the Democratic party up
gum-tree on local question of State policy; and
with this assurance of taking single Southern
State from the Democracy of course they will yield
to the Vice-Presidency, if nothing more. and by
way Of making sure of that We will propose North
Carona's 'favorite son for the Presidency. We
will pursue the course of jocky in selling horse
we will ask more than We expect to gel, or are will
ing to take" But about the time of the assembling
of the convention here a circular letter from
the selfconStituted committee of the "Consttu-
tional Union" party-on which, by the way, were
some hafdOzen or more candidates for the Presi.
dency or V:cePresdency, calling on their party in
each State to nominate two candidates for the Presi-
dency, one from their own State, and the other
from some other State; and to these &C names
their national convention was to be confined in
nominating candidate for President and Vice Pres
ident What was now to be done? The coupling
of another name with that OF the "favorite son "
would weaken the force and moral influence of his
nomination But the "favoritc son." after mo-
| cl,,doc hot fhof
may have precious jewel in its head" He con-
cludes that by thus combining his strength with
that of another return of compliments may fol-
low. "Vcry we'll, who shall the other man be
Shall he be Southern mans" "Oh, no! You
might make Southern man too strong-you nigh
secure for him the nomination by the national con.
vention. and as, in that case the Vice President
would have to come from the North, you might de.
feat the very end you have in view." "Well, then,
3 Northern man-what Northern man? Everitt, o
E Massachusetts?' "No, that wont do. Massachu.
setts has but - votes, that wouldn't help much
Hunt of New York, is the man. New York gives
. "a votes. If we 60 in for Hunt Hunt if he fails
to get the nomination, would, by way Of grateful
: return of our compliment, go in for our nominee
or if he should get the nomination for the first place
he would 60 in for our nominee for Vice. In elthel
event. "a added to 10 makes "A votes-a pretty good
capital to start upon" "Thats it! that's it
bright idea, capital arrangement" is responded by
the sagacious in council And SO the drl-sergeants
are summoned, the word is given, with orders te
pass it round, and in due time it is incorporated ir
the resolutions of the committee of 16 in 6athetit
style, that Graham and Hunt are the nominees fol
President of tbe Know Nothing Whig. Constitution
lunon-people'sad ualorem party of North-C Carroll
: ma, in august conclave assembled So much fo
0 Octavus.
' But Mark Antony has ambition too. { He has hi
designs to carry out He is very anxious to secur
. his country too-in his way. He don't want tn
Presidency. That is a laborous Office, when grea