Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-02-08
For the Standard.
H"' INV S''A'N u.
WADrSRnpo' n n Fob LET 1870


Mr.. EDITOR: | see in the last issue of the Regis.
ter, article protesting to give an account of De-
mocratic meeting recently held in this village.
Now dislike to dignity this precious production,
and add to the compacency of its author, by reply
ing to it but there few things in it. that seem
to require some little notice at my hands.
The writer, who exhibits taste in the selection of
name alone, tells his story with commendable
degree of frankness. He learns by some means
that meeting is to be held-sneaks along in the
wake OF certain persons, whom he observes going in
the direction of the court room and of course gains
admittance with the crowd. Now as public notice
had been given that such meeting was to be held
and as all true Southern men were invited to at
tend, and as all the proceedings conducted in
open daylight, must confess that | can moth
ing remarkable in the fact that any one-even though
unaccusomed to the society of decent people, should
have been allowed to witness them; not so with
the one-eycdman since he makes it matter of spe-
cial remark doubtless the hour of midnight and
culvcrt, dimly Illuminated by dark lanterns, would
have accorded better with his tastes, and with his
experience Of the manner in which such affairs
should be conducted
We are sorry that he should have been disappoin-
ted, but Democrats always prefer daylight. Having
entered, he is much scandalzed to find certain old
line Wings participating in the deliberations Of the
meeting. 1t was quite natural that he should be
exercised at such spectacle for these are the very
men, Mr. Editor, who by their honesty intelligence,
and weight of character served to render the SOP
position respectable, but who were disguised and
driven from its ranks by its shameful shifts its ut
ter disregard for truth and consistency and by the
indecent haste which it has manifested CO operate
with the black Republicans of the North. 1t is in
relation to these men, that this afflicted individual
constructs something which he is pleased to call
dilemma. Admitting it to be such, (for which ad-
mission may the Lord forgive me, and granting that
these gentlemen seeing their long cherished prnGi-
Piles repudiated by the country and the party they
had served so well, broken and ruined and wishing
to unite with some other that seemed both able and
willing to the country; allowing | say that
these men did, from Of duty, and out of
spect to the verdict Of vast majority of our people,
adopt the principles by which that people chose to
be governed, and under which they had prospered
so well; suppose too that this was done at time
when Democracy was in the ascendent; what does
it all amount to? Is it ever improper for man to
do what he believes to be right? And now Mr..
Riley your amiable proposition has been accepted,
one horn of your dilemma is occupied-nor will it
prove an uncomfortable situation as you suppose
But some diemmas have more horns than one, or
two either. Yours, much afflicted friend, is one Of
that very kind; and on one of these you now hang
selfimpaled fit sub ect for the and dersion
! of all honest and sensible men. For you know that
! you are acting in opposition to a large majority oil
| the Southern people, ard in concert with the avow
| ed enemies of Southern rights, and yet you are de-
tered by false pride from doing what you know tc
be your sacred duty. Take my advice Mr.. Riley,
and let logic alone. You may be good at some
things but reasoning is not one Of them. In fact
you seem much more at home, when induging ir
such vulgar personalities would disgrace any one
who claims to be a gentleman; though of course
you are not affected by such considerations.
You are a very funny fellow Mr.. Riley, but fea
you don't discriminate sufficiently between wit ant
bufoonery, and that you sometimes mistake one TO
the other; still you are very funny and the funnics
thing about you, is your modesty. Just to think
man of unquestoned ability as pnblic speaker, ant
one who has encountered successfully the giants o
your party, taking ncontinently to his heels at TIN
unreasonable hour of SUNRISE out of sheer dread tina
you might Register him. Oh dear, Mr.. Riley, what
| sensible fellow you must be! Esop tells story o
ard fly. Besides being funny man, yol
must also be very brave man--witness your rud
filings at one lettering beneath the weight @
more thar three score and ten." Verify it is re
freshing in these degenerate days, to meet mai
who is at once model of modesty and brave as 1t
! is modest. And now sir, take my advice, and neve
venture into the society of decent people, until yol
have learned something of the usageS of such socc
ty and till you can better appreciate the courtesie
of civilized life: again | say, go and learn bette
manners EINDEX.