Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-02-08
TRs Stan0ar1.
RALEIGH: SATURDAY, FEB. 4, 1860.
Nationality of the Democracy.

Our neighbor of the R,gis,er says some hard
things about us now and then; but as we know he
is weli.meanng individual, and desperately trou-,
bled to find arguments of any kind to sustain his
sinking cause pay but little attention to his pecu
liar mode of warfare The issues Of the day are too
serious to be treated in spirit Of badinage People
will not conclude that We are disposed to mislead
readers, to make party capital out of the ques
ton of slavery, merely because the Editor of the
Register says so. People will read and Judge for
themselves They will see who it is that says one
thing to-day and another tomorrow. We are con-
tent to abide their scrutiny and their judgment.
We gave some time since, four reasons why Mr..
Gilmer ought not to be voted for for Speaker by
Democrats; and VIC might have added fifth, to wit,
the resolution which he offered as an amendment to
Mr. Clarks resolution, the effect of which to pre-
vent the House from characterizng as they deserve
those members who have endorsed Helpers book.
The Register instead of attempting to meet these
four reasons, indulgcd in defamation denunciaton,
and vague gcneralitics and in its last issue it has
adopted the same course iE relation to the national
ty of the Democracy. 1t had charged US, for exam
pie, with disposition to humbug and misead our
readers this subject and in reply gave briefly
our for regarding the Democratic as the only
national party in the country. And how does the
Register meet our reply? By arguments? By facts?
No such thing. He pounces on his "ncighbor on
Hargett Street" and declares that "he knows full
we'll that sofa Of average size would hold all of the
Democrats north of fMaryland.' That is the way in
which he frores that there is national Democratic
party. lie says that ,ce know so and so. How does
he know what we know? And yet, in the very same
column of his paper which contains this ridiculous
declaration of his we find that he compliments the
national Democratic members of the House of Rep
resentatives for voting for Mr.. Smith for Speaker.
In one breath he denies that there is national
Democratic party, and in the next he compliments
that party for one of its acts!
Now let us see the pretlicament in which our
neighbor has placed himself Mr. Smith received
one hundred and twelve votes for Speaker. There
are about ninety Democrats and twenty-five South
ern Americans in the House. Ofthese ninety Dem.
ocrats twenty-five or thirty are from the slave
holding States These twenty five or thirty repres-
ent not less than three millions of inhabitants and
not less than two hundred and fifty thousand per-
sons who voted for them. In addition to this there
are some ten or fifteen Democratic Senators, who
represent sovereign non-slaveholding States; and
further, we have Democratic President, who re-
ceived one million of Democratic votes in the non
slaveholding States. And yet in the face of these
undeniable facts the Register asserts that there is
only handful of Democrats in the free States!
Who rallied to Mr.. Smith for Speaker, Mr.. Syme
Mr.. Gilmers particular friends, Morris, Scranton,
and Wood of Pcnnsylvania-all moderate y black
Republicans-voted at first for Mr.. Smith, but when
they saw they were about to elect him they retired
from his support and voted for Corwin. Who stood
the fire then? Who stood by Smith, a Southern
man, in that time of trial? Who but national Dem
oerats from the North and Northuest, as true men
and as sound patriots as ever trod the soil ol
America? And yet, Mr.. Syme, you say there is nc
national Democratic party Did the black Republi.
cans flock to Mr. Smith as they had done to Mr.. Gil
mer? Did fifteen of them headed by the abolitionisi
Thadeus Stevens, lead off for him? Did the few
moderate ones who had voted for him adhere te
him9 No. The only aid Mr. Smith received-ths
only aid the country received in this laudable effort
to organize the House and maintain tho govern
ment,-we say the only aid which could be obtain
ed in the non.saveholding States in this hour O
trial, soas obtained from the national Democratic
party. And yet our sapient and truthful neighbo1
of the Register says there is no national Democratic
party! In the language Of an old line Whig WHIT
called to see US few days since, to subscribe fo
the Standard and to encourage US il our course, 81
there is no national Democratic party, then there il
no other party in the country but the black Repub
lican and if that is ALL the country is indeed in
deplorable condition"