Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-02-29
For the Standard,
RALEIGH, FEB'Y. 25th, 1860,

DEAR SHIN the Standard of this date. there
is an allusion made to some remarks Of mne in the
Convention lately assembled in this City, which is
calculated to make very erroneous impression, un-
less the circumstances and connection under which
they were made could he understood by your read.
ers. You say that "sald further, in speaking of
the national Democratic and black Republican or
CARNATIONS that he % would feel as safe under the
rule Of the former as under that of the latter" In
the first place. this is not the exact language which
| used. But from what / lid say, your readers
would be apt to receive very erroneous impressions,
unless they could understand the connection in
which it was spoken, and the ideas intended to be
expressed. was urging the policy of bold man
ly, and undisguised system of party warfare-that
1t we believed the Democracy to be as corrupt as
we were in the habit Of charging them, We ought to
hight them without compromise or Cancellation; and
under no circumstances to unite affiliate with
Them But that if we were ready to admit that du-
ty required US to give them the rens, or to merge
our distinctive organization in theirs, in order to de-
feat the Republicans, them could see no need of
holding this Convention, but that we might as well
disband and yield gracefully, and go over to the
Democracy at once. That we should have to meet
that very issue on every stump in the State in the
PRESIDENTIAL contest-that we should be called upon
again by the Democracy to unite with them on their
candidate for President as the only means of
defeating the Republican candidate=-and that if we
yielded that principle now, in applauding the South
crn members for voting for Democrats for Speaker,
in Order to beat Sherman, the Democrats would
hold us to the precedent, and that the moral effect
OF it would cripple and weaken in the Presiden-
tla election went on to say that it seemed 10 me
to involve inconsistency and absurdty to say it was
right to vote for Democrat in order to prevent the
election of Republican Speaker, and still to be
preparing to bring out candidate of our own for
President; for the President beng entrusted with
the execution of the laws duty and patriotism would
OF course, much more require a union with De-
mocracy to prevent the election of Republican
President, than to prevent the election of Repub-
lican Speaker. referred to the Presidential cleo
ton of 1856. | reminded them that VIC then had
to combat the very issue now presented-that the
Democracy then insisted ought to vote with
them to beat Fremont-that We denied it that our
ground then was, we would sustain our own man
and do our duty, and leave the consequences to
Providence. But that now We were about to unsay
all we said then-that we approved of the Southern
opposition men in voting for Democrats, would be
to us stumbling block which we could not get out
of Our way, and the Democrats would hold us 10 the
precedent we were about to set Isaid further, that
for myself if really believed it my duty to unite
with the Democracy in order to defeat the Rcpubli-
can party and If had confidence in the Democratic
party to believe that thei: triumph was in any wise
necessary to the protection of the rights and interests
of the South, then, an honest and consistent man,
should feel it to be my duty to 90 over to the Dem
the election of President l could not see why we
need keep up local party conflicts with Them mere
ly to squabble over local Offices and spos And
here it was came to the uterance of the sentiment
inaccurately expressed in your b,iefreport But, q
said) did not believe that the security of Southern
rights was involved in the dominance of the Demo-
cratic party. That there were but few men in that
body more deeply interested in the preservation of
slave property than myself; and l would just as
soon trust the protection of my slave property the
Republican party as to the Democratic party, as n
political organization. | emphasized the words ''as
political organization" and repeated them over
again with emphasis. | then paused, and said, let
me not be misunderstood or unsupported say ''as
political organizution' said that of course did
not have reference TO Southern Democrats in their
individual characters-that Southern Democrats
were as sound and reliable on that question, as
Southern Wings, and Southern Wings We're as sound
and reliable as Southern Democrats. That would
net be so unjust uncharitable to charge South
ern Democrats with want of soundness on the
slavery question-that some of them had charged
me with being unsound, but that would not reve
them in return that upon that issue, believed we
would all be found united when the day of trial
came, and that had always deprecated the discus
sion of that question among Southern men in our
loCtl party SOutSStS.
Those who heard my remarks could better appre-
ciate the force of my language, when | used the
words 'as political organization" than your rea
dcrs are likely to do. Those present could under
stand, that there no special imputaton intend
cd to be cast on the Democrats as party. For 1t
was in the course Of my remarks on the same sub
ect, that took occasion to speak Of decentralization
Of political sentiment which prevailed-I admitted
that this decentralization in measure pervaded all
that H., Il
belonged had, to some extent caught the contagion
from the Democratic party-that in these days the
question with all parties was, not what is right
not what is for the good of the country; but, what
will our enemies say,-what is the best means
for defeating our opponents. / went on say, that
the man who boldly and independently pursued the
path of duty and followed out his convictions of
right, and who spoke his sentiments honestly and
fearessly was not likely to find favor promotion
free and undisguised expression Of my sentiments on
/ all questions Of public policy. And to proper I'M
Outstanding of the scope and spirit of my remarks
about trusting the protection Of my slave property
to the Democratic party las political organiza-
ton, my sentiments expressed in regard to polti-
cal organizations generally must be taken into con-
sideration.
There is another passage in your brief notice of
the debate alluded to- which, without some explana-
tlOIl, Is CdlCuidecu " WIN tOWdIuS uc,
among your readers. You say, Mr.. Rayner spoke
in highly complimentary terms of Henry Winter
Davis, Of Maryland. He SAID he was an honor to
! any party or any State" Now it was in reply to
the charge, that my amendment, expressing conf
dence in, and disposition to sustain the Southern
opposition members of Congress in the position they
now occupy as representing the conservative ele.
ments of the country, was an endorsement of Hon..
w. Davis; it was in reply to language denunciatory
of Mr. Davis that said what did in regard to him.
distinctly stated that so far from my amendment
being designed to endorse Mr. Days's vote for Mr..
Pennington, that my object in offering the amend.
ment as was well known to every one, for had
stated it over and again, to avoid all ex-
preston of opinion in regard TO the votes of the
Southern men for Speaker. That was opposed to
censuring them, and would resist any attempt to
censure them if such were to be made-that did
not doubt but they had acted from patriotic and up
right intentions-but that I did not concur with
them in judgment; and whilst would not censure
4 IL