Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-04-07
The Register and MIR. Rayner.


Whilst we cheerfuy accept the disclaimer of the
Register of any design to revive "any old quarrel
or difficulty" between the Hon. Kenneth Rayner
and oursef we must at the same time say to that
paper for once and all, that if it is its purpose to
persist in its attacks on Mr. Rayner hope it will
not attempt to mask these attacks by aSsailing Mr.
Rayner through US. We are not Mr.. Rayner's
Champion nor the guardian of his reputation and
character Mr. R. belongs to the Registers party,
and the Register is more responsible for Mr.. RS
position than are. Of course we speak of the
Register in this connection in its partzan character
as an Opposition journal
1t does not require any extraordinary shrewdness
to discover the game the Register is attempting to
play By assailing Mr.. Rayner and the Standard
at the same time it hopes to drive us into the de-
fence of Mr. R.. for the purpose of injurlng him
with his own party. We will not crafty you in
this respect, Mr.. Register With Mr.. Rayners po-
ltcal shortcomings, with his present political posi-
ton or future political prospects we have nothing
to do If his own party is disposed to give him the
cold shoulder-to whistle him down the wind We
cannot help him. He has for years been most
violent and Incorporate assailant Of the Demo-
",
Know Nothing of tAe most intolerant stripe
Whilst with other leaders of Know Nothing Wing
gerry warfare against Democracy has been an
episode in their pursuits and cmpoyments, with
Mr. Rayner it has been the great labor of his life.
The Democracy have less cause to like him than
any man in the State. We mean politically of
course; for privately and socially Mr.. Rayner is
amiable high minded gentleman. His traits of char
acter in this respect appreciated by gentlemen
of all parties as they deserve to be. Ardent and
impetuous in his nature, he has often gone to
lengths in his assaults upon Democracy which he
regretted himself as we have often heard him admit
This in turn has subjected him to harsh and severe
anmadversions on the part of Democrats but no
one, presume, who knows Mr.. Rayner well,
doubts his honesty and sincerity politician
hayward, misguided, and violent he has been.
The Register having taken Mr.. R. in hand, VIC hope
that in administering its discipline to him for his
obduracy dd CalOrem, it will do so without lug
ging US into the controversy. Wesay Mr.. Rayner's
Obduracy on account of ad ralOrem. That may be
the pretext for these attacks him; but, strange
as it may seem to the Register, We Democrats know
more about the wire working and secret influences
that operated in the late Know Nothing State Con-
Vention than that paper imagines. There were
leaky vessels in that Convention, who either forgot
or disregarded their dark-lantern oaths to keep
dark" Some of them spoke in whisper" to
A told it to B, and limited it to us. Did not
Mr. Rayner take ground in the recent caucus of the
Know Nothing party against the recommendation
Of the Constitutional Union" Committee at Wash
lngOn for each State Convention to nominate two
candidates for the Presidency? If we were dis
posed to tell secrets, could inform Mr.. Rayner,
and give him our reasons for knowing, that this is
the objectionable sin which he has committed Mr..
H. evidently was not well posted. He had not been
conhded in as to what had already been decided,
mat Gov. Graham to be nominated for Presi-
dent, and thus honorably removed out of the way
OF anothers aspirations for the Senatorship next
winter. Mr.. Rayners speech against this Castor
and Pollux nomination was construed into want
OF zeal for Gov. Grahams Presidential aspirations.
That is the reason why Mr.. Rayner's few Eastern
friends found it so difficult to get his through
the Committee of sixteen for delegate at large to
the nominating Convention at Baltimore. That was
the reason why his amendment to Mr.. Smiths reso-
luton "of thanks" to the Opposition members Of
congress from this State for voting for various Dem
ocrats for Speaker, was so summarily rejected.
lhat was the reason why certain new convert to
qa raIOrem was so Justify applauded when he read
Mr. X. lecture for his remarks in relation to Win
Ter Davis. And that is the reason why the Raleigh
Register so authoritatively notifies Mr.. R. that un-
less he is prepared to 60 to Baltimore and zeaousy
work to secure Gov Grlhams nomination for the
Presidency, and to go in heartily for ad UalOre
as to secure an Opposition majority in the Legsla
lure to elect certain other person to the United
states Senate he is not to go to the Convention at all
out must hand over his credentials to his alternate