Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-08-29
4 I'll RALEIGH, N. c., August 20, 1860.

III RALEIGH, N. c., August 20, 1860.
Ho the Editor Of the Standard: y
notice in the last issue of your paper the follow
ing paragraph, taken from the Murfreesboro' Citi-
zen:
"Hon. Kenneth Rayner voted at the Winton pre-
cinc in Hartford County, at the late election, cast
ing the entire Democratic vote Mr.. Rayner re-
marked that he had opposed the Democratic party
hitherto because he believed it to be wrong, but
now that he found it in the right, he should sustain
it
Mr. Rayner heartily supports the nomination of
Breckenridge and Lane" &C., &c.
regret that such undue importance should be
given to the remarks of so humble person as my
SELF as to render it necessary for me to appear be-
fore the public for the purpose of giving correct
version of what did say on offering my vote on
on the I'd of August
said nothing about my relations to one party or
another. What said was this-"For twenty-five
years have been voting on principle intend to
vote on principle to-day. am opposed to chang
ing the Constitution of the State, and am opposed
to calling Convention for that purpose shall
therefore vote for men to represent me who agree
with me in sentiment"
Tie Citizen is also mistaken in regard to my hay
ing committed myselfto the support of Breckenridge
cd in the expression of my opinions and purposes in
conversation, that commtta has been in favor of
BELL and Everett But am in fact committed to
no one, any farther than my convictions of duty to
my country, dependent upon the developments of
the next month or six weeks, may regulate and
govern my course. The signs Of the times are so
threatening and portentous-the few months in the
future are pregnant with such momentous results
the dangers which threaten the Union are so immi-
npnf fhafo xrhn dc 6,,fu md
ciple paramount to party fealty, cannot but feel
not only alarmed and anxious, but also doubtful
and uncertain to what he ought to do in order to
anticipate and ward off the evils, by which the
country is imperilled. AS l regard the pending
Presidential issue, the result which every patriot
North as well South should try to prevent is the
election of Lincoln. l speak not 50 much of his
antislavery sentiments, which alone are odious
enough to repel every national in every section
of the country. | speak more particularly of con-
sequences which must in all probability follow his
election. There is logic in facts and events which
practical men cannot and must not ignore-a logic
more powerful and unanswerable than that of all
the learning of all the schools Such is the state of
public feeling, such the evaporation of the public
mind, in several of the Southern States that If Lin
coin should be elected President dissolution of the
Union can hardly be avoided. The practical ques-
ton for every patriot to consider is not whether this
means shall be resorted to- to bring back, or force
back the seeding States after they have passed the
Rubcon. But the question is, what means are most
advisable and effectual for preventing the ev-for
providing against the contingent causes of disunion?
My own decided opinion is that the most effectual
way Of preventing, not only the "rrepressibe con-
filct between the North and the South which the
election of Lincoln would naugurate- Of pre-
venting the disruption of this Union the horrible
nf Uh fhn trio k-l,,J
to contemplate, is by defeating Lincoln and Hamin
at the polls
This can be done, and it car only be done, by
combining the entire opposition to Lincoln upon
the same electoral ticket in every State the South
at least if not in the North: If it were practica.
bic thing, would be glad to see the three Presiden-
tial candidates who will have tickets in the South,
all make the selfsacrifice Of Withdrawing from the
contest, and let public opinions concentrate (as it
easily could and would do now, in view of the alarm
and anxiety which prevails in regard to our pcrilous
condition) upon an acceptable man of moderate, ma
tional and conservative views. say this not by
way Of ntimatiDg that the candidates now before
the country are not men Of that character But in
view OF the fact that feeling resentment an6 party
pride having become aroused, it would suppose.
be utterly impractcable to Withdraw any two of the
candidates. in favor of third. Then the next best
thing to be DONE as it strikes me- is to run but one
ELECTORAL TICKET IN every OOuthern State leaving 1t
discretionary with the electors to cast their votes
as to make the united electoral vote of the South
effective in the defeat of Lincoln, by being given to
that man who can be elected This union Of all the
opposition elements has been is about to be- con
sumated in the great State of New York. If there
: is enough Of patriotic love of the Union in New
York to accomplish this-in the name of common
sense, is there not enough of that virtue in the
South whose stake in the result is so much greater
to bring about the same arrangement A unior
on one electoral ticket in every Southern State, will
the discretionary power Of casting the vote in tn,
electoral colleges, to which have alluded, secure.
the consumation of the united vote of the South
being cast upon that candidate that can be elected
oyer Lincoln. The moral influence growing out o
TINS conviction, will give immense strength to thu
opposition to Lincoln. It might, and the chance.
are mat It would, secure the vote of New aYorl
against Lincoln and Hanln. If so, it defeats them
irwouid animate and encourage our anti-abolito,
ana union friends in Pennsylvania and New jersey
Connecticut, Rhode Island and Indiana, to such
vigorous fight as to give US reasonable homes of car
ty,ng portion, If not ALL Of those States. It i
not too late for this arrangement to be made if tn
aoyementiis at once set on foot and If the peopl
VI me south are disposed to be true to their int,
sass, and TO the cause Of the Onion Unless I'll
psopie'of the South are too much run mad wit