Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-03-21

Henry W. Miller. A man Of the loftiest genius
and most brilliant intellect-of laborious habits and
unpretending modesty, for fifteen years Mr.. NJ was
the Ajax lebanon Of the Wing party in North Caro-
lima Although under . constant press of profes-
sona business, and the and support Of his fami
y on his hands, for many long years Mr.. NJ. was
instant in season and out Of season." whenever
and wherever his party friends called upon Hercu-
les to come up to their relief In prosperity and in
adversity, through veal and through wo he battled
for Whiggery, with giants might Often when
We thought Democracy was triumphant and victory |
won the %oice of Miller could be heard raflying the |
routed Wing egons to the charge, and assailing us
IN dank, when we Thought ourselves in the fl tide
Of successful pursuit. And when Whiggery died
out from mere nanition. and Know Nothingsm. ris-
ing from its ashes, confronted the serried ranks of
Democracy, Henry W. Miller and his contlere Ken
meth Rayner, led the two wings of the Know Moth
ing army in this State Ne canddly admit the fact
now-they gave us no little trouble. At one time
the prospect was dark and lowering that nothing
but our mistaken confidence in the enduring might
OF truth, prevented us from despairiEg of the for
tunes of Democracy. During all this time the oil
garchy that now controls the actions and move
ments of Whiggery in this State, stood and looked
on from afar. Too nice and stdious to dirty their
hands with Know Nothingism, they still surveyed
the fight from distance, with longing eyes and
watering chops-ready to come in at the DEATH and
claim the "spoils of victory" in case Know Moth
| ngism won-and yet reserving to themselves the
chance at future day of saying they "never were
any thing but old line Wings" in case that Know
Nothingism lost the day. Not so H. W. Miller.
Misguided as he was in judgment in that matter,
yet from honest convictions doubt not, he still
bore aloft the banner of opposition, in his war
against Democracy.
At length Know Nothingism succumbed Abo-
litionism at the North regarded Know Nothingism
as sort of Intruder in its domains dressed itself in
the robes of the latter, and took possession of its
lodges and gave direction to its counsels Opposi-
ton to Democracy, under the pirate flag Of black
Republicanism, having routed the Democratic party
in most of the Northern States the Wing oligarchs
who had so long been in state of torpor began to
stir, like algators on the approach Of Spring; and
they now are preparing to profit by the blows un-
der which Democracy is staggering from the ss-
saults of black Repubcanism. They protest that
they have no sympathy with black Repubcanism.
Oh no! not they. They are as indignant at the
charge Of aiding and abetting black Republicauism,
as they were at the very idea of being Know Moth
ings. We do not make the charge-we are speak
ing Of their now preparing to avail themselves Of
the defeat of Democracy, which they know can only
be accomplished by the power of black Republican
ism in the North. Not so Henry W. Miller When
he saw that Know Nothingsm had fallen and
Americanism las he called t) was no longer prac-
tical issue-when he the rapid progress Of Abo-
litionism threaten the guaranteed rights, the domes
tic peace of the South, and the perpetuity of the
union-when he saw Mr.. Buchanan interposing his
name and character and executive influence, against
this threatening and daily increasing danger-then
it was that Mr. Miller proved that he loved country
better than he did party. Then it was he saw that
this great question Of the preservation Of Southern
rights transcribed importance all the political is
sues Of the day; and in a spirit of patriotism and
manly independence, he declared his purpose of sus-
tanning Mr.. Buchanan and the Democratic party. as
long as they presented the only rallying point
against the aggressions Of Northern fanaticism.
Mr.. Miller did not profess to have changed his views
in regard to other questions of public polcy-and
yet for daring to carry out his convictions of duty
as Southern patriot. he was denounced by his
quondam political allies from Currituck to Chero-
kee The fossil oligarchs of higgery in the State
shrugged their shoulders and rolled up their eyes,
when his name was mentioned. They said but lit
tle for it is not their policy to speak decidedly, any
more than it is their policy to act decidedly But
they set their whippersin after him, with orders to
hunt him down. They regretted. in fact, Mr. Ms
change Of his party relations for he had been work.
ing for them, like dray horse for many long years.
and they knew the value Of his services. But their
fnglemen and drill.sergeants opened on him in full
fury. They have denounced, viifed, and abused
him-they have impugned his motives, and charged
him with being actuated by selfish and ambitious
views-that his purpose was to get in the majority,
with view to Office and place.
The whole history Of Mr. Miller's past life, gives
the lie to such an mputation Mr. Miller had for fif.
teen eighteen years been battling for his party The
darker its prospects, the more energeticaly he had
sustained it In its gloomiest periods of adversely
he had led its forlorn hopes-and this too not only
without reward, when his party was in the ascen-
dant, but without even the notice of compliment
tary recognition. When his party was in power in
the federal government, the olgarchs of the State
made no effort to secure the appreciation Of his ser
vices They had their own selfish schemes to carry
out and the interests of their iegemen to take care
Of When in power in the State, in the distribution
of honors and Offices Mr.. NJ. was never thought Of
He was thought to be good enough to oork for them
and thar ;ntoroefs renpired that he should he kent
for that purpose alone. Strange as it may seem,
many years as the Wing party had control Of the
Legislature, they never even gave Mr.. Miller the
compliment Of an election as Trustee Of the Uni
versity at which he was educated, and to which he
is so much attached. He was never even named,
| when the Whip marty had control of the admins.