Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-05-25

home, until at length he was abandoned by the
grea. body Of those who elected him. and found
himself the choice tor Governor of the Destructive
leaders. did not announce myself for Governor
until perceived, that unless some trde Conserva-
tive announced himself Gov. Vance would 7yterise
and destroy the party. am in the field at the
earnest solicitations of many citizens and soldiers
and will not withdraw My Conservatism is
above suspicion. There Is no cause why should
"repent and do my first works over" am not
put to the necessity Of obtaining or obtaining the
confidence of the Conservative party, for have it
already.
l am opposed to caucuses and conventions The
people alone have the right to rule through mass
meetings and through the balotbox. Caucuses
and conventions were more or less instrumental In
destroying the old government and they should DO
avoided under the new. have no right to agree
to any compromise which withdraws this man and
puts up that man. and assigns one office to one man
and another Office to another. These things belong
to the people at the ballot box. The Conservative
party cannot succeed under an effort to &c cnmit it
to Gov. Vance, who has departed from its princi-
Piles, and made var upon the great body of the par
ty; and even If it could, its success would enure
substantially to cur political enemies, who now con-
sttute the bulk of his supporters,-and such sue
cess if it be called So would necessarily entail
upon the party endless feuds, heart burnings, and
divisions. There is no ground for hope except in
1.-THE strstest sect" Nor does it follow, because
Gov Vance despars of his election and is prepared
to Withdraw from the contest, that | should with
draw aso On the contrary, it furnishes the strong
est reason why should remain in the field, for it
is virtual admission that | will be elected and
that the people desire that should be.
Gov. Vance has no claims on me personally OF
politically. He endeavored. in his Fayetteville
speech, IN his allusion to the mob, to degrade me
personally and destroy my good name and that by
wiliully false statement as to what occurred at his
own house. He said, in his recent speech in Ral
eigh, that "ran like scared dog" to his house
the night of the mob. He also said, that if was
not tory all the tories and deserters in the State
were my friends-the same charge which was made
against him by the Destructives in 1862, and against
which defended him; and he repeated the cast
off calumny of Spelmans press, that the Yankee pri-
soners taken at Plymouth cheered for ON the Rail-
road. l have no more sympathy with the invaders
of my country than he has; and if such thing hap.
psned, which do not believe the prisoners refer
red to were bribed to do it by some unscrupulous
Destructive He encourages the Confederate OF
this City, in its deamatory attacks on me; and he
has procured to be established by his official ,ntla
cpce another Journal the Conservative, which is
devoted to indiscrminate abuse Of me and indis-
crimnate praise of himself. One of his Aids, Col.
Little, who enjoys the special privilege Of sending off
his cotton Advance and getting in exchangetor
it the luxures of the Yankee and English markets,
IS known to be an active manager Of the Conserra
tce establishment and devotes much of his time in
the Executive Office and on the street to e,ectioneer
ing against me. He is using the patronage of his
office without stint to build up a Vance party to
reject himself and to PROSTATE the Conservative
party; and even if we're to Withdraw, and thus
a''a"tOp tn. r.;"e;rlas Of the narty t. his teqder
Ezekiel Jones, and Jim Morris, he and his
minions would still pursue me with q malice
which would have no bounds. And yet he says
be is friendly with me, and wants compro-
misc! Yes, such compromise as the volt gives
to the lamb or the kite to the dove. i verify be-
eve that he, and many of those who are about
him and do his work for him, dislike me so much
because I am true to the people and the soldiers
and have their confidence and am an honest man,
thatif they had me in their power, and could do it
without fear of punishment, they would not only
render me Infamous personally. but they would con-
fscate my property and then 'break me on ,tae
Wheel" But nv trust is in the Conservative people
of the State. am an humble newspaper Editor,
possessed of no patronage, and surrounded by no
troops of favortes to urge my claims; but event.
possessed all these things would scorn to use them
to deceive and mslead the people and secure
my election. Thank God can say with Mr..
Burke, 81 have no arts but honest arts" Strong
in the consciousness Of right panopiied with truth
and justice, and standing on principle, can defy
alike the stratagems and threats o my enemies. |
appeal to my friends, the true Conservative~n in all
parts of the State, to stand firm. My election is
certain if my fends will but stand by their princi
!. ples and 60 to the polls. The Conservative party
will thus be saved from the disorganizaton which
threatens it through the treachery of Gov. Vance
the party will be purified, its great principles will
be maintained, civil liberty will be preserved, and
the cause of blessed peace will! be promoted and
finally established on lasting foundations.
W. W. HOLDEN.
May 49,. 1864.