Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-07-13
W. r.. Richardson. ESQ.

Defamation and falsehood seem to constitute the
main stock in trade Of our political opponents
Conscious that their is sinking aud that their
principles aud views will not bear the test of nves
tigaticn, they are resorting to personalities and
even catching up and retailing private conversations
Gentlemen who are engaged in this business of re-
failing private conversations for political effect ad-
NIT thereby that their cause is desperate, while at
the same time when their ambition cools, if it ever
does, they must feel their cheeks burn with shame
at having been reduced to such conduct to advance
their purposes. But the example of retailing pri-
vate conversations was set them by their leader,
Gov. Vance, who seems since his association with
the Destructive leaders to have as little regard as
they have for decency, propriety, and truth. He
has "spt scholars" in every County in the State
men who will not or cannot rise to the dignity of
an argument, but who vex the public and BELT
tie themselves by retailing private conversations
and starting chincapn issues.
The Conservative Of Friday last attempts to pro-
duce the impression, based on an alleged private
conversation that Mr.. Richardson, one of the Con-
sentative candidates for the Commons in this Coun-
ty, is an abolitionist, and is in taoor Of negro
equality soitA the whites! We are authorized by
Mr.. Richardson to say that this is foul calumny
and that by werd or act of his life, has he IA
vored such doctrine. He is himself the owner
of considerable number of slaves, some of whom
have been purchased since the time this alleged
conversation took place. He is o native of the
South and all his interests hopes, and sympathies
are identified with the South. He believes that the
condition OF slavery is proper and suitable one
for the negro, aad by no word or act would he i'm.
pair the tenure by which slave property is held
But while he holds these views he is not prepared
to sacrifice every thing for the negro; and he hon
estly believes that an indefinite prolongaton of the
war will not only put the whole of our slave prop
erty in serious jeopardy, but that it will impover.
ish and ruin the white race. He is, therefore, in
favor of the most earnest effostEaor an honorable
peace. He feels that merely vii nssssl&
bring pesce; and that if the wr is TO Or mr. ma
On and on, without psuse q every thisr Nal.
% Us, si,sss property included nav sb.
swept away. Tie charge thst he il aaabraitionist,
and in favor Of negro equality With the whites,
is as ridiculous rs it is false. No thoughtful or
sensible person will listen to it for moment.
1t is also charged that Mr.. R. is an original So
cessionist An original secesslonst in one breath,
and an abohtionist in the nextl He seeded, thew
say, to save his negroes and now he wants to set
them free1 What nonsense! No, gentlemen.we
will tell you who the real abolitionists are Slavery
safe IN the States until the States south of US
seeded How is it now3 We have lost not less than
one million Of slaves by secession. Who is respon-
sible for this The abolitonists of the North and
the secessionists of the South not that the latter
desired or expected it, bat they were so wanting
in forecaste, and their hatred Of the North was so
blind and bitter and their wish to have new
government ard to extend the institution over new
territories SO deep-seated, that they soouM secede
The result is before US. Mr.. Richardson opposed
secession as we did. We knoss the fact, for we were
intimate with him then, as we are now, that he
was not an original secessionist He chung to tho
government as long as it was safe or honorable to
do SO; and he voted in February, 1881, and in May,
1851, for Union candidates for the Convention in
Wake County. And here, by the way, is one of
the reasons Why he is 80 bitterly persecutsd now.