The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-09-01
The standatd,. PIatform.


The Standards Platform.
We alluded yesterday to a. discussion con.
cening the sSrANDARD's platform" which
i now going on between the Richmond
Dispatch and the Norfolk Yirginian. The
following is the reply of the Dispatch to the
Viryinidn:
A QUESTION AND ANswER.-The Norfolk Vir.
qinian; abiding to our approval of the platform
of the Raleigh Standard Governor Holden's or.
GAM, which is pretty well repeated in tho last
paragraph of said platform thus -k-fA. aI
sThen there shall be no test oaths, no dis.
'ffafchisendents; for the Government by its own
action, has virtually declared that treason shall
not be punished.n z siffg3%s Nfdss'+
wants to know what we think of the following
which appears in the came article which con.
tains theplatform welapproye, and occurs just
after it.3 -GgaIiE.
y eve are willing to have the men who betrayed
the people pardoned, but we are unalterably op,
Z posed to their being given, the power to again
betray the people, We pardon them but we do
not trust them. 20 . .-.,.-,......-l-..,..
4 COS ~.
Z ssLet these men have all the rights of Other
citizens, but do not trust them; for they have
proven themselves unworthy of trust. Keep
them from office; for they would use its power
to the injury Of the people, and In opposition to
the Government. "'oal i' Pa ~ s-a
{ In answer we have to say that we consider the
above quotation as as expression Of opinion as to
the reasons that ought to control yoters- c.,
they ought not to vote for ''the men who betray.
I ed the people," whoever they are. We do not
understand the Stannard as proposing to dis.
qualify by law any one for that would be in the
very teeth of its platform, which we approve
and which declares against "test-oaths" and 'dis.
Embellishments and "the Government by its
own action has virtually declared that treason
shall not be punished, y says the Standard.
Now, if in political campaign the STANDARD
can defeat anybody by the issue it suggests we
imagine our friend Hope will not ssy that it is
unfair. Give all their rights, and let the fight
be free, and we know he is too chiyalrous man
to indulge in complaint if the battle goes against
him. If our construction is not right the
STANDARD is very inconsistent. We only concur
with it under the impression that we have u.
derstood it correctly 'a.-s-
We had thought the platform of the
STANDARD sufficiently plain and well-de,
fined to be understood by every one, vet
the Yisyinian has evidently mistaken its
purport. tai RI ',r 5t.t
We repeat our views, as we are DESTROYS
of having them fully understood by every
one.
1. We are opposed to all test oaths."
2. We wish to see every citizen of the
United States in the enjoyment of all the
rights of citizen.
We do not see an ambiguity in the above
declarations, but think they must be per-
fectly plain to every man whose mind is
| good, and whose. Judgment is unwarped by
prejudice.
| But we have also declared that we are
opposed to seeing those pardoned men
again in Office, until they have proven
themielves worthy of trust
| 1t is at this last declaration that the Vir-
| gilman takes umbrage.
By it we mean that we do not wish to
see the men who once betrayed the people
again occupying positions of honor and
trust. We believe the opinions they hold
to be such as would, if allowed to triumph,
l rrroo f1,, i,,i,,ro fha onr,,,frv I'D.
Hence we call upon the people not to,
trust them, but to keep them from Office
How2
By defeating them at the ballot-box, the,
same as any candidate is defeated
The same as candidates were defeated
before the war; .Hnd
We do not see anything unfair in this
declaration which simply amounts to telling
the people not to trust any man who is not
good Republican. .-
. Every partisan favors his own party, and
opposes those who are against it, and VIC
only propose 10 do the same thing.
+ Because we do not wish to see the Demo
cratic Bourbons again in office, we are not
at all inconsistent in declaring our wish to
see them enjoying all the rights enjoyed by
other citizens. 40 ed "A F'" -ai Do '.sa
Every citizen of the requisite age has the
right to vote, and the right to be eligible to
any Office, either State or National
But to hold Office is not a right but a priO-
ilege, conferred upon man by majority
| of his fellow-citizens. .l.-lt a3 o.
Thus we are in favor of giving all men all
the rights of citizenship, but are opposed to
their being allowed the prigilege of holding
office because they may be opposed to us in
politics, and, believing that our principles
| are the best, we do not wish to see men
holding different principles elected to office
This will convince the Dispatch that i,
has judged us rightly, and will reassure the
"doubting Thomas" of the Nirginian, that
is, unless he wishes to have his candidates
supported by all-regardless of party or
| platform. The people of North Carolina
understand it, and know that it is perfectly
just for all. ~ aae eds T5aal ga.d;