The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-10-10

are obviously due to a falling mem
DRY.
Another characteristic of the ME
molrs.' avs DR.. Boyd. lis tina when
his w policies are under consider
alton, the author full re-
~sponsioiiity and never shifts the bur
den to others. Yet. when
measures which did not involve his
own responsibility Or the integrity Of
others are under discussion, Governor
Holder often displays an insight into
conditions and a power of p~resenta-
ton that are far above the average"
Holden became editor of the STAN
dard June 1, 1843. Within twelve
years, under his leadership, the Dem
ocratic party in North Carolina had
converted a majority of 8, 1000 against it
into n Of $4,000 for it. The change
began With the campaign Of l84S,
when David S. Reid was the Demo
". the Wing candidate. Two years
before. William A. Graham, Wing.
had been elected by a majority Of
I,1o9. Holden himself presented
Relds name to the Democratic con-
venton, and he was nominated a
Imously, almost as a sfor1orn hope
Manly. says Governor Holden was
a brilliant and able speaker, and the
chances against Reid appeared to be
as five to one" Reid declined the
nomination. L had the letter in
type" says Holden, "and was about
to 60 to press. But I looked at the
correspondence as it stood in the form
condition Of the Democratic party If
the correspondence with the letter
from Colonel Reid should be publish
ed in the organ of the party. and I
determined to withhold the publica-
ton at least for one issue of the pa
per- He tHereupOn wrote a letter to
Reid urging him in most earnest
terms" to accept the nomination INC
to come to Raleigh at once to pre-
pare for the campaign. This letter
was sent by a special messenger who
rode day and night to Reidsville'
With the result that Reid accepted,
came to Raleigh, and declared his
purpose to raise the free suffrage"
banner, although nothing had been
said Of that issue in the party's plat
form. Wherefore" says Holden, but
for what l did, Colonel Reid would
not have accepted. Free suffrage
would not nave been preached to the
people Of the State, which vas the
prime, great and moving cause Of the
first Democratic victory in the State
since 1885, and of all subsequent vic
tories. and not only this. but Free
Suffrage was a source OF enefit to
the State in that it greatly liberalized
tHC VIEWS VI PUBIC men On lcSlSld-
ton" Reid opened the question at
Beaufort. The next day, at New
Bern, Manly took ground against It.
and this says Holden, sealed the
fate Of the Wing party in North Car
olfna, and [ so announced in my next
paper" Reid was defeated by a ma
jority Of only S54, but two years later
a majority of $3.50, and in 1852 was
reelected by a majority Of 1854.
Even more interesting than this ac-
count of Reid's candidacy is Hofden's
account Of the choice OF a candidate
in 1852. His first choice was William
A. Graham. but when Graham refused
to consider the matter at all. II then"
says Holden. determined to fix on Z.
B. Vance for Governor. I felt that
Ebeing a Democrat, and Vance a Whig,
his nomination had better proceed
from a Whig-for example, the Fay
etteviIle Observer. [ wrote therefore
at once to Augustus S. Merrimon, OF
Asheville, Buncombe county, to come
to Raleigh and aid me in the work
of bringing Vance forward
After consulting with Mr.. MerrimOn,
he went to Fayetteville and consulted
with Mr.. Hale. Mr.. Hale said to Mr..
Merr;mon that I IHoIden), having
been a Democrat, was the proper per
son to raise Colonel Vance's name.
MIR. Merrimon then wrote a brief ar
ticle which appear ed under the edi-
torial head of the Observer. marked
communicated nominating Vance
for Governor. He then returned to
Raleigh by way Of kinston-Colonel
tVance being at Kinston with his reg
iufent-and obtained from him his
letter of acceptance. and reached
| Raleigh with it. A meeting was held
in the Office Of Daniel G.. Fowle (now
Governor Of the State) in a house
then standing on the site OF the pres
ent Henry building on Fayetteville
street. There were present in this
meeting Hon. Daniel G. F'owfe. Col.
w. H. Harrison, A. S. Merrinlon Esq.
Col. James F.. Taylor, and myself. and
on the 4th day of June. 1852, I hoist
ed Vauce's name for Governor. The
election took place in August. 1862,
and Vance's majority over Col. VIII
liam Johnston. of Mecklenburg. was