Year: 1859

find in the Standard of to-day report by Mr..
bpelman, the well-known and popular reporter for
hat paper, of discussion at the Court House in
this City, on Friday evening last, from which I
make the following extract:


"MR. BRANCH announced himself as the candidate
of the democratic party for Congress, for the third
time. He alluded to the circumstance of the begin
ming of his political fe-not, he said, to re-kindle
the disastrous fires of six years ago. He had been
placed in nomination, the first occasion, because
of the dissentions in the democratic party and be-
! cause he was disconnected with the factions and
cliques which led to those distractions. He was
told this, he said at the time And in consenting to
become candidate then he gave the distinct under
standing that he would not ally himself with any of
the factions and cliques and he had steadily and
faithfully adhered to that pledge he said-up to the
present time he had stood aloof from all cques.-


He made this statement because of allusion of Mr.
Sanders, and because of what he had heard else
where-that he the head and front and leader of


faction in this city, and had led to the establish
ment of newspaper in its behalf This he denied
He had not given one dollar to any such purpose
since as minor, he gave all his guardian had placed
at his disposal for the establishment of newspaper
to secure the election of Mr. Van Bruen. Still he
considered it no crime to assist in the establishment
of democratic papers, He would do so when neces-
sary, and would be the judge himself Of the proper
time and circumstances. He deprecated newspaper
qnarrels. He wanted no organize could speak for
himself and when he could not he would retire from
public life. He never had an organ-had none now,
and never wanted one He would give aid to dem
ocrats when necessary, but would not assist in the
support of any paper Though it may profess to be
democratic and to be my organ" Still he did not
think it strange criminal to furnish materials for
any paper "to assist in the advocacy of my Cuba
bill, for am not ashamed to call it SO. | am thank
fu for any support at this time


In ol, nft ttoc f,,I
the following commentary on the above


Under these circumstances, we think we have
right to protest and feel bound to protest, re-
spcctfully but firmly against the language used by
Mr.. Branch at Brassfelds and in this City, in rea-
| tion to factions" and "clques." Mr.. Branch is
reported by correspondent of the Wilmington
Journal having said in his speech at Brassfelds,
"he had nothing to do with the troubles and news
| paper war in Raleigh he neither has will
countenance any clique or .1i,etion." And in the
repoCt of the discussion in this place in the socalled
Democratic Press.-which report is generally sup
posed to have been prepared by Mr.. Cantwell a
particular and confidential friend of Mr.. Branch
| Mr.. Branch is said to have declared that "he had
too much pride to descend from that high position
to lend himself to either Of the uctians IN the City
/ cf Rnleigh." We also refer in this connection TO
the account given by our own Reporter.


Now, we protest against the imputation that we
! belong to "clique" or a faction We are no
/ factionist. And we take occasion further to saw
| that in opinion nineteen twentieths of the De-
mocracv of Raleigh and of the County of Wake are
with in views in relation to the so-caed DEM
ocratic Press and the Nash traitors.


| We have written this article after mature refiec-
ton, and with much reluctance; but far-minded
person can expect us to submit quietly under the
hnptiCesi mputation referred S, to-" ~ 81 ~ ~
, II respectfully submit to the public that there is
nothing in the STANDARDS report of my remarks
to justify its complaint against me- The report does
not represent me to have said that the Standard
belongs to faction clique. There is not word
or a sentence that conveys such an idea. All that
said about factions and cques related to period
of time four years ago, when was brought out.
I said nothing about them existing at the present
time except to deny the truth of report in crcu-
lation to the effect that had placed myself at the
head of one and established newspaper to promote
its objects Such is the Standards own report,
and think it is in that respect correct in substance
am sure did not mention the name of the Stand
ard, nor any language which | thought could
give offence to the most sensitive Democrat. My
remarks on the occasion were carefully cOuched in
language, which, whilst it should impugn no one S
motives, and offend no one, shonld at the same time
clear me of all participation in a quarrel which is
Just as notorious in the district as my candidacy
| alluded to it in guarded and general terms not





Atween two newspapers.


That quarrel has injured and is iniurring the De
mocratic party whose defence for the time being is
committed to my hands, 1t may be true that
"nincteen-twenteths of the Democracy of Raleigh
and of the county of Wake are with us the Stand
ard in our views in relation, &C." But there is
another twentieth, whose votes if they arc Demo
Gratis, or will vote for me Democratic principles


ought not to throw away because they do not agree
with the Standard on that one point If the quar-
rel tended to draw off from me even one-twentiett
of the Democrats of Raleigh and Wake county, ii
was my duty to do something to arrest the evil.


Hauing exhausted all the means in my pocer tt
PIT stop to It, determined to declare publicly tc
the Democracy of the district that their candidate
had no connection with it, and to warn them that
after four years of harmony and success, we were
approaching the breakers in which we had beer
wrecked six years ago. 1t was with great reuc
tance that introduced the subject into my speeches
but the report has been carefully propagated through
the district certainly not by persons anxious tt
conciliate votes for me, that had established thu
Democratic Press to assa the Standard. For tn,
candidate of the party in the midst of canvass ant
the of election to establish newspaper t.
, fight an existing Democratic paper, | thought wa
so unjustifiable as to demand from me a denial Th
establishment of to aid in the defence OF Demo
cratic principles, and which should exclude from it
columns all attacks on Democrats, would be very
different matter and hence Isad that whenever il
my Judgment the interest of the Democratic part,
would be promoted by the establishment of such
paper at any point, I would aid it. I believe tn
Standard has used substantially the same languag
within few weeks


think have more right to complain of the fol
lowing language in the Standards article, than tn
Editor has to complain of any thing said. tlook
like an attempt to make me responsible for what ap
) pears in the Democratic Press:


"And in the report of the discussion in this plac
in the so-called Democratic Press-whch report
generally supposed to have been prepared by MI
Cantwell. particular and confidential friend of MI
Branch, &C."


think it unfortunate that ones private relation
should be so often paraded before the public. Doe
the private friendship between Mr. Cantwel an
myself make me responsible for his acts! He is
private citizen, holding public position, laborln
in an honest vocation for the support Of his family