Weekly North Carolina Standard

For the Standard.

PAUL C. CAMERON, ESQ.

It is due to this noble and gallant defender of Democracy that the true causes of his late defeat should be stated. It is well known that Mr. Cameron is very wealthy, and that he is not a hackneyed politician. Mr. Turner, who was beaten by him two years ago, took the field again, knowing that they would have to run before a different class of population. No stone was left unturned to effect Mr. Turner's election. Whisky ran like water, and indeed every thing was done that could be done to carry the "floating capital." Numberless personal issues were made against Mr. C. calculated to influence popular feeling—from his extensive wealth to his gold spectacles. Besides this, Mr. Turner advocated the abolition of the freehold qualification for jurors and the white poll tax, and the taxation of slaves from birth to death. There is a large number of people in this county who never had as much as $6 or $7 at any one time. They would receive about this for serving on the jury during a Court week, besides having so great an honor conferred upon them. This issue was very popular, and obtained for Mr. T. many votes. As to the other issue, Mr. Cameron contended that our present State constitution was formed by a compromise between the East and the West. That the issue presented by his opponent involved in it the infringement of the plighted faith of the West—and that for one he would willingly go down into his political grave rather than take advantage of the power of numbers to impose an unjust burden on the East and to deprive them of the guarantee of a fair and equitable and honorable compromise. He declared that the men of the East should never blacken his reputation, and heap reproach on his posterity, for violating solemn pledges fairly made. He has fallen for the East. Indeed, though defeated, it cannot be claimed as a victory. There cannot be a fair doubt but that Mr. Cameron received a large majority of the reflecting and intelligent vote—there can be as little doubt that barbecues, dinners, and whiskey obtained for Mr. Turner, at the very lowest estimate, 200 votes. This is made evident by referring to the Commons vote. Dr. Jones and Mr. Norwood are both returned by handsome majorities over Mr. McMannen, a clever man, who did not resort to the means used by Mr. T. And Dr. Jones runs ahead of Mr. Turner 98 votes— Norwood falls behind only 45 votes, while Mr. T.'s majority over Mr. Cameron is 156 votes.

These remarks are written to set Mr. Cameron right, as in justice should be done. Numbers of the good conservative Whigs of the county voted for Mr. Cameron, Mr. Turner has, undoubtedly, so far as the mere election is concerned, won a victory, almost unaided by any one of the conservative portion of the community, but he had ample assistance from many, who would to-morrow work as hard for Mr. T. had he advocated bringing every one's property together and divide out.

Fiat justicia ruat cælum.