Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-01-07
From the Raleigh Standard.
The se.atorship.

The senatorship. q
The failure of the late Legislature to elect Sem
ator has created general feeling of regret This
is the first instance Of such omission in the histo
ry of the State; audit is natural that the people
should both regret the omission and inquire into the
causes that led to it, As faithful exponent OF the
public feeling and the public will, it is duty to
speak out and we shall do without fear, favor
or Affection but at the same time, we hope, In a
spirit of Justice fairness, and courtesy. We shall
impeach no mans motives-we shall speak merely
of acts and of results. and leave the Democrats OF
the State to form their own conclusions.
Parties in the late Assembly stood, in the Senate,
% Democrats % Wings, and in the Commons 90
Democrats. 81 Wings. counting Mr.. Love- OF Hoy
wood. as Democrat making Democratic major
iy of TWO joint ballot. 1t therefore necessa
ry in order to elect Senator. that there should be
full concentration of the Democratic strength
One of the Democratic members from Orange was
detained home by affection until about the middle
of the session, and soon after the beginning of the
session of the Democratic members from Union
was taken sick and confined to his room; but the
member from Orange arrived in time to take part IN
the effort to elect, though from these causes, the
Senatorial struggle postponed and delayed.
A caucus meeting of the Democratic members
was held and the Hon. James C. Dobbin, of Cum
berland, nominated for Senator. He received
not merely a ma ority of the members present but
IL majority of the entire Democratic representation
in the General Assembly; and his nomination was
afterwards unanimously agreed to. Under these
circumstances the Democratic people had a right to
expect, and they did expect that he would be sus-
! tanned by every Democratic member but IN this
most lust and reasonable expectation they were
disappointed Gen Saunders one of the Common
ers from Wake, voted for Burton Craige, Esq of
Rowan, and Mr.. Love, of Haywood, and Mr.. Christ
mas, of Warren, voted, with some Wings for Gen1
Saunders, while Mr. Gotten. of Chatham, and Mr.
Watson. of Johnston, voted. with some other Wings,
for MIR Shepard. Here then. in the outset. the DEM
ocratc party disorganized. The Wing leaders,
who never intended, at any time, to permit either
Gen. Saunders or MIR. Dobbn to be elected, enjoyed
this State Differentiation for some time: and they
at length united their forces Mr., Rayner. and al
forwards on Mr. Woodfn. At time, in the pro-
gress of the voting Mr. Dobbin lacked but two votes
of an election; and two of the three members
MesSrs. Love. Gotten and Waison--who voted for
other gentlemen could have secured his election
| The Democratic nominee was, therefore, defeated
by few men, and not by any lack of fidelity on the
part Of Democratic members generally. Indeed: the
great body of the party stood by Mr.. I>obbin with
singular and most commendable frmness. He was
their first choce-hey felt that he had been fairly
nominated and they were determined that neither
the responsibility of his defeat that of the cleo
ton of a Wing Senator should be laid upon them
This feature in the struggle is most gratif ing. 1t
demonstrates that the great masses OF the party,
thus represented still sound-still true to
and organization and it affords rallying point and
room for hope and calculation in the future.
1t is due to Gen Saunders to state that he voted
for MIR. Dobbn towards the close of the contest and
that it generally understood among his friends
that his vote would be cast for him at any time
when it could be ascertained it would elect him
but Gen. Gotten did not vote for MIR. DObbin until
after he was withdrawn, and Messrs Love- Watson
and Christmas did not vote for him at all. Mr. Love,
who elected a Democrat, voted twice for Mr..
Wood6n, most decided Consolidatonist in prefer
ence to Mr.. Clingman, who received at one time
nearly the entire Democratic vote. But this vote of
Gen. Saunders at this late period for Mr.. Dobbn,
and this general understanding among his friends
that he would vote for him at any time when he
could secure his election, will not serve to excuse
him for taking ground against the nominee of his
party-o that party which has conferred upon him
all the honors he has enjoyed, and to whose organ
zaton and unyelding devotion to principle in the
county of Wake he was indebted for his seat in the
: late Assembly. That Ger Saunders has served his
party long and faithfully. we cheerfully admit; that
he has given to its principles clear and powerful ex
positions before the people, and that he has reflected
credit upon it in representative capacity in public
assemblies shall be the last to deny but these
considerations, instead of afordng him a justfca
ton of his late course actually imposed upon him
in our iudg ment heavier obligations than rest upOI
most to be true TO its organization and usages
We entertain the opinion. and we have no hesitation
in expressing it, that if Gen. Saunders had come, II
the outset to the support of MIR. Dobbin, the mora
> force of his example and his vote would have bro
in others to the support of that gentleman, and h
, would have been elected.
y IL Is ldle at This time OF Gay, Gen. saunders
for Mr. Shepard, or for any of those Democrats VIII
sustained them in opposition to Mr.. Doboin, to offe
excuses for the course they pursued. This is FIRE
country, it is true and they had right to pursu
# this but then the exercise of this right
res with it the responsibility for consequences what
3 ever they may be- No party exist without or
ganization without subj lection of the aspiration
- and ambition of the few to the will Of the many,
! without concentration of its power to the advance
- men of the principles it processes. Parties form
" ed to promote and establish principles not homo
or reward men and that party which loses sight
:. principles in contest about fOrfeits for tn
- time its claims to public respect and degenerates in
e to faction held together by the hope of Offices an
d spoils''
; 1t gives us no pleasure to pen this article TIL
readers of this journal will bear witness that we hav
stood forward for many years. the fast friend
- supporter of both Gen. Saunders and Mr.. Shepard
y We desire to say nothing to wound their feeling
and it is far, very far from intention to do the
'e injustice We are properly mindful, we trust
- the long continued and important services whic
" Gen. Saunders has rendered to the Democratic pa
ty. and of the zeal and ability displayed by M
lie Shepard during his public career but principle AT
We organization before men, and we therefore prote
k, against their in the late Senatorial sruggl
OF We protest against it, because. if their friends hf
es labored for the nominee, with their appreciation
s. they did for them, that nominee would have bet
Is, elected-because the result has dissatisfied and d
re pirted the Democratic party throughout the Sta
because the Democratic people have been disa
polnted in their just expectations and because par
organizations essential to party and the
=; vancement of great principles. has been diregard
80 and set at naught. If their course, and the condu
of Messrs. Love, Gotten, Christmas, and Watts
he should be approved by the party, there will be
- end to organization and concerted effort and t,
80 i hence shall witness he aloc IF ),