The southerner., 1854-07-15
Lefter from Mr.. Ddncy.

Letter from Mr.. Dancy.
We lay before our readers the follow
ing interesting letter from " f. De7''cy,
ESQ, Drawn from him by an application
tn become o candidate for seat in the
Legislature, by number of the citizens
of Wilson, and vicinity.
Tdr5oro' " g.,
July IL, 1854.
Gentlemen: Yours of the 10th inst,
asking the use of my name as canai-
date at the ensuing election of men,
bers of Assembly, reached me yesterday
and adopt this method of communi-
cation in reply.
Such an expression of confidence
coming from so respectable number
Of those towards whom [ formerly held
the position of Representative-con-
n1ands my warmest thanks and inspires
sne with a sense of gratitude want
language to express. Next to the ap
probation of my own conscience, [ Ivalue
nost highly this voluntary testimonial
Of the people of Wilson to my fidelity
and usefulness as public servant. |
reciprocate most warmly your kind SEN
timents of regard, and but enunciate
the unbidden promptings of my own
heart when declare that some Of the
most cherished "reminiscences of my past
life are associated with your section of
the county. They arc among the pleas
ant memories which strew the pathway
of my former service in your employ.
But, gentlemen, the obstacles in the
lway of my yielding to your wishes are
insuperable. In addition to my entire
want of the constitutional qualification
requisite for membership may be su-
peradded the no less with me) potent
reason of personal disinclination for any
public position. [ wasjust long enough
in public life to realize my want of fit
ness for its trials-and have been long
enough out of it to feel that the "post
of honor is the private station"
Here [ might without impropricty
close this Notwithstanding an
swercd the main object of your inquiry,
but for the pointed illusions in your
letter to an absorbing public question,
the agitation of which for several years
past has destroyed all harmony and fra
ternity of feeling in county formerly
greatly distinguished for both and which
if not speedily settled, threatens to jeo-
pardize the ascendancy of those politi-
cal principles which have heretofore
characterized US as people. l allude,
of course, to what is Familiarity styled
the 'se,c county question.
Upon this subject have no conceal.
ments and would scorn to "palter with
you in double sense" My opinion
on this question has been long known
to those who asked it. I did not stop
to enquire whether the measure would
be popular before [ took my position
| have lived long enough to know that
what is popular, is not necessarily right;
neither am [ an implicit believer in the
infallibility of the people. On the
contrary, they frequently commit great
blunders and he who avows any othe,
doctrine, avows himself demagogue.
! am then and have been in favor OF
terminating this unnatural struggle, by
yielding to the wishes of your section
From the very inception of this meas.
ure, I foresaw the consequences of VIC
lent and intemperate opposition to it.
and have uniformly advised Cancellation
and compromise. [ have for severa
7 years past regarded your section as &
"broken wing" OF the county, not again
to be united, and the sooner separation
took place the better for the body poll
t tic. Why continue longer connection
: without union? The spirit of union be
r tween the two divisions has long sine,
y fed. We have the shadow onlv, w,,,i,l
: the substance is wantins,. All that re
mains is union of force.
Il But other and different ccunsels bav
h prevailed and we are now at the end c
III Ia six years struggle-no nearer a solu
Is ton of the question than ever. In tn
l. mean time the breach has every yea
u grown "lder-the estrangement create
. ano we present the singular spectacle c