Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-04-25
From the n C. Standard.
The X. n. C0nvenfInn

| calling Champion allyrand Napoleon Davis, Esq.
of Mcdowell County, to the Chair. and appointing
Seaton Gales and S. M. Sherwood Secretaries. We
thought this very appropriate beginning for the
renesades" there assembled, for Mr. Davis, within
the last five years. has turned less than three po
| litical somersets First he whig; then, as a
whipped in abused the " old fogy Whigs,' and had
tendencies hopefully democratic; then he wheeled
into the ranks of these same old fogy Whgs,' and
finally landed on the chaotic and nondescript shores
| OF dark lantemism, where he now wanders, probably
cropping bis way more carefully than formerly
| Hence, we say the "renegades very appropriately
selected him to open the convention, thereby testify
ing their appreciation of his talent for tergversatons
and evincing their Appreciation of conduct in another
OF which they themselves were guilty.
A committee was next appointed TO report perma
nent officers for the convention when it ad ourned to
meet in the afternoon at the Presbyterian ch, rch
which, by appeal to foreign influence had been
secured for the purpose the pastor being native Of
Scotland. Hon. $. n. Rogers chosen President,
and one Vice President was selected from each Con-
| gressional District. ]. F. Bell and T. Burr
chosen Secretaries Mr. Rogers, Oh taking the Chair,
| made very lame little speech, but thought there
were "some good and true men " in what he was
pleased to call our party" from which we presume
he has gone through the process of being sworn In
on the cross since his speech the Court House here
few weeks ago, when he declared he was not
member of the Order.
After this little episode, it was moved and carried
District be selected to build platform. Here small
family quarrel sp:ang up as 70 how the committee
should be STANDARDIZATION appointed by the Pres-
dent or chosen by the delegates Long of Davidson,
Haughton, Caldwell and Others spoke upon il. Cam
eron, of the Argus, didn't care anything about plat
torms-hadnt much opinion of them-the Phadel
phia platform was sufficient, (remember the Register
says there ism any )-waned TO adjourn till n1ght,
when they could hold private meeting without hav
ing the wicked world looking in them 1t was
oN haf fho ha
ed by the President which was accordingly done,
and the platform builders left the Church 10 enter
upon their herculean task We think the proceedings
will show that they gave it up as bad job.
Calls were now made for M Q. Waddel ESQ, of
Pittsborougl, and that gentleman took the floor.
He commenced on Paul and Agripra and spoke of
| the glory OF being Roman citizen, just If Ro-
man citizen wasn't d :" cussed furrener." He revert
ed to the battle of Guforl Z. H., where, he said,
the natiCc Americans treated the foreigners just
like the K. Ms were going to do, He paid very
disinterested compliment to that "old Quaker Gen
era, Greene" and seemed very confident that the
recording ang'l, at Heavens high chancery, had
shed tears enough to blot out the oalhs taken by
| Know Nothings, Just he did the oath of Uncle
Toby. He alluded'to 10 the Nebraska bill, which we
thought very naughty i'll him, considering he was
| facing his anti-Nebraska President He misrepre
sented the clause in that bill in relation to qualifca-
tions of voters, and said he opposed to all for
egners, because the Hessians that fought at the
battle of Guilord c. H. what produced the Hes
sian fly, He wound up with chase and elegant
anecdote one highly appropriate too. considering
| he was telling ii in church-about nan that
went to Mobile, his dad and and Sukey and a
circuit rider. Some of his X. n brethren dis
gusted, and we, but thought it just about as
good any other part of his speech TO the great
delight of the assemblage be took his seat-at least
we judged they delighted from the way they
laughed and stamped.
Mr.. Foster, of Randolph, was next called out, but
begged to be excused. He, however, told very in
structive entertaining and amusing anecdote about
| little girl hollerng up chmney,' and thought
there many Democrats doing the same thing,
desiring to Join the Know Nothings. From this we
infer that the dark brotherhood having the fear of
Pinebur Moccasns dogs before their eyes, have quit
culverts and gravel pits and taken up the chimneys
| Unfortunately for him he concluded BY alluding TO
the " Wig candidate for Governor" then and thcro
| to be selected
Andrew Jackson Stedman, ESQ., Of Pttsborough,
next took the floor and slapped his brother Foster
asserting he had nothing 10 do with either Whiggery
or Democracy. He was for defending The Protestant
religion We trust the messenger to Heavens high
cbancery did not trouble himself to carry that up.
If any could present single objection to his
platform he would surrender. His party needed no
platform. Fillmore was living platform. He
against any platform for the State. He spoke Of
General Jackson as Donelsons ancestor and we will
not pretend to say that be knew any better All at
once be shut up and sat down, doubt feeling that
he very essential to the welfare of the Procs
tant religion By the bye his platform says nothing
on that head, which silence must be Objectionable to
him, and therefore he ought to surrender. AS he
took his seat we fell into profound study upon cir
cumstances altelng cases, and wondered what
party would now have been honored with the men,
bershlp Of Andrew jackson Steadman, the defender
OF the Protestant religion, if Andrew Jackson Stead
man had been elected Solicitor when he was the
| Democratic candidate before the last Democratic
Legislature for that Office Perhaps others may also
wonder, but we have nothing TO do with their con-
Clusons.
The Convention adj journed 10 meet again at night,
when the eyes of the wicked world could not see
them defending the Protestant religion, which, it
seems, has been assailed that il has become ne
cessary for preachers to hand over for safe keep
ing. 10 swearing politicians.
Satisfied that the Convention would nominate our
second choice of their prominent men, we took the
cars that night and came home. And if the k. Ms
of North Carolina ever hold another Convention,
may we be there to Sec" 1t is real show-a
combination OF menagere, circus, (clown included,
and sleight of-hand performance with sprinkng
OF wire-walklng and ropsdaRcing relieved at inter
walls by The fantastic capers Of puppets and the exhi-
bltlon of " dissolving views"
p. S.-Snce writing the above we have received
an extra from the Greensborough Patriot cice co
tanning official account of the proceedings From
this appears there were only forty-hve counties
represented, six of which were by PROXY The mum
Der of delegates recorded is 200 We mention these
facts because have been charged with under
mating the number of delegates, which we guessed
, al $50. The Secretaries Say that other delegates
came IN alter the organization of the Conventlon.-
The number must have been small, Tor the Conven
ton was not organized until after the arrival of tht
= cars that day. few County delegates might have
come in afterwards. We think dozen or twenty
!, more is liberal allowance We recollect we'll tha
the Secretaries announced at the opening OF the Con