Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-05-02

,ans in our town. out of which had arisen the pre-
sent pary contest for Commissioners OF Navigation
He showed how " Know-Nothing victories had been
won over unsuspecting people, and thus parry
issues first forced upon a community IN whose ioca'
affairs they had been previously unknown Inc
Democrats at length raled-accepted the challenge |
rendered 10 them, and the result last december |
showed that although technically defeated the popu'
lar strength rested with the Democratic party Are
tha Know No,hngs more strong or the Democrats |
ess an NOW than at the ele :tion in December Ger.
tainlv not Everybody knew that the reverse was
the case Everybody knew hat if the full Demo-
cratic vote was polled the result would be certain
victory. Then why should not that vote be polled
why should we submit to defeat when victory was
reaGy to perch upon our banners.
Dr. w. c. Vikings was loudly called for, and
responded in animated and stirring address, IN
which he showed up the absurdty. the nonsense,
the arrogance of the assumption Of exclusive Amer-
cansm made, by the anti Democratic party. Why,
he had heard striplngs almost. talk of men who had
served their country before their denouncers were
born as Anti Americans" Everybody knew that
this was neither in accordance with fact nor COM
mon sense. Mr.. Vikings proceeded to discuss the
questions at issue at some length, and with marked
ability
| NJ B. Smith, Esq, introduced 10 the meeting WIN.
j. Houston, Esq, of Duplin county, as true Demo-
crat as lives. Mr. Houston was loudly called upon.
He remarked that he had, for some considerable
length of time, been out of the way OF public speak
ing on political subjects, and had not anticipated the
honor of call to address SO large assemblage oil
his fellow.citizens of the town of Wilmington. A
local contest was approaching in regard to which II
became him not, as resident of another county, to
sneak: he could however, without any danger of be-
inc accused of intermeddliDg assure his fellow Dem.
ocrats here of his own warm sympathy, and the
svmna1hv of those whom he had the honor to repre-
sent The Democrats of Wilmington and OF the
! County of New Hanover had to bear the brunt OF
the contest in this Congressional District and they
met the issues like men, and their brethren through
out the district honored them for IT, Mr.. Houston
then proceeded to review the positions, platforms and
histories of the organizations which now divide the
country presenting the facts clearly and unmlstake
ably showing what class of the sefseeklng aspnants
after office had left the Democratic party for the good
of the party. Mr.. Houston spoke at considerable
length and always the point, and was warmly aP-
plauded.
NJ y. Smith, Esq, next spoke. and handled the
oppostion orators without gloves. Their arrogant
} professions of superorty--their baseIess assump-
tons received no mercy at his hands. He meant
every VOID he said there it was, and there il
? would stand. The claimants of exclusive gentllity
i, those who denied the appelIaton of gentlemen tt
the working Democratic masses-to the people of thu
Y land-who thought that their own little coterie
contained all the talent and all the respectablity
received no quarter. The main ssue-the true issu
before the country contained IN the principle o
l. the Kanzas and Nebraska blllsn the recognitio
of the right of the people of the South t. 60 into tn
IT Territories of q common Union with their propert
equally with those Of other sections and yet here
E. in North Carolina, we had candidate for Governo
1t standing upon a platform which denounced the re
lie cognton of that principle, and the legislation
. WHY, The position of Mr.. Gilmer was better suite
q for Massachusetts than North Carolina, and MI
y Glmer could make stronger appeal thereon t
er aboltiOnslS of the North than to the Slave hold
IL ers OF the South. But it was in keeping with tn
n whole course of Mr.. GiImer and his party. 1t 1874
oe Mr. Fillmore their candidate for President had on
ia posed the annexation of Texas because it would brn
vi in Slave territory and the party at the South VIII
III now form the bone and sinew of the know nothin
&c party, went with him and his friends at the NORTH
although, of course, assigning different reasons tC
" doing So He did not charge that these gentlemen wei
IL aboIitionsts God forbid that he should have caus
to think so, bEt certainly they acted in snch amanne
as to seem 50. Mr.. Smith concluded by earnestly e1
no hOrting the Democrats, and ALL to go the pei
:; on Monday next The municipal contest
IL outpost of the Presidential election
40 o. We feel to day half way inclined to let po
30 and all other serious matters alone, for time,
,s least and shall certainly yield to this inclination
=, far as the duty Of self-defence will permit
Our attention has been called TO an article ye
er terdays Herald on the subject of the approaehir
=, election for Commissioners of Navigation, which DO
To- the Democratic Association great injustice by 7
d peatipg IN modified form the charges PREFER
od against that organization by correspondent of
Ill Herald writing the signature of Sigma
no. These charges have been promptly met and refut
nm by L" A Member of the ASSOCIATION" in yeserda
Tho Journal. ia: regards any obligation, Ga
49, ple5ge or anything else secret or compulsory.
would now inform the Herald that the Denlocra
, Ward Committees have met with closed do
oi never met at mdnight-neVer met in seCret-ne
lei met with any pledge of secrecy-that at aim
OPP every meeting outsiders have been presents or
ION. times gentlemen from the country-that any and
we'd I.,: - 49, ,Uoa r,,,';,,o Ao Lo
,fi the nature of friendly talks among members Of
the same party having heart the success of prnciI
mes held in common. No! No! The Democrats h
.n y neither oaths, pledges penalties Neither p;
word nor doorkeeper, neither lock nor bolt nor
"'0' Mere than this, fear that the Democrats att
'o'e altogether little Importance to the approach
who ,,u +L. 4t, oro too ;od;4oront an
90 subject Some say-Oh, well, yes, am Democ