Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-04-25

The canvass-Mr. sinner, Platform and his
Antecedenfs.
So far as the State of North Carolina is concerned
the canvass may now be considered as fairly entered
upon The candidates of the respective parties for
the office of Governor of North Carolina, have
been placed before the people by their State Conyen
ons and have accepted the positions to which they
have thus been called. AS the action of the
Democratic National Convention shall have been had
and its candidates placed in nomination, the tug of
war will more fully commence In this canvass we
mean to bear part TO the extent of our humble
abilties-to bring whatever of political experience
knowledge of facts or power of argument We may
possess, to the support and advancement of the
Democratic cause. We to do SO calmly. re.
spectfully and conscentiously, men convinced
that they are in the path of right and anxious TO act
in manner worthy of that right; shrinking from
nothing that duty may require and resolueIy setting
our faces against anything and everything that may
conflict with such duty or with perfect fairness and
Justice to our opponents and to ourselves.
The Convention of the Know Nothing party, which
assembled at Greensboro on the 10th inst, placed
before the people of the State the standard bearer
of its organic alton, John A. Glmer, ESQ., of Gulford
county-a gentleman very respectable in private
life, and enjoying considerable personal popularity
in several of the counties of his own district but
the same time gentleman with political record as
highly Objectionable as that of any politician of the
same standing within the borders Of North Carolina
The Convention which meta Greensboro. on mo-
ton of Victor C. Barringer ESQ., of Cabarus, passed
a resolution as follows:
Resolsk That in order that the paramount principles
of Anerieansm may not be rammeed in the ensuing
organizations the American party eschewng sectional is
in the State well in the Unon declare their pur
pose of abiding by and maintaining the representative basis
of the present Constitution"
This is most certainly a remarkable resolution-a
very remarkable resolution-t is not pretended that
the Convention declared It's purpose Of abiding by
and maintaining the representative basis of the pre-
sent constitution from principle conviction but
simply for the purpose of lodging certain important
State issues in the for high State officer,
for to- this all the grandoquent declaration with
which the resolution sets out amounts 1t is a mere
matter of expediency and not of principle. Little
reference this resolution has, pretends 10 have,
to anything beyond temporary expediency bounded
by the ensuing canvass" it will bear still worse
reference TO the printed declarations and recorded
votes of Mr. Gilmer. We have before us the "West-
ern Address," dated Raleigh January 9th, 1851,
and signed by thirly-seven Western members of the
Legislature, the first lace the list of signatures
being occupied by John G. Bynum, the second by
John A. Glmer. In this address, to which MIR. Gil
mer's is annexed, and which therefore speaks
his language, we find the following expressions used
in regard to the representative basis Save US from
such freedom ! Save us from such equality !" says
Mr. Gilmer's address. {" 1t is no freedom-it is no
equality. 1t is downright tyranny in its most odous
form. The lew grinding into the dust the many
under the iron heel Of power-power under the pre-
tence of being derived from the people only"
| Is it not strange that gentleman endorsing such
language and such sentiments in regard to the basis
should have been called upon coolly and delberat ely
to ignore all this-doGge such ap issue during the en-
suing canvass? Does this look like political SINGER
ity The resolution says that to take any position
at present. might trammel the Know Nothing party in
''the ensuing canvass, and Mr. Glmer comes up tt
the SCRATCH TO leave alone this tyranny in It's most obi
Gus FORM not that Mr.. Glmer has changed his opin
ion avowed any change, hu that he thinks g this
tyranny in its most odious FORM" as he was please.
in 1851 10 designate our basis of representation must
not be disturbed for the present, lest might inter
tere with " Sam" Mr. Gilmer suspends but doe
abandon his hostility to the East and to the
stitutional basis of representation.
Another great object for which MIR. Gilmer labor
Ell and which this western address was mainly. al
though Indirectly intended to promote was the dis
tribuon of the school fund to the counties in pro
portion to white population instead of Federal popula
ton. This was another blow at the East which Gov
enor Reid met fairly and warded off during his las
canvass, and which there is every reason to belev
that MIR. Gilmer is prepared to repeat should an OPP
porunity offer.
On the question of Equal Suffrage, Mr.. Cline
stands also recorded beyond the possibility of doubt
misconception. Mr. Glmer has been me mber O
the Senate of North Carolina ever since the Ere
Suffrage Bill wasintroduced, and has uniformly vote
against ii, even in cases where hi vote would hav
passed it. The hardly concealed purpose of MI
Gilmer and those who acted with him was, by tn
defeat of Free Suffrage to force an open, rice
convention, in which they could have things thei
own way, and the heavy tax. payers of the East an
the slaveholding interests of the State be nowhere.
1t ought not to be forgotten that, within two year
time, Mr.. Gilmer, member of the Legislature
proposed and advocated the calling of conventio
! to alter amend the Constitution. provided mer
majority of the people of the State would vote at th
ballot box for the holding of such cow enton. Thu
placing the organic law of the State upon no bette
or more permanent foundation than the most tempo
ary enactment, subject to be changed by every breat
. OF popular or political caprice strange doctrin
: for fho &c Nork