Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-01-18
rhe posl1Inn of Parties

country at large, and year after year the prihcpeS
and measures of the Democratic party advanced 10
that undoubted supremacy against which open oPPo'
sition was felt to be fruitess 1t then became 'ne
tactics of the opposition TO SOW The seeds OF uiSS0n
sion in the ranks of the Democratic Party-'o pro
mote divisions to become the especIal IlehuS Vi us
Amounted aspirans-to wax quite eloquent upon 'he
the subject of ciques, and, while sneerIng at the
| Democratic farmers of the country TO awaken their
suspicious and excite their prejudces against their
brother Democrats of the town. and This course was
crowned with certain measure OF success, owing 10
the confidence of the Democratic party in its own
strength and the belief that any amount OF DIVISION
might be INDUCED in without danger of defeat But
even this failed OF the full measure OF success de-
sired The principles and measures OF the Demo-
cratic partv as opposed to those of the Wing party
had been too fully endorsed by the country, too COM
nleely indicated by the results of experience to ad'
NIT of any hope of concentrating sufficient force
under the cid Wing banner work the defeat OF the
Democrats and to achieve the still dearer object OF
tho old Federal leaders elevation to office
The neonIe were Democrats. and Democracy, so true
to the constitution, so consonant with the feelings
so conservative of the interests of Southern men, was
making deep nroads upon even The original pha-
!
fact that the University of the Stale, from which
majority of the young graduates used to issue WINGS
has for some time sent out, and still continues TO send
out into the busy walks of life, full proportion OF
Democrats The State of North Carolina once re-
garded as one of the strongest of Wing strongholds,
Welded to the Southern current, and drltted quietly
and easily to her old place in the Democratic line
| Democracy vas triumphant.
1t became necessary for the coon to change his
skin-to come disguised under some other semblance
better calculated 10 deceive the unwary. His wor-
sbppers proclaimed him dead-swore he had become
a corrupt and vicious old They covered him
up under the cloak of night and the garh of secresy
In the Know Nothing Council, under the pretence
that party had nothing 10 do with II, they con-
rived to introduce many unsuspecting Democrats to
that same aged, and as they said, defunct animal
Most of these promptly recognized him. They saw
that the whole movement was but another lnsldlous
attack upon the Democratic party, and they came
out Outside of some few towns, the thing has melt
ed away 1t was a Northern importation which
would not keep in Southern latitude Like a joint
worm, although totally disseVered-spllt to pieces
il still retains sort of life in particular places, by
appeaing to all manner of pre- udiCes. The force
of public opinion outside of the order and, we must
e also believe the honest and honorable feelings Of
MANY good men in it, forced upon the leaders com
f narrative abandonment of much of their secresy The
r thing now stands measurabIy revealed, and the pub
lie can see it, It can see it's spirit here in the slang
attacks made by it's organ upon the Democratic par
: tv. In its imputation against its opponents in tht
# late Commissioner election OF having bought votes
# although it knows that neither it its party
obo in,1i
n vidual 1t asks us to say how much money was ex
o pended by the anti. Know Nothing party for
direct and plain answer to this is that any charge
: or insinuation of any knowledge of, or any connec
=, tion whatever with, any such thing, on our part Ii
s wholly and Internationally groundess and untrue
Every member of our party will give the an
swer and treat the miserable imputation with the
same contempt. Are such mputaions the fair weap.
ons of political warfare Are they not attacks upoI
t individual character! Do they amount to insin
uaons of crminalty against the members of a par
t ty! If they do not, then there i, no meaning il
e language-bIack is no longer black nor white white
q But the official organ lets the cat out of h
u bag. The honorable ambition " of particular mer
u was checked. The Democrats would not elevate par
D ticuar men to office. Inferior men, (by the wa
y it is the slang to consider all Democrats nferio
IL men) were elected over their heads" Now look a
II it, At the election in August 185 !, an able and a
u honorable gentleman, who now fills with credit an
! distinction'a high judicial position, was one of tn
! nominees of the Democratic party, for the Legsla
e ture. What course was pursued then Did hi
Il particular influence represented by the organ" g
= for this gentleman. No, it combined with ever
~ element of dissenson and division to elect over h
head gentleman, admitted to be of unexceptouabl
e private standing, but equally admitted to be- all in til
us the qualification of legislator, an " inferior man
al Was this zeal for the public interest or was it undi
~ guisabIe luminosity against the Democratic part
o'' Men had actually 10 withdraw from the Know Notl
eS ing Council in order to have the liberty to vote fl
w S. j. Person.
,e- The opponents of the Democratic party have pr
III flied by its supineness and its dsorganization Is
We not natural and proper that the Democrats shou
d. rouse acknowledgements their forces and be or
10 pared to meet and repel fhe insidious approach
HIS open attack. We think we know something of Il
'0 Democratic feeling in New Hanover County, a
throughout the District and the State. That feeli
ar is aroused-a feeling above Office or the hunt after
rus fce-a feeling that the supremacy of its principI
is sought to be ovehrown and that the attempt mt
ro- he promptly met And we feel assured that it W
50 be. The party is stronger, more concentrated a
'ne more determined than it has been for years, and
- will gain strength as time progresses.
Gu a strong evidence of the political proclivties
~ the new order was given in New York on the 9th
us January. The {" National American Club celebra