Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-06-26

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published by Messrs. Westmorland and Collins and
that the latter gentleman, who, it strikes u.s. uSeu ~
be connected with the Western Sentinel, an excel
lent Democratic paper published in WINSTON mas
thought it necessary to anticipate great e2clVeneh'
| consequent upon bis leaving the Democratic parry
and joining the opposing organlzatIon' winch
| he used TO stigmatse as Know Nothlng1sm' ous
now sonorously styles the American Wing parry
Mr.. C. need hardly have put himself 10 so much
trouble Nobody would be apt to care much one
way o. the other People have right to do just as
thew please Thank the Lord it as a " free county,
and half dozen young men like Mr.. C. might easily
get mad the Democratic party any time they cnoSe'
without the fact being felt beyond their own say'so.
Neither will any talk about humbuggery ana
dece ption amount to much, coming from
those who must say something, by way OF ex-
cuse for their own chagrn. The very trinlhg
effect of individual effort, even when made by me
abest, unsupported by the might OF great cause ana
the power of great organization, is something
that the inexperienced neophyte is too apt to loose
SIGHT Of and he is too prone to think that his little
detection or crabbe lness amounts 10 a great DEAL
when really it has no earthly effect Whatever save
possibly to Tighten the dead weight and let the To-
comotive 90 ahead even more rapidly.
So much for that. Now for other things much
more worthy Of attenon-things connected generally
with the relations of individuals to parties subject
TO the consideration of which we have only used MI
! Collins as lntroducer.
| No man of tolerable common sense and experience
in politics or in the ways of the world expects to find
perfection in any merely human work, institution or
organization. We question much whether, if perfec'
ton were presented to u.s. our imperfect reason would
recognise and appreciate it. The Democratic party
| is no exception to- the common rule Embracing
nearly two millions of voters, 1t must contain IN us
ranks all manner of in this respect it is tar
representative of the country OF which 1t forms TIE
dominant power. To expect that in an organization
so vast stretching across continent, having In Its
gift positions Of honor and profit, there should not
arise cliques would be to look for impossbiilies. 1t
would be to expect from political party what is no.
to be found in any religious or civil society On earth
and what never will be found so long as man is man,
swayed by sef-interest, excited by PASSION sumula
ted by ambition The Democratic party is not per-
feet 1t has in it's ranks intriguing men. 1t has
clques It's Judgment in the choice OF men is by no
means infallible. What then? Are we 10 cease be-
inc Democrats, because of human mpertectlons adj
herring TO the Democratic party? If so, where will
we 90 to find perfection? Why, even the Christian
Church in all its various branches is assaled by the
weaknesses and sinfulness of man. There be black
sheep in all focks. Men backslde from all probes
sions. Are we to charge this on christianity Not
at all, but cn the neglect of Christianity. Chques
arise in the Democratic party men scheme selfshly
in the Democratic party, not because of Democracy
but in spite of it.
If we believe the Democratic party to be the right
one,-f its principles are those 10 which our judg
ments assent are we 10 cut loose from it because OF
some real or fancied injustice 10 ourselves or Others
Are we to derounce the Democratic party because OF
the manoeuvres of some sefshy ambitious parties +
There can be but one answer We not The
convictions of our judgment are oar own They
are not in the keeping of A. B. or c. that it should
be in the power of A B or C. to drive from them
because of any wrong. doing of said persons
Suppose that members of the Democratic party
should think they had serious cause of complaint
because of some irregular or unjust movement
should feel aggrieved by particular men influences
should discern the movements of clique or cliques
aiming at the accomplishment of certain selfish ends,-
aud suppose that all these things should really be
alleged-what then? Are the principles of the par
ty changed, is Democracy less Democracy? Not at
all. 1t would be childish folly to kick up at the
party and fly out of the ranks because of the selfish
ness of individuals The proper is 10 continue
to do your duty 10 the party, fairly, honesty and
without any display Of a factious or dsorganizing
spirit and fairly and honestly combat and overthrow
all improper influences which must eventually work
the overthrow of the party. That is Democracy
NJ Feb
itself against an intelligent Democratic public opin-
ion when that opinion is fairly brought to bear upon
it, If the ground of opposition be tenable and not
factious it will prevail in the party, fairly and har
monously. The man who flies off from his party at
a tangent on personal grounds is either very weak
and inconsiderate, or his selfish feelings much
stronger than his professed principles.
Let us 60 even farther in tie consideration of the
subject, leaving out altogether merely personal con-
sderations or the relations of individuals to each
other, and suppose the case o. some act involving
matter of policy or opinion, involving some excep-
tonal act not in accordance with our own views of
Democratic action principle. Are for
this isolated and exceptional to desert the
great principles and endeayor to arrest the great pro-
gress of our party? Surely no reasonable man will
say So AS well might we turn Mahommedans or
Mormons, because some protesting Christians may
choose TO do say things not in accordance with
views of Christian conduct belief Neither, on the
other hand does duty to party require of to
withhold our protest against the Objectionable act
opinion. AS Democrats acting with the Democratic
party, We can best influence to restrain such de-
vations from the broad platform of Democratic prin
cple from the straight line of Democratic action
This Is hniv AWAY Incumbent non the thnuchfnl