Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-05-08


In The last Congress- the State was represented oy
FIVE Democrats and three Know Nothings. the
second, third, fourth, seventh and eighth districts
sending Democrats the first, fifth and SIKH districts
sending Know Nobngs. The Democrats from TINS
State, in The last Congress. were Messfs hun"'
Winslow, Blanch, Craige and Clingman; the hho"
Nothings Messrs. Paine, Reade and Puryear vi
the Democrats al are candidates tor re-eiecton WIN
a strong assurance OF success vi The Know NOM
ines two, Messrs Paine and Reade, decline to rum
and one Mr. PuIyear, is again in the field as the
nominee of The Know Nothing party OF The sixth dis
trio, he is opposed by Mr.. Scales, OF Rockingham
who ran him very close two years ago. since "h'ch
time The Democrats have carried the district Tor fres
ident thus aording the best reasons Tor entertain
ing a confident expcctaiion that MIR. Scales will be
successful in his canvass this summer. A gentleman
nam ID Smith has been nominated as the Know NO
thing candidate in The first district. We have heard
q ranort somehow that DR.. Shaw, who formerly rep
rssened that district with so much ability, had been
or would be, nominated by The Democr ats. We DO
not know how this may be, but think it very proba
ble The Democrats carried that district last year.
and it il in their power 10 DO so this. me nth us
tict NAV, We presume be regarded certain for the
Know Nothings should no unforeseen and unhoped
for contingency arise.
Now. The case stands this way. To secure clear
majority in The next House of Representatives, the
Democrats must make gains and can AFFORD TO sustain
no losses They must strive alter the hrs' ana guard
against the second, and this can only be done by
harmony concert of acton-the waiver OF all personal
or sectional feelings, that might interfere with the
organization of the party. This brings US to our
own district and the position Of things therein
Mr.. Win low, after serving one term IN Congress,
announces himself as candidate for re-eiectlon'
subject to the action OF Democratic ConVehuon'
should The party deem it expedIent to hold one mus
far no movement hatsoever, has been maze IN
that direct ION in any OF the counties Ct the district
and from lpearances, we are led to believe that no
such movement will be made. Here, in New Han
over for obv ious reasons already stated, move
mept has been made. The incumbent is a citizen OF
the upper end of the disric--Of Cumberland county
and motives of delcAcy alone would be suhclent
to restrain New Hanover from the initiative IN any
step calculated to appear like dlstIust or opPo-
sit;on and knowing this, regret to have noticed
some communications in the columns OF our cotem-
norarv of the FAYETTEVILLE Carolnian, indicating on
the part of their writers, total misrepresentation OF
the position occupied by this county and some other
counties down here, Dupln, certainly. correspond
ent. writing in a late CaroInan over The signature
of Robeson," says, if Wilmington has man, or
Dublin has man who claims they wish to urge ETC.,
thus seeming suppose that there are aspirants here
or in Dupn, DESTROYS of pressing, or being pressed.
Dublin and New Hanover, we ale proud to say, have
MANY good and true Democrats within their borders,
whom we would support with pleasure. The same
remark Wi apply to any of the other counties OF the
district There are good and true men, and good
democrats in them all But We have reason to know
that there is no nan in New Hanover that seeks any
nom nation or candidacy at this time neither is there
in Dupin nor do We think there is any democrat IN
the district who would be candidate unless brought
out bv convention. This, of course, is only our
| opinion.
What, ,hens the slate of the case and what are we
to do? Evidently to keep together IN harmony and
secure our unity and strength In the district This
is our first duty as democrats, duty which takes
precedence of all merely personal preferences or pre-
iudces or local feelings; it is duty which the DEM
ocracv of this district will fulfil. The unity and har-
mony of the many thousands of good and true Demo-
Gratis in the old Cape Fear district is not to be light
ly ri>ked.
That difference of opinion exists in regard to the
policy of a vote given by Mr. Win>low during the
closing days of the las Congress- is, We believe, gen.
erally known That The great majority of the Dem
ocrats of tie District would have preferred that that
vote had not been given, feel assured But in sc
voting, Mr.. Winsow did no more than act with hls
colleagues and in the course pursued by The delega
iona mistaken course, as We must thlnk-We Still
feel assured that abDegatOn OF principle was meant
by our Democratic representatives IN Congress- They
welded TO a supposed necessity, and went tor mea
sure which might not be, in theory, without some
justification, though, in practice, ii has been founc
totally and rreconcileaby al variance with Demo
cratic policy still. the difficulty being at first blush
only practical one and he yielding being from
supposed considerations of practical necessity while
we have felt in duty bound to dissent from the vote
we have not felt called upon to make an issue agains
the individuals neither do feel called upon TO de
so pow. We look upon the vote as grave mistake
a serious error of judgment, although no doubt
done ON pure motives and with no idea of strayiDs
off from principle AS Democratic editors impressed
with the gravity and serious character of the mistake
made, we could not suffer to pass without recording
our dissent We are all liable to errors, and there
fore all bound TO make allowances for the errors o
Others but we are not bound to adopt these errors
our own, which woull have been our case had W
refraiued from full expression of our opinion in hi
instance, for, situated are, silence would hav
been justly construed into assent and approval.
! We think We may say with truth, that we hav
ever yielded cheerful assent TO the wishes, while
we have sought to promote the harmony OF the part
in the Iisrict,-nether seeking 10 forestall nor re