Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-06-05
e. Witb matters of nersopal opinon or local

matters are pushed beyond their original limits or
brough, prominently before usas affecting the great
questions of the day
At first we designed taking no notice of a letter
addressed to his Fellow Citizens of the County OF
Johnston" by Linn B. Sanders. Esq, late Senator
frog that County, which We founi in the Raleigh
Standard of the 9Th ult., but fird, indeed we
antci aed that the opposi' ion press, hard run tor
some crumb of comfort, scme ray OF hope TO sustain
or cheer them under their Al most unbroken series OF
notifications and defeats, have seized with eager
ness upon this effort of MIR. Sanders, and .iven
to il an importance to which lis ability does not
title il
In proposing 10 make few remarks ulon this
letter of Mr. Sanders, to do SO IN all friend
illness and sincerity. without i'll feeling or the thought
of it, According to cur notions of Democracy.
MIR. Sanders letter. places him in antagonsm TO the
Democratic party.-but although we are forced to
recognize this changes position on tt e part OF MIR.
Sanders, The politician ale aware OF no reason tor
IN enlargement Of tbe ee ngs OF friendship subsist-
lug between us and Linn g. Sanders, the individual.
Mr. Sanders claims in hls second paragraph that
internal improvement or The doctrine Of extension
and completion he styles it, is alien doctrine IN
the Democratic party. II is certain that all parties
and all sections Of the Union, have, IN our OPINION,
" spread themselves" 10 an expressive vuga:ism,
in rather too speculative a manner. The system OF
railroad credits and State credits for railroads mas
been TOO much EXTENDED. Too much capital and la
Der have been Withdrawn from the productive husl-
ness pursuits of the country for the purpose OF IN
ve>tment in works which under The stimulus OF tins
forcing system have, too often, been III udicousy To-
Gated But it is folly to ak about this party
measure, or as involving party principle There
never has been party principle involved in ii. The
Democratic principle has had an! now has reference
to internal in provemens, the assumption OF State
debts or the usurpauion of State functions by the
General Government. This, The Democratic party,
as States Rights party, has uniformly and upon
principle resisted, and this the distribution party
with hch Mr. Sanders las chosen to take his stand
has uniformly cOnnived at. when ii has not
openly advocated ito this arguments of the dis
trihutionists tend directly and inevitably So
far as the States within themselves ard il their
eregn capacity are concerned it is question OF pol
icy-o wise discretion To say that The LeglsIatio
OF our own State, OF any otI State has always
been marked by his wise discretion would be assert
what we do not telitve. Mr. Sanders own course
IN formerly voting for various State works, shows
that he recognised the principles laid down in
these propositions. He voted for certain things upon
considerations OF rolicy-he refuses to vote for
other things upon considerations of the same general
character. SO thai tie attempt to make Of this
g d0ctriEe or mat er Of par principle, is simply
futi o. And confess that his position against all
works Tor other sections would, at least, have pos
sessed the appearance Of greater beraty and consis
tency, had lie discovered the evil of this doctrine be-
fore instead of after expensive State work had
been secured and tul, traversing the whole breadth
of his own county.
Still more futile IS he attempt TO charge expensive
appropriations upon Free Suffrage. Mr.. Sanders
says -" Better le' landholders the Senate bet
ter save individual ard Stale credit, than to be bur.
dened with taxation never known ia North Carolina
before than TO hawk your bonds about at par even
much les at rae # per cent beyond your legal
inlerest--5onds thai commanded premium before
the State became in debt" Mr. Sanders when
he wrote Ibis, must have known that landholders
have always ruled the Senate. Free Suffrage is not
yet in operation all of which he complains has been
done under tie old system, and njne,tenths of the
debt OF the State Of which he talks, has arisen d.
rectly or incidentally from woik for which he
| himself voted.
Mr.. Sanders speaks Of he Convention that nomi-
! mated Co. Bragg and Of his mir. Sanders oppos-
ton then to the resolution vh;ch pledged the party
for the 'eXtenson and completion OF the works already
begun, far the ard resources Of the late
would prudently allow Certainly, Mr.. Sanders
hen c01ten ed himself with very silent oppositica
He may have houl hi quite vigorously, but that was
all.
| Mr. Sanders proceeds to make exhibit OF State
liabilities. Let ask i they contracted by a
Senate chosen irrespective q landholders H. knows
! they were not. Was any considerable portion con
tracted after the adoption of the resolution If The
Democratic Cow, ntion of 1854 mo " 1t end
then does this exhibit in favour of his ument
against Democratic policy But he finds or mikes
an occasion to praise political opponent, Or per-
haps we should say, former political o. ponent, at the
cost of injustice to the party with which lie has re-.
Gently been acting.
! Hon. Asa Bi9gs, al the session before the last,
made speech deprecating has1y action showing the
immense and inevitable cost of tunnelling the noun
tainS, cost Of which the means and resources of
the State would not allow, not at least until the
works already made or begun, had been tested and
some returns received from then, either III the
way of dividends enhanced value of lands and
increased income to tie treasury, from taxes
! arising from the lands so enhanced in value 49,
The opposition ripped and snorted at MIR. Biggs and
even some ultra progressive Democrats Joined the cry
and it was said that it Mr.. Biggs had made The same
speech before his election 10 the L. S. Senate stha
be de after it, he could not have been elected
Yet MIR. Riggs acted with Derfect