Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-09
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
WILMINGTON, N. c., MONDAY, ocT. $. 1857.
New Tests ofDemocraev.

It takes shorter roads to wealth and prefrment than
those known in the old fashioned Slow times and
vet with all its boasted wisdom and smartnes it is
casionaly brought up with round turn financially and
politically and the terms crisis and pressure are
only the word used to designate the effects arising from
the violation of the natural laws of trade The conf
dence arrangement has been carried little too far,
and the inevitable reaction causes the pendulum to swing
Just as much too far the other way. No concert
rangement for any long time prevent this. 1t is as
certain to come as the sun is to rise.
There are natural laws governing the political world
as much beyond the central or management of cques as
much independent of new tests and conrvance as those
which govern trade and upon which any attempt to OBJ
trude new and irreconcieable clements must cause
reaction as fatal to the conrlverS as that winch ooWS
a violation of other natural laws.
Let us look and see how far these preliminary remarks
are applicable to the present position of things through
out the country especially to the position OF the dom
nant and national party in the land-that party which
has it's especial strength at the South and owes its pre-
sent position to the StatesRighs feelings of the South
more than to any merely technical partizan divisions
lines Or riumphs- aude, of course to the Democra
tic party. y
That party is now having its strength-its unity-lts
cohesion severely tried by the attempted application OF
test of party fidelity new, improper not to say impu
dent and dictatoral These, know, strong words
and only excuse for their employment is found the
fact that they express meaning, and that B or ought
to be the end and object of language 1t shall be OF
ours.
To show that we speak not merely at random let us
refer briefly to the incidents of the past few months
chiefly with reference to Kansas affairs and we mean to
do so in no tone of bterness-to dstort nothing-to
ampGfy nothing.
When in May and June of the present year, the In
augural Address of Governor Walker and his Topeka
speech met the eyes of the people of the South and were
commented upon by the Democratic press of that por
ton of the Union the dissent from certain positions
therein assumed general we had almost said unver-
SAL 1t aras universal with all whose language took its
tone from their own convictions and impulses-Who
thought for themselves and expressed their thoughts
without waiting receive the from Others The action
of the Democratic Conventions of more than one South
ern State was equally decided and, their language
even more emphatic
There was in all this no movement Indicative of fac
tious opposition, tendency to disorganlzatlon-
There was simply the assertion of Democratic truth
the vndcaton of Democratic policy against positions
radically at variance with both Through it there spoke
out that assertion of principle that jealous guardianship
of the right without which the name of Democra-
cy is a sounding brass and tinkling cymbal-a mere
fancy stock to be banded about by political brokers'
and used for their own selfish ACCOMPLISHMENT office
\ getting or pap-swiIling. =
Y There was no attack upon Mr.. Buchanan--none.
There is none now. Why should there be? That
man has read the history of the still recent past
but imperfectly, who does not know that the Presi
dency of Mr. Buchanan is due to the Statesrights
sentiment of the country, North and South-whc
does not know that all States-rghtG men must lool
upon it as their administration, to be upheld, sup
ported, strengthened for good, and guarded agains
wrong. And why should Democrats, friends of States
rights, endeavor to pull down administration thai
they had tried hard The idea spreposterous
The assertion, when made is baseless-fOOsh In cen
surfing Walkers conduct, the tone of friendship, 0
brohery remonstrance for the mutual good was adopt
ed. The result has been total change OF tone On tn
part of that functionary amounting to complete ant
thorough back-out-a yielding to the aroused spirit
Democracy in Jealous guardianship of its principles an
policy, ungracously accorded but fully conceded
Contrast the language of his Inaugural and his Tope
ka Address with that of his recently issued procama
ton to the people of Kansas In that first strangely volt
mnOus and unfortunate document he said that uneSs tn
Convention submit the Constitution to all the actual SCI
tiers of Kansas and the election be fairly and justly
ducted the Constitution will be and ought to be rece
bv Congress-" And in his still more unucy effort at IL
peka he farther said do not mean merely those VIII
are now here but those who may be here next fall whe
the vote TAKEN and if this Convention the COnstitr
tiona Convention of Kansas do not refer the Const
tuition in accordance with the views have expressed
will unite with you citizens in lawful resistance
its action
Now mark these words spoken before the firm rebul
of the Democratic people and press had been heard an
mark the language used by the same Governor Wake
after that rebuke had been administered Mark tt
language of his proclamation of last month as follows
g The only remedy rests ach the Convention Itself,
slbning If they deem best the Constitution for ratifcatC
or rejection to the vote of the people, ader such Just
reasonable qualifications they may prescribe. That the
would pursue this course doubted dlhous
IhdUe no right eChateUe to interfere IN that question, *
qoten nly indivdua opinion asked this subject
members of The Conuention and Others Ihaue dlCagS
Gated precious residence of three sir months prior
the cote upon the adoption of the Constitution, most ju
and reasonable period of three months being prescribe
by the Convention law itself the prior residence require
in voting for delegates to the convention and six mont
being designated by Territorial Election laws the
vious residence required in voting for members of Il
Territorial Legislature Either of these qualification
in my opinion, would have embraced the great body
the bona fde settlers who might be here this Fall
the Convention would probably terminate their abo
and submit them the Constitution time in Novembe
and inasmuch as three or six months would probably
granted by them interval between the date submit
sion andvO upon the Constitution. I repeat, howeve