Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-09-30
The Integrity Of tie Democratic Party

The Democratic party of North Carolina has ,,-
tanned its present strong and proud position after
years of anxiety and toll 1t lost its c. .ro in State
affairs in 1885, and did not completely regain It I'll,
1850. 1t is true, in 1912 it had the Assembly. bnt
owing to several causes the benefits resulting there.
from were neither very great nor enduring. From
that period up to 1S4S, it struggled in decided
and apparently hopeless minority vet i, labored on
through the gloom which enveoped it, appealing TO
the people against the party in power, and urging
them to return to the old paths of Jackson and
Macon, and Jefferson. In 1850 it was successful,
carrying the State by nearly three thousand maori-
ty; and this majority has been increased at least
four fold The State is now Democratic in all its
departments, and it will remain so as long as the
party is true to its principles and shows itself worthy
of the peoples confidence.
1t required some nerve to be Democrat from
1910 to 1850. The leaders of the old Wing party,
in possession of the State government and sustained
as they by the various corporations, presumed
upon their power, and treated the Democrats gen.
orally with diSdain and arrogance. They carried
this insolence-for with truth call it nothing
e!se-even into social life; and the impression was
sedulously sought to be produced that it not
"respectable" to be Democrat This was espe.
ciay the case in Raleigh the seat of the State gov
eminent and the centre of the old "Whig clique"
which had so long monopolized for itself and par.
celled out among its dependents the emouments
and the honors of the State. Others may, but We
can never forget these things. They remind us Of
the sinister influences the combinations of wealth
and power, and the arrogance and selfshncss which
then controlled the State; but they remind us also
of the patience and perseverance, of the Democracy,
its indefati gable labors and the boldness and dsvo
ton to popular rights by which, at last, throushis
ins;rumentality. these federal influences and these
combinations against the people were mastered and
put down. Now that the victory has been achieved
and the ship of State put upon the right tack, We
can recur to these old times with no unpleasant
emotions, and certainly with no desire for vengeance
upon the vanquished But, in looking back, We
think mostly and most pleasantly Of the "old guard
who were in all the charges during the decade re-
ferred to; and we never meet one of them without
warming towards him as to an old and valued
friend.
But We have depressed Two of the issues which
threatened somewhat at one time to embarrass the
Democratic party of the State to wit, distribution
and the white basis have been thoroughly tired ana
finally settled-the former by the repeated condem'
nation of the people at the polls; and the a''e' ."
the ultimate adoption and incorporation INTO tue
State Constitution of the Free Suffrage pr'hc'p'e'
There is no vitality in either of these issues now
There is danger, however, on the question Of IN
ths dam
provided the Democrats generally of the state Prov
true>to their platform on this subject, adopted III
1854, and re- adopted in 1856, with so much unS"'
unity. We cannot permit ourselves to doubt lot o"'
moment their fidelity to their recorded p'eose'
So far as federal politics concerned, We "a"
see no ground for apprehension. We are all o Wv
mind as to President Buchanan. We all conhoe !"
him and support him. We satisfied WIN "N
and his Cabinet, however some of US may d'"eI 40
to the conduct of the Governor OF Kansas. D'
those who condemn the latter still repose connoe"@'
in the President nor is it at all probable 'na' a
thing will occur hereafter in this connecticut cS'N
lated to lead to withdrawal of that confidence
We all see and feel that the only hope OF the o0'
try-the only sure guarantee for the preser'a''0' "
the Constitution and the Union, is to be 'ou"O :.
the national Democratic party. Here. the"' ".
stand; and as long as there is ray of hope ne''
we will all stand together. No discord can DC p,
duced in our ranks by questions growing out o. ''
eral politics.
But the Democratic party is strong, ana WV
stantly growing. Its very strength may p''' Nd
weakness. 1t may neglect its organ'zau'"'
thus encourage divisions and discord ana te a ,p,
rations, the ambitions the se6shhess OF It's es' NJ,
men may obstruct and cloud it's principles anu
mately break it down. This is possible. LIZ. .an
masses of the party look to it. and look to " .hs
"Power is always stealing FROM the many '' '
few" The people, in al free governments lke Nd
should be the masters, ard those who are can
leaders should be servants. Our opp menus .,r
have no hope but in producing divisions !" J..
ranks, -"Divide and conquer" is their mot'o