Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-10-22
From the Baltimore Sun.
AOAA VIZ OoASA'
The Proceedings of Wednesday Ii


The Proceedings of Wednesday Last.
What the duty of the honest truthful independent
nress NAV be- in view of the civil and political protga-
cv which now insults and dshonors the proessed CIVIL
zation of this community Is question Ior serious CUT
seraton 1t conceded that the press may be great
y instrumental for good or tor evil but II Is equay
true that it can be only consistently and permanently
instrumental for good. When it becomes the agent OF
evil the shield OF the rufan and the aPoogst or CRIME
its inconsistency is betrayed to the most casual observer
and its degraded fate may be predcted with certainty
commensurate with the virtue, morality and civil and
notical conservatism Of the people Hence the press
can be really influential only consistently and perma-
nent for GOOD With these sentiments it becomes, as
we have sad question of very serious consideration
what course should be pursued by the honest truthful
independen press at such time this that whatsoeV-
or influence may exert shall be good and not even by
mistake, or by an errng judgment, evil.
The facts before us as developed on "Wednesday last
in reference to the municipal election so called urnlSh
record of outrage, laweSSneSs, Valny and ru1lanS,
full blown audacOus, fearless of consequences ana prac
ticed with the most cupabe impunity. The effect OF
this thing has BEEN that thousands of our citizens have
been despoed Of their rights, hundreds matreated at
the polls and the lives and limbs OF ALL with very few
executions who ventured to offer vote in opposition to
Mr. Swami menaced with peril. Now if such an afro
city had been perpetrated against the American people,
under circumstances which precuded all hope OF redres
but through an appeal to arms the duty OF the true
man and the true press could not be mistaken Inc
an instant ralying Of the people to do or de For
instance suppose had continued in colonial depend
ence upon Great Britain to this day. with nominal,
and to extent practical liberty including suffrage
and the vote by ballot; and British power jealous OF
popular sentiment and experimenting the purpose of the
people to throw off the yoke by the baOtbOX used its
hired myrmdoms and resored to kindred measures with
those of Wednesday last to perpetuate its reign, while
its civil officials stood amely by, either to ignore
countenance the outrage not daring to interfere
tbp NODp or UOUI6 thprp
be hesitatng pause with the press in the premises.
The cry would be to arms y revolution would De at
once naugurated and the insolent tyranny with all its
armed its prOudest its meanest instruments scourged
from the land.
Under the shadow of our glorious republic, while the
evil is great in its consequences and the insult not
less offensive the crime aggravated and the inamy Of
its preparation infinitely magnifed DO you ask why
Because it is committed in defiance of the great prnc
pies of our republican nationality, and under the nOm
nal ascendancy OF LIBERTY, and the (lueraO
absolute supremacy Of EQUAL RIGHTS and EQUAL LAWS
Then the inference would seem to be that it is the
duty of the press much the to counsel appeal
to arms and much the the duty of true to
take them and redress their wrongs But it is not
So We in a common brotherhood Of citizenship
however violently men may be estranged for the time
and while the redress Of the evil does not seem mmedi
ate on the contrary remote and contingent upon events
which cannot be fOresCen yet it is certain and
reliable as truth itself 1t qCM come and legtimately
effectively, Overwhelmingly, against all the monstrOus
evil OF the day. and all who are officially affiliated with
it, All good citizens deluded by it will in process Of
tme by its very enormty be driven from the sphere Of
its pollution They already shrink from the recognition
of it. The low, lawless and degraded instruments who
work its agous purposes will shrivel into shudderng
obScurity while upon those whose names are identified
with its public and ostenatious display will inevitably
devOlve the infamy Of the time.
We say, then with the utmost confidence to all our
eowcitzens that this great wrong by which they
now agOnized will be ultimately redressed. The evil
will be thoroughly eradicated And we have almost
equal confidence in the declaration that it will not be
long before the law and the outraged dignity of the peo
pie will be peacefully boodlessy and eectuay vind
Gated. But it will be asked, what may we not be eX
posed to- what succession of Outrages may not be
quired to submit to before the day of retrbutiOn
TO this we answer only inferentialy. Crime, law
essness, ruian violence like every other thing have
incidents for the full organized political development of
their But good men will not long be identified
with such things, their vile uses their nominal
lawful results. While no who has an interest,
personal, living interest in the community sanction
by vote, influence palliaton, the rule Of rufansm
but at the sacrifice of that interest whatsoever it may
be- The absolute necessity is bearing heavily and re-
sstessy upon to redeem the reputation of city,
Our mercantile manufacturing mechanical enterprises
at the pause Of action under the revvng energies
Of the time and they have just been exposed to shock
which will be felt keeny and sensbly in the necessity
tor the most strenuous exertion to counterfeit.