Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-04-09
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL:
WmnNGToN, n. C.. FRIDAY. APRIL 0, 1865.
nseIt NAV. at times, be pleasant to remember past

is ALWAYS painful and mostly useless. Sufhclent unto
the day is the evil thereof Let the dead past bury Its
dead. If this be applicable to the affairs OF private
life it is still applicable to the public movements OF
political parties In the ranks of the Democracy OF
North Carolina, cooperating with that party IN fu
faith and fellowship, may now be found many gentlemen
who were formerly among its abes and most consistent
opponents We need not refer to particular instances
since every man can find such instances within the sphere
of his own knowledge and observation, and the letter
from Mr. Miller, published in todays paper adds but
another to the many prominent examples which VIII
suggest themselves
If then gentlemen from the opposite party who come
TO us in good Eaith received in similar spirit 1t Is
surely right that members of our party who may
at any time have differed with the majority of the party
but who are now prepared to act with that majority in
sincerity and good faith should be met and received with
the like sincerity 1t will not be said that harder
measure should be mecd to hem than to those who had
always and openly opposed U.S. that now, former dis
agreements should be brought forward for present effect
when the only effect of bringing such things forward
must be disastrous We want harmony and good feel
ing, not elimination or recrimination.
These remarks conceived in the kindest spirit have
been drawn out by structures of correspondent OF
the GOldsboro Tribune upon the letter addressed to the
editors of the Journal by +. Canwel, ESQ., of Raleigh,
in reply to a demand for information respecting Judge
Ellis position upon the distribution question in 1853
Mr.. Cantwcll answered the questions proposed to him
satisfactorily SO far as Judge Ellis is concerned, and
this we conceive is about all that is really before the
party at the present time. Why then recall the buried
dsageemcnt8 of former years by attacking the gentle
man who civcs the information demanded of him.
We do not pretend to agree with the positions as
sumed by Mr.. Cantwcl in 1884. The files of the
Journal will show where IRE have always stood the
question of distribution. We have always taken
the ground that distribution unconstitutional and
have therefore never been able to sanction it, the
show of it, or to make the show of sancOning it, from
any considerations Of supposed expediency. Having
said this much we deem it due to Mr.. Cantwel whose
communication in paper has drawn out the animad
versions of the Anxious Enquirer correspondent Of
the GoIdsboro' Tribune to say that the first number of
the Statesman, published on the 18th January, 1854,
contains disavowas of dsributonsm as direct as any
contained in the recent letter of Mr. Cantwe to us,
the assertions of which letter therefore fully borne
out by the record We have neither time space to
quote at length single extract must suffice for our
present purpose which is to show that Mr.. Cantwes
statement in his letter to us are borne out by and
them This is all with which we have now to do. Our
business is not to defend to discuss the past
course of Mr.. Canwcll but simply to do justice to
correspondent OF our paper, upon matter arising out
of a communication published by us To Mr.. Cant
wells course in 1924 we referred at the time and
expressed disapproval Of portions of it freely and
feel assured that Mr. G. himself will now fully agree
with us that it mistaken one, to say the least,
IL, IN
the strong avowas Of opposition to distribution made in
the subioncd extract We feel authorized in stating
that no man more sincerely regrets the he took
against Mr. Ashc in 1852 than Mr.. c. himself. TO
the unpleasant feelings Of that time do not care to
recur especially as Mr.. c. is most certainly iii full
fellowship with the Democratic party
From the N. c. Statesman Jan. 9TH, 1854.
grave error, not to speak of it with harshness.
been committed by the supposition that have either
represented others of the Democratic party in this State
been Oursef at any time willing to be regarded unquai
fedy in favor of the donation or dshi,tton Of The Public
Lands among the States any other Wing doctrine We
not dtS1tbmOnSLS This IS no DStrlb"tlon organ,
but the TcUcrSc.
In pamphlet which was published last summer, zee
cIpressly disClai'ed 0y such ldne desire or l't1ol
The platform the North Carolina Democracy adopted at
the Raleigh Convention of May 1852 and the Bynum Reso
luOns of the Democratic party i'll the Legislature, left
no alternative or choice That platform contains the fol
Gesol0cd That the Public Lands are the common pro-
pery of all the States, and to be held by the General
Government common fund for the payment of the pub
lie debt and other charges upon the Public Treasury
"Speaking of Democrats whose have appeared in
this connection it was remarked in that pamphlet follows:
All these gentlemen yet stand upon that platform We
yet adhere to it. the lands could be held for the general
benefit yet willing they should be held. We are
not the ddCOC0tGS Of Distribution per Sc
We ask leave to be understood repeating That DIS
cdimg nor. Our opinions and will remain unchanged.
According to reading of the Resolution, the Democratic
party IN North Carolina pledged 10 resist a,y DISPOSE
Ion Of the public domain, except by actual SdS and TO pay
The public dcbt and The expenses Of the General Coo
C,7mIe,t. The Lands TO be held and not to
be squandered they arc to be Sold and not to be
given away Still less under any temptation of pecunary
profit is the fatal herey of lnGnal improvements by the
General Government to be inerpOlaed upon Struggled
in the Democratic creed the Constitution overturned,
its plain letter Cvadcd. W. therefore. in good faith
bound to oppose ag pory Of achGteCer material composed
1chch tdUOS then general distribution among all the States
their partial donation to a fer Of them only Such is the
spirit and intention and such the very letter of the Resou
ton We advise friends then when they calleC
upon as they every day to sanction grants of alternate
sections OF lands for Inc purpose Of bllHJ Railroads a
NE He because h0ebJ The remaining sections are lnprO
red or enhanced IN rotc to reflect seriously upon the
ture of the proposition.
Bay Yesterday afternoon the German Volunteers