Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-07-23
''And he played on a harp of thousand strings

"And he played on harp of a thousand strings"
Public opinion appears to be the harp of thousand
strings upon which political aspirants ambitious dema
gogues ct i'd genus delight to play, try to play
for it is noticeable fact that few if any, of this class
of persons understand the instrument sufficiently to do
more than harp upon single string at time, although
they change from string to string with the agility OF
tightrope dancer.
Somebody illustrated this characteristic of the oppos
ton to the democracy by relating anecdote of western
squaters hens The squaer aforesaid had been so con-
stanty in the habit of moving that whenever the poultry
about his hut wagon before the door, they imme-
datey marched out went to the othe wagon turned
over their backs crossed their legs ready to be tied
and thrown in the wagon careless of where they might
be taken. So with the opposition. They have been
carried through all sorts of parties and party names and
used to changing their ground that like the squat
ters chickens they always ready to march out turn
over on their backs their legs and be thrown into
any wagon that may come along. They have lost all
identity and have no longer local habitation or
name They are simply Opposition"
Some two years ago. Mr.. Gilmer came along with
has wagon and he played upon string-opposition
to catholics and foreigners. Well the people of North
Carolina would not respond to his harping. The native
population numbering forty to one, could not be scared
into Mr. Gilmer's wagon by any panic got up on the
assumption that forty native Americans could not hold
their own against fOreignborn citizen. They felt
perfectly satisfied in their own minds that far they
were concerned and far their State was concerned
Americans could rule did rule, and always would rule
America and further they found that the few foregnbo
citizens in North Carolina had other ideas upon the
subject than pertaned to them as American citizens
That would not d. any than would the attempt to
get up spirit of religious prescription in free country
where every man has right to worship God according
to the dictates of his own conscience.
We need not say that Mr. Gilmer defeated, bad
ly defeated" whipped out, as one might say Play
ing on that string would not do-squatting on that To-
cation would not pay.
Next thing comes along Mr.. McRae with has wagon,
holding the reins with one hand and playing
upon a single string of the harp with another
and forthwith the opposition to Democracy, at
the command of their leaders, march out to the tail of
Mr.. McRae's wagon, turn over on their backs cross
their legs, bound neck and crop and sung into the
distribution wagon, to be carred-God knows where.
Now look at it. Two years ago, Mr.. Gilmer said
not word about distribution, although Know Moth
ing Black Republican Congress was then appropriating
public lands for all sorts of purposes and drawing on an
overlooking treasury. He harped upon the Know Moth
ing string. He thought foreigners and catholics were ruiz
and destruction but for all that the opposition chickens
marched behind his wagon turned over on their backs
crossed their legs bound neck and crop and sung
Now, with a Democratic Congress which does no
appropriate squander acre. with treasury deple
ted, with not cent to spare to distribute, Mr.. Nc
! Nothing platform He says that anybody who charges
him with any utilization Herewith is guilty of false
hood He will not be classcd with Mr.. GiImer at all
In his canvass and Mr. Gmers there is nothing in com
mon but opposition, and yet the anti-Democrati
chickens turned their backs their legs tied ant
, themselves sluug bodily into his wagon.
We feel assured that there are gentlemen who hav
opposed Democracy bitterly passionatey, perhaps VIII
still above being treated in this manner. Who wi
not be slung into every wagon. Who will not be cal
ried off by every adroit political trader playing upon
single string
And if this be SO as regards gentlemen of the Oppos
ton, may not confidently assert that there few
" if any, true Democrats in feeling, who will march OF
from the old Democratic homestead to await the passn
of the distribution wagon, driven by d. K. McRae-
, who will go behind that wagon, turn over or the
backs cross their legs be tied neck and CROP and ca
" ried off.
The political system of the Union is one founded upo
certain leading principles, which depend mutually upo
each other 1t is harp of thousand strings whic
only responds tremendously to the master touch of d.
e mocracy. No political charlaan, playing upon sing
+ string make healthfu music be exempt from tt
n risk of destruction to himself or the country.