Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-07-22
Political Discussion.

ticnlar. from the head of the Market House. Eight
o'clock was the hour appointed but as usual in such
cases. the speaking did not commence until about TWEEN
ty minutes after eight.
A pretty general desire was evinced to hear Mr..
McDue and when, in addition to this, it was known
that Mr. Winslow was in town, and would in all prob
ability, reply to Mr. McDufie, very intelligent, and
considering the weather very large audience was con-
gregated.
At about 20 minutes after o'clock Mr. McDuthe
commenced his remarks by announcing himself candI
date to represent this district in the next Congress of
the United States He reverted to the revolutionary
history of the country to show that the ancestors OF the
present generation of American citizens when they
wished to establish free and independent government
did so in solemn convention; for the continental Con
gress which declared the independence Of the United
States was only convention of the delegates of the
several colonies convention of the delegates OF all
the States formed the constitution of the United States
Thus, Mr. McDufie argued, convention, general agree
ment the right of each and every constituent member
to be respectfully heard lies at the foundation OF our in
dependence and our liberties
Mr. McDufie then proceeded to argue that the great
est source of strength which the Democratic party pos
sessed was its frequent appeals to the peopets being
0""AAA'"tNO
popular Conventions, as did the decarers of our indie
incidence and the trainers OF our Federal and State
Governments who Were after all, but members of Con-
ventions representing the people He then turned to
the National State District and County Conventions
of the party affirming that the success OF the party was
mainly dependent upon such Conventions, because they
kept it in line, and in constant connection WITH the
peope and therefore it was that the Democratic party
was the party of the country, and had so far ruled Its
despies and mainly contributed to place in its present
high position
Mr. McDuffes deduction from all this was that Con-
ventions were right Democratic and proper and, when
any difference of opinion existed in the Democratic party
ought to be held in States districts counties That Mr.
Winslow acknowledged this by causing himself to be
announced in the Wilmington Journal as Candidate
for Congress- subject to the action of Convention II
the Democrats of the District desired one while at the
same time he was acting in bad faith by throwing all his
influence against convention he himself writing to Mr.
Allen of Duplin to that effect and his newspaper organ
at FAYETTEVILLE and his particular friends, denouncing all
who favored a Convention as disorganizers and ram
sbackles.
Mr.. McDufie contended that the meetings or conven-
tions at Fayetteville and Lumberton, purporting to
represent Cumberland and Robson counties, were
packed affairs and did not represent the Democrats of
the counties referred to-that in fact majority of the
Democrats of the district desired convention, but Mr.
Winsow and his friends were determined to refuse them
this poor boon of even being heard.
Mr. McDufie charged that Mr.. WinsloW's course in
Congress had not been for the good of the district He
asked what he had done. What good thing he had Oh
tanned for his State or his disrict-what bold stand he
had taken for southern rghts-wha aid and comfort he
had brought to the defenders of the institutions of the
Soutb? He contended that Mr.. WinsoW had been too
busy seeking for Office for himself and friends to take such
stand or use such efforts he ought to do He charged
that Mr. WinsIows constant desire for office had stood
in the way of every North Caronian whose application
might be sent in. In this connection Mr.. McDuffe
referred to Mr.. Crage and the CHILEAN Mission, Mr..
Winsow and the Sandman Mission, etc. abiding Incl
dentay to an application made behalf OF Major Gil
more of Cumberland County, which he said was fruit
less, on account of Mr. Winslows pre-occupying the
ground with constant applications He did not believe
that the Mission to Sardinia ever offered to Mr..
Winslow.
Mr. McDufe referred to the fact that he had been in
the Know Nothing order charged upon him, but he
had never ceased to be Democrat, and as he
found that the obligations of the order interered
with his duty as Democrat he left it, and that that
was very soon.
He referred to Mr.. Winslow's vote on the Deposite
Bill which he said was distribution in disguise and anti
Democratic, all the Democratic papers in the State
had affirmed, and as every Democrat must know
He did not pretend to the abilities and accomplish
ments of his competitor, who a most able lawyer
polished scholar and accomplished statesman still
he thought that abilities msapped were dangerous in
proportion to their orce-that he could lay claim tc
sufficient judgment to understand the truths OF Demo
cracy and sufficient honesty to stick to hem-that some
person purporting to write from Wilmington to the
Fayetteville Carolinian said that he (McD) could MOI
draw a bill. He thought this hard from Wilmington
in view of the fact that while member Of the Legsa
ture of the State he had helped to draw the bill char
tering the Wilmington, Charlotte Rutherford Road
which bill he supported. This was drawing bill tt
some purpose.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. McDuffe reerre
with some bitterness to certain gentlemen in Fayette
vile and elsewhere This we do not report 1t is no
our object to do so. He also stated that Mr. WinsloT
during his congressional career, had made three set
forts and that they were all failures. These efforts
understood were on the affair of the capture of Wake
by Com. Paulding, on the Brooks and Sumner aial
and on the Navy Bill.
Mr. McDuffe also thought that in voting for the az
mission of Oregon Mr.. Winslow had acted wrongly 8
a matter of policy. He was voting to add new Blac
Republican star to the national galaxy.
He appealed to his feoW-ctzens for their support
to the young men as young man-to the fathers G
behalf of their sons rising into ife-to all men WI
hoped to rise by their efforts He exhibited ette
to show his standing at home a man and a Dem