Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-09
University Trustees.

The Charlotte Democrat makes the following Just
and sensible reply to those Of the opposition who
profess to be much distressed at the action of the
Democratic party during the last session of the Leg
slature in relation to Trustees of the University:
"In the election of - Trustees of the N C. Uni
versity by the late Legislature the opposition men,
bers refused to participate on the ground that the
Democratic members had selected the nominees BY
a caucus. And We notice that our friends of the
Fayetteville Observer have published an article
(Which has been copied generally by the whig pa
pers) censuring the action of the Legislature in the
matter. We do not know that the gentlemen elect
ed were selected by a caucus, but if they were We
can see no great harm in it for this reason The
Legislature had ballotted for Trustees once or twice
without prospect of effecting an election of the
whole number only at the sacrifice of much time.
Seeing that several days might be wasted in this
way, the necessity for some understanding to who
should be voted for became apparent, and We learn
the Democrats proposed to give the opposition five
of the number to be selected in any way they might
think proper. But the opposition members. anx-
ous and greedy for some cause of complaint treated
the offer in contenptuOus manner, and refused to
come to any understanding. If the Legislature had
adjourned without effectng an election, the Demo-
cratic members would have been blamed Just as
much they have been for their action in the pre-
mises therefore they promptly selected gentlemen
of their own party, worthy and competent in every
respect; and some people are simple enough to be-
lieve that they none the worse from being Dem
ocrats We should say that the Odserrer disclams
any objection to the gcntlemen-it only objects to
the manner of selecting them.
While on the subject of caucusses (as party meet
ings are now desgnated) We should like to know
what has suddenly excited the ire of the opposition
in this State to such meetings. They held several
caucus meetings during the session of the Legisla-
ture, and everybody knows that heretofore their
party machinery was moved entirely by caucuses.
When they were in power in the State, their eau
cusses decrecd that no Democrat should have an Of
fce and if Wing Legislatures ever elected any Dem7
ocratc Trustees or Democrats to any other position
we do not now remember it. But in those times
Whig caucusses had the power to rule; now the
sceptrc has passed from the faithful" hence their
pretended opposition to caucusses. Our Wing
friends must mend their ways in this respect they
would have people believe them consistent"
There were secenty-seren persons voted for on the
first ballot for Trustees, and only two elected If
the two Houses had gone on voting without any
effort by the dominant party to unite at least one
week would have been consumed in eecting ten
Trustees. The expense to the State would have
been between three and four thousand dollars; and
in that event the Democracy would have been lee
tured by the Federaists for wasting the public
ney and consuming the public time 1t is not pos
sible for the Democrats to please the Federalsts