Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-01-05

The name of Rev. b. 3. Nicholson being called, tn
Bishop said that he had laid Mr. NchOlsOns owe
to hear charges against him by Rev. W. Carter Mr.
Carter arose and rithdreO the charges! !!
Ee~ It cannot be denied that there are dangers at
tendant upon the present position of our public affairs
It evident that we drifting from the sale grounds
we once OCcuped-that the OF security IS no Longer
eniOved as it once was-that the feeling of respect fol
our Federal Government and Federal Legislature is much
diminished and that the desire for dsunon gains strength
day by day-that men, many men, no longer look upon
the Union of the States blessing or the laws of Con
gress as protection.
All this arises out of the too obvious tendency to use
the government for the promotion Of ends which 1t was
not designed to subserve-to make 1t, not the equal
protector of ALL but the agent OF majority, IRE
spectYe of the rights of minOrtes. Very few OF the
newly started movements of the day but have been liable
to these objections Their aim and effect has been to
make certain classes or sections no longer the equal
partners in free government, but the subjects Of laws
passed, irrespective of their rights feelings Such
must be the tendency of all parties organized on such
narrow grounds must Of necessity exclude sections or
classes Such is the tendency Of the Republican party
since it must exclude the South, such the tendency Of
the Know Nothing organization, since its pledged pur
pose was to exclude professors of particular creed ci
zens of a particular nativity. 1t will at once be
seen that upon these two cardinal points, of aiming to
make SUBJ and CitAts Of pU tiOs Of
population and Of bringing into the of politics and
the sphere of government interference matters with which
government ought to have nothing to do beyond extend
ing that legal protection which all have right to claim
there the same radical and fatal error running through
the theory and practice of Republcanism and Know
NOthingsm.
The South American is justly outraged at the at
tempt Of any party or organization to deprive him Of
equal rights in the enjoyment of particular description
of property or to set themselves up the keepers Of his
conscience with the right to censure him or denounce
him because Of his holding such property. Are the
rights of conscience less sacred? Is it less violation
of the spirit of the Constitution to seek to deprive
man of the equal enjoyment Of his religious belief than
of his personal property? Surely the Northern Re
publican find excuse in this-he may say that it is
surely as much his right to examine into and interfere
with the pecunary and social relations of towards
each other as it is for the South American or Know
othng to interfere with the relations between and
their God.
useless controversy or stir up unpleasant feelings but
simply because reference to facts is essential to prop
er understanding of the subject under consideration
All must see how religious tanaticism is brought to act
IN sustaining sectional luminosity at the North and sure
ly forget how under the banner of the redoubt
ed SAM" whole armies Of preachers, mainly at the
North and East forgetting the obligations Of their sa
cred calling either converted their pulps into political
rOstrums plunged reckessly into the arena as cand
dates for official station. The impetus which one spe
ces OF anacism gave to another cannot easily be for
gotten nor it be disguised that the northern egisla
lures, chosen under the auspices of SAM became al
most Immediately the devoted followers of Sambo All
OF nationality that the old whig party had at the North
was soon obeTated, if some few remnants were left
they sought shelter in the bosom of the Democracy
feeling oil insecurity has since pervaded the country for
few really know what may come about next in the re-
markaby degenerated position of politics and politicians
The odd movements initiated shortly after the inaugu
ration OF Mr. Pierce brought TO the surface such strange
clements, and such strange to represent these ee
ments, that really the people hardly to be blamed il
they deficient in respect for or confidence in their
national legislature, and begin even to doubt of the re-
public.
All Che IsIlS OF INC day all lhOSe things that have
cOnvused the country have, unfortunately, sought to
rally followers around their banners by proposing to do
something they had right to do And it will always
be thus until the truly conservative men of the country
rise in their strength and that politics kept within
their legitimate sphere; until the controlling and in
Huencing motto be to mind all your own business-do
all your duty, and leave your neighbor to do his
without interference with his rights either of conscience
or property.
Now let ask readers whether the conservative
interests of the country be benefited the pre-
dominance of constitutional principles promoted by any
compromise or abrogaton of party duty by the Demo
cratic members of the present House of Representatives
By adherng rgidy to their convictions of right they
may not be able to command success but they will at
least be conscious of having deserved it. They may not
be able to elect the right for Speaker but at least
they will not compromise themselves by voting for the
wrong one. They will form a solid phalanx, reliable
nucleus around which to rally for the restoration of
naUoaa! confidence.