Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-04-26


The question of political parties is Of great
moment at this time. There are men in this dis
tracted countrywide us trust in the goodness of
God they are many)-who desire to make ID manly
ficht to rescue the Government from the hands of
the factionists and restore it to the constitutional
bearings III which our fathers started it, TO do
so, will require complete organization to be fol-
lowed by IL hard fight, organization being neces-
sary to insure success. The question then occurs,
under what leaders and what banner shall the con-
test be wagcd for, without leaders, without ban
ners, and above all, without organization and
principles, the light viii be useless.
The Mobile Register uD,l A0r04jser of recent
date very pertineptIy remarks upon this subject
that some say give us new party and a new flag.
Old parties are cIlete-have lost their favor their
charm and their power Others claim that to the
democracy peculiarly belongs the burden, the
leadership and the glory Of this fight because it
is their banner of principles that has been tramp
led in the dust by the hosts of radical consolida-
tionists and it is their lifelong creed that con-
tains all the clements to restore the Government
to the constitutional balance from which it has
been swept by five years of revolutionary
innovation and violence. Except ques
ton of expediency, care not for the name Of
the party, long as the battle is Taged on sound
and saving principles. We care not who we fol-
low so long as the leadership is trustworthy. Bat
unless it fought squarely and fairly principle,
it will be waste OF strength, and the of
self-government will not be advanced in the coun-
try. We must go back to first riIacipIes-those
upon which parties have divided from the foun-
dation of the Government They are the Federal
and the State Rights principles There is nothing
now to be said of them in argument for they have
been ground in the mill Of discussion for the best
part of century. But there is much to be said
of the fruits they have borne when severally dom
inant in the administration of the Government.
1t is fashionable to say that the war has settled
this conflict of opinion the structure and phi
losophy Of the Government of our fathers. If
it be true that brute force can determine prin-
cipleS and the - strongest battaliOns are al
ways on the side of right, then there is an
end OF the argument and President Johnson is on
ly beating the wind in his gallant stand-up fight
with the enemies Of free constitution in Con-
gress. But it is not true, and the present genera
ton will live to acknowledge that it was the weak
and the conquered who battled for the genius of
the American Constitution, and the conquerors
whose arms have, for the time being, overturned
csion of force, else long farewell to the free sog
eminent which our blessed sires believed they had
bequeathed to u.s. President johnson, by the
force of political fortune and of his native and un
daunted courage, is the natural leader of this par
ty of regeneration and it is upon the standard in
his hands that the friends of written constitrl-
ton, honestly interpreted must rally. Not tina.
Mr. Johnson has yet risen to the height and gran
deur of the great field on which the question has
to be settled permanently for the happiness of the
people But that high ground is at the end of a
Journey to be reached by stages of combat and
weary travel. 1t cannot be gained at bound,
and Mr.. johnson is on the wal path that leads to
it. Excelsior, must necessarily be his motto, as
he advances, and merges into the open field of ul-
innate conflict and adjustment He is the cham
pion of the Rights of the States and he asserts the
limited powers of the common Government which
the States created This is the Shbboleth of the
party of regeneration, and here it must conquer
h0c. SigaO cinces-else we fall at once from the
American to the European ideas of mans govern
ment We pass from Repubicanism to monarchy
This is the struggle before the American people