Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-10-18
State Politics.

The entire North is torn and distracted
by political excitement, and the canvass
has been and is more excited than ever be-
fore in the history of the country. Money,
without stint, is freely expended; the great
est oratorical ability is displayed by either
party in urging the claims OF candidates /;
professions and transparancies, with bloody
riots, mark the progress of the campaign
With us, all is different. We, too. are on
the eve of al important election. Within
week the people of the State Will be
called upon to vote for important officers
Governor and members OF the Legisla-
ture are TO be elected, and we doubt if
many Of the most intelligent citizens can
tell the day of election without reference
to their paper, or for what officers they
will be called upon to vote SO little in
terest is manifested in political matters
that after the most strenuous efforts on the
part Of some willy and skilful politicians,
all attempts to get UP opposition to Gov
ernor Worth have most sisnal!y failed, and
he will receive the almost undivided sup
port of tho people of the State.
In but few counties are there opposing
candidates for the Legislature. Here and
there, scattered throughout the ninety coun-
ties, is found a feeble voice advocating the
Howard Amendment OF refusing to pledge
himself against it, for fear of the " greater
evil" that viii be forced upon us, and oc-
casionally we meet with Il candidate who
can reconcile reputation Of both pubic
and private debts, with sound morals and
strict integrity. These, however, are hard
ly to be computed in the general reckoning,
for should all of them be elected, they
would then form but all insignificant FAC
ton in our Legislature.
We can truly say there is no political eH-
element i'll this State. Our people are
unanimous in support Of the Constitution
of the country, and we believe there Is with
us but one party, and that is the partJ for
the UNITED STATES. We are determined to
maintain our adherence to principle; to stts-
tain our dignity and honor ill the terrible
storm of passion which now controls the
political destinies of the country. Attend
ing quietly to our ordinary duties, we can
only hope that the Northern masses may
yet learn us aswe are, and not as paid and
false witnesses represent us ; and we will
vet, by honorable means, procure those
rights which we are now urged to purchase
at the expense of honor and manhood. We
desire to be restored to the Union and to
our rights as citizens, as equals of the peo-
pie of other States, or we prefer to remain
as we are. Restoration, as much
as we desire it; representation as ne
cessary as it is, can be obtained upon terms
that will make the one mockery and the
other a curse We want the Constitution
to form the basis of both representation and
restoration. We hear much at the North
of party for the President, party for
Congress, and mongrel party for both or
neither, or possibly for themselves, but we
hear of none for the Constitution, aud the
South must wait until such party is form
ed and becomes successful before the I'm
ion is honorably and truly restored.
With such feelings there should not and
IuS1O CduuOU bO POA1I4C6l4 oAASa IA
elements among us. We cannot afford to
waste our time in the important duty be-
fore us of the restoration of our material
prosperity, in useless canvasses and divis-
ions, when the plainest dictates of common
sense demand unity. Now, more than ever,
mastery inactivity" in national politics
is our policy, but in State matters we
should unite thoroughly and entirely upon
our best men. We cannot now, with intel
ligence or safety, instruct our public SER
wants, and our selections should fall upon
such, as by their past course, we can trust
in the future. And we should be most
careful, in the entire want of excitement
and division, not to allow bad and design
ing men to fasten upon us unreliable rep
rssentatives for want of action on our part.
Let US on election day go to the polls and