Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-17
Result of the Election.


We have at last been able to arrive at the
official figures of the result of the recent
election in this State for a Convention.
General CANDY has made report to the
War Department, embracing the result In
this State and South Carolina. The whole
vote cast was ia, STA, leaving As, 554 regis
tered voters who did not vote. For the
Convention there were cast Sc, OO6, and
against it 80, 961 AS it required SIPS
votes to carry the Convention, had there
been no votes against it, the absolute ma
jority in its favor is 10, 72S
Thus it will be seen that, with large
portion of the Conservative press advoca-
ting the call of Convention, and with
many popular and leading public men
warmly endorsing it, and in many counties
Conservative candidates running upon
platform favorable to tie call, and with no
organized opposition on the part OF those
opposed t. it, the Convention gets but
small majority above the number required
What the result would have been had all
Conservatives presented united front to
the measure, and urged all to remain from
the polls with the same enthusiasm with
which they counselled action, can be easily
OWNED from these figures.
As it is North Carolina must submit to
the disgrace of the assembling of the mon
grel body elected under the forms of tyran-
nical and illegal acts of Congress. Men
who have no reputation here or in their
Northern homes-who came, for the most
part, as adventures in quest of prey,
without "local habitations or names, with
little or no education, often without the
benefits of good breeding and genteel asso-
citation, are to occupy the places of CASTOR
and Macon, and their noble contemporaries
to make Constitution for this State. Our
fundamental law is to be altered or re-
scinded by men who have neither the in
formation to appreciate its present merits,
the experience to know the wants or neces-
sites of our people, the ability to adopt
wholesome measures of reform, nor the
honesty to soar above party demands and
legislate for the good of the State.
This is sad picture, but a true one, and
but for the feeling which springs up in
the breasts of all that the whole work will
at an early day be swept away by the
honest indignation of the outraged people
of the country, if not sooner eradicated by
the decision of the Supreme Court, there
would indeed be no hope for our impover-
ished and heart-strioken people. Indeed,
the people of the North have already pro-
nounced against this iniquity, and we CAN
not look upon it's continuance in any other
light but as an expensive mockery, in
tended merely to humiliate and punish
the Southern States. Even the great name
OF GIANT and his military career pale be-
fore this question which already engrosses
the minds of the people, and which must
involve him in defeat, possibly in disgrace.
It may be that we are not destined to
wait for the thunders of the ballot-boX-
that mill of the gods which grinds slowly
but surely-for our emancipation from the
tyrannies of Congress. The Supreme
Court shamefully lodged the question of
the constitutionality of the Reconstruction
Acts last Spring. But then Congress, under
the endorsement of the people, was all
powerful, and the official heads of the Ex
ecut1ve and the Court itself were threatened,
should the law and the will of Congress be
pronounced to be at variance. The Court
shifted all responsibility upont the President,
who boldly and nobly accepted the respon-
sibility, and right valiantly has he met its
dangers. Now all is changed. The people
condemn Congress and endorse the Presi
dent. The Court is again called upon for
a decision, and even earlier than the most
sanguine can hope for, we may have final
and legal settlement of this vexed subject
of Reconstruction. Whatever may be the
decision of the Supreme Court, we are pre-
pared to see the President uphold its de-
cree. He has submitted to the violation of
the Constitution under the forms of law in
the past, and he will in the future vindicate
its majesty, regardless of the favors or
frowns of Congress, whenever the highest
legal tribunal shall pronounce these forms
unconstitutional. Let us hope there is yet
sufficient independence and virtue left upon
the bench of the highest court in the
nation to give an honest decision upon the
most vitality important question ever sub
mitted to judges.
Immigration.
Tt is with no little degree of satisfaction