Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-05-22
Presidential Election.
WASHINGTON, May 2, 1866

| w NASdtNIION, 4udy 81, 1COC'
Profoundly interested in the issues OF
the next Presidential election, the people
of the South should pretermit no action or
expression of opinion that might tend to
bear up favorable result. It needs no
argument to prove that the Radical party
has been enabled for several years past to
hold itself in the confidence of the people
of the North by a system Of gross mlsrep.
resentation of the temper and Opinions OF
the South since the close of the war Beng
in the seats of power in the Government,
and at the centre from which radlates the
intelligence that informs public opinion,
and we of the South being entirely voice
less here, or nearly SO, through the de-
ficiency of Northern circulation for our
Southern papers, the Radicals have sue
ceeded in filling the minds of the masses
with prejudices and calumnies against us,
and making the people firmly "bel1eve IN
lie." It is not that our intelligent North
ern friends do not understand the truth
about us, and know how solemnly ana
publicly we have declared to the world GER
tain purposes, resolves, and feelings, which
the Radicals persistently deny. Large
masses of Northern people on their farms
and in their workshops to-day believe that
rebellion is as active in Southern hearts
now as it was while the war was fagrant
that we only await the restoration of State
power to re-establish slavery; that we DO
not accept any of the legitimate results OF
the war, would revive the validity of the
Confederate public debt, and deny the
equality of races before the law IN respect
to protection of person and property that
Union men are not safe among us; and
that to murder negroes in cold blood is a
pastime to u.s. only limited by dread of the
Federal soldlery.
1t is important that the South should
once more. and in some authoritative form
to reach the Northern popular mind, de-
clare what its true position is in reference
to these questions. T know of no better
method of doing it than in the State Con-
ventions to nominate delegates to the Ma
tional Democratic Convention at New
York; and [ would earnestly advise all
those bodies, either by resolutions or by
an address to the people of the United
States, to declare their acceptance of the
practical results of the war.
l am persuaded that such declarations
are greatly needed, and would exert pow
erful influence upon the issues of the COM
ing campaign. If done, it is we'll that it
were soon done. In very short time the
Radicals meet in Convention, and will be
before the country with their candidates
and the platform upon which they propose
to plant themselves. Many of our friends
think that the National Committee of the
Democracy made mistake IL postponing
the nominating Convention till July, and
movement has taken place to induce the
Committee to call it in June. Let us of
the South be ready for any emergency, and
get the declaration of their feeling and
opinions before the people of the United
States as soon as DOSSlb bile,
I have great hopes in November, 1868.
If we are wise in our choice of men. forbear-
ing, fraternal, and self-sacrifcing as men
engaged in struggle so holy should be, I
am prepared to see the enemies of free
government and white political domination
in America overwhelmed and routed in a
Waterloo defeat.
Editorial Cor Mobile Register.