Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-12-31
Governor Holden.

When Governor HOLDEN AoSuoo HA' We"
like proclamation against the people OF
Orange and Chatham counties we were
among the foremost in our denunclat1ons
of the act. When he published his peace
manifesto in the columns of the Ralelgn
Standard, looking his illegal assunp-
tions of authority, which he subsequently
in his message and in the war-blll lntro-
duced for him in the Senate by MIR. Shot,
ner, of Alamance, admitted to have been
illegal, we were among the first to give
him full credit for his pacific declarations.
We endorsed his appointment of peace
messenger, though the election of the man
carried with it some doubt of the honesty
of his intentions. But We would not per
NIT doubts to interfere with our determine
ton to uphold the Governor in every con-
scientious effort to execute the laws OF the
State and protect the rights of the citl-
zens. We appreciated the critical condi-
ton of affairs in that particular section;
the imminent danger which threatened
life and property; the certain sangulnary
conflicts which would inevitably have at
tended the sending of undisciphned and
lawless troops into those counties; the
evil consequences which would have re-
suited to the whole State. We therefore
disregarded the opportunity to make po-
litical capital from what might have been
a fatal error of the Governor; and gave
him our hearty support in the pa
cifio and, we trusted, patriotic and
wise course which he had announc-
ed. We abandoned party consider
atoms to second the efforts Of the
Governor of North Carolina in favor of
peace and order. We desired to proffer
the influence of the press in support OF
the Executive in maintaining the supre-
macy, and in the equitable administration,
of the laws of the State.
Our course brought upon our heads the
of friends, who did not
fully realize the true condition of affairs,
or permitted their doubts of the purposes
of Governor HOLDEN to influence their
We nevertheless hoped for
the best, and were governed only by the
honest intentions of our own hearts to pro-
mote the general good. We determined
that our efforts should be limited only by
those of the Governor himself. We re-
solved to 60 forward to meet and aid him
in every honest attempt to promote the
welfare of the State, even at the risk of
FORGETTING the good opinion of long
cherished friends.
We are not among those who refuse to
recognize the political situation, and scorn
to acknowledge the authority Of the civil
officers who have been chosen to execute
the laws of the State, though they have
bean cast to the surface by the throes of
great revolution. We have endeavored to
show them respect nay, even honor, where
they have proved themselves worthy of it,
though we have the utmost contempt for
the means by which they have been pro-
noted to power, and have no charity for
the personal degradation which has attend
ed their political success. We did all we
could, in the sanctum and on the hust-
lngs, to defeat these men and save North
Carolina from the present unfortunate con-
dition, but submitted to the result
with the best grace possible, determined
to relax no effort in behalf of the State,
but fully recognizing the fact that now
more than ever was it necessary for every
citizen to do his duty.
We therefore stand ready to-day, and
will tomorrow, to do all we can to uphold
the hands of the officers who have been put
over us, in every just and honest attempt
to promote the common veal. We will
give credit where credit is due, and shall
censure only when silence is wrong. 1t
was upon this principle that We commend
ed the action of Governor HOLDEN in his
pacific declarations in regard to the affairs
of Orange and Chatham, and it gave US
pleasure to do so because we would al
ways prefer to praise rather than blame
the Governor of the State. It
would be matter of infinite salts
faction to us if we could always speak of
him with kindness. officially and person
ally. We have entertained for him re-
spect and friendship, and regret the course
which he has adopted, resulting from
what source it may, which has alienated
from him almost every friend he once had
whose good opinion should have been
"grappled with hooks of steel" In our
approval of his official acts, which have
been few, we have not been influenced by
the recollections of friendship which no
longer exists, nor IN our Combinations,
which have been many, have we been
governed by prejudices, which probably
have arisen upon the ruins of the past.
We trust-we believe, that we have been
controlled by principle, by justice, by
truth, and by desire and purpose to
promote the welfare of the State.
In this joyful season of peace and good
will We wish we could conscientiously
refer to the recent course of Governor
HOLDEN with approval. We wish we
believed his conduct had been prompted
by desire to advance the best interests of
the State. We wish, even, that he had
done nothing positively bad that wa