Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-09
a,sm. as illustrated in the unbridled license

Our faith in the capacity of the people
to govern themselves has, at all times, beer
as mistaken as our belief in their right tc
do so has been firmly fixed. The expert
ence of the world has shown. beyond dis
pute, that democratic representative
government approaches nearer to the
accomplishment OF the purpose for which
all eovernmenti is, or ought to be establish
ed, than any other that has been yet devised
by man. So long, however, as men are
human beings, no government will give
entire satisfaction. or will be without fault
in administration, no matter how perfect
the theory upon which it may be based.
The action of the Jews in clamoring for a
King. while they were living under gov
eminent devised by Jehovah himself. is
striking illustration of this, and the fact
that King was granted to them only be-
cause of the anger of their offended God,
| is not very fattering commentary upon
the much talked of ''divine right" of sole
monarchs. The present condition OF
Europe, where a mighty continent con
stantlv trembles with the tread of armed
men and the rude shock OF war, where,
above even the din Of hourly battle and
the clash of resounding arms, the belch-
ines of thousands of cannon, the roll OF
millions Of musketry, can be heard the
means of the wounded and the shrieks OF
the dying, and all to crafty the pride and
ambition. not of contending nations, but
simply that of contending dynasties, IS
surely enough to make any sensible, think
ing people. devoutly pray to be delivered
from so fatal an incumbrance? as that re-
sulting from the vesting in one family the
right TO govern the nation.
We earnestly hope thai the day may
never come again when the right OF gov
eminent shall not rest with our people.
The great excellence. the notable perfec-
ton Of our representative democratic form
of government is illustrated in the capaci-
| ty Of the people to change their form OF
government, as we'll as their rulers, with
out resort to bloodshed. What would the
condition of the people of North Carolina
be to-day but for the manly exercise OF
their right to shape the policy OF their
government and to select the men to exc
Magistrate of the State, in palpable viola
ton of his oath of Office, aided and abet-
ted by the Chief Justice, who hushod to
guilty silence the voice Of the law. had
seized the purse and was ruling in the
State by the power of the sword alone-in
a word, had usurped openly every power OF
government. Every man in the State was
at the mercy of the Governor. Our best
men were arrested and thrown into dun
geons without any authority, executive,
judicial or military, or any pretence OF
any The simple order OF ". w. Holden
was sufficient to deprive the foremost man
in North Carolina Of life, liberty or prop
erty. No monarch, living or dead. ever
welded more absolute, uncontrolled, IN
limited power. or in more arbitrary,
despotic manner, than did W. W. Holden.
No usurpers, living or dead, ever more
completely destroyed every vestige of the
Constitution and Government they had
solemnly sworn to support, or more wan
tonly disregarded and overthrow the au-
thority thereof, than did Governor Holden
and Chief Justice Pearson. Moro CALLING
chains than those which bound, hand and
foot, the people of North Carolina, were
never before imposed by tyrants upon
their subjects. Never were O people be-
fore reduced to such perfect and helpless
vassalage. Escape from this state of
things, by force of arms, was simply impos-
sible- The whole power, or rather the
whole military and executive power OF tie
United States, was arrayed on the side OF
the usurpers With such odds against us,
even if our people had been armed and Or
ganized for resistance, it would have been
folly to attempt it. Our only hope, then.
was in the ballot-box; if that failed us, tho
future babe US take counsel only of de-
spair.
A more trying ordeal was never present
ed to our people. They were called upon
to exercise their high prerogative ofrebuk-
ing usurpation and condemniDg violations
of law with bayonets almost literally prick
ing their breasts and with filthy
dungeons gaping ready to take them
in. Thanks to the form of govern
ment that gave them the opportC-
nifty, and to the people that dared to use
it. Our shackles were stricken from us.
and the usurper Holden and the usurper
Pearson are now only abiect. trembling
traitors, awaiting their just doom at the
hands of the High Court SO soon to assem-
BILE.
The verdict of the people has been an
nounced. It now remains only to declare
the sentence Of the law and to execute IL,
High crimes and misdemeanors can no
more be committed with impunity by the
chief officers of the land. No longer will
our statute books be the repository of laws
enacted to plumber and outrage the peo
pie. No longer will our Constitution be
monument of fraud and oppression.
That these things will happen snd hap
pen so speedily, seems almost beyond be-