Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-01-21
National Democratic Party.

! National Democratic Party.
The Democrats in the House of Representa-.
tives up nobly to their work On the vote to
substitute Mr.. Din2hanl's bill for that OF the
committee. Of the ninety-eight affirmative
| votes, sixty were Democrats whilst the whole OF
the ninety-five negative votes were those Of Re-
publicans. These are the Irlbu7aes figures.
| The Times says the affirmative vote was So
Richmond Dispatch.
We have noticed that III every contest
where principle was involved the Demo
Gratis of Congress " came up nobly to their
work" Yet many of our Southern papers
protesting Conservatism lose no opportu-
nifty to assail the Northern Democratic
party with as much force as they do the
Radicals. Such papers are in the habit
of insinuating that the contest IS merely
one for the spoils, and it concerns the
people of the South nothing which one
gets the lions share that we owe the
National Democratic party nothing, and
we have nothing to hope from its success.
The people of the South know we'll
enough that the Democratic party surren-
dered it's control of the Government in the
vain attempt to preserve the Constitution.
The storm of prejudice, lawlessness and
fanaticism which swept away the old Wing
party, left the Democratic ship disman-
tied and struggling among the breakers.
The fury Of the hurricane spent itself, but
the old ship was not entirely destroyed.
Already she is fully rugged and manned,
and seeks every opportunity, under every
disadvantage, to give battle to the enemies
of the Constitution.
The little history embraced in the ex-
tract from the Richmond Dispatch is char
acteristic Of the Democratic party in its
efforts to maintain the integrity Of the
country since the war began il 1861. It
has repeatedly sacrificed success to princi-
Pile, never pandering to the prejudices of
the masses. From the time when the Dem
ocrats of Congress attempted to compro-
mise the difference between the sections
on peaceful basis by an almost unani-
nous support Of the Crittenden Resolutions
of 1861. against the unanimous opposition
of the Republicans, down to the withdraw
al of the consent Of the State of New York
to the adoption of the Fifteenth Amend
ic party have been for the integrity of the
Constitution, and the rights of the people
and States of the Union.
During the war the writ Of habeas corpus
was suspended by the unanimous vote of
the Radical members Of Congress against
the unanimous vote Of the Democratic
members. In like manner were newspa-
pers suppressed; military interference with
elections permitted Virginia servered !;
the Freedman's Bureau established !; the
direct tax on cotton levied the iron-clad
oath required the Supreme Court de-
prived Of it's power to protect the rights Of
| the people =; the rights of States to control
the elective franchise destroyed, and civil
authority made subservient to military
power.
We might fill columns with the recital of
attacks upon the Constitution, and tyran-
MES inflicted upon the people and States
of the South against the unanimous vote
of the Democratic members Of Congress.
The record in State legislatures has been
! the same, and we have visible demonstra
| tons of it in the refusal of every Demo
cratic legislature to adopt either the Four
teenth or Fifteenth Amendment, and the
withdrawal of the consent to the former by
the Democratic Legislatures of Ohio and
New Jersey, and Of the latter by tiie Demo
cratic Legislature of New York.
We refer to these things thus briefly
| because we feel that there is an insidious
effort being made throughout the South to
ALLEVIATE our people from an alliance with
the Democrats of the North. Whenever
it is done we shall make issue, let the at
tack come from whence it may Or assume
what shape it may. We are ready to meet
our fellow-citizens upon any honest plat
! form, and ally ourselves with honest men
of all creeds, to defeat the bad men now
in possession of our State Government.
But we will do nothing, or commit ourself to
nothing, that viii throw us into antagonism
with the National Democratic Party, or
that may weaken that party in its manly and
patriotic fight with the enemies of the
country. IF there is no hope of restora-
ton of a constitutional government
through the success of that party, then
is lie gone. II the Northern Democrats
are not our political friends, then are we
political outcasts. Their want of strength
is no evidence of want of friendship, nor
is their present minority any proof that
they will not be in the majority in the ear
~ future. We are satisfied to abide the
future, and trust our political fortunes to
the keeping of the National Democratic
party.
Much Ado about Nothing
A FER all the talk of the r1lIras ahnnk In,