Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-01

| name of the National Republicans They
were, however, so signally beaten that they
! decided in the next contest to run 1t can
| didate. Hugh L. White, till then q strong
supporter OF Gen. Jackson, was brought
| out as an independent candidate, and
would probably have been elected, had not
| Gen. Harrison subsequently been started.
| The division thus created elected Mr.. Van
| Buren,, but the running OF White CAUSED
| Tennessee, North Carolina. Georgia ard
| other States to be thrown into the opposl-
ton, and, at the succeeding election, cal
| ling themselves Wings, the party elected
| General Harrison. In 1852 General Scott
was o badly beaten, that most of his sup
porters. despairing of success in the next
| contes st, after having failed in the Ameri-
| can" organization, adopted the name of
Republicans, nominated a Democrat, and
secured the cooperation of many Demo-
Gratis, who would not have joined them as
| Wings.
In 1850 the Democratic party adopted
just the opposite policy, al q in the confess
between Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Buchanan
and his other rivals, divided on an imma-
terial issue, instead of meeting the great
one rendered by its opponents. AS the Re-
| publican leaders had declared that there
was an irrepressible conflict and that
" tho Union would not endure part free
and part slave" l then thought that the
Democracy ought to negative that declar
| alton, aud, on this broad issue, to appeal
to the country to decide whether the Union
could longer be maintained on the same
terms on which it had till then existed
! By thus meeting what was the real issue
presented, they would clearly have had The
best chance OF success.
The National! Dem mocracy, as q living,
progressive organization, cannot ignore
| the great events of the last ten years. It
has to guide it already the examples of it's
members Ia several OF the States. Ton
nessae, Virginia, and Missouri have, to
use the striking language OF Mr.. Greeley,
IS by ordering the fools to the rcar,'' ma
terialy improved their political condition.
Those vino went heartily into the war
on tho Confederate side ale generally not
the men who have had most to say on
these points. Whatever discussion and
clamor there has been in the South, has
been chiefly made by persons who were
not cordially with US, or who, at least,
evaded the burdens Of :he war, and have
since its close become bslligerent.
scarcely know an exception to this among
the men who fought it out on the field
They are ready to acquiesce in such action
as the friends of constitutional govern
ment may adopt. The standpoint from
which [ view the situation is, L presume,
known to you. For nearly twenty years I
have uniformly acted with the Democratic
party, but, Immediately upon the election
of MIR. Lincoln. / urged North Carolina to
seceed, and served steadily in the Confed
| crate army till the close of the war. Hav
| ing through the entire struggle done eX-
actly what thought right, [ have at no
| time felt or expressed any regret for my
individual action, and have not changed
my opinions as to the propriety of my con-
duct. But when surrendered by General
Joseph E. Johnston, and pGroled, IN COM
mon, I think, with my fellow soldiers.
regarded it as my duty to submit
to such terms as the conqueror might
impose Though these terms might
seem hard, or inconsistent with pre-
vious declarations, yet, being no longer
able to fight, as honorable men, nothing
was left US but acquie; cence. Hence, on
the passage of the first of the reconstruc-
ton acts, wrote to Governor Worth, and
urged him to take the necessary steps to
carry it out. The failure OF himself and
his political friends to q iopt that course
has brought much suffering on the State.
| Last year 1 expressed q similar opinion,
and the members of the Legislature, call
ing themselves Conservatives, issued an
! address, declaring in emphatic terms their
i determination to accept and carry out IN
good faith the reconstruction acts, and to
protect in all their rights the colored peo-
pie. At the last session Of orr Legislature,
when passing an act to call convention
they expressly forbade the convention to
interfere with any rights secured by the
twelfth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amend
ments. North Carolina has, therefore, a
ready accommCd d 4ted herself to the new
order of things
: Whether those amendments are really
, parts of the Constitution, and if so, what
is their true meaning and scope, cannot
be determined by any popular meeting.
but must be decided as it has been alway;
in the past, by the several departments OF
the government, acting within their appro
pirate spheres. If parts of the Constitu
tion, they are subject to be changed
either by a general convention OF the
t States, or the other modes provided.
a Names are potential in party contests
The Republican party organized by Mr.
t J fferson, during the administration o
3 Gen. Jackson. adopted the name of Demo
q cratic Republican party 'fThis modifica
Q tion was we'll made, because OF the h1ghl.
r aristocratic character of most of tn
4 past republics. This designation was re
tanned until their opponents assumed
o the name of Republicans. I have though
that they ought to have retained their en-
;, tire designation. and not abandoned tn
=. latter portion to those who have showl
, , that they are in no sense republicans
= The term for a time applied to the latter
= ciently distinguished the two parties. l
;s may be worth while for the Democracy 0
a the country to consider whether 1t ough
- not even now to resume its old prope
" name. and by It's principles and its ectio
vindicate its title to be regarded as tn
: genuine Democratic Republican part
= of America.
if Every consideration of public duty de
j. mands that no fair effort should be sparet
: to secure the cooperation of all friends G
our free institutions, in an honest effort
J. restore constitution al and equal admin
q istration OF the Government. There IS to
ic much involved in the struggle to permit {
> to consult the wishes of particular candI
n dates in the North, or TO crafty the fee
a ipgs of men in the South, who are attemp
te ing to keep up war of words. Shoul
,e wise counsels prevail, and a judicious 81
!. lection of the candidate be made, succes
d will crown our efforts.
o Very truly yours,
M T. L. CLINGAIAN.
KTrs Commodora RarpoV was reDcrte