Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-15
Governor Caldwell.

There has existed, from time imncmo-
s.ial, a very homely tipverb which disputes
the wisdom of :. swapping the ID for
witch" 1t was Cmincnty right, just anal
proper that IIoldeu should be impoAclcd
and convicted for his criminal aud wicked
Violations of the law of the land and "t tlc
rights of the citizens, but il may WI -
questioned whether his accidental sgtcJta-
sion is much U: IN improvement on the orr
rinal His refusal 10 enforce the COuV"n-
Hention Act Of the Legislature and his re
sistance of its amendments with rcici"ue"
to the appointment OF Directors on
certain Railroads, Wera "ut-croppln@5
of the same spirit of Executive law
lcssnrss and partisan vindictiEcnc5s
which impelled Holden TO such
lespotic and fragrant proceedings. ti"'"
is little doubt, we imagine, that Caldwell
would not hesitate to so to similar c&-
tremcs, but for the wholesome example set
i'll the conviction and punishment OF Holden,
and but for the present incumbent ) lnord.~
nate love of place, and, especially, OF the
perqujsiteS of place. Personally, he Is every
whit us malevOient and vindictiVc as Ilol-
,en Indeed, i'll some particulars, there is
a amarked similitude between them. Holden,
after the surrender and with protestatiOlia
of gratitude to Governor VANCE hardly cold
upon his lips, suggested the offering ol Il
reward for his arrest and Caldwell, fresh
from vehement cNhOrtatiOLs i'll behalf ol
the "COnfederacy,@ expressed mrdeFous
longing to be present at the hanging of the
same patriotic and distinguished gentle
man
1t is astonishing how inflated small men
sometimes become by the adventitious aids
of office. When small men have over
weening ideas of their own Importance, ut
terly unwarranted by intrinsic merit, the
Fictitious aids aforesaid render their per
tormances peculiarly fantastic and rldlcIl-
lous. Our Governor is 4 case III point.
His late Message exhibits bOmbastie self
laudation, a disregard for factS,an insolence
of office, that are almost without precedent.
His assumptions of independence and OF
public virtue beft him as i'll as did the az
NOR Of Achilles the pigmy Thersitcs. But
still these airs and Weaknesses are harmless
and venial. They only excite derision and
contempt. But when, i'll his late r,"Iy to
the Legislative enquiry us to tn" course he
had pursued with reference to the Federal
military raids on and arrests in North Car
olina, he disclOscs his Indifference to the
honor and dignity of the State and his dis
regard of the liberties OF the citizen, he cN-
hibits an official ittlcnrss and a PARTISAN
malevOlenCe that are as disgracrtu as thry
are disgusting We see the oItjujty OF
Holden, without lis boldncss. We see
personal andlparty hate binding the Exec
utiye to every consideration Of official dig
nifty, to every idea Of the outraged majesty
of his State, and to every thought Of the
liberty of the citizen. In one word, we see
smallneSs Of disposition, coupled with still
less of spirit and of patriotism.
We recollect no Instance III the history 81
North Carolina, even in the old days q
high political excitement, where the Gov e..
nor Of the State was so severely dCnOuucc,
ini the halls Of Legislation as Govcrno
Caldwell was i'll the Senate, on the readin.
OF, the reply i'll question. But there nrNe
was, in the old days referred to, such prov
ocation The regret is that the denuncla
ton should have been necessary the con
ISOLATION is, that we have men Ill the Legs
lature, who are not afraid to denouncc EN-
ecutive incapacity and integrity, even
though the one is exhibited and the Othel
displayed in subservience to Federal oI
(what is now the same) Imperial agSres
ion!
A Ncur N-L,I.- ,-.r,Il. i. 80 I--nn,ni1n,r 1icI