Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-08-25
LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE
JOURNAL, ON THE RECENT CAM
PAIaK, AND PRESENT POLITICAL SIT
UATION. -- II -.s' '-'.@.

UATION. .E.--.' ~-'.-
BEAUFORT, N. G., Aug. Is. 1871.
Maj. j. Il. Eaagelhard, Editor Of the pep. 7.r
Journal, Wilmington, ~. O.:
MAJOR Il write somewhat in my own
political vindication, and the vlndlcat1on
of those other Democrats who have acted
with me in opposition to the recent Con
vention movement, as we'll as from desire |
to touch upon, the present political situa-
ton here in North Carolina. 0
The unfortunate and untimely camp a'gn,
in which we have all been so earnestly
engaged, and in which (on single lssue)
have been so widely separated from the
associates and political friends Of life
time is, happily, at an end, and feel that
I may now as reas onably address you. as
the hope is strong within me to promote
the general good by calm and dispas-
sionate survey of the situation before us.
Before the great body of the white Con
servative people of North Carolina, I, in
common with those Democrats who have
stood with me in this recent campaign,
stand misrepresented and misunderstood.
Although my heart beats in perfect unison
with that Of every true son of the South,
and every living soldier of the Southern
Confedelac y. still true to the memory OF
the broken cross, / am regarded by the
majority of my fellow citizens as one who
has deserted the ranks, and basely sur
rendered the principles of a cause for
which they claim to have struggled man
fully, corscientiously, faithfully and patri-
otically through four years Of war, (may
not add, and SIX years of proclaimed
: peace p and notwithstanding, my Democ-
: racy is unimpeachable, and my claims to
q the term Democrat second to those of no
living man. am read and pronounced
4 from the mountains to the sea shore, a
&c Republican " and IS Radical"
protest against this classification, and
8 demand of the intelligent, fair-minded
= men of the country justice. and proper
It understanding and recognition of my po-
- sition and the principles [ now hold, the
same have held from my youth up-the
u everlasting principles of the Democratic
r. party, as taught by all the great political
10 masters of the country from the founda-
- ton of the Government until nOw-those
great principles of self-government, to re-
tain and preserve which, the Southern
o people were called upon to wade through
four years of bloody war.
le In the late contest for and against Con
" vention, at least ten thousand Intelligent
% Democrats have stood up in opposition to
that measure, while 1 maintain that not
q an equal number of Democratic gentlemen
y in all the State, supported the pet scheme
i of Mr.. Graham conscientiously believing
"a it right, Constitutional, or safe precedent
IN to establish.
IL Thus we have the great body of the
a. Conservative white people of North Caro-.
st lima arrayed against the precedents and
r. principles of their lives, the lives of their
fathers, grandfathers and great grand
fathers, engaged in and supporting con-
70 test founded upon principles the very
essence of modern radicalism; before the
q. war the hated principles of Abolitionisnl
or the Wing party of the North; and dat
ing back to the foundation of the govern
ment, the principles and doctrines Of blue
On light federation, to the perniclOus anC
~. dangerous teachings of which we are in
OF debted for the De solating war through
or which the country lately passed,-a strug
he gle in which the South received but little
g. sympathy and no aid from that class mos
&c conspicuous in promoting and precipitat
u ing this recent unfortunate political cam
paign upon the people of North Carolina
ts I charge, then, that this Convention
IS. measure was un-Democratic as it was I'm
constitutional, and that it was as ill-time(
as it was unlawful, dangerous, and contra
G. ry to the recognized principles and estab
wv lished preceGents of the Democratic party
On and they of the Democratic party whC
'rs boldly stood out against it from sense o
% duty, when all their sympathies, politica
10 interests and affections were with tn
re great body of the white Conservative mel
We who were supporting the measure, ar
q now entitled to be heard before this PEG
Oh pie, and they will be heard.
apprehend that those presses control
cd = fo6 cd nj,
Oh Wings will now endeavor to drive into tn
er ranks of the Republican party all thos
n Democratic gentlemen who in the lat
b campaign opposed the Convention move
be ment. But they will fail. Democrats d.
NJ not basely surrender the principles of gov
eminent as soon as the public teat is with
II; drawn from their mouths. It has no
been necessary to- make all manner Of con
cessions to the Democrats of North Caro-
he lima TO keep them in the line of duty, AM
an out of the Republican party. And as the.
OF have not been tolled with the scattering
TO grains of public pap, they cannot b
Tor driven by the party lash in the hands O
"a self-constiuted party leaders. Out of a.
United States Senator, President of th
Senate, an Attorney General, five Con
gressmen, and Speaker of the House @
of Representatives, The Democrats last yea
m got Speaker Of the House. And this
\ the first and the only instance since tn
w WdT3 U0I4cN01 hA O0mUCFh
no has been prominently honored in Mort
re Carolina.
nd Yet. in the face of all this, we do no
ID. propose to desert. but as Democrats. COZ
in shutting four-ffths of the opposition
am the Radical party in North Carolina, W
mt propose hereafter to assert our rights, an
ok 10 maintain the principles of the Demo
he cratic party, in spite of any and all oppo
n sision 10 the contrary.
The political situation to-day is a pc
rs. culiar and dangerous one to the Demo
N. cratic party of North Carolina and tn
Id South.
zas Submitting to the dictation of old Whi
,er leaders, who would drive or they woul
,er not ride, we have seen recognized an
wo revived in our midst and all over the South
r. their old time secret political societies, O
e. which, before the war the Know Nothing