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

gloomy. Signs OF the caterpillar are re-
ported from nearly all portions of the sur
country. We now fear the 18Th |
OF September viii witness a thorough de- |
s'rDc'iOn Of the crop aot matureG.
ASOTHEss LETTER FROM MR AEARSE
To She EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL.
BEAUFORT. Aug. 81. 1871.
Maj. T. 4. EaseLhard, Edition. ofM
Journal, Wilmington, N. c.:
MAJOR My letter in your issue of the
18th, together with your remarks thereon,
suggests the propriety Of some words fur
Their from my pan, and must beg to tres
pass somewhat more upon your good ma
ture, and the patience of your readers.
Since penring my letter to yoa of the
18th inst, hear of proposition to call
the Democrats and Conservatives of North
CArolina together in Convention. SUBJ
NIT that any such action at this time
would be premature, and hurtful TO the
best political interests of the State.
Next year is to ba ona OF party strife
throughout the United States, and in our
own stale Governor, members of Con-
gress, and the State Legislature, aud all
county cfficels, ara to be elected and to
prepare for that contes; tha people must
be called together early IN the epiing, aud
this, suggest, is time enough for d Con
ventioD of the Democracy of North Caro-
lima.
In the meantime the political interests
of the Democratic party are committed to
the press Of the State, whose conductors
ought to be fully capable of mastering the
political situation. And [ believe they are
capable Of an abe aud faithful perform
ance OF the duties of their sphere, to
higher degree than at any period sinca the
war, for the wants of the past two years
contributed valuable illustrations to the
school of our local and national politics,
and these lessons Of experience, appre-
he nd will neither be neglected nor forgot
ten.
We are beginning to learn that sail fish
are good that come to our net" and that
the political strength of party is, after
all, acquired from the ranks of some other.
In other words, to place the Democratic
party in possession of the general govern
ment, ard thus loose the fatal hold of Rad
icalism upon the vital interests of the
country, it is necessary to detach from that
party u considers bic number OF that class
| of men who have honesty aud conscieu-
tiously acted With the Republican party
| since The war, in the faith that of the two
political parties, the Republican was the
best. most progressive. and the SAFE st.
/ But we shall accomplish nothing of this
sort if our presses pursue cOur: Of via
! dictiveness, personal abuse, and gIering
partisan unfairness toward the Republican
| party, and gentlemen who feel that they
are capable of making up and holding an
honest opinion, and who very properly
feel that, no matter what their political as
soeiations and party predictions may
| have been, they are eutitled to the respect
and common courtesies due from gentle
men to gentlemen, all the citizens of q
common country, and the directors of q
| general government, the mutual inheri-
lance Of all.
It is too much the fashion now-a-days
to narrow the latitude of opinion, and I'M
| fortunately the custom of our leaders and
presses, of all parties, to denounce one
another for mere differences of political
opinion, or party preference. And while
it is difficult to understand the conduct of
many gentlemen of intelligence and infu-
ence, or to comprehend the motives of
many men OF our acquaintance, yet it is
better to recognize the general principle
Of honest difference of opinion among
men, and accord suoh the right to think
| and act for themselves, than to 8ssail them
| for acts that we do not approve, or abuse
them Tor conduct that we cannot compre-
| bend.
Between the Democratic and Republi-
can parties there Involves no political diff
ference that ought to descend into person.
al matters and there is no question in
volved that may not be amply discussed
and rightly settled upon its merits with
| out going into the antecedeDts or private
| character Of any one engaged on either
side.
would therefore invoke the press of
North Carolina, hereafter, to q course of
dignified statesmaps ship, and a conduct of
perfect fair mindedness and manly truth
coupled with perfect independence of
thong ht, fearlessness of expression, and a
manner of courteous bearing toward all
men; the same to political foes as to party
friends.
Coming from the highest iourna listic
source ever known in North Carolina,
ought to thank you for the notice the
JOURNAL has seen fit to take of my letter,
and that 1 may be the better understood
by your readers, will here take occasion
to say that the political principles and the
Democratic faith you and now hold and
have ever held are, in the main, the same,
Only upon some questions of public pol
icy now settled, have we at any time diff
fered, further than in the matter of a rec
ognition of the term conservative" as a
party designation, designation I deem
to have been peculiarly unfortunate, and
which [ have felt it my duty to utterly re-
pudiate as unapplicabIe to myself.
You do the anti-Conven ion Democrats
of North Carolina ample justice, but no
more than justice. in your article in refer.
ence to my letter, and it is what they look
ed for from Democratic organ of the
standing and years of the JOURNAL. They
opposed Convention on the ground of its
untimeliness, inexpediency. unconstitu-
tionality, and because they could not con-
sent to the destruction of a great princi-l
pie of the Democratic party, and the es-l
adjustment of o precedent that they could |
not stand by in the future and for all time |
to come. History will record how unflinch-
lngly men of such political faith stood at
their post of duty, when inclination, SYM
nd foT