Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-08-04
CONVENTION !!
The Radicals In KenanEviIc-Ex Judge
Thomas and Col. Ailen--Ths former
Used Up-Coi AIlen'e Arguments
Unanswerabie-D upIin All Right
$50 aajority for Com
ventIon sc. &c, &c
KRsANsy1LLE. II. c., July %, 1871.

KRsANsv1LLE, II. c., July %, 1871. I,
Deos. Journal For q few da. past it
has been everywhere placarded about this
comfy, that "there would be R'pnbl'
can mass meeting held at Kenanssilie" on
to-day at IL o'clock a. m. "Hon. U. Il.
Thomas and other prominent speakers
would address the meeting, &c. Judge
Thomas, escorted By two Northern
gentlemen and ono OF African descent,
made their eRtraDcs into our quiet little
town yes erdsy evening. This morning
oar citizens appointed severa! gentlemen
TO call on His HoIor to ascertain from him
If be would divide time with our fellow
tow SNAP, Col. ". A. Allen. who had
consented if he would do SO. to meet him
in the discussion Of The coostitutlorai1fy
of the proposed Convention AID all mat
tere come cted with il. Eo did not hesl-
tate, but readily CONSENTED, and gave the
Colon 81 one hour and bali,
The meeting soon assembled III the
Court House, and the Judge led off in a
forcible, able, and am sure I can say one
Of the most ingenious and scape goat
speeches I ever bad the pleasure to listen
to. It is always a pleasure to listen to
the learned and profound, for such is
Judge Thomas, even if We have to con-
denim the adroit receptions they invaEla-
bly, practice upon their less-iDfJroed heer-
ers whenever they desire to do so. In
this Effort he cert .inly exhausted
all his lowers in this direction
and exhausted all the argument that could
be brought to bear upon ,he subject from
his standpoint, end with most beautiful,
eloquent, aud yet most dec ptlve appeal
TO his culored republican ffien io he closed.
Col Allen soon took the stand, and with
more than his usual animation, occu Dled
his time. We have often listened to him,
and had heretofore thought VIC knew
something of the constitutional ground
occupied by those who favored the call OF
Convention, and the arguments thai
might be adduced in favor of the r posi-
ton, but he had not proceeded long before
we concluded that we knew but l'tte about
it, His familiar knowledge of the ancient
land marks of our sathers" was al
easy fountain fer him to draw
| irresistible cor clusione, upon the co.'s ltu-
| tional law and usages, as understood by
thuse who first set the machinery OF the
good old North State to work. Every po-
sirion taken by Judge Thomas WIS sue
cessfu!Iy rssailed by him, and ne most
Thoroughly satisfied every uuprejadiced
mind there that thCs9 who would vote for
| the Conve ntion had the law and the right
upon tLeir side. He insisted that TIL was
not and ought not to be party question.
and showed how greut was the uncertainty
of the "H n estead" under the present
| Constitut on and how dOubly secure 1t
might be made under the new-Jucge
Thomas himself ing that If he "aB on
the Bench he would decide against II. L
regret to say Col. Allen was here cat off
by consumption of time. Gould he have
gone on and shown tie great necessity Of
the Convention Lis speech would nave
been ompieted, AID / Ihiuk one of the
best tffo, is of b is life. The Judge made a
long and tedious reply, but never could
get on his feet ag in. He vas Over
matched and evidently felt 1t.
We bave zen Msguo iA'e Communication
in to days JOURNAL. The people of Duplp
are too tr!e aud t"o lcady to be up and
he thing the tight, and espec ally tie
good people OF Mag uDlIa, 10 be LED as Fay
by any taptiCu5 movement as hat pro-
p )ked by your Correspondent "Magnulla.
Aud those most worthy and honorable
gentlemen, too. hat he suggests as candi-
dates, to alIow-their names even to be used
in tnis connection. Be Of good cheer,
therefore, dear JOURNAL, aud tear nothing
from Duplin, for, as she always has been
heretofore she is nov, l assure you,
ALL RIGHT.