Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-27
HarmOny-A Christmas OGe ring 10 the
C0nScrYutiYe PHrfY.

ctiyely to work TO restore the harmony
md kindly feeling SO essential 10 the +
success Of the Party upon whose supremacy 4.
depends the welfare of North Carolina. /
This reasonable hope has not been
called; indeed, we have been compelled d
@ listen to elimination and recriminatioD a
hat if much longer persisted in, will either
-r,in the individuals who indulge III it, or
The Party to which they belong.
II is we'll known to its readers that The {
JOURNAL. indicated no preference among
the Conservative candidates tor the United
States Senatorship before a regular nomi-
nation was made by the Caucus of the
Party; that as soon as Governor Vance
became the nominee, the JOURNAL warmly
supported him, ard called upon the friends
of Judge Merrimon to yield at once TO the
legtimately expressed wish Of g
majority of the Party. This position was
unwaveIingly held until the election
of Judge Merrimon was an accomplished
fact. Then, common sense seemed to die
niably q Conservative and not q Radical |
Senator elect, 1t would be impoitic for the |
Conservative Press CT the State to seek to
impair his usefulness, or 10 cripple his
influence. We pat upon record, in the
plainest terms, our condemnation and
censure Of the course Of those gentlemen
who brought about the defeat Of the 1egu-
! lar nominee. We did this, however, with
out any terms Of reprosch, for the reason
! that it was o.r purpose 10 heal the wounds
that afflicted the Party, rather than to
aggravate them. We have pursued this
course up to the present time, and we shall
adhere to it in the future. AS we have
heretofore said we do not propose to go
into tie quarrel between Governor Vance
| and Judge Merrimon. Whether Vance has
wroIeed Merrimon, or whether MerIimon
has wronged Vance We 10 not know
The JOURNAL does not follow the for
tunes of Governor Vance, nor does it
follow the fortunes OF Judge MerrimCn
It does not follow the fortunes Of any Judi
vidual. The JOURNAL follows with al eye
single to its success, the fortunes of the
Conservative Party. It's principles are our
principles; TO its organization we acknowl-
edge allegiance, and under its flag we fi2ht.
From this stand point, we seek to deal with
individuals without fear, favor or affection,
reward, or the hope OF reward. If individ-
ualS come between the Party and its sue
cess, they must be forced to stand aside if
if they are not willing to do so of their
own accord. The great leading object
Of the Conservative Party is to pro-
mote the welfare Of North Carolina. The
advancement of individuals is only a sec
ondary and incidental object. At no time
has the Conservative Party in North Caro-
lima been the property Of Messrs Vance or
MerrimOn, or Of other gentlemen who have
received its LOrOro and emoiuments. Our
Party can survive the loss of Judge Merr.-
mon it can survive tie loss of Governor
Vance it can survive the loss of other gen
tlemen, and for the reason that its founda-
ions are laid upon principles and not upon
men.
1t is time for heated and excited parti.
zans to pause and consider these things
Ii ever there is to be a - cooling time" now
ed aud sof, ened by tue kindly influence.
Of home and friends ana family, that the
Christmas holidays always develope in boil
young and old. The great mass of the
Conservative Party are no: mere persona
adherents Of party leaders, so-called, self
constituted or otherwise. They profess
allegiance to Party and not to men, and il
| oI-o
personal wranoles, aud OF all those Whc
may take part in rrotracting them. W,
have great confidence in the sober
second thou git of the leople. Their wei
considered, final verdicts are almost inva
rlably right. If We mistake not, their yer
dict in this aud il all Ike cases, will b,
hat the harmony, unity and integrity @
the Conservative Parry, are superior to tht
personal claims or Interests or advancement
Of any Of its members.
1t must be remembered, too, that The
ninety-seven Conservative members Of the
Legislature do not constitute the Conscrva
tive Party in North Carolina, nor do they
control its action. These gentlemen arr
indeed Sour representatives but we. tbs
people, are the masters, and they, Tie
representatives, are the servants. We are
not bound to ratify, approve and confirm
everything they do. It will be our privilege
and our right, at the proper time aHd in
the proper place, to express our approval
or condemnation Of what they have done.
1t is possible the people may think that
some of their representatives lost sight of
the good of the party il their ztal for Judge
MerTimon: that others were guilty of a
like error in their zeal for Governor
Vance, or that the pRrtizans Ct both these
! gentlemen were guilty Of 4 very grave
POLITICAL blunder i'll falling to bid them both
to stand aside for some one of the many
other equally able and competent men in
North Carolina whose election would not
have been followed by consequences so
inharmonious. 1t is possible, we say,
that the great mass OF the Party may con-
denim this whole proceeding on the part OF
! their representatives ; aud if this be so it
may be we'll to consider how far it will be
! eSpedient to aggravate what they may
regard as the offence of seeking the
! advancement of personal friends at the
! expense Of tie integrity and harmony Of
! the Party.
/ We call upon the Conservative press of
the State earnestly to unite with us in
urging all good Conservatives In North