Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-05-24
From the Fayetteville Eagle
Radical EndO rsement of Holden.

kaO1CtA E1mUO ESemcnU Oh Holden.
Mr.. Editor 1t has been frequently
charged and asserted by the Radicals that
Holden was impeached because of his eff
forts to suppress the terrible KuKlux, but
no one dreamed that Radical audacity
would go so far as to endorse his Kirk war
of 1870, and yet, at the recent State Con-
vention held at Raleigh, the following reso-
lutiOns were unanimously adopted, which
should be read and remembered by every
North Carolinian:
"ResoLred, That w. w. Holden deserves
from the Republicn party of North Caro-
lima the kindest affection and deepest graft
tude for his manful and hard defence of
them in 1S69-'70, from the assaults of the
Ku-KluX Democracy; for his universal and
consistent defence of the poor and humble
when he was Governor, and his faithful
and ceaseless advocacy of the Republican
principles when he was with us, and now
that he is a martyr in exile at Washington.
"ReSOlUed, That we endorse him in the
past, and shall ever cherish our love for
him in the future, and we have confident
hope and trust that the time is not far dis
tant when he shall return to bis native
State again to battle for the Union, for
equality before the law and for progressive
principles Of republicanjsm."
Thus it will be seen that the Republican
party of North Carolina in Convention as
seiIbled have deliberately endorsed Holden
in his celebrated Kirk war against the peo-
pie of CasWell and Alamance, and because
he was convicted Of ''high crimes they
call him ga martyr The Radicals even
charge with perjury every Senator who vo-
ted for his conviction. The facts will sus-
tain the assertion, that there never was a
trial conducted more fairly and impartially,
as was admitted by llolden's COUNSEL
There were thirteen Republican Senators
who voted on the articles of impeachment,
and OF these, five voted gully, viz: Messrs.
Barnett, Lehman, Moore, Hawkins and
McCotter; as will be seen by reference to
page 1852, vol. 2 Of Impeachment trial
Three Of the thirteen Senators were negroes,
who Of course voted not guilty. OF the
remaining ten, one, Mr.. Odds, was the SON.
in-law Of Holden, and Of course he voted
not guilty; so that out of nine white Re
publicans five voted guilty, and yet ne is
called "a martyr in exile !'' 1t must be re-
membcred that every Senator took an oath
just like a juryman, "to truly and impair
tally try and determine the charges, &C.
and yet fOrty-one senators are charged
with perjury for voting guilty. The best
answer to this charge was given by Mr.. J.
Moore, the Radical Senator from Newbern,
who filed All opinion in the case and Uses
the following language, viz 81 have Ia
ken an oath to return verdict in this case
according to the law and the evidence.
occupy substantially the position of Juror
bound by the same obligation and con-
trolled by the same established rules of
law. In accordance with my honest
conviction, after long and earnest
consideration, | am compelled to
vote the respondent guilt on the third, fifth
and sixth articles Of impeachment. l know
not how my vote will affect my political
prospects hereafter, but this much | do
know, that intend to obey the dictates of
my honest judgment, and trust to the peo-
pie to vindicate me from the foul aspersions
of those who would take advantage of my
honesty and candOr to subserve their own
political advancement. If L 90 down be-
cause of my course in this trial L shall do
so i'll communion with my own conscience
If because 1 will not periure myself, mus
suffer political martyrdom, | say let me
perish, for had rather live an obscure life
than occupy the highest position in the gift
OF the people, with the heinous crime of
perjury resting upon my soul. Truly, these
! were noble words thus boldly uttered by
this Republican Senator, and he is entitled
to the respect of honest citizens. But hea.
him still further: . l voted guilty because
the Governor refused 10 obey the sacred
writ of hdbcdS corpus, which has been
handed down to us by our forefathers, and
which cost so much of the treasure and
blood Of our English ancestors Judge
, Peason had declared that the Governor had
no power to disObey the writ of hdbeds cor
ptt%, and yet notwithstanding this plain an
nOUnceInent Of the law from the Chief JUS
tice, the Governor refused to obey the writ.
How could be expected to vote not gull
ty with this light before my eyes, Had
done so, | would justly have become by
word of reproach among men,"
Hon. X. f. Lehman, another republican
senator, an able lawyer, and all honest
man, also filed a written opinion in the
case and used the following language, viz:
''The Governor was told in plain terms
that to disObey the writ was 10 override an
express provision of the fundamental law.
IL he had this right other functionaries who
may come after him, must have the same
right and there is an end Of all GOOD gov
eminent. If he can set aside one proys-
ion of the constitution to-day, another oc-
cupying the same position may set aside
all of them tomorrow, and government
becomes a contemplate sham. If he can
substitute his own ill as the supreme law
OF the land in one case, his SUCCESSORS may
do it i'll all cases, and there is an end of
representative government and civil lib
others, / was constrained, painful the duty,
to vote equity" on these two articles, be-
cause the respondent, after having been III
formed in the most unequivocal language
as to the law, k1lO'cingty, del,berdtely, rE-
fully and tnIa,ctUlLy diSobcycd it, with no
mistake of fact 70 excuse him.
Let the republicans Of the State consider
these words, and answer if they believe
that the republican senators committed
perjury? 1t is useless for radicals to charge
perjury upon those who convicted Holden
Of high crimes. They give vent TO their
impotent rage in vain. 1t verifies the old
couplet,
''No rogue ever felt the halter draw,
But had poor opinion Of the law
That Holden was fairly and impartially
tried, and justly and legally convicted, no
honest and fair minded man can deny, and
yet the republicans, in State Convention
recently assembled, do declare "That We
endorse him in the past Get every Con-
servative remember this, and let 1t ring In
the coming canvass the death-knell OF radi-
calism in the "Old North State" The
radical party have deliberately undertaken
to carry this load on their shoulders, and
it will stick like the old man to Sinbad,
the sailor. The adoption OF these resoiu-
tions, viewed in party light, was great
act of folly but it illustrates the old saying,
'Whom the Gods wish to destroy, they FIRST
make mad;" and will be worth hundreds
of votes to the COnserv alive party in the
election. So that notwithstanding the re-
Duke given by the people at the polls III
August, 1870, the Republican Convention
blinded by party passion and prejudice.
definitely "endOrse him in the past" ana
call him n 'martyr in exile" BY the next
election there will be many others 'in ex-