Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-06-07
The baltimore Cos.vemtiom-our Duty

Our esteemed and usually correct con-
apprehGnded somewhat, we think, the pur-
port of the Article of the JOURNAL in refer
ence to the speech Of Mr.. VOORHEES, at
lacking Mr.. GREELEY.
The purpose Of the JOURNAL has been to
show that although the Democratic Party
will hold the balance OF power in the COM
ing Presidential election if it be thrown into
the contest rs a compact, united and Giscip-
lined organization, it Will be powcrless for
good unless it does present an undivided
front; that this being 50 the great point 10
be aimed at was to perfect the unity and
discipline Of the party organization that
this was paramount to all questions Of mere
preference for particular individuals as can
didates, although these preferences might
arise from a belief III the Availability Of
those preferred individuals that it was in
eXpcdient for individuals to advocate or Op-
pose any given policy suggested for the &C
ton Of the party in such q manner as to
impair their usefulness III case the decision
of the Baltimore Convention should be adj
verse to their views; that the proper policy
for the Democratic purty to pursue was
not So plain that il might at once and with
out hesitation be pointed out that with the
lights before Us we were Of opinion, as we be-
lieve the party in The South was Of opinion,
that a - straight out" Democratic ticket
should not be nominated at Baltimore ; that
/ the South was entitled to q great if not q
! controlling influence III the National Con-
! veution, if for 10 other reason, because OF
| its large electoral vote 4; that we did not pro-
! pose, nor did WO believe Northern Demo
Gratis proposed that Southern Democrats
should be merely hewers Of wood and
| drawers of water in the National organiZa-
! ton; that we had confidence that the
7 men who would compose the Baltimore
! Convention would be true representative
men Of the party, men Of brains, inteG-
! rIty, purity and patriotism, and would,
after full, free consultation with each other.
adopt the course best suited under all the
! circumstances to meet the eXigeucics Of the
times that # it should be thought best to
! support Mr.. Greeley or any other Republi-
can, we wculd 10 SO to the beot Of oul
ability; that if, however, after a careful
survey Of the field, it was thought common
/ sense and prudence justified the nomina-
ton Of a " straight out Democrat, we
should support him with unteigned pleas
ure that il view OF the impOssibility OF
knowing what the condition Of public sen
timent especially at the North and among
Republicans would be at the time of tho
meeting of the Baltimore Convention, il
was inexpcdicnt for delegates to be
appointed who We're committed unQuali
fiedIy and Internationally for or against
any particular candidate or any particular
policy that though in all matters our frs
and last thought was for the relief cf the
South we believed that relief could be Sc
cured only by the active cooperation O
the united Democratic National organiza
ton.
Maintaining the necessity Of party disci
pline as essential to party success, yet adj
uniting to the fullest extent the right O.
individuals and papers to discuss and tc
differ about matters of personal preference
and party policy, we have sought from the
Inauguration OF the Liberal Republican
! movement to pursue the course we haC
marked out for ourselves. it We mistake
not the signs Of the times ahcady demon
strate its prOpriety.