Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-05-26
County Convention.


County Convention.
The county convention of the Dem
ocratic Conservative party of New
Hanover was held yesterday in the
court house in this city. The con-
vention was called to meet at 3 O'clock
When that hour arrived, the delegates
having ;semhled in the court room,
Col, w. L. Saunders, chairman of the
County Executive Committee, called
the convention to order and then
called the roll of delegates who had
been accredited from the preliminary
meetings in the several wards of the
city aud the townships of the county.
Nearly all the delegates were pres
ent.
Mr.. o. G. Parsley, Jr., moved that
Major J. A. Engelhard be elected
President of the convention. The
motion was unanimously adopted.
On taking the chair Major Engel-
hard thanked the members of the
Convention for the compliment paid
him in calling upon him to preside
over the deliberations of the body
which WAS to inaugurate the greatest
political campaign which the people
of North Carolina had ever been called
upon to engage in, repiete as their
history was with political contests in
which their dearest rights were at
stake. He directed attention to the
fact that already throughout the
Union, in all the States, the two great
parties were engaged in forming their
lines of battle for the coming fight.
The surface. of the political waters
were already agitated by the prepara-
tlons for the coming fight. Ia most
of the States it was only a contest for
the Presidency-a struggle between
fayorite candidates-a contest for
spoils.
How paltry were all these questions
to those which the people of North
Carolina would be called upon to de-
eide. How much more important it
was for us to succeed than it was that
any particular candidat should be
nominated; than any particular scheme
OF finance shonld by advocated. Nor
individuals, nor section, nor localities,
nor party policy, nor party usage, nor
any nor all of these, nor anything else,
save an adhesion to principle should
stand between the Democrats of North
Carolina and success. We had too
much at stake to risk all upon personal
favorites. We had too much at stake
10 adhere to party policy and party
usage merely. But we cannot and we
would not abandon rrinciple-for vic
tory itself would then be robbed of its
benefits; the fruit would indeed turn
to ashes on the lip.
The speaker then referred to local
matters, calling attention to the mis-
government which had SO long cursed
our county. and from which the pres
ent canvess may and should free us.
de depicted how, for years, taxes had
been wrung from honest industry and
business enterprise to fill the pockets
OF unworthy white men in Office, and
support negro mendicants out of
ofice-squandered to pay ignorant
blackamoors for work they did not and
could not do, and stolen to run the
party machinery. We had seen white
prisoner taken from his cell by the
order Of a sable Dogberry. but at
least one who sits in Judgment
upon our property, upon our rights,
upon our liberties, and dragged
through the streets of this goodly city,
followed by bowling mob, and made
TO touch the naked body of his sup
posed victim under the snpposition
'ast the accusing blood would flow
ifoin the gaping wound; "a custom,
which distinguished Radical leader
ID this county, and one who was more
responsible for this legal and moral
cancer upon the body polite than the
ignorant negroes who elected him, had
uenounced IN this very hall as only
existing IN its native wiIds amidst the
lungles of Africa, and which would
u'Sgrace the present civilization upon
Tue banks of the Niger and the Ganges
Ahe speaker proceeded to picture
o'ner scenes familiar to the people of
wilmington and New Hanover. which
nso debanched the courts of Justice,
eno brought into ridicule and disgrace
.tiai Dy Jury, the great palladium of
noerty. He appealed to our people
especially who had 80 much at stake
W enter into the canvass determined
VIII. We must not be overawed, he
'aio, by local majorities against
u'' out look hopefully to the gen.
0'ai result, in which success
would bring long-expected relief.
ouoef the control of her own we'll
',oVed sons, in all departments, the
u otate would again bless her peo
' WIN renewed prosperity and hap
AohS 'showering her richest blessings
'nose who had lahorsd hardest
IT,. IT, suffered most for her sake. An
-, author, in beautiful alleeori-
% poem. tells of a beautiful fairy
,;I Nv ruled happily over her dominions,
peace and prosperity to her