Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-05-19
For the Journal.


ME~sRs EDrroRs:-The imp )rtance
of bringing our best men to the front
IN the great campaign about to be in 4
augurated in North Carolina has been |
too often demonstrated to requiresrep- i
ettiou. Thu position heretofore taken |
by the JOURNAL that this is the year
above all othels when every man of
soul, of intellect, of broad and liberal
vie VS., of personal magnetism, should
be placed at the head of our great
Democratic armies, as candidates, finds
a responsive echo in the great popular
heart of the party. We must not know
anv defeat Never were more nom mt
Gus issues at stake than are now pend
ing in North Carolina The question
of the proposed CONSTITUTE )nal amend
ments Is not yet properly appreciated
in the poverty, depressing anxieties,
and struggling efforts Of oar people to
recuperate. All can but agree that
this is no time to compliment men
by nominations except as the
best meaus OF securing party success
and of redee!ning North Carolina. AS
politics and party issues now stand,
the personnel of our candidates as well
as the principles Of our party will
u6CGGSSdEItN nave lliCu 10 40 III Ob-
Gliding the result. The man OF the
highest char lcter and of the greatest
pot nlar strength, personally and pO-
litically, is now the man to nominate
for every office in the State FROM that
of Governor to township constable.
! The lesson We must all heed now is
that success rs our aim and end. In
every campaign there is large float
inc. of unforS xyOti,cr thIC
| with one party an next year with the
| other party. This floating mass, made
mp of the doubtful aud wavering,
generally decides elections III North
Carolina. And let it be remembered
| that these uncertain voters vote more
for the man than the party. Hence
the necessity of selecting as candidates
our best, strongest and most available
| men.
| Now if this lesson, sadly taught us
! in the past, is properly needed we
cannot we'll act unwiseiy il all our
nominating conventions of this spring
and summer. Apply the principle to
the nomination for Governor and /
honestly believe David S. Reid, of
| Rockingham, should be nominated by
/ oar State Convention. He is our
strongest mar, and the most popular
man to-day III North Carolina. There
| are none OF those strong preiudices
against him wh ch exist against so
many of our abiest men. He is the
father Of free suffrage i'll North Caro-
| lima. This will secure him the votes
of the masses III the West. He was
for peace in the Peace Conference and
thi will put HIM IN accord with the
peace men in the State. He WIS a
warm friend of our people in the wal
add this makes hIm acceptable to those
| of US who were III the Confederate
armies. In other words he has always
been patriot. HIS character is with,
out spot, STAIN or blemish. Personally
he is as popular as any man in tht
State. He Is beloved wherever he Is
known. He ~howed IN our late Co..
stitutlonaf Convention that he IS still
| equal to any emergency IN debate anC
IN the skilIful management of polItIca
questions.
With this distinguished North Caro-
linian and able statesman IS our can
didate for Governor there would be nc
| falling Oft OF our votes in any OF those
doubtful counties where the floating
| vote, VIII CHI always decides the cOntes
! III North Carolina, is given for the
the man and not The party he repre-
SCENTS. There is a portion of this
floating vote in every township IL
North Catoliua, and if we are prepared
for the sacrifice which is one main ele
ment of patriotism, we will make al
our nominations It reference to thu!
nominating principle. With David s
Rad for Governor and a good tjc&e
| our success Is assured and our eieCCO-
raj votes will be counted for ''Teoon
citiatiOH' and not for the ''tHe BLOODY
shirt " PENJER.