Wilmington journal., 1876-10-06

REDFIELD'S PERSONAL SURVEY OF
THE POLITICAL FIELD.

The Canvass of Vance aud Settle
Joint Discussions Beneficial to tL
People-Free Speech Promoted
Civil Rights Bill as a Democrat
Assistant-Vance's Election prett
Certain-The State Good for Tide
by 10000 Majority-Eecords {
Vance and Settle Congressional.
From letter III Cincinnati Commercial
CHARLOTTE, n. G, Sept. Is. 6.-Th
campaign in this State is attractin
much attention over the country, All
would attract more but for the fac
thAt all the States are having thei
little contests, and the noise of one
drowned by the din and roar O
J another.
At the last Presidential campaigl
North Carolina led off being the frs
State to hold an election after th
nominasions-and the campaign her
was furious. Happily for the peac
and quiet OF Tar-heels, the State ha
a new Constitution, which po.tpone
So you need not look this way fo
"straws" until the general Novembe
| ha1ves
The contest is interesting here from
the fact that both parties nre sup
posed to be pretty evenly balanced
and each has its ablest man at The
head of the ticket. The Republican,
have Judge Settle and the Democrats
General Vance. These candidates are
now canvassing the State together
| They have, and are TO have, a list oi
| appointments covering every county
in the State. Their joint discussions
are drawing large crowds, and although
both parties and all colors mix freely
together in the audiences, [ have heard
of no disturbances.
Judge Settles idea in getting Vance
to agree to a series of joint discussions
was to have fair chance to spread
Republican principles before the white
people. He thinks that with full,
fair and free canvass, North Carolina
is Republican, and he hopes to carry
the State for Hayes and himself.
These joint discussions are certainly
beneficial. They check intolerance,
stimulate inquiry, and enlighten the
masses far more than the steady hear
ing of one sile only. Not only are
Vance and Settle going from county to
county together, but the candidates
for Lieutenant Governor have joint ap
pointments as well. Also the candi-
dates for Congress in the several dis
tricts, the district electors, and even
the candidates for the Legislature.
All this tends to good It promotes
free speech and begets a wholesome
tolerance of sentiment. The parties
meet together, hear each side, and dis
perse without disturbances. There
has not been a disturbance of conse-
quence in North Carolina for several
years. I think the invariable Joint
discussion has something to do with it.
PROSPECTS.
Except Tennessee, North Carolina
uau Up 10 ti-- r~-----o- vf u. u
rights bill more white Republicans
than any other Southern State. The
Republicans of North Carolina never
knew defeat until that most harmful
firebrand Was thrown among them by
Charles Sumner and lot of Senatorial
enthusiasts, WHO proposed to take the
kinks out Of wool by joint resolution
of Congress. The colored people were
not benefited IN the least, but the Re
publican party was ruined in every
Southern State. In Tennessee and
North Carolina alone this frebrand,
thrown in among the races with az
little concern as an incendiary would
throw torch into stra Win these two
states alone the measure lost the Re-
publicans ten Congressmen! In Ten
nessee the Republicans had seven out
of ten Congressman, but the e'""'ion
following the civil rig hts bill Gu ;,.. N
down to one out of ten! In North
Carolina the change WAS almost as
great. Woe, woe to the Republican
party in the South on this account
All the Democratic orators that ever
declaimed from the stump, and all the
campaign documents ever printed. and
all the editorials ever written, the
salary grab, the Credit Mobilier, and
old Ben Butler thrown in, never did
half the harm to the Republican party
that the civil rights bill worked for it
in the Southern States.
Notwithstanding the very gallant
fight which Judge Settle is making,
and the almost universal esteem ill
which he is held, [ see no probability
of his election-or, at least, but very
small probability. He will run ahead
of his ticket, but about twelve
thousand behind an election. I look
for Vance to carry the State by from
ten to fifteen thousand, and Tilden
probably twenty thousand.
I see in the papers that the Republl-
cans about Washington are counting
upon North Carolina as probable for
Hayes and Wheeler. In my estima-
ton they are mistaken. North Caro-
lima will go with the solid South.
Since the civil rights excitement
North Carolina has been undeniably
Democratic The Legislature is two
to cne Dem pcratic. Both Senators
are Democrs .ic. Every member of
Congress but one is Democratic. The
Governor only is Republican, and he
because he was elected four years ago,
before the civil rights tidal wave swept
over this State and carried it bodily
into the Democratic party. Before
that tirebrand was thrown into the
South there were counties in this
State where the white voters we're
more than two to one Republican.
Think of that, and then curse the
stupidity, the malace, and reckless
ness of the Republican majority in
the Senate and Congress who deliber-
ately enacted measure that could be
of no earthly benefit to the blacks, but
which drew the color line and annihi-
lated the white Republican maj jority
in sections where leaven of the kind
is needed above all things. [ cannot
account for it. Perhaps it was be-
cause "whnm the gods destroy they
6rst make mad.
The prriudice engendered by that
measure is still largely used to drive
all the whites into the Democratic
party and keep them there. But for
that the Republicans would carry the
State as surely as they will carry
Pennsylvania.
For instance, they are circulating q
story that Mr.. Carson, Republican