The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1877-12-19
MN. TURNER'S LET lER. !.

n 3
Wilmington STAR, by tile publication Of
the subjoined letter; leaving It to our
readers to recall how many osthem con.
stituted portion Of the seven hundred
claimed to have participated in the
meeting. @
LETTER FROM JOSIAH rURNER.
Editor Of the .Star: For eighteen
months have not subscribed for q news
paper, and but seldom read one. Yestef.
day a friend handed me n copy Of the
Raleigh Nctcs, from W hicll | make the
following extract:
PRIMARY ELECTIONS.
Hillsboro Recorder.
The Wilmington STAR of the 4th In.
slant gives conspicuous prominence TO nnr
account Of The Orange county meeting,
apparently for the purpose Of showing its
continued devotion to Mr.. Turner by re-
buking US for opposing his proposition.
Now, We penned the article referred to
without any i,leaof discussing the abstract
proposition Of primary elections, but SIM
ply to SET forth Tile fact that the people of
Orange are not responsible for the idea;
that tile meeting was no meeting oftlleirs,
but their name WAS used without authority
10y Mr.. Turner To obtain sanction fof am
other Of his schemes 10 hOodwihk the pub
lie and gain apparent authenticity for
some future candidacy. And we were the
more mtspoken. because of The effort
made by Mr.. Turner to give wide diffusion
10 his movements by Simultaneous publi-
cation In papers In different parts of the
State, thereby committing the people o.
Orange To proposition entirely new tn
them.
They have the right to select their can
'li'iates IN any way they deem III; 10y
primary elections, as well MS 10y conven-
ton. But in advance Of any demand for
amy change Of their old methods, long he
fnre The occasion arises for which they
might be called upon Ia choose or vary
their modes. We, nor they. are willing that
they shall be premaiurely committed 10
any plan or action.
never before heard of your devotion
to me.n Our personal acquaintance is
but slight. We have seldom met, and
when we did had only time for the inter-
change Of the ordinary civil saluiations.
But To the question Of primary elections
and the Orange merting.
v The meeting which Mr.. Cameron says
was NOT meeting az the people 81 Orange,
took pace in Hillshoro. on Tuesday OF
last court. There were moie than seven
hundred people in the town from all parts
of the county. Nothing like NIL, but d
great portion Of them took part in tile
meeting on the street, and in front Of iiIe
Court House. II. Harris, Esq; was Chair
man. aud w. Mangum, Secretary, both
men o: character and Intelligence who
think for themselves. 1 read the restl-
lutioiis, putting each one separate. and
taking the vote on IL. Then the vnie was
taken OH them as whole; no uue voted
against them, or amy one Of them Ifit
Was moi meeting of the people i have
never witnessed olle.
Mr.. Cameron says neither "he nor the
people ATE willing To be prematurely conI>
mittei 20 amy plan Of action" Ibid iiol
prolpre To Commit him or any persun not
present Tile meeting was In sight aud
hearing 90 his Office. He could have come
out aud entered llis prptest. invite dis
cussion. II any msn WAS oppnse,i To the
resolutions, asked him TO cone upon the
stand aud stale his oljsctiun. II c,mi-
United UnIy tlInse Who were present, and
was simply M expression Of opinion. No
Que WAS drafted or coDscripied; all present
were volunteers.
Frequent meetings &c the people are ell
joined by the Constitution, aud this Is the
firsl time have ever known an editor To
rail out against meeting ofthe people,
aud declare Il was .no nieetingof theirs"
The resolutions suggested 20 The Execu-
tive Cnnmitiee of The state the exPe-
diency % allowing the Democratic people
Ia vOte At the polls WHO should be their
candidates for United States senator, IL
might with great proprieiy have heen
added, 10 vote who should he their Cali.
,lidatrs for the important Office Of Judge.
Is there any treason III this ~.
The resolutions declared for the mdking
or selection " candidates Tor Congress, by
ballot, In primary meetings, Just n is,lone
in Virginia, Mississippi, New lurk.s
Pennsylvania. and nearly every State IN
the unlon. Where Is the treason toIhe
party 10 this ? Let the Recorder produce
M argument aEa.ns; the choosing their
candidates by ballot, aud I will answer
IT, =. 5
The Recorfcr has yet 20 learn that at.
lacking me Il moi an answer ur an argum.
mrnt against tile people selecting their
candidates aud rulers, instead Of lpayihgi II
20 Few wire.IalIers WIN lay sruund the
court hourrs aud market places Of each
county town.
n -. a. tt a 49,. -. AT. .......t.