The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-07
Democrats, Conserva tIves, Men
and Brethren,---WtW ye
Harken?

and Brethren,--.WW ye
Harken?
The F1rner and Mechanic is not a
Democratic organ. but it is a Peoples
Paper, seeking the greatest Good to
the Greatest Number, with justice and
fair Dealing toward All. Neverthe
less, it. editor being a Southerner and a
white man, and cognizant of the fearful
wrongs and misconduct of the Republl-
can party while it was for ten years IN
control of the South, is bound to use his
best endeavors for the perpetuatlon OF
Democratic administration so long as he
~conscientiously believes that that party
will best administer, preserve, and up
build our State and National lnstltu-
lions.
1t is therefore a source of genuine grief
with us to note some, and far too many,
signs of retrogression and decadence
among our party leaders. 1t will be a
sad day with us if Eve we be forced to
admit that any other party will do more,
or even as much, for North Carolina
and the South than the grand old party
for which we battled so long and suffer
e 81 much!
AS VET, IudI udN Ids I'LL tOLhO. ~
trust it never shall come. But there
are ominous portents and shadow1ngs IN
the air. As a journalist, as II who
resides at the Capital, and who closely
watches the current Of public affairs,
without taking personal part therein,
we note a wonderful chan &c going on
among the people, of all parties, and
colors.
Party ties are certainly looser than at
any time during the past 80 years.
And while our party is, as yet, IN the
majority in the S tate, and in the Ma
tion, there will need be more care to
stand up for the Right, more care to
cast Trickery to the Dogs, and smash
the Ring-leader Rings, and nominate
the Peoples men, not mere Place Seek
ers; else the tide will turn for another
ten years ebb, as surely as fate
One Of the signs above referred to IS
exhibited in the growing restlessness OF
1 the Press. Last week we quoted some
utterances of our county papers. To-
day We extract from a recent number
OF the Wilmington RerieU as follows
These things are pregnant with
doubt and distress to US. Whittier are
We uIllIliS 10 tHC duCotlOu thoe "Uoe
arise and which much be answered. Is
the Democratic party in North Carolina
to be ~disbanded, or to be crushed by Its
own weight? This is a startling ques-
ton, but it is one which has been asked
quite often of late
Gen. Alfred NJ. Waddell, in Sundays
Neacs Obserrer, in concluding his highly
interesting sketches of the campaign In
New England last fall. and his subse-
quent services at Head Quarters of the
National Democratic Committee, uses
the following language that is well quail
flied to ~startle those who know MS de-
votion to the cause:-
whether those who work in the
same cause hereafter will ever find 1t
other than fruitless seems to be doubt
full, but after some experience the rebel
brigadier very confidently asserts that,
unless there shall be more courage. and
less selfshnesS in those who contro! Its
policy, the Democratic party will never
gain the ascendency in National affairs.
That it may profit by it's long expert
ence of defeat, and pursue such a course
during the next iOur years as to com
mand the support of a large majority OF
tuO pCopiC III Vic uCAU lCSluCutidi GIG
ton, is greatly to be desired, but hardly
to be hoped for at present.
The rebel brigadier will hail every
sign of such a result, and, hoping for
it, bids farewell TO IN NJ 1 WApDEL1.o
He strikes the right nail SELFISH
NESS is the key to it all. Your Politi-
cal Self-Seeker doubles and twists and
lntrlgues to get office and if elected
hastens to form a personal clique, and
strengthen ii nself by dispensing his
%tavorS, very much as the Norman Con
queror parcelled out Great Britain to
his impecunious followers who had
backed him in the Conquest. These
things make ship wreck of a party. For
good men do not vote the Democratic
ticket for any mere party purpose
they vote it to put honest and capable
men in office and when they see that
their chosen leaders are not acting as
servants Of the public but as chiefs
ia Personal clique they no longer
ling to the party.
The Wilmington Star, in reply to our
question-'What if the Machine be
come All Powerful in the State?'-
apositely answers thus:-
in that case the people ought to
rise up and so smash that Machine that
its pieces can never be gathered again
and made to run"
Politicians, will we heed? This is an
off year" but 1t is a dangerous one.