The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1882-12-21
Alas! how different the circum

| NCSlCUo StiO NUAhs OIL" odA oUS W.
idle words. We wish for no Grim
nation or recrimination at this lac
lay. Our only desire is to call at
tention to the fruits of such official
neglect at those trials. in the general
apathy prevailing the ranks of the
working members of the party
1uring the recent heated canvass.
Let the result impress itself in
lett ers of living light upon the mind
OF the leaders of the North Caroiin;.
Democracy, and tea III them that IN
people will tolerate no inlferer &c
to their personal and political rights
in tie hour of peril.
Tough such con 1u't iowa" :
hn|: 'rss D mo rat i t. t. : %
eli polite / n me. sns II .s''a
thrust. and yai..l g aliilil.s' ! g
conf lence our people im.'l I'll
PLACID in the friendly power OF tnoS
welding the authority Of the State
and of the party. it was not the only
cause of grievance which ranked in
the breasts of the Halifax Democra-
CIV. There were other influences at
work, alike serious in their nature
and demoralizing in their effects.
which led to the same disastrous
consequences.
The arbitrary action of the county
commissioners in refusing to grant
license was a grievous thunder, and
most grievously have the Democracy
of Halifax suffered from it.
| Liquor dealers having on hand
large supplies refused to be ruined
by this unwise assumption of the
legislative functions by the County
Executives. sold on by advice oil
counsel, in defiance Of this uniortu
nate prohibitory policy Of the com
mlss.oners. still applying, still ap'
pealing for a consideration of their
rights, both personally and by coun
sci, month after month; regularly
rendering the amount of their license
in ready money and as regularly re
fused, until finally both client anG
counsel retired from the unequal con
test discounted. This was ba
enough in Democracy God knows
but more was to follow.
| Notwithstanding this wholesale
trampling under foot Of individual
rights and constitutional guarantee:
by Democratic officials. matters were
not allowed to rest just here at thu
door of the county commissioners
into this arena Of discord. impellef
by his oath of Office, comes the coun
ty Attorney, who, forgetting, in thu
impolitic course thus forced upol
him, the sacred maxim of Plato ant
Aristottlc,-Le1 est mems sine ofect1
ct quasi Deus. forthwith institute
series of prosecutions agains
the already outraged and thorough!
e b ittere liquor dealer
throughout the county, subjectins
them to all the irritating and harass
ing processes of the law, in many in
stances driving them to the wall, ant
amercing them in costs and damage
to large amounts.
Is it wonderful, 'sphenominal'' o
otherwise our people did not turf
out and vote their full Democratic
strength under such harassing cir
cumstances ,?
Prohibition did it's foolish work well
1t was undoubtedly the great dis
turbing element which brought alb GU
these deplorable transactions AM
dissensions in this and other coun
ties throughout the Eastern section
Of the State.
1t has indeed proved a veritabl
shirt of Nessus, instilling it's deadl.
poison into the entire boiy polite o
the Herculean Democracy Of Mort
Carolina.
In vain we tried ito rcn'l the stick
ing plague" from our shoulders. n
matter in what manner, or by wha
array OF truthful or legitimat weap
ons we confronted or refuted the OF
repeated charges Of the R ,publicans
the sin of a thou ghtless D .mocrati
Legislature clings to US still.
l Now i. is high time all t.is Demo
cratic genius for laundering shonl
be 'sQuelcite, !" and thorou 5hly elimir
atel from )arty management, an
for the NJ tn Carolina Demo ;rac
to rchabiIi5s se itself in the panoply {
the people
! Hencefort il let it be emphaticall
un Ter stood that the people will tele