The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-25

blindly Partizan. The very word signi-
fes,-the Welfare of the People. A
true Democrat owes allegiance, first TO
his State. then to his Country. then TO
his Party; and if be perceive that ms
Party is being handled to the detriment
I of the State. or the country, or its own
future or if 1t even seem TO fall short
of its high mission as a Friend OF the
People,"-he ought to exert himself to
bring about a change. and a Reform.
tbs Is the Farmer and Mechanics
platform. 1t has no Y to GRIND no
mans interests to subserve; nor any
des re to oppose any one. 1t would Tar
ratl.er praise than censure; and It's flies
! for six years past will show more volun-
teered kind words about our State, our
People. our Institutions. u Press, and
our Party than any other paper IN the
South. Among its regular subscribers
are thousands of our most influential
citizens, including a majority of the
It''4OtIdllC HltIlDtjS Vi tlIC I<t-AoAdldIN :
a majority of the Democratic members
OF Congress, a majority OF the Demo-
cratic judges, Of both Supreme and SUI
perior Courts, a majority OF the state
Officers" nearly a majority of the
Sheriffs, and certainly a large number
of the most prominent Democrats. All
III, l.. ,A &C ,a,A--a
agree with us in opinion, and some of
them may think we are fatty wrong on
one subject or another; but none of
them. we think. doubt either our sincere
tv. our Democracy, or our devotion to
the State. We think. moreover, that
a majority of them, and a majority Of
the Democratic Party, and a majority
of the Democratic newspapers, agree
with US in respect to the Railroad
Ring agricultural Department.
and Governors Mansion questions.
PRINCIPLES NOT MEN! A PAPER FOR
THE PEOPLE, NoT A PUFFER FOR
THE PARTY.
Referring to another phase of the dis
custom we regret to see the NeUs- o.
Serter so far forgetting itself as to init
mate that the Farmer and Mechanic is
seeking to damage the Democratic Par
~. 1t says: The course Of that paper
lin trying to saddle the Democratic
party with an anticipated delinquency
lied us to question the accuracy of its
Figures. For il seems to assail the
democratic Party as if its heart were
''in that work. 1t is difficult to lay
hands OIL the exact figures. but what
I'VE find shows that the Farmer and
"Hcchanic was sailing as the sailors say.
Eat large, roaming about without much
concern for accuracy. 1t seemed as if
in its view anything would do that
would appear to make a bad showing
for the Democratic Party"
This is a view OfOur course that one might
| expect from a Party ''Organ,-a paper
which during a long term of wears has
had the advantage over all other papers
in North Carolina ofreceiving a valuable
Bonus.-the State and Party Printing
which some people think ought to be
given to the ''lowest bidder,''-the
| printer who will do the work at least
cost to the tax-payers-but which is
given to the *Organ' because it is an
Organ. Such papers are apt to forget that
there is a difference between the Princi-
piles of a Party and the Office-holders of
a party. The old %tyrannical motto
The King can do no wrong!'-is often
illustrated by such journals. as, fresh
from the Official atmosphere, they
hoist Geslers cap. and charge ''Disloy-
alty' upon all who dare to question the
wisdom of public measures, or c~riticise
conduct of public servants, or refuse to
support schemes which selfish party
leaders have concocted for their own
personal purposes.
1t i a matter Of regret with us that
the NccS- Observer should use any such
tone. 1t hurts the Party more than it
hurts the Farmer and -HechdRic. \ few
persons who do not see our paper may
be misled, and preiudiced against
its editor; but the great majority of our
people know him too well for that. They
know tlat he is, and always has been
a better Democrat than those who assail
him.
Ere his 10th birthday. he had risked
his lie IN defence of Democratic prin-
cit les. while some Of his d~etractors were
800 miles from the battlciielLs. acting
as "oGmmissary clerks to weigh ba-
con. and save their own. After the
war. he fought the Red String Lea
gucrs.' and "kirkites.' in the fullness
of their power, and virulence in Western
n. c.. both at Rutherford and at Ashe-
villc.-while some OF his detractors were
financially intimate with Swepson. Lit
tlefield and Pickerell. At a later period.
he was working ten hours a dav. at
hard labor, in Albany P~enitentiary, do
ing penalty for Democratic principles,
and repeatedly refusing offers of free
dom, and a fat office if he would re-
nounce his Democracy.-while at that
very time some of his dctractors were
engineering a Bolt from the Demo-
cratic Senatorial caucus to defeat L. B.
vance,
The Observer asks if Representative
Shotwell did not vote for the Mansion
Rill whom he waS in tic orI w.